Unit 8 Flashcards
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Wastewater
water contaminated with human or animal wastes
Point source
a distinct location where pollution is directly produced
Non point source
a general location where pollution is produced. Is harder to control because there is no direct area we can cut off pollution
Example of non point source
farming area, neighborhoods that have connected septic systems
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
the amount of oxygen a quantity of water uses over certain amounts of time
What does a higher BOD indicate?
more pollution from wastewater because microbial decomposition requires a lot of oxygen and comes from leaching waste or fertilizers
Dead zone
areas that do not have enough oxygen to support wildlife often because algae blooms cause algae to rapidly die and use too much oxygen in decomposition process
(Cultural) Eutrophication
when a body of water is rich in nutrients often because of leaching of fertilizer into the water
Algal blooms
caused from eutrophication and is when a lot of algae thrives because of the nutrient rich conditions
Indicator species
a species that indicates whether or not disease causing organisms are present
Example of indicator species
E-coli is found in our intestines that process poop. When E-coli is found in water, it means that the water is contaminated with our poop
Septic systems
a sewage treatment system that is made of a septic tank and a leach field. The septic tank lets waste separate into scum, septage, and sluge, and then releases the septage into our lawn through pipes. The existing bacteria in our lawn outcompete the harmful bacteria in the septage and cause them to die. No use of electricity and seen more in rural areas because these systems take up so much space
Scum
the lightest layer of sewage, floats at the top and is made of oil, fats, or small particles
Septage
the water that is the middle layer of the sewage that has a lot of bacteria, nitrogen, and phosphorous
Sludge
the heaviest layer that is made out of poop, bacteria, pathogens, and things heavier than water
Sewage treatment plants
collect sewage from a group of homes and treat it through primary and secondary treatment
Primary treatment
sifts throguh the sewage to separate large chunks of waste. Allows the sewage to sit and separate into sludge and water. Skims the scum off of the top of the sewage
Secondary treatment
bacteria is introduced to break down organic material and leave behind nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorous. Oxygen is introduced, which allows aerobic bacteria to take over and reduce the bad smells. Water is also treated with disinfectants like UV, ozone, and chlorine. Is then released into nature
Where does sludge end up?
fertilizer, burned, or landfill
Manure lagoon
human made ponds that are enclosed by rubber and contain water and poop. Is covered so anaerobic respiration takes place and releases methane
When is sewage dumping legal?
when wastewater from storm drains overwhelms the capacity of the sewage plants. Causes sewage plants to dump in nearby bodies of water
Neurotoxins
chemicals that harm the nervous system
Teratogens
chemicals that harm fetuses or embryos by impacting their development
Lead
a neurotoxin that can come from pipes that transport water
Federal regulations for lead
forbid lead from being used in pipes and paint and enforced water filtration systems
Arsenic
is a carcinogen that occurs in the Earth’s crust and dissolves in groundwater
Mercury
is a neurotoxin that comes from the impurities released when burning fossil fuels. Also comes from cement making sites
Acid deposition
the release of acid particles into the atmosphere and biosphere. Can reduce the pH of water and turn it red or brown. Comes from smokestacks or mining and can cause ions to be more soluble in water
Pesticides
Is a hormone disruptor and teratogen that can cause delays in development, birth defects, and hormonal problems
Inert ingredients
additives that make a pesticide more effective. Are considered trade secrets so they do not need to be disclosed but have the potential to harm organisms
Perchlorates
Is a group of chemicals used in rocket fuels that are hormone disruptors and spreads through leaching
Pharmeceuticals
Are medical items like pills that stay in the water because no sewage tank or septic system can eliminate its presence. Has hormones that can mimic estrogen and alter how fish develop
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PBCs)
industrial compounds that were used to make plastic and insulate. Are carcinogenic, persistent in the environment, but no longer used
How does oil leak?
Natural volanoes at the sea floor releases oil
Transportation leaks
Drilling leaks
Effects of oil on animals
Can stick to their fur and feathers and make them too heavy to move
Can clog gills
Is toxic to animals if consumed
Oil booms
are floating barriers to oil that prevent it from spreading and can absorb excess oil. Can skim or vaccuum it off after
Chemical dispersants
synthetic chemicals that can break down oil but can smother animals living on the sea floor and harm them
Oil eating bacteria
specific bacteria can be naturally found or created that consume oil for energy but can release a lot of CO2 when they die
Burning
you can burn the oil off of the surface of the water. Combusts fossil fuels
Coal ash and coal tailings
can leach and contaminate water and contain harmful elements like lead, arsenic, and mercury
Waste from burning coal is considered what by the EPA?
Federally exempt because it is special, is unregulated
Sediment pollution
soil particles that are carried by water. Can cause water to be cloudy and prevent the sun from reaching organisms in the water or clog their gills and increases nutrients in the water, causing eutrophicaiton
How is sediment pollution created
Construction of buildings - digs up soil and leaves behind a bare ground
Plowed agricultural fields
Thermal pollution
human activities that change the temperature of the water
How is thermal pollution created?
When an industry removes cold water, heats it up to make energy, and returns it warmer than usual
Effects of thermal pollution
causes more respiration because warm water has less oxygen than cold water
Can also cause a thermal shock that kills many animals
Planned obsolescence
an object loses its function
Perceived obsolescence
an object loses its aesthetic appeal
Municipal solid waste (MSW)
landfill that comes from a lot of places like buildings, working areas, and homes. The most waste comes from homes. Developing countries produce the least waste
Waste stream
the flow of waste to a landfill, burning, or recycling
E waste
has a lot of neurotoxin metals that can leach into groundwater
Reduce
completely prevents trash from the source, cutting back on the amount of products made
Reuse
using something more than once or for a different purpose
Recycle
turning materials into new objects
Landfill
is mostly made up of yard trimmings and food/other organic materials
Source reduction
cutting back on the amount of material used to make a product
Closed loop recycling
recycling something and making it into the same product as previously. is indefinite
Open loop recycling
recycling something and making it into a new product. Is worse because demand for the product is still there
Composting
decomposing organic materials underneath controlled circumstances; the right amount of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, water, etc is needed. Needs to be frequently agitated and have a right green to brown matter ratio. kills bacteria because cellular respiration creates a lot of heat
Incineration
burns waste. Is expensive and releases ash and a lot of CO from incomplete combustion of plastics and metals. Is not good because it is very hard to be profitable
Bottom ash
ash that settles to the bottom of the combustion chamber
Fly ash
ash that is collected in a chimney or exhaust pipe or anything besides the bottom of the combustion chamber
Ash
nonorganic material that cannot be combusted
Tipping fees
charge money to compost, sanitarily bury landfill, or burn landfill. incentivizes people to not burn their trash
Leachate
water that has leached through a lot of trash and contains toxic and hazardous pollutants and chemicals
Sanitary landfills
are engineered to hold MSW without letting leachate escape and without stinking up the place. Has clay or plastic lining to prevent leachate from leaving, a cap to prevent water from entering, and pipes to collect leaking leachate. Recreational activities often built over sanitary landfills. Is usually isolated from large groups of people and can explode. Releases methane from no access to oxygen. Methane can be collected to create heat
What goes inside a sanitary landfill?
Anything that is hard to recycle and is not organic to prevent methane and anaerobic respiration from taking place
Hazardous waste
waste that is toxic to life. Can include pesticides, cleaners, batteries. Is hard and expensive to dispose
Ignitability
how easy hazardous waste can catch on fire
Toxicity
how fatal the chemical components are
Reactivity
the stableness of the waste, whether it reacts or not easily and can explode
Corrosivity
causing objects to degrade
Superfund Act
provides funds to clean sites where there is the most hazardous waste
National Priorities List
list of superfund cleanup sites that are eligible for funds
