Topic 3 - Potentially harmful substances are spread and concentrated in the environment in various ways

Question 1

What are the 3 stages of substances in the air?

Answer 1

• Release of the chemical from its source
• Dispersion
• Deposition

Question 2

What is a water table?

Answer 2

Top of the groundwater zone.

Question 3

What are pores?

Answer 3

Small spaces between soil grains.

Question 4

What is permeable soil?

Answer 4

interconnected pores

Question 5

What are some substances which contaminate groundwater?

Answer 5

• 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

Question 6

What does dispersion mean?

Answer 6

Scattering away from its source.

Question 7

What does dilution mean?

Answer 7

Reducing the concentration of a pollutant.

Question 8

What does biodegradation mean?

Answer 8

Break up of living things

Question 9

What does biomagnification mean?

Answer 9

An increase of concentration as it moves up the food chain. Example: mercury, peregine falcon

Question 10

What does aerobic biodegradation mean?

Answer 10

Requires oxygen

Question 11

What does anaerobic biodegradation mean?

Answer 11

Does not need oxygen

Question 12

What does anaerobic magnification do?

Answer 12

It removes chlorine and replaces it with hydrogen atoms.

Question 13

What does phytoremediation mean?

Answer 13

Minimizes concentration of harmful chemicals. Cleans up metals, hydrocarbon etc.

Question 14

What does photolysis mean?

Answer 14

Breakdown of compounds through the sunlight.

Question 15

What does WHMIS stand for?

Answer 15

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

Question 16

What does MSDS stand for?

Answer 16

Materials Safety Data Sheets

Question 17

What are examples of hazardous household chemicals?

Answer 17

• Household cleaners
• Personal hygiene products
• Pet-care products
• Paint & Paint products
• Pesticides, fertilizers etc.

Question 18

What % of the oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez was recovered?

Answer 18

14 %

Question 19

What are 6 examples of safety procedures which should be taken when handling, transporting, disposing chemicals?

Answer 19

• 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.

Question 20

What impacts did the oil spill have on plants and animals?

Answer 20

• 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.