Transcript Slide 1

Freshwater and Freshwater Pollutants
What’s in the Water?
 Dissolved organics and inorganics
 Particulate organics and inorganics
 Gases – oxygen and carbon dioxide
 Anthropogenic inputs, effects
Water Pollution
"any biological, chemical, or physical change
in water quality that has a harmful
effect on living organisms or makes water
unsuitable for desired uses."
44% of lakes,
37% of rives
unsafe for recreation due to toxic water pollutants
32% of estuaries.
Basic Types of Pollution
1) Biological pathogens
2) Physical pollutants
3) Chemical pollutants
Pathogens
Bacteria
Typhoid
Cholera
Dysentery
Viruses
Hepatitis
Polio
Protozoa
Schistosomiasis
Amoebic dysentery
Parasites
Giardiasis
Each year, about 1.5 million Americans become ill as
a result of bacterial contamination in drinking water
Physical Pollutants
Sediment
Heat
electric power plants – O2, thermal shock
½ of water withdrawn
erosion, deforestation, agriculture
chokes and fills lakes, reservoirs
reduced photosynthesis
Chemical Pollutants
Chemical Pollutants
Nutrients
Nitrogen
NO3NH4+
Phosphorus
HPO4-2
H2PO-
animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and sewage
Heavy Metals and Metalloids
Arsenic
Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from
orchards, runoff from glass & electronics
production wastes, treated lumber,
groundwater
Mercury
Erosion of natural deposits; discharge from
refineries and factories; runoff from landfills,
coal burning
Lead
Corrosion of household plumbing systems;
erosion of natural deposits, paint, fuels
Metal
Lead
Mercury
Arsenic
Common Health Effects
behavioral problems
high blood pressure, anemia
kidney damage
memory and learning difficulties
miscarriage, decreased sperm production
reduced IQ
blindness and deafness brain damage
digestive problems
kidney damage
lack of coordination
cognitive degeneration
breathing problems
death if exposed to high levels
decreased intelligence
known human carcinogen: lung and skin
cancer
nausea, diarrhea, vomiting
peripheral nervous system problems
Mercury, Arsenic, and Lead
Lead found in blood sample from 1 of 10
Washingtonians
Arsenic found in urine samples from 4 of 10
Washingtonians
Mercury found in hair samples from 10 of 10
Washingtonians
Wonderland
Mercury Nitrate
Symptoms included tremors, emotional instability,
insomnia, dementia and hallucinations
Chemical Pollutants
Petroleum
three to six million metric tons
Spills account for about 5% of
petroleum entering waterways.
oil changes, bilge cleaning and ship maintenance, recreational boating.
Exxon Valdez - 300,000 birds and 2,500 otters were killed
Outboard Motors
Conventional Outboard Motors: 25-30% of their fuel unburned
2-cycle engines emit 30 times more hydrocarbons
In its exhaust compared to 4 cycle engines.
75 percent reduction in outboard hydrocarbon emissions by 2006
Four cycle outboards easily meet the EPAs 2006 emissions standards,
and they are also quieter and up to 40 percent more fuel efficient than
two stroke motors. However, they are also 30 percent more expensive,
heavier and more complex, making maintenance more difficult.
Organic Chemicals
Pesticides
Industry
Solvents/Cleaning
Flame Retardants
DDT
PCBs
TCE /PCE
PBDE
Potentially highly toxic
Persistent in the environment
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6100179
Where does it come from?
Population Dynamics
Industrial
Revolution
Year
Urban
Population
% of Total
Population
1790
201, 656
5
1860
6,216,518
20
1920
54, 263, 282
51
1990
187,053,487
75
2000
222,353,453
79
In 1987 the Clean Water Act was reauthorized with new
provisions to address a new source of pollution, urbanization
Two Basic Avenues of Water Pollution
Non-point source pollution
Diffuse sources
Difficult to trace, regulate
Point source pollution
Specific entry point
Industrial discharges
Sewage treatment plants
Landfills
Non-point Source Pollution
Lawns, Gardens
Golf Courses
Agriculture
Urban Runoff
Golf Courses
Fertilizers
Pesticides
Animal Wastes
Oil, gas, rubber
Agriculture
Urban
Point Source Pollution
Factories/Industry
Wastewater Treatment
Landfills
Underground Storage Tanks
Mines
Factories and Wastewater treatment
Often located near waterways
(pollute and dilute)
1900
1968
40% of river pollution
80% of river pollution
1972 Passage of the Clean Water Act
Landfills
Prior to the 1970s
Dissolved pollutants = leachate
Paint, solvents, oil, cleaning agents
Underground Storage Tanks
Gasoline, solvents
Steel – corrosion - Leaking
Gainesville
Butler Plaza was formerly the location of the Stengal Airfield, which was an old
US Army Air Corps pilot training center that was founded in 1942. An oil house
with underground storage tanks (USTs) included a 10,000 gallon tank and a
4,000 gallon tank containing 90-octane fuel. After World War II, the training
center was closed. Butler Plaza was built on top of the old hanger area in 1974.
In 1985, the DEP Northeast District requested that the Operation Response
Section conduct a groundwater contamination source identification study for
volatile organic contamination (VOC) found in two private wells in a residential
area. They were contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and
perchloroethylene (PCE).
The supply wells were shut down and all areas were hooked to city water.
Evaluation of groundwater monitoring data indicated that the Floridan aquifer
had been impacted by VOC contamination in two areas.
According to the groundwater investigation reports, the primary source of the
chlorinated solvent-related groundwater contamination is in the vicinity of one of
the old airfield hangers formerly located at a spot covered by the Butler Plaza.
Two Basic Avenues of Water Pollution
Non-point source pollution
Diffuse sources
Difficult to trace, regulate
Point source pollution
Specific entry point
Industrial discharges
Sewage treatment plants
Industry
Landfills
USTs
Example
Point and Non-Point Pollution
Superior
Huron
Ontario
Michigan
Erie
Shallowest of the Great Lakes
average depth = 62 feet
agriculture
Most populated
Largest population density of Great Lakes
Point and Non-Point Source Pollution
Industrial Chemicals
Heavy Metals
Petroleum
Nutrients and Pesticides
Non-point Source Pollution
Nitrogen and Phosphorus
Blue-green algae
phytoplankton
O2
A Dead Lake?
Point Sources
lip papillomas
petroleum, PCBs, PAHs
Petrochemicals
Cuyahoga River Fire (1969)
Clean Water Act: 1972
End of Lecture 22
Determining Water Quality
Basic Water Quality Parameters
Biological
Metals
Nutrients
Organic Chemicals
Turbidity
Temperature/Dissolved O2
pH
Salinity
Turbidity and Biological Contaminants
Often related to dissolved or suspended organic materials
Higher turbidity levels are often associated with higher levels of
disease-causing microorganisms such as viruses, parasites and
some bacteria.
Organic materials are consumed by heterotrophic microorganisms
Biological Oxygen Demand
Due to microbial breakdown of organic materials in water
BOD measures the rate of oxygen uptake by microorganisms in a sample of water at a fixed temperature (20°C)
and over a given period of time in the dark.
pristine rivers will have a 5-day BOD below 1 mg/l.
Moderately polluted rivers BOD values in the range of 2 to 8 mg/l.
efficiently treated municipal sewage has a value of 20 mg/l.
Untreated sewage varies, but average around 600
mg/l in Europe and as low as 200 mg/l in the U.S
pH, Temperature, Oxygen, and Salinity
pH
pH (hydrogen)
H+
Acid: any substance which
increases the hydrogen ion
concentration in water.
Low pH = High H+
pH 2 = 0.01 g H+/ L
pH 8 = 0.00000001 g H+/ L
Availability and Form of Nutrients or Metals
H2PO4-
pH
HPO42-
Low pH
High pH
High H+ conc.
low H+ conc.
Fe, Zn, Mg, Mn, Cu, Al, S, N, Mo
Micronutrients and metals generally more available at lower pH
Availability and Form of Metals
Cr2O3 + 6H+
2Cr3+ + 3H2O
Insoluble
In water
soluble
In water
Dissolution of metal oxides increases their mobility
Temperature
municipal
industrial
Industrial Cooling
asphalt and concrete pavement
Temperature
Cooling Water
billions of m3
Electric Power
Primary Metals
Chemical and Products
Petroleum and Coal
Paper and Products
Food
Machinery
Rubber and Plastics
Transportation
All Other
Totals
189.2
153.7
12.8
11.8
4.6
2.30
1.48
0.620
0.484
0.386
1.03
(%)
81.23
6.76
6.24
2.43
1.21
0.78
0.34
0.26
0.21
0.54
100,0
Temperature
Poikilothermic Organisms
Fish, insects, zooplankton, phytoplankton, bacteria
Changes in the growth rates of cold-blooded
aquatic organisms and many biochemical reaction
rates can often be approximated by a rule which
predicts that growth rates will double if
temperature increases by 10°C (18°F) within
their "preferred" range
Increased temperature, however, impacts dissolved oxygen contents.
Temperature and Oxygen
The solubility of oxygen in water is
highly temperature dependent.
Oxygen
10.1 mg/L
8.3 mg/L
15oC
25oC
Oxygen is water soluble, but its solubility is temperature-dependent.
Cold water species: 5 mg/L
Cool water species: 4 mg/L
Warm water species: 2-3 mg/L
Trout
Pike
Bass, Catfish, Bluegill
Stirring and agitation increases oxygen content
Cooler Water
Still Ponds
O2
NO3SO4-2
SO4-2
HS-
C6H12O6 + 3SO42- + 3H+ = 6HCO3- + 3HS-
Oxygen
Oxygen is water soluble, but its solubility is temperature-dependent.
In the atmosphere, about one out of 5 molecules is oxygen;
in water, about one out of every 100,000 molecules is oxygen.
Oxygen enters the water body from the atmosphere
and from photosynthesis near the surface
Oxygen leaves the water column principally by organism respiration.
Oxygen contents of water bodies generally is higher
at the surface than at depth.
Stirring and agitation increases water’s oxygen content