Pollutant properties and behaviour Flashcards
State of matter
solid liquid or gas and how that impacts persistence and dispersal
Energy form
some pollutants are energy forms such as noise, ionising radiation or light.
Density
mass per unit volume, the density of a pollutant affects deposition and dispersal.
Biodegradable
A material that can be broken down by living organisms, usually bacteria.
Bioaccumulation
The increase in concentration of a substance in living tissue as it is absorbed and stored faster than it is broken down and excreted - often liposoluble pollutants
Biomagnification
The progressive bioaccumulation of a material along a food chain. Amount of pollutant increases with trophic level e.g. organochlorine insecticides, PCBs, heavy metals (liposoluble pollutants)
Carcinogen
A substance or energy form that can cause cancer
Degradability
A measure of the ease with which a material breaks down.
Liposolubility
A measure of how easily a substance dissolves in (and stored in) fats and oils.
Water solubility
A measure of how easily a substance dissolves in water. Water soluble pollutants are easily dispersed in water.
Mobility
Mobility of a pollutant is caused by density, state of matter, solubility and environmental conditions. Highly mobile pollutants may travel great distances however become quickly diluted
Mutagen
A material that can cause changes in DNA structure.
Neurotoxin
A poison that affects the nervous system.
Persistence
A measure of the rate at which a material breaks down and therefore the length of time it remains.
Reactivity
How readily a pollutant will combine with other substances. Reactivity can cause degradation and reduce pollutant effects or produce secondary pollutants that increase pollutant effects.
Specificity
variations in toxicity to different groups of organisms
Synergism
The process where the presence of two materials produces a greater effect than the sum of their individual effects. Example NO2 + O3 + Hydrocarbons = PANs
Teratogen
A substance that interferes with gene function in a growing embryo so that a non-inherited birth abnormality is produced.
Toxicity
A measure of how poisonous a substance is, usually caused by its ability to cause enzyme inhibition.
Gonadic mutagen
A mutation in an egg or sperm cell or in an embryo that may cause birth abnormalities in offspring
Somatic mutagen
A mutagen in general body cells which can cause increased cell division to and tumours.
Adsorption
The process where a substance fixes onto a surface.
Primary pollutant
A pollutant released by human activities
Secondary pollutant
produced from a chemical reaction between one or more primary pollutants often with non pollutants.
Environmental factors that affect pollutant degradation
Temperature, Light levels, presence of oxygen, pH, interactions with other pollutants
Environmental factors that affect pollutant dispersal
Wind velocity, water velocity/currents, temperature inversions, presence of adsorbent materials, topography
Topography
The 3D shape of the land surface.
Acute
Exposure to a substance or symptoms that appear rapidly.
Chronic
Exposure to a substance or symptoms that appear over long periods of time.
Contamination
Pollution caused by the pollutant staying in contact or mixing with materials such as soil, atmosphere, water or living organisms.
Exposure
In ionising radiation control, this refers to an object or person receiving radiation, but not necessarily coming in contact with the source.
