Pollution - Properties

Question 1

How can pollution be defined?

Answer 1

The introduction of contaminants into the natural environment which cause adverse change (harmful substance or energy released)

Question 2

Which human activities can cause pollution?

Answer 2

• Fossil fuel combustion
• Landfill waste
• Oil spills
• Fertiliser and pesticide use

Question 3

Which factors impact pollutant behaviour in the atmosphere?

Answer 3

• Presence of H2O
• Wind velocity and direction
• Density
• Topography and altitude

Question 4

What are examples of gas pollutants?

Answer 4

• CO2
• CO
• NOx
• CH4

Question 5

What are examples liquid pollutants?

Answer 5

• Pesticides
• AMD
• Oil
• Chemicals

Question 6

What are examples of solid pollutants?

Answer 6

• Fertiliser
• Plastics
• Heavy metals
• Particulates

Question 7

How does physical state impact solid pollutant dispersal?

Answer 7

Disperse more slowly than liquid and gas pollutants

Question 8

How does physical state impact liquid pollutant dispersal?

Answer 8

Rapid dispersal but can become concentrated behind a dam

Question 9

How does physical state impact gas pollutant dispersal?

Answer 9

Usually rapid dispersal unless a temperature inversion is present

Question 10

What can liquid and gas pollutants cause?

Answer 10

Trans-boundary pollution

Question 11

What is energy form?

Answer 11

Some pollutants are in the form of energy (e.g. heat, noise, ionising radiation)

Question 12

What is density?

Answer 12

Mass per unit volume (impacts dispersal)

Question 13

What are examples of pollutants with different densities?

Answer 13

High = Heavy metals
Low = CO2

Question 14

What is persistence?

Answer 14

The length of time a pollutant remains in the environment (environmental half-life)

Question 15

What are examples of pollutants with different persistence?

Answer 15

High = CFCs
Low = Sewage

Question 16

What is toxicity?

Answer 16

How poisonous a substance is to living organisms

Question 17

What are examples of toxic pollutants?

Answer 17

Lead, CO (binds to haemoglobin)

Question 18

What is specificity?

Answer 18

How targeted a pollutant is

Question 19

What is an example of a pollutant with high specificity?

Answer 19

Pesticides/insecticides

Question 20

What is reactivity?

Answer 20

How reactive a pollutant is (alters toxicity)

Question 21

What are examples of pollutants with different reactivity?

Answer 21

High = NOx
Low = CFCs (unless UV is present)

Question 22

What is adsorption?

Answer 22

The ability to adhere/stick to a solid surface

Question 23

What are examples of pollutants with different adsorption?

Answer 23

High = Heavy metals
Low = CO

Question 24

What is solubility?

Answer 24

Pollutants may become soluble in water or fats (water- and lipo-soluble)

Question 25

What are example of soluble pollutants?

Answer 25

Water = Nitrates Lipo = Mercury

Question 26

What is bioaccumulation?

Answer 26

The build-up of a toxin within a living organism (usually lipo-soluble as water-soluble pollutants are easily excreted?

Question 27

What is biomagnification?

Answer 27

A toxin becomes more concentrated as it moved up trophic levels (e.g. mercury in tuna fish)

Question 28

What is synergism?

Answer 28

The ability of a pollutant to interact with another pollutant and become more toxic

Question 29

What is an example of synergism?

Answer 29

Tropospheric O3 and SO2 (damages leaf cuticles)

Question 30

What is mutagenic action?

Answer 30

The ability of a pollutant to change DNA structure which will be passed on to offspring

Question 31

What are examples of mutagenic action?

Answer 31

- Ionising radiation - UV light - Cadmium

Question 32

What is carcinogenic action?

Answer 32

The ability of a pollutant to cause cancer due to cell multiplication

Question 33

What is an example of carcinogenic action?

Answer 33

UV can cause skin cancer

Question 34

What is teratogenic action?

Answer 34

The ability of a pollutant to cause birth abnormalities due to a change in gene expression (no DNA change)

Question 35

What is an example of teratogenic action?

Answer 35

Mercury

Question 36

What is mobility?

Answer 36

The ability of a pollutant to move in the environment (impacted by S/L/G)

Question 37

What are examples of pollutants with different mobility?

Answer 37

High mobility = CFCs Low mobility = Lead dust (high density so deposited closer to the source)

Question 38

What is a primary pollutant?

Answer 38

A pollutant released directly into the atmosphere (CO2, NOx)

Question 39

What is a secondary pollutant?

Answer 39

A pollutant formed by the reaction of a primary pollutant in the atmosphere (tropospheric O3)

Question 40

How can pollutant sources be defined?

Answer 40

- Point (identifiable source) - Diffuse (no single identifiable source)

Question 41

Which environmental factors impact pollutant dispersal?

Answer 41

- Air/water velocity and direction - Topography - Adsorbent materials - Temperature inversions

Question 42

Which environmental factors impact pollutant degradations?

Answer 42

- Temperature - Oxygen - Light levels - pH - Pollutant interactions

Question 43

How do adsorbent materials impact pollutant dispersal?

Answer 43

Clay particles could immobilise a pollutant

Question 44

How does oxygen impact pollutant degradation

Answer 44

- Chemical and biological reactions - Oxidation impacts solubility

Question 45

How do light levels impact pollutant degradation?

Answer 45

Provides activation energy for reactions

Question 46

How does pH impact pollutant degradation?

Answer 46

Heavy metals such as lead are more soluble in acidic conditions (increases mobility)