Pollution - Physical Flashcards
Define density
Mass per unit volume.
Define persistence
Length of time a pollutant remains in the environment before degrading.
Define toxicity
How poisonous a substance is to a living organism.
Define specificity
Variations in toxicity to different groups of organisms.
Define reactivity
Likelihood to undergo a chemical reaction.
Define adsorption
Attachment to the surface of materials.
Define solubility for:
Lipids
Water
Lipids - How well a substance dissolves in lipids.
Water - How well a substance dissolves in water.
Define bioaccumulation
Amount of a substance in an organism increases.
Define biomagnification
Substance becomes more concentrated at higher trophic levels (up the foodchain).
Define synergism
Pollutants acting together to have a different, greater effect than on their own.
Define mutagenic action for:
Gonadic
Somatic
Carcinogenic
Gonadic - Changes to chemical structure of DNA.
Somatic - Mutation in an egg, sperm, or embryo. Mutations in a body cell.
Carcinogenic - Mutagens that can cause cancer due to uncontrolled cell division.
Define teratogenic action
Non-inherited birth abnormalities.
Define mobility
Ability of a pollutant to move in the environment.
Define primary pollutant
Pollutant released by human activities.
Define secondary pollutant
Pollutant produced from chemical reaction with primary pollutants.
What are some factors that affect degradation?
- Temperature: chemical reactions occur rapidly at higher temperatures.
- Light: Energy to drive chemical reactions.
- Oxygen: Aerobic decomposition of sewage by bacteria etc.
- Pollutant interactions
What are some factors impacting dispersal?
- pH: can affect solubility of substances.
- Wind/water currents: impact direction and how far it is dispersed/diluted.
- Adsorbent materials: pollutants and naturally toxic metal ions may adsorb onto materials like clay particles, immobilising the pollutant.
What are temperature inversions?
- Warm effluent gases usually have lower density than surrounding air, so rise to disperse.
- If the layer of air above is warmer then as these gases cool they are less dense and so are not dispersed.
What are some factors that lead to temperature inversions?
- Valleys: trap cooler air below.
- Low wind: no mixing of air layers.
- Cloudless skies (at night): IR radiation from ground emitted so cools down.
- Fog during day: higher albedo reflects sunlight, warming upper layer.
General strategies to control pollution: Critical Pathway Analysis (CPA)
- Predicts movement of pollutants in environment to predict the severity and location of pollution.
- If pollution is diluted or transported to locations with minimal impact risk then no action needs to be taken.
- If transported to sensitive locations, control of releases required.
- Largely used to monitor the dispersal of radioactive waste.
General strategies to control pollution: Critical Group Monitoring (CGM)
- Assesses risk to member of the public (not workers) who are deemed most at risk due to their lifestyle.
- This is the critical group.
- Used to monitor exposure and assess risks before health impacts occur. Emissions can be controlled to reduce exposure.
What is the Polluter Pays Principle?
Whoever is responsible, pays. Incentive to prevent pollution if costs of payment > benefit from release of pollutant.
What is the Precautionary Principle?
Assumes waste released will cause pollution unless research confirms it is unlikely. Ensures that being unaware of potential problems does not exclude responsibility.
What are the direct effects of acid rain on:
Non-living
Living
Non-Living:
- Corrodes metals
- Damages water pipes, pylons, powerlines.
- Buildings made of limestone damaged.
Living:
- Acids toxic to living organisms.
- Denature proteins in cell membranes.
- Inhibit enzyme action.