Midterm Flashcards
MAC stands for?
Maximum Acceptable Concentration
What is the difference between Guidelines and Standard?
Guidelines are not legally enforcable
Standards are legally enforceable
A speed limit of 100 km/hr is an example of what?
Standard
Why do some chemicals on the chemicals of concern list get retired?
Because it is no longer used. ex. DDT
They are regularly reviewd
What does AO stand for?
Aesthetic Objective
Do AO’s have standards or guidlines?
Guidelines
What are the main AO’s?
Color
pH
Water Quality Guidelines Base on Usage (5)
- Drinking Water Quality
- Recreation Water Quality
- Agriculture
a. Irrigation Water Quality
b. Livestock Water Quality - Aquatic Life
a. Freshwater
b. Marine - Industrial(EN1540 – Waste Water)
a. input / output
_____ controls water supply; _____ controls quality guidelines
Towns/municipality ; Government
Who does water sampling?
Department of Health / Government services
What is the exception to guidelines and standards? why?
Objectives
normally objectives are ecological to lower stress on organisms
Canadian Stat: X/X do not have access to clean drinking water
1/6
Contamination Vs Pollutant
contaminants are not always a pollutant. something that isn’t supposed to be there
– unwanted in the environment
pollutant is based on a baseline
— contaminant present in the environment or which might enter the environment which, due to its concentration, causes harm
BOD stands for?
Biochemical Oxygen Demand
where would a nonpoint source sample be taken from?
Agricultural
where would a point source sample be taken from?
industrial (pipeline)
Adding nutrients to water doesn’t mean the nutrient is a MAC but the accumulating effect can be (T/F)
T
Point Source
samples taken at the source of the pullutant/contamination
has its own regulations, therefore can be charged
ex. industrial (pipeline)
Non-point sources also known as
Diffuse
Bioaccumulation
metals that can’t be excreted build up in an organism over its lifetime
Pollutants like heavy metals are CONSERVATIVE pollutants – i.e. they aren’t broken down by bacteria etc and are effectively permanent
Most plants and animals can regulate their metal content to a certain point – but metals that can’t be excreted build up in an organism over its lifetime
Biomagnification
Animals feeding on bioaccumulators take in a
higher level of contaminants, which bioaccumulate
within themselves
Those animals feeding on them gain even
higher inputs of contaminants, and
bioaccumulate even greater concentrations
CONSERVATIVE pollutants
they aren’t broken down by bacteria etc and are effectively permanent
ex. heavy metals
if a fish dies in the water, does it mean its not safe to drink?
no
fish die in distilled water
Major sources of pollution (6)
runoff from watersheds
farmland
animal feedlots
urban areas
mining sites
sewage
Eutrophication
the natural nutrient enrichment of lakes mostly from runoff of plant nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates from surrounding land. In hot weather or drought the nutrient overload produces algae, creating green lakes
Oligotrophic lake
low in nutrients (clear)
Eutrophic lake
green lakes
The best way to prevent spills is to ___
protect
Preventing or removing eutrophication
- Advanced waste treatment to remove nitrates and phosphates
- Ban or limit the use of phosphates in household detergents
- Employ soil conservation and land use control to reduce nutrient runoff
Groundwater Pollution Sources (7)
oil spills
paint thinners
sewage
hazardous wastes
injection wells
waste lagoons
landfills
Cooler temperatures: ________ chemical reactions
slow down
Protecting groundwater: _______ is best
Prevention
Multibarrier Approach
using the following to protect drinking water
1. public awareness and involvement
2. legislation and policy
3. guidelines, standards, and objectives
4. research
includes monitoring and management
When testing for chloring in a towns drinking water, which houses do you check?
the first
the last
two in the middle
______ of the earth is covered in water
3/4
What is water used for in a typical 4 family home? (6)
Lawns, etc
Toilets
Bathing
Laundry
Dishes
Drinking,Cooking
Water Properties (10)
- Odorless
- Colorless
- Transparent
- Liquid at room Temp
- Boiling Point at 100 degrees celsius
- melting point at 0 (less dense)
- Universal Solvent (polar)
- High surface tension
- High specific heat capacity
- High heat evaporation
How do you know its groundwater?
temperature (4 degrees celcius)
What is the difference between Surface water and groundwater with regards to temperature, turbidity, and Mineral content?
Temp = SW- varies ; GW - constant
Turbidity = SW - varies ; GW - Low
Mineral Content = SW - Varies ; GW - constant
O2 is often present in_____ (SW or GW)
Surface water
Fe, Mn, and CO2 is often present in ____ (SW or GW)
Groundwater
NH3, H2S, and SiO2 is often found in ____ (SW or Groundwater)
Both! but no H2S in SW
erosion increases ______
turbidity
turbidity decreases ______
DO
all aqueous solutions are considered ___________
electrical neutral
what parameters usually throw off drinking water
biological (bacteria)
Major anions (4)
HCO
SO4
Cl
NO3
Major cations (5)
Ca
Mg
Na
K
Fe
TDS is ______ in groundwater
higher
why would color be a concern?
because of what causes the color (ex. minerals, organics)
LAB Q: if the true and apparent color are the same then the color is due to?
dissolved organics or dissolved minerals
LAB Q: what is the difference between true and apparent color?
apparent color is everything (unfiltered) whereas true color is dissolved (filtered)
What are the 3 major water quality issues in NL?
- pH
- Color
3.Turbidity
What is the AO for color of drinking water?
< or equal to 15ICU
is TDS and conductivity drinking water parameters?
NO
apparent is always _____________than true because ?
equal to or higher. because true is filtered
when looking at water quality of aquatic you think of? (2)
freshwater and marine
when looking at water quality of agriculture you think of? (2)
irrigation and livestock
what causes acid rain?
CO2 dissolves in rain
the TDS of groundwater is?
higher
which has the most severe guidelines/parameters?
a.human health
b.agriculture
c. aquatic life
d.industrial/commercial
a. human health
how are water parameters divided?
by use
what are the 4 water uses?
a.human health
b.agriculture
c. aquatic life
d.industrial/commercial
+ Recreation
is conductivity a paramater?
no it is used for monitoring
is pH a parameter?
no
how often is bacteria testing done?
once a month
categories of water quality parameters. (4)
- chemical
a. organic
b.inorganic - Biological
a.bacteria
b.viruses
c. protozoa
d. worms
e. algae - radiological
- physical
a.solids
b.color
c.transparency
d. pH
how do you test e-coli
absence/presence
how do you test coliform
bacteria
who tests for bacteria
hospitals
what is the issue of bacteria testing?
it takes time to complete the test and by then someone has already drunk it.
_____% of water in the distribution system is for the fire department
80
The movement of liquid water along with its ability to form
hydrogen bonds, allows water to pull substances apart and
dissolve them better but not always faster then an acids!
(T/F)
F
Homeostasis
Helps maintain a constant physiological condition of
cells, and organisms’ global ecosystems because…
* a. Makes a good insulator
* b. Resists temperature change
* c. Universal solvent
* d. Acts as a coolant
* e. Controls climate
Physical characteristics are (4)
Conductivity, Turbidity, Odour,
Colour
Biological determinants (3)
fecal coliforms, specific viruses,
biodiversity
Rain water has low ____ and low ____
DOC and TDS
Thermal stratification
characteristic of deep (> 10 m) temperate lakes
affects chemical speciation and chemical/biological processes
ground water has high _____, high ______, and low _____ and low _____
high TDS and mineral content
Low ph and DOC
a small town receives how many water samples per month?
1
a town with a population of less than 5 thousand people receives how many water samples per month?
4
a town with a population of more than 5 thousand but less than 90 thousand people receives how many water samples per month?
> 5k <90k
1 sample per 1K people
a town with a population of more than 90 thousand people receives how many water samples per month?
90 samples plus 1 sample per 10 thousand people
all chemical test are done by?
department of environment
sampling for bacteria is
reactive approach
samples of water must be tested within ___ hours in NL
30
sample of water must be tested within ____ hours around the world
6
does chlorine protect against beaver fever
no
how to sample bacteria-logical
-sterile bottle and neutralizing material (for chlorine)
-need at least 100 mL
presence/absence for e-coli
looping distribution systems help
remove dead ends
- water pressure drops
- dirty water
metals samples can be stored after acidified at < ___ pH
6 - can store for 6 months once corrected
how to neutralize chlorine when taking organic samples?
vitamin A
how long can metal samples be stored for?
6 months
how long can organic samples be stored for?
most - 1 week
what is the most common preservation method
refigerate
bacteria tests are done by?
department of health
-total coliforms and e-coli
not viruses or protoza
organics samples should be stored in
amber glass containers
metal samples should be stored in
plastic containers
who tests for chlorine?
department of health and muncipality
how often are physical paramters checked
twice a year
how much of a water sample is usually collected?
500 mL
which house is the most imp when testing for chlorine?
last! because if it has residual chlorine then the previous houses are assumed to be safe
what is the minimum for testing distribution system
3
How often is recreational water tested? (why)
its not
theres too many sites
who tests irrigation water?
department of irrigation
is freshwater tested?
no
is marine water tested
no
who determines how many samples you need to take?
lab
for every ___ samples, take ___ blank
5, 1
Quality assurance
Quality assurance can be defined as “part of quality management focused on providing
confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled.”
Quality control
Quality control can be defined as “part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality
requirements.”
Labs are ___ certified
CALA
what are the 6 methods of tests
- Anion-Cation (most imp)
- Measure TDS vs calculated TDS
- Measure Conductivity vs calculated conductivity
- Measure Conductivity vs Ion sum
- calculated TDS vs Conductivity ratio
- Measured TDS vs Calculated conductivity ratio
anion-cation only does
inorganics
What is the acceptable difference in charge for the anion-cation
+/- 0.2meq
What is the issue with Measure TDS vs calculated TDS
takes too long to do and acceptable difference is too big
What is the acceptable difference in charge for Measure TDS vs calculated TDS
20%
Measure Conductivity vs calculated conductivity does
inorganics NOT ORGANICS
What is the acceptable difference in charge for Conductivity vs calculated conductivity
10%
What is the acceptable difference in charge for Measure Conductivity vs Ion sum
10%
what are the issues with Measured TDS vs Calculated conductivity ratio
takes too long and too much possibility of human error
what are the physical variables
salinity (S)
Conductivity
Specific Conductance
Color
What are the units for salinity
mg/L or ppt
what is the differences between physical parameters and chemical parameters
-cant see chemicals
-physical is what you can see (in-situ testing)
more ions = more _____
conductivity
what does conductivity tell you?
nothing. its a indicator
Higher conductivity = higher _____
TDS
micro siemens are for _______ and mili siemens are for ______
freshwater ; saltwater
specific conductance is
how temperature of watereffects conductivity
higher temp = higher conductivity (think dissolving sugar)
a spike or dip in conductivity means?
spike = metals
dip = organics
The higher the salinity, the _____ the DO
lower
What act controls bottled water
food and beverage
what act controls drinking water
water resources act
TS is measured in
mg/L
is DO a MAC?
no
Turbidity is
measurement of
light penetration in water
does Hardness or Alkalinity have a MAC or AO
NO to both
a hardness value of 0.50 mg CaCO3/L is
soft water
a hardness value of 50 - 150 mg CaCO3/L is
moderate water
a hardness value of 150 - 300 mg CaCO3/L is
hard water
a hardness value > 300 mg CaCO3/L is
Very hard water
