Water Pollution Flashcards
What is water pollution?
Any change in water quality that harms organisms or makes water unfit for human use.
What are the main causes of water pollution?
Agricultural activities, industrial facilities, and mining.
What is point source pollution? Give examples
Pollution from specific locations
easy to identify and regulate
(e.g., wastewater treatment plants, operational waste).
What is nonpoint source pollution? Give examples.
Pollution from broad diffuse areas
difficult to control
(e.g., sediment from construction, pet waste, failing septic systems).
What are the methods for measuring water quality?
Dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, and E. coli testing.
WATER POLLUTANTS- What are infectious agents in water pollution?
Disease-causing pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses, protozoa, parasites) from human/animal waste.
WATER POLLUTANTS- What are oxygen demanding wastes?
Organic materials that deplete dissolved oxygen (e.g., sewage, food-processing waste).
WATER POLLUTANTS- What are plant nutrients?
Nitrates and phosphates causing excessive algae growth (e.g., from sewage, fertilizers).
Name two biological and two chemical tests for water quality.
Biological: Macroinvertebrates, chloroform tests.
Chemical: Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Nitrates (NO3-).
What is the oxygen sag curve?
A graph showing dissolved oxygen decrease downstream from a pollution source.
How do streams cleanse themselves?
By dilution and biodegradation of waste.
Why is pollution worse in lakes than in streams?
Lakes have less vertical mixing, slower water movement, and biomagnification of pollutants.
What is eutrophication?
Excess nutrients cause algal blooms, reducing oxygen.
What is cultural eutrophication? How can it be prevented?
Human activity speeds up eutrophication by adding sewage, fertilizers, and detergents.
Prevention includes reducing fertilizer use and improving wastewater treatment.
What causes the oxygen depletion “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico? What are its effects?
Nutrient runoff from the Mississippi River depleting oxygen
A dead zone with little marine life.
What pollutants have contaminated the Great Lakes?
Chemicals, pesticides, phosphorus, sewage, heavy metals, and zebra mussels.
What causes groundwater pollution?
Contaminants like gasoline, oil, road salts, and chemicals seep into groundwater.
What are some methods of purifying drinking water?
Reservoirs, purification plants, LifeStraw, iodine tablets, and exposing water to sunlight.
What does the Clean Water Act do?
Regulates water pollution and sets quality standards
What does the Safe Drinking Water Act do?
Sets maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) and regulates public drinking water safety.
Name common ocean pollutants.
Plastic waste, oil spills, mercury, pesticides, and nutrients.
What are methods to clean up oil spills?
Booms, skimmers, sorbents, burning, high-pressure washing.
What are the three stages of sewage treatment?
1) Primary – Physical filtering of solids.
2) Secondary – Bacteria break down organic matter.
3) Tertiary – Advanced filtering, bleaching, chlorination.
What is a composting toilet?
A dry toilet that biologically decomposes waste.
