Topic 3 - Potentially harmful substances are spread and concentrated in the environment in various ways Flashcards
What are the 3 stages of substances in the air?
- Release of the chemical from its source
- Dispersion
- Deposition
What is a water table?
Top of the groundwater zone.
What are pores?
Small spaces between soil grains.
What is permeable soil?
interconnected pores
What are some substances which contaminate groundwater?
- Iron, Calcium, Pesticides, Heavy Metals, Cadmium, Lead, Mercury, Solvents, Petroleum Products, vehicle exhausts, fertilizers, salt, acidic deposition, bacteria, viruses, protozoa, chlorine compounds, nitrates, phosphorus compounds
What does dispersion mean?
Scattering away from its source.
What does dilution mean?
Reducing the concentration of a pollutant.
What does biodegradation mean?
Break up of living things
What does biomagnification mean?
An increase of concentration as it moves up the food chain. Example: mercury, peregine falcon
What does aerobic biodegradation mean?
Requires oxygen
What does anaerobic biodegradation mean?
Does not need oxygen
What does anaerobic magnification do?
It removes chlorine and replaces it with hydrogen atoms.
What does phytoremediation mean?
Minimizes concentration of harmful chemicals. Cleans up metals, hydrocarbon etc.
What does photolysis mean?
Breakdown of compounds through the sunlight.
What does WHMIS stand for?
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
What does MSDS stand for?
Materials Safety Data Sheets
What are examples of hazardous household chemicals?
- Household cleaners
- Personal hygiene products
- Pet-care products
- Paint & Paint products
- Pesticides, fertilizers etc.
What % of the oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez was recovered?
14 %
What are 6 examples of safety procedures which should be taken when handling, transporting, disposing chemicals?
- Do not pour chemicals into the drain or the garbage. Do not pour it in the ground. It can rust your septic tank.
- Do not mix chemicals.
- Leave all products in their original containers.
- Store products in a cool, dry ventilated place
- Place hazardous products in the trunk of a car or box of a truck
- Do not make it accessible to children.
What impacts did the oil spill have on plants and animals?
- Floating algae were killed, pacific herring, salmon fry died.
- Invertebrates could not survive.
- Seabirds & mammals covered with oil.
- Estimated about 5000 sea otters & 30 000 birds died because of the oil spill.
