Science Summative
Pollution of the
Hydrosphere
Thirumahal Samy Maryam Chaudhry
Bisma Maryam
January 19, 2018
What is Water Pollution?
- Water pollution is defined as the contamination of bodies of water.
- It occurs when pollutants are purposely or accidently released into the hydrosphere without any treatment to reduce their effects.
Water Pollution
- Water pollution has harmful effects of marine populations and humans using the freshwater source
In developing countries, 70 percent of industrial wastes are dumped untreated into waters, polluting the usable water supply. (National Geographic 2015)
More than 80% of sewage in developing countries is discharged untreated, polluting rivers, lakes and coasts (UNESCO 2017)
GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION
Groundwater Contamination
- Groundwater is water than is stored beneath the soil in sand and rocks called aquifer
- If pesticide run-off, tosics from factories or anything of danger enters into the groundwater supply, nearby populations will be in danger.
- Example: Walkerton Tradegy in Ontario killed 7 while 2000+ got sick
(globeandmail 2000)
Science of Groundwater
- Water enters aquifer.
- Water in the ground slowly makes its way towards lying places that are lower and then, in sometime, get discharged from the aquifer from springs and other similar things.
- But sometimes during this process the water can be or already is contaminated.
- Groundwater contamination happens when pollutants travel into the groundwater.
- The pollutant creates contaminant plume within an aquifer.
Science
Impact on Industries on Water Pollution
WHAT IS FRACKING?
Fracking is the drilling technique used for mining fossil fuels.
- A pumper truck injects a mixture of sand, chemicals, and water at a high into a well.
- The high pressure injections causes the shale layer (layer containing fossil fuels) in the ground to crack.
- The sand holds the cracks open allowing the fossil fuels to seep into the cracks and travel up into the main wells with the water.
Society is Affected
Society
- Contaminated water can cause many types of many diarrheal diseases.
- Cholera is a serious disease that cause diarrhea which can cause dehydration and can even lead to death if not treated.
- Guinea Worm Disease which is a parasite found in unclean water that gets into your body and feeds off of you to survive.
- Some of the diseases you get from drinking or even using unclean water can lead to death or serious health issues
Environmental Disasters
Environment
- Groundwater contamination can cause a great unbalance in the ecosystem.
- If plants and animals are living off of by dirty water they also get sick or die just like us.
- This causes the ecosystem to be disrupted because if more and more animals and plants are dying it can lead to a ripple effect all the way down thefood chain
Sewage Treatment Plants
- Sewage or wastewater is water that has been affected by human use.
- 99% of wastewater is simply water while 1 % is actual sewage/pollutants
- All the water that leaves your house, is tranported to treatment plants.
Sewage Treatment Plants
Science of Sewage
Science of Sewage
BOD- Biological Oxygen Demand is how quickly oxygen is used up by microorganisms in a given body of water.
Eutrophication: A high BOD indicates the dominance of surface microorganisms in the water that will consume all of the dissolved oxygen leaving none for organism below the surface.
How Does it Work?
Stage 1- Preliminary Treatment
Stage 2- Primary Treatment
Stage 3- Secondary Treatment
Stage 4- Tertiary Treatment
Technology- Improve Plant Efficiency
Anaerobic Digestion
- Scott Huler, a journalist visiting the plant in Raleigh, North Carolina, writes about how anaerobic digestion produces methane, which the plant can use to generate electricity to operate all of its technology.
- The waste heat helps keep the microorganisms at a temperature in which they eat one another.
- Using this method, plants will be able to filter water entirely off of methane with no other support from electricity.
Society
- Through a survey taken by 40 high school students, it was shown that 56% use the bathroom more than 5 times a day, whether it be washing hands, showering, or using the toilet.
- Additionally, 36% claimed that more than around 30 dishes were washed each day in their household, and 18% washing around 40 dishes, which is a considerable contribution to the wastewater footprint of a house
Environment
- Wastewater has a huge environmental impact depending on the location of the treatment plant in relation to the community it's providing for.
- the forest area would generally have a high dissolved oxygen level and a small BOD with little nutrients.
- the city, would contain a low dissolved oxygen level and an increased BOD to accomodate for the waste and sewage being dumped into the rivers that microorganisms feed off of.
- The water treatment process in the sewage plant brings the amount of dissolved oxygen to a standard level and stops nitrates from re-entering the water.
Ocean Acidification
- Ocean Acidification (OA) is the continuing decline of the pH level of the ocean
- It is when carbon dioxide is absorbed into large bodies of water, causing some chemical reactions that are harmful to the ocean environment
Ocean Acidification
Science
1. When CO2 first enters the water, it combines with water to produce carbonic acid.
Science
2. The carbonic acid then dissociates into bicarbonate and one hydrogen ion
Science
3. The single hydrogen ion then combines with the carbonate that is already in the water to produce more bicarbonate
Science
This however is a problem....
Effects of OA on the Environment
1. Marine species can not calcify --> populations will decrease
2. Ocean habitats are destroyed
3. The food chain is impacted
Environment
4. There would be less CO2 in the atmosphere
Effects of OA on Society
- Negatively impacts the seafood industry
Society
- Will eventually cause a decline in local economies
- Will cause a decline in coastal tourism
Technology
As we can see OA is a huge and rising global issue and we must do something to prevent further damage. Technology can assist in this:
Technology
How Tech Can Help
The main cause of ocean acidification is the emission of carbon dioxide through the overuse of fossil fuels.
- Technology can be used to improve existing methods of power generation that do not emit CO2
How Tech Can Help
- It can also be used to create new technologies that can reduce carbon from the atmosphere
Carbon Capture and Sequestration