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ENGR 202 > Lecture 2 : Env. Issues > Flashcards

Lecture 2 : Env. Issues Flashcards

1
Q

•Pollution

A

can be defined as the introduction of a
substance to the environment at levels leading to a
loss of a beneficial use of water, air, or land
resource or degradation of the health of humans,
wildlife, or ecosystems.

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2
Q

Types of human health effects:

A

Acute – immediate response
• Chronic – long-term exposure
• Carcinogenic – cell mutations (cancer)
• Welfare – Everything else, relating to what surrounds us (plants, animals, materials)

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3
Q

Major air pollutants:

A
  1. Particulate matter (PM; dust, smoke, haze)
  2. Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
  3. Carbon Monoxide (CO)
  4. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
  5. Ground-level ozone (O3+)
  6. Lead (Pb)
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4
Q

PM10 and PM 2.5 notation

A

✓PM10 → <10 μm, coarse (2.5-10 μm) and fine
particles

✓PM2.5 → <2.5 μm, fine particles

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5
Q

Effects on human health from particles

A

✓Enter human body via respiratory system

✓Damage respiratory organs

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6
Q

Sources of Sulfur Dioxide

A
  • Oil/coal combustion

* Metal smelting

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7
Q

characteristics Sulfur Dioxide

A

nonflammable
non-explosive
colorless
pungent/irritating odor when concentration > 3 ppm
through photochemical or catalytic processes: SO2 ➔ SO3 [or sulfuric acid (H2SO4)]

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8
Q

Effects of SO2

A

• Respiratory illness
• Alteration in lung’s defenses
• Aggravation of existing cardiovascular/chronic lung
disease

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9
Q

Characteristics of CO

A

✓Colorless and odorless
✓Very stable (life time = 2 to 4 months)
✓Global emission is large (> 300 million tons/yr) ➔ 20% are human- made

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10
Q

Sources of CO

A

• Fossil fuels/carbon-based materials

incomplete combustion

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11
Q

Effects of CO

A

High CO concentration ➔physiological/pathological changes
✓Cause detrimental effect on human health
✓CO ➔ deprive body tissues of necessary oxygen

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12
Q

Characteristics of NO2

A 
✓No direct damage to materials
✓NO 3 2 + moisture ➔ nitric acid (HNO ) ➔
corrosion of metal surfaces
✓Acid rain ➔ decreased soil pH
✓Reddish-brown gas
✓➔ reduce visibility
✓➔affect plant growth and yield
✓➔ increased bronchitis in children
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13
Q

Sources of No2

A

Fuel Combustion

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14
Q

Effects of NO2

A

Respiratory system irritation

• Respiratory illness (bronchitis)

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15
Q

Characteristics of O3

A

✓Ground level

✓Photochemical smog

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16
Q

Sources of O3

A 
Sources of Ozone:
• Complex chemical reactions in atmosphere (NOx) and hydrocarbon
gases
• Automobiles
• Power plants
• Factories
17
Q

Effects of Ozone

A
  • Formation of smog
  • Attacks lung tissue
  • Reduces lung function
  • Sensitizes lungs to other irritants
18
Q

Characteristics of Lead

A

✓Heavy metal

→ fall dramatically in past decades

19
Q

Sources of Lead

A
  • Automobiles
  • Smelting
  • Manufactures
  • Lead erosion
20
Q

Effects of lead

A

Neurological damage

• Adverse effects on liver/kidney

21
Q

Natural process of making rain, and its pH:

A

Naturally: CO2
(g) + H2O(l) : H2CO3
(aq) :
H+(aq) + HCO3−(aq)

22
Q

Acid rain

A

Acid rain: provides a lot more H+ (over a
hundred times more in many cases) this makes
it much easier for the reaction to run`
can cause damages

23
Q

Stratospheric Ozone Depletion

A

• Ozone layer → in the stratosphere
• Absorbs ultraviolet radiation that’s harmful to
humans, animals and plants.
• Ozone-depleting substances (ODS)
→ chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) …. destroy carbon

24
Q

Greenhouse gases:

A 
Water vapor
• Carbon dioxide
• Methane
• Nitrous Oxide
• Fluorinated Gases
25
Surface water vs Ground water
• Surface water → freshwater and seawater in streams, rivers, reservoirs, and oceans. → appear in solid form as snow, ice • Groundwater → exist below the land surface → consist water and air that fills pores and factures that exist underground
26
two types of water pollution traceability
• Point Source Pollution √ Water pollution that can be traced to a specific origin Example: discharge via effluent pipes from treatment plant • Non-point Source Pollution √ Pollutants that enter bodies of water over large areas rather than being concentrated at a single point of entry √ Diffuse, but its cumulative effect is very large Example: runoff from agricultural fields or parking lots
27
Types of water pollution
Industrial Water Pollution Groundwater Pollution Agricultural Water Pollution
28
Major water contaminants
* Biological pathogens * Organic chemicals and toxic organic chemicals * Inorganic chemicals: nutrients, toxic metals, salts * Sediments * Acidity * Heat
29
Organic Chemical water pollutants
* Pesticides and herbicides * Organic solvents * Fuel components * Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons
30
Health effect of organic chemicals:
Carcinogenicity – cause or suspected to cause cancer • Teratogenicity (terra-tau-genicity) – cause birth defects • Nervous system impairment • Liver and other organ impairment • Reproductive impairment
31
Inorganic chemical water pollutants
Nutrients: Nitrogen and phosphorus. Runs off into surface water supplies and causes depletion of oxygen. The excessive nitrogen levels also cause diseases in drinking water. Toxic metals: Excessive levels of manganese, zinc, mercury, lead, arsenic can damage vital body organs Salts: Calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. Tolerance of salts varies between species occupying the waterflow
32
Classification of physical hazardous wastes
``` • Corrosivity, or something that can rust or decompose → highly acidic or alkaline → battery acid and rust removers • Ignitability, or something flammable • Reactivity, or something explosive → Water-Reactive Material, sodium • Toxicity, or something poisonous ```
33
Municipal solid waste (MSW)
refers to recyclables and compostable materials, as well as garbage from homes, businesses, institutions, and construction and demolition sites.
34
Isssues with solid waste
• Volume - space: Needs to be actively taken away. Does not disappear by itself • Nuisances: Odours, flies, etc. Waste being spread by dogs, wind etc. becomes un-esthetical • Public health issues: Pathogens (bacteria, virus, protozoan, intestinal worm eggs, fungi) in the waste are spread by vectors (flies, rats, etc.) or infected or transmitting vectors are attracted by the waste • Economy: The scale of waste generation makes economy an important issue • Contamination of the environment: Waste components transferred to air, water or soil may cause contamination • Resource issues: Waste contains resources that should be used in order to save on other resources
35
Hazardous air pollutants (HAP) and effects:
chemicals emitted in smaller quantities but their effects can be severe in small doses. I.e.: Benzene, asbestos, heavy metals. Effects: Neurological, immunological, mutagenic and other serious health effects

ENGR 202 (5 decks)

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