...There are many pollutants found in water and most of these pollutants are caused from human activity. If there is any one way to spread disease and contaminants than water is the best method since it is the host of many different pollutants. However some of the main pollutants found in water can include, but is not limited to, pathogens, organic wastes, biochemical oxygen, chemical pollutants, and sediments. All of these pollutants have a tendency to create a huge problem if consumed by humans or absorbed by the environment. These pollutants are primarily blamed on humans because of the lack of respect we truly have for the environment. Human waste is the main culprit in water pollution because humans throw out whatever they deem as unnecessary into rivers, oceans, lakes, etc. This is primarily seen in agricultural runoff points, which are usually from farms that have animals and croplands. These animals defecate on the soil which is washed away through rain and then ultimately goes into the runoffs. Storm drains are another place where pollutants can come from because these drains are normally used in connection with sewage from toilets that are flushed. Third world countries have a bigger problem with pollutants in the water because they normally bathe, wash clothes, dispose of bodily fluids and drink from the same water source. These water sources become overcome with pollutants and this causes more sickness to the people of those countries which in turn use the...
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...residential backyard burn barrels in rural areas, are never accounted for. To the residential homeowner burning trash has been for centuries the means of disposing refuse in areas that do not have organized garbage collection. As the modern industrial chemical production continues to increase, making products that make everyday life in the modern world more accessible, burning that waste stream at low temperatures products highly toxic compounds releasing not only in the air via smoke but also in ash runoff, and smoke fume condensation on possible food sources. Countless toxicological studies have been conducted on dioxins, furans and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs). That information will be leveraged here to compliment the toxicity and pollutant effects of these chemicals, yet the emphasis is not political, environmental, nor humanitarian. It is about highlighting the non-industrial emissions, choices in some cases, and for others the realization, that these toxic chemicals are a result of disposing product we receive from the modern industrialized world. Dioxins, furans and PCBs are unwanted by-products of burning of household trash, oil heating, burning wood stoves, and diesel exhaust smoke, and certain industrial processes. The EPA, now considers non-industrial burning of household wastes in burn barrels to be the largest emissions source of dioxins, furans and PCBs (Dow Chemical, 2014). Dioxins, furans, and PCBs, are all considered toxic to...
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...The Tragedy of Polar Bears Polar bears in the Arctic are tremendously affected by pollution now. As global warming progresses, wind and water currents carry pollutants, most of which come from industrial sources in different parts of the world, and cause them to travel to the Arctic because of the ‘conveyor belt’ nature of the atmosphere and ocean (Yarim 2013). These chemicals accumulate in the fat of many animals, mainly through the food chain, which are then eaten by top predators such as polar bears. Thus, polar bears inevitably have severe health problems and risk death. When consumed at high levels, the pollutants can have a dramatic and potentially fatal impact, which affects the polar bear population in the Arctic severely. The most prevalent chemicals found in the Arctic are “Persistent Organic pollutants (POPs)”, such as the pesticide DDT, the industrial chemical polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which can biomagnify up the food chain. Other pollutants may include acid rain, heavy metals and radioactive isotopes (Yarim 2013). According to studies, bears with high levels of some POPs have low levels of vitamin A, thyroid hormones, and some antibodies (WWF Global 2009). The pollutants load of polar bears in the Arctic are negatively affecting the immune system, hormone regulation, growth patterns, reproduction, and survival rates of polar bears. The studies have suggested that the immune system is weaker in some polar bears with higher levels of PCBs. A weakened...
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...reproductive problems. People exposed to this contaminant have reported nose and eye irritation, headaches, vomiting, and a metallic taste. However, due to low regulation levels, it is difficult for customers to know if their cleaners contain this chemical because it is not listed on the label. Federal and state governments do not regulate air pollution inside the home. An early cleaning company that branded itself as being nontoxic and environmentally friendly used this chemical in its products but did not label it in order to “protect its formula from piracy.” Companies such as Clorox Co. and S.C. Johnson also use this chemical without printing it on the label. They were able to do so when EGBE was removed from the list of hazardous air pollutants and maintains a guideline of for how to prevent chronic inhalation exposure. However, it is a guideline, not a regulation. Professors at University of California, Berkeley not that the EPA erred when it removed the chemical from the hazardous...
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...Effects of Environmental Pollutants on Plants 2 – The reasons for the control and the treatments to have no difference would be that that doses were either too small, or the LD50 of the treatment is high. 3 – If all my plants died during the experiment I would lower the dose amount of the treatment to the plants. 4 – Calcium chloride is small doses is safe to use as fertilizer, but in a great dose it can be deadly to the plant. Hypothesis – If the NaCl LD50 is low as expected, then the radish will die at a low concentration. Class results---- | Group 1 Acid Rain | Group 2 Acid Rain | Group 3 CaCL2 | Group 4 NaCl | Group 5 NaCl | Group 6 Acid Rain | Group 7 CaCl2 | Concentration | | | | | | | | Control (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | low | low | low | low | low | low | low | 3 | moderate | moderate | moderate | moderate | moderate | moderate | moderate | 4 | high | high | high | high | high | high | high | Height (cm) | | | | | | | | Control (1) | 7.70 | 9.40 | 4.25 | 10.90 | 5.93 | 6.00 | 4.83 | 2 | 7.10 | 7.50 | 3.00 | 4.00 | 3.20 | 7.00 | 3.05 | 3 | 6.60 | 8.30 | 3.25 | 5.75 | 4.50 | 5.50 | 0.61 | 4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.00 | 4.55 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 1.91 | Weight (grams) | | | | | | | | Control (1) | 0.492 | 0.454 | 0.370 | 0.895 | 0.400 | 1.010 | 0.530 | 2 | 0.432 | 0.410 | 0.000 | 0.081 | 0.100 | 0.800 | 0.410 | 3 | 0.438 | 0.412 | 0.000 | 0.136 | 0.120 | 0.550 | 0.270 | 4 | 0.043 | 0.000 |...
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...What kills more living things than tobacco and alcohol combined each year and is growing exponentially? The answer is water pollutants. Each year we lose a valuable waterway that suffocates all living things within it and the economy which surrounds it. Florida's Treasure Coast is a prime example of this growing problem. Not only are its wildlife and economy affected, but the people coming in contact with the water are getting sick as well. If no action is taken now, their future will be as dark and rotten as the water that was once enjoyed but now desolate. The combination of rain run-off and substantial water discharges from Lake Okeechobee are creating a toxic wasteland for the Indian River lagoon, St. Lucie River and Estuary. This includes inadequately treated sewage, manure, fertilizer and other harmful pollutants. An upwards of 1.2 billion gallons of water per day is being discharged from the lake into the above mentioned surrounding waterways, leading to high bacterial levels and toxic algae blooms. Not only does this force people out of the water due to health risks, but it's also killing the entire ecosystem. Dengue fever and other diseases have risen dramatically and have claimed lives, human and animal, in its path. Deaths in species such as manatees, dolphins, and pelicans have reached a record high in the 150 mile long estuary that runs along Florida's east coast. To top it off, with the area being nearly 100% marine related, economic death is occurring in a wide...
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...Solution of a Mathematical Model of Pollutant Concentration in a Channel Flow using Adomian Decomposition Method U. Isip, T. Aboiyar and E. S. Onah Department of Mathematics/Statistics/Computer Science, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria Abstract This paper focuses on the solution of a model for nonlinear dispersion of a pollutant ejected by an external source into a laminar flow of an incompressible fluid in a channel. The model equations are solved using the Adomian Decomposition Method, which is a semi-analytical method. The Adomian Decomposition Method (ADM) can be used to obtain exact solutions of nonlinear functional equations of various kinds without discretizing the equations or approximating the operators. The solution, when it exists, is found in a rapidly converging series form, and time and space are not discretized. Solutions of the mathematical model are presented in graphical form and given in terms of fluid velocity and pollutant concentration, for various parameter values. The results agree with results in literature obtained by high order finite difference methods. 1 Introduction Water pollution, resulting from industrial waste discharge into water bodies such as rivers, lakes, streams among others, is a serious environmental concern, having large scale impact on both people and other living organisms in both small and large communities, especially in the riverine areas. An example of this is the accidental spillage of crude oil into...
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...A pollutant can affect the health of humans, as well as the health of plants and animals. Pollutants can also affect non-living materials such as paints, metals, and fabrics. The video also talked about “The Carbon Cycle” which is a complex series of processes through which all of the carbon atoms in existence rotate. The same carbon atoms in your body today have been used in countless other molecules since time began. The wood burned just a few decades ago could have produced carbon dioxide which through photosynthesis became part of a plant. Secondary pollutants are generally more problematic than that of primary pollutants, because mitigation of secondary pollutants requires the identification of the precursor compounds.. The video also talks about using an “AQI” which is an index for reporting daily air quality. It tells you how clean or polluted your air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for you. To make it easier to understand, the AQI is divided into six categories. The six levels of health concern and what they mean are: “Good" AQI is 0 - 50. Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk, "Moderate" AQI is 51 - 100. Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people. For example, people who are unusually sensitive to ozone may experience respiratory symptoms; “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" AQI is 101 - 150. Although general public...
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...urban air quality are listed as two of the world's worst pollution problems in the 2008 Blacksmith Institute World's Worst Polluted Places report.[1] Pollutants Main articles: Pollutant and Greenhouse gas Before flue gas desulfurization was installed, the emissions from this power plant in New Mexico contained excessive amounts of sulfur dioxide. Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect, (2) particulate contamination, (3) increased UV radiation, (4) acid rain, (5) increased ground level ozone concentration, (6) increased levels of nitrogen oxides. A substance in the air that can cause harm to humans and the environment is known as an air pollutant. Pollutants can be in the form of solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. In addition, they may be natural or man-made.[2] Pollutants can be classified as primary or secondary. Usually, primary pollutants are directly emitted from a process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption, the carbon monoxide gas from a motor vehicle exhaust or sulfur dioxide released from factories. Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary pollutants react or interact. An important example of a secondary pollutant is ground level ozone — one of the many secondary pollutants that make up photochemical smog. Some pollutants may be both...
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...did you know that even water, which seems to be in abundance, might one day become scarce? Each time you throw something as garbage, think of where it will finally end up. Whether it is a plastic glass, your broken cell phone or the used up battery cells from your portable CD/MP3 player, they all contribute in some way to environmental pollution and are also hazardous to life. Not only are they biodegradable, but also disposing of them has their own risks as they release harmful toxins into the air and surrounding soil and ground water. All these cause water pollution .! What is water pollution? Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater). Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds. Water pollution affects plants and organisms living in these bodies of water. In almost all cases the effect is damaging not only to individual species and populations, but also to the natural biological communities. Water pollution is a major global problem which requires ongoing evaluation and revision of water resource policy at all levels. It has been suggested that it is the leading word wide cause of deaths and diseases,[1][2] and that it accounts for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily.[2] An estimated 700 million Indians have no access to a proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children die of diarrheal sickness every...
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...health as well as to the Earth's ecosystems. Indoor air pollution (see Airlog) and urban air quality are listed as two of the world’s worst toxic pollution problems in the 2008 Blacksmith Institute World's Worst Polluted Places report.[1] ------------------------------------------------- Pollutants[edit] An air pollutant is a substance in the air that can have adverse effects on humans and the ecosystem. They can be solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. A pollutant can be of natural origin, or man-made. Pollutants are classified as primary or secondary. Primary pollutants are usually produced from a process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption. Other examples include the carbon monoxide gas from motor vehicle exhaust or the sulfur dioxidereleased from factories. Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary pollutants react or interact. Ground level ozone is a prominent example of a secondary pollutant. Some pollutants may be both primary and secondary: they are both emitted directly and formed from other primary pollutants. Sources[edit] There are various locations, activities or factors which are responsible for releasing pollutants into the atmosphere. These sources can be classified into two major categories. Anthropogenic (man-made) sources: These are mostly related to the burning of multiple types of fuel. * Stationary Sources include...
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...SUMMARY OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT 33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq. (1972) The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters. The basis of the CWA was enacted in 1948 and was called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but the Act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. "Clean Water Act" became the Act's common name with amendments in 1972. Under the CWA, EPA has implemented pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry. We have also set water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters. The CWA made it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters, unless a permit was obtained. EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls discharges. Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made ditches. Individual homes that are connected to a municipal system, use a septic system, or do not have a surface discharge do not need an NPDES permit; however, industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if their discharges go directly to surface waters. HISTORY OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948 was the first major U.S. law to address water pollution. Growing public awareness and concern for controlling water pollution led to sweeping amendments in 1972. As amended...
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...and animal life, sources of water, and the ozone layer. Nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide are two types of air pollutants. Pesticides and waste run- off from factories, refineries, and waste treatment facilities are two types of water pollutants. Primary and Secondary Air Pollutants There are two types of air pollutants primary and secondary. Gas and other hydrocarbon fuels in combustible engines produce primary pollutants like nitrogen oxide (Pearson- Education, 2014). When there is sunlight, nitrogen oxide combines with hydrocarbons. When they combine they form secondary pollutants, (Pearson- Education, 2014). Nitrogen oxide also reacts to oxygen to form a secondary pollutant called nitrogen dioxide. Nitrogen dioxide colors the air and blends with other chemicals and atmospheric water vapors to create smog. Primary air pollutants enter the atmosphere directly through natural processes or human activities (Berg & Hager, 2009). Nitrogen oxide enters directly into the atmosphere from combustible engines it is considered a primary pollutant. Nitrogen dioxide is considered a secondary pollutant because it is formed when a primary pollutant such as nitrogen oxide react to other chemicals or natural components in the atmosphere (Berg & Hager, 2009). Air Pollutions Effect on Layers in the Atmosphere The two levels of the atmosphere most affected by pollutants is the troposphere and the stratosphere...
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...keep their heads over the water. This essay will cover two types of air pollutants and two water pollutants that affect our health. Air: (Indicate whether the selected air pollutants are considered primary or secondary pollutants. Be sure to explain why they are considered to be primary or secondary, and discuss the sources of these pollutants) (Examine the selected water pollutants. Discuss the sources of these pollutants, and indicate the impact of these pollutants on water resources and aquatic life) Air pollution is something in the air that causes harm to humans or the environment. There are many different forms of air pollutants and these are broken down further into primary and secondary pollutants. A primary pollutant is something that stems directly from a source such as volcanic ash or vehicle emissions. A secondary pollutant forms when two pollutants react in the atmosphere such as acid rain. Most air pollution comes from one human activity: burning fossil fuels, natural gas, coal, and oil to power industrial processes and motor vehicles. Among the harmful chemical compounds this burning puts into the atmosphere are carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and tiny solid particles including lead from gasoline additives called particulates. Between 1900 and 1970, motor vehicle use rapidly expanded, and emissions of nitrogen oxides, some of the most damaging pollutants in vehicle exhaust, increased 690 percent. (D. Stanley Eitzen, 2008) When...
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...water also are known to be a home for many wildlife species. For many years the Great Lakes have served as a dumping ground for many harmful pollutants. From industrial waste and drain pipes to pesticides and fertilizer runoff s the Great Lakes are suffering. Damage of this kind produce harmful conditions for the fish, wildlife, and humans dwelling in the surrounding area of the region. Sources of Pollution in the Great Lakes Earlier age industrial companies, such as pulp and paper, operating near the Great Lakes region dumped waste including mercury into the water using pipes and/or vessels. Some of this polluting was done involuntarily with the malfunctioning of these pipes or vessels. Other times were intentional sticking to the theory that water “neutralizes” all substances. Fecal matter was another strand of pollution found in later experiments performed on the water of the Great Lakes. The source of this pollutant was believed to be sewage. Sewage is known to house many bacteria including two of the most harmful, E.coli and enterococci (Liu et al 2006). Pollutants of this kind cause the water quality to decline and bacteria growth to increase (Shear 2006). Other forms of pollutants that affect the Great lakes include air-bound, pesticide and fertilizer runoffs. These pollutants affect the Lakes involuntarily. These pollutants...
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