Part I.

Introducing the Question

In a highly industrialized world, humans cannot help being creative individuals.
Creativity brings technological advancements and groundbreaking research that effect
and influence human lives every day. Although life is made easier through technological
advancements, there are setbacks produced from new innovation and modernization.
Specifically, there are multiple chemical pollutants that are produced as unwanted
byproducts from industrial manufacturing and engineering. We are concerned with
answering the posed question: Of those chemicals currently or potentially released into
the environment, which (individually or in combination) are now, or are likely to become,
significant environmental problems, and what will these problems be? Several
chemicals that are released into the environment daily, range from fertilizers and heavy
metals, to gaseous oxides. Even though some chemical contaminants may not have an
immediate effect on the environment and human health, the imminent consequences are
potentially irreversible.
Industrialization has created an array of harmful chemicals that are released into
the environment in amounts that can accumulate to dangerous levels. Specific heavy
metals like lead, cadmium, and chromium (III) are a danger to biological organisms in
small amounts and are easily released through the manufacturing of products like paint as
well as the treatment of waste in disposal plants. Lead-based paints have been considered
a major problem in human health due to toxic accumulations in individuals (especially
young children) due to airborne particulate matter from home construction and painting.
However, regulations have been put into place, which minimize the use or the amount of
lead put into the paints.

Waste treatment plants also release dangerous amounts of cadmium into the
surrounding environment, which can cause teratogenic health defects, or birth
abnormalities. This is extremely dangerous for ecosystems and communities of
individuals that surround the waste treatment facility due to the metals ability to leech
into nearby soil, water systems, and air. Organisms around the area will be at a greater
risk for picking up the toxic chemicals. A study was carried out regarding the cadmiumpoisoned Jinzu River in Japan, which showed how the uptake of cadmium in organisms is
faster than other minerals that are essential in the human body, like zinc (Rasnake). The
Jinzu River rice and water agricultural community suffered from developmental problems
in pregnant mothers due to the high toxicity of cadmium and lack of zinc uptake in the
body. Chemical pollutants can include mutagenic which is gene alteration, carcinogenic,
which is cancer causing, and endocrine disrupting effects (Earlham College). Although
these pollutants have fast acting effects on organisms, other chemicals can cause damage
to our biosphere, specifically ozone, which will indirectly affect organismal life in the
long run. These issues coincide with two important concepts from our textbook regarding
global warming and ozone depletion, which we will discuss next.
Other forms of pollution are categorized into the classification of gaseous oxides,
which involve the oxidation of several elements on the right side of the periodic table.
The most commonly recognized gaseous oxides would be from sulfur in the form of SO

and SO as well as Nitrogen for NO and NO . These gaseous oxides usually affect the
3

environment in the form of photochemical smog and acid rain, which can accumulate to a
severity that is fatal for some ecosystems and communities in surround areas. One of the
biggest atmospheric pollutants is carbon dioxide, or CO , which accumulates in massive
2

amounts everyday from the combustion of fossil fuels, such as driving cars, generating
electricity, and industrialization through development and land reform. Carbon dioxide,
along with methane, water vapor, and N O in smaller amounts, make up the classification
2

known as greenhouse gases, which will be discussed next regarding some major key
concepts. Other factors involving the chemical pollutants that can be further analyzed are
the chemical role of ozone (O ) in our atmosphere and how pollutants like gaseous oxides
3

affect the ecology and communities of specific areas. Climate change constitutes a big
role in affecting species of our biosphere and in turn, their fitness in their own
environments.

Part II. Biology Book Connection

We can further analyze the previously discussed issues of chemical pollution
through specific concepts that are outline in our textbook Ecology. From combustion
engines in cars to industrial power plants, we are constantly releasing significant amounts
of carbon dioxide into the environment, which we identified as a greenhouse gas.
Concept 25.2 in our textbook explains the earth is warming due to anthropogenic
emissions of greenhouse gases (Cain, Bowman, and Hacker, 578). The greenhouse effect
is caused by the trapping of the suns radiation into our biosphere, which involves the
atmospheric absorption and reradiation of infrared radiation. The greenhouse gas
chemicals we discussed that pollute our atmosphere have a role in absorbing the
incoming radiation differently, depending on their specific chemical properties and
interaction in the surrounding air. Also according to our textbook, the warming of Earth is
mostly contributed to heavily concentrated CO in our atmosphere. The
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Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change explains that humans contribute to the

majority of the excess carbon dioxide released into the environment due to our activity
and industrialization (580-581). These chemical imbalances that cause climate change
will have ecological consequences in terms of community structure that cause
environmental changes. An example would be the polar ice caps melting, which would
result in a rise in sea level globally that can greatly affect coastal communities. Our
textbook explains that fragmentation of habitat by human development can pose barriers
to dispersal for some species. Without habitat dispersal, species have a greater probability
of local extinction from climate change.
The issue of accumulated carbon dioxide in the atmosphere also draws in the
issues of ozone depletion, which is characterized in Concept 25.4 of our textbook. Ozone
is the shield in the Earths stratosphere that blocks out harmful radiation, such as
ultraviolet-B, that the sun produces. Ozone itself can actually be a pollutant if it comes
too close in contact with the troposphere, which will start to interact with organisms.
From faraway ozone is beneficial, but harmful when direct contact occurs with biological
life. Concept 25.4 explains, losses of ozone in the stratosphere and increases in ozone in
the troposphere each pose risk to organisms (589). Tropospheric ozone is created from
the interaction with greenhouse gases as well as nitrous oxides. Because ozone is a strong
oxidant, it causes respiratory damage in organisms, membrane damage of plants and
photosynthesis inhibition, as well as affects water stress in multiple species. Greenhouse
gases like CO2 and nitrous oxides cause the ozone holes made in the stratosphere.
Chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, and aerosol cans also contribute to a decrease in ozone.
This allows ultraviolet-B radiation to penetrate Earths biosphere more easily, which has

harmful effects on populations and environments like mutagenic effects within an

individual's genome, regional heating, and a faster rate of rising sea levels from the
quicker melting of polar ice caps. Strategies to limit tropospheric ozone involve
decreasing the release of nitrous oxides into the environment as well as cutting back on
aerosol usage that release volatile organic compounds.
Concepts 25.2 and 25.4 are tightly intertwined in understanding the concept of
global warming. The release of industrialized chemicals can eventually cause a
greenhouse effect, which results in the Earths heating. Ozone is a potentially harmful
pollutant, should enough greenhouse gases be able to interact with it in the stratosphere.
Intensive CO and gaseous oxide emissions from industrialization and manufacturing
2

have allowed us to create the highly unfavorable scenario of ozone entering into the
troposphere, creating ozone holes as well as potential damage to communities and their
environments.

Part III. Primary Literature Source

One of the aforementioned negative effects of the release of gaseous oxides into
the atmosphere is the production of Ultraviolet Rays. When the ozone layer is depleted
due to these oxides, the UV rays encounter less interference, and therefore have a greater
impact on the environment. This impact is beginning to rear its ugly head, especially in
aquatic ecosystems. Our primary literature source is titled, DNA Damage and
Developmental Defects After Exposure to UV and Heavy Metals in Sea Urchin Cells and
Embryos Compared to Other Invertebrates. As the title implies, the source is focused on
the impact that UV rays and heavy metals (specifically cadmium) have upon aquatic

organisms. The source then goes on to elaborate that these rays combined with other
pollutants harm the different life-stages of sea urchin present in the environment
genetically. The research performed for the paper makes it apparent that these aquatic
organisms are indicators for the presence of heavy metals simply based on how their
DNA gets altered.
This research study focused mainly on the second form of UV radiation, UV-B,
which has a wavelength range of 280-320 nanometers. The reason the study focuses on
this radiation, is because it is the radiation that would have been absorbed by the ozone
layer. UV-A has a larger wavelength, and generally gets through the ozone layer without
causing much damage to the world below. Rather, it is when UV-B gets through the layer
that UV rays start causing trouble. UV-B has been known to, cause skin cancer, eye
damage, and changes in the immune system (Primary Literature, 113) in humans. The
impact on humans is enough alone to begin to worry, but the additional effect on other
organisms can cause problems as well. This is especially true for immobile organisms,
such as the sea urchins and sponges that the paper addresses. Sessile organisms do not
possess a UV-B-absorbing epidermal layer (113) and therefore harmful UV rays damage
them even more. Sessile, also means that these organisms cannot move away from
polluted environments. So while the pollutants and UV rays combine to genetically alter
the sea urchins, they have no choice but to stay put and accept the alterations. This is
why the research focuses on these sea urchins, because the UV-B rays are strong enough
to alter their DNA, and so it is possible to see what exactly these rays and chemicals will
do to DNA by sacrificing the urchins. Some effects of heavy metals on DNA include,
DNA strand breaks, and inhibition of DNA synthesis and repair enzymes (115). In

conjunction with the UV rays effect on their DNA, the sea urchins are affected strongly.
The embryo stage of their life cycle is altered the most, as its embryo is transparent,
allowing for the rays to take full effect, mainly via the, formation of pyrimidine dimers
or cross-links between DNA and protein (116). These dimers lead to developmental
issues and problems with cell division.
The research for the literature found data on the effects of UV-B rays on DNA,
data on the effects of cadmium on DNA, and then data on both together. When the
dosage of UV-B light was increased, there was a marked increase in the amount of sea
urchin DNA single-strand breaks. In a similar manner, when the concentration of
cadmium was increased in the water, there was once again an increase in the amount of
sea urchin DNA single-strand breaks, even at very small concentrations; any at all made a
difference. Interestingly enough, when the sea urchins were studied under the effects of
both the UV-B and cadmium, it turns out that there were less DNA breaks. This does not
mean that they work together beneficially though; the reason that the data ended up
appearing this way is because the cadmium inhibited the enzymes that would have
unsuccessfully attempted to repair the initial breakages.
What these sessile organisms have demonstrated is that UV-B rays and heavy
metals are both dangerous to the lives of any organisms that come into contact with them.
While right now the UV rays do not have a major impact on the planet, with the steady
increase of gaseous oxide emissions there is also a steady increase in the amount of UV
rays that come in contact with the planet. This goes for the production of heavy metals as
well; with our current habits as a society these harmful chemicals are increasing.
Organisms that cannot escape these rays and chemicals are being severely injured by

them, so what will happen when the Earth gets to a point that they are not escapable at
all? The oceans could become flooded with heavy metals, and the atmosphere loaded
with UV-B rays. Then no living being will be able to escape the damage, even if the
organism is motile. Worldwide genetic alteration will occur if we as humans cannot cut
down on our production of these chemicals. The sacrifice of these sea urchins for science
should be taken seriously, and this potential disastrous future should be acknowledged.
Part IV Conclusion
It is important to realize the effects that we as human beings are having upon the
world around us. Chemical contamination is no joke, and needs to be monitored as well
as mitigated. Heavy metals, gaseous oxides, and chlorofluorocarbons are examples we
covered in this paper, but they are only a few of the pollutants released into the
atmosphere each day. Our actions are poisoning ourselves, and causing changes to our
environment and the genetic information of the organisms around us. The consequences
are beginning to become more apparent, and they serve to show us that it is more
important now than ever that we must cut down on our harmful chemical emissions.
Before the chemicals really start to take their toll on the planet.

References:
Chemical Effects
"Carcinogens, Mutagens and Teratogens." Earlham College. Colleges That Change
Lives. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <http://www.earlham.edu/chemical-hygiene-andsafety/online-safety-training/student-worker-safety-training/carcinogens,mutagens-and-teratogens/>

Jinzu River
Rasnake, Jarrod. "Itai-Itai Disease: A Puzzling Example of Metal Toxicity." Metals in
Medicine and the Environment. 05 Aug. 2009. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
<http://faculty.virginia.edu/metals/cases/rasnake1.html>

Primary Literature Source

Schroder, H. C., N. Janipour, W.E.G. Muller, G. Di Bella, R. Bonaventura, R. Russo, and
V. Matranga. "DNA Damage and Developmental Defects After Exposure to UV
and Heavy Metals in Sea Urchin Cells and Embryos Compared to Other
Invertebrates." Echinodermata. Vol. 39. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2005. 11137. Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology. Springer Link. Web. 12 Apr.
2015. <http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/3-540-27683-1_6>.
Textbook
Cain, Michael L. Bowman, William D. Hacker, Sally D. Ecology Third Edition.
Sunderland, Massachusetts: Sinauer Associates, Inc., 2014. Print.