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Pollution
water pollution occurs when body of water is affected due to the addition of large amounts of materials when it is unfit for its intended use, water is considered polluted. two types of water pollutants exist; point source and non-point source point sources - occur when harmful substances are emitted directly into a body of water (Exxon Valdez oil spill illustrates a point source water pollution).
Pollution
non-point source - pollutants enter indirectly through environmental changes (fertilizer from a field, carried into a stream by rain, run-off which effect aquatic life) non-point sources are much more difficult to control pollution arising from non-point sources accounts for a majority of the contaminants in streams and lakes. causes of pollution including sewage and fertilizers contain nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates
Pollution
in excess levels, nutrients over stimulate the growth of aquatic plants and algae excessive growth consequently clogs our waterways, use up dissolved oxygen as they decompose, and block light to deeper waters. this, in turn, proves very harmful to aquatic organisms as it affects the respiration ability or fish and other invertebrates that reside in water.
Pollution
also caused when silt and other suspended solids, such as soil, wash off plowed fields, construction and logging sites, urban areas, and eroded river banks when it rains. under natural conditions, lakes, rivers, undergo an aging process that slowly fills in the water body with sediment and organic matter (Eutrophication). when sediments enter various bodies of water, fish respiration becomes impaired, plant productivity and water depth become reduced, and aquatic organisms and their environments become suffocated.
Pollution
organic material enters waterways in many different forms as sewage, as leaves and grass clippings, or as runoff from livestock feedlots and pastures. when natural bacteria and protozoan in the water break down this organic material, they begin to use up the oxygen dissolved in the water. many fish and bottom-dwelling animals cannot survive when levels of dissolved oxygen drop below two to five parts per million, it will kills aquatic organisms and led to disruptions in the food chain.
Pollution
waterbone chemical pollution entering rivers and streams cause tremendous amounts of destruction. pathogens are another type of pollution that prove very harmful they can cause many illnesses that range from typhoid and dysentery to minor respiratory and skin diseases pathogens include such organisms as bacteria, viruses, and protozoan through microscopic, these pollutants have a tremendous effect evidenced by their ability to cause sickness.
Acid precipitation
acidic pollutants can be deposited from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface in wet and dry forms the term acid precipitation is used to describe wet forms of acid pollution that can be found in rain, sleet, snow, fog, and cloud vapor an acid can be defined as any substance that when dissolved in water dissociates to yield corrosive hydrogen ions the acidity of substance dissolved in water is measured in terms of pH (< pH 7=acid, > pH 7=alkaline)
Acid precipitation
precipitation normally has a pH between 5.0 to 5.6 because of natural atmospheric reactions involving carbon dioxide for comparison, distilled water, pure of any other substances, would have a pH of 7.0 precipitation is considered to be acidic when its pH falls below 5.6 (which is 25 times more acidic than pure distilled water) some sites in eastern North America have precipitation events with pHs as low as 2.3 or about 1000 times more acidic than natural.
Nuclear power
world's worst nuclear power accident occurred at Chernobyl in the former USSR (now Ukraine). Chernobyl nuclear power plant located 80 miles north of Kiev the chain reaction in the reactor became out of control creating explosions and a fireball which blew off the reactor's heavy steel and concrete lid. killed more than 30 people immediately, and as a result of the high radiation levels in the surrounding 20-mile radius, 135,00 people had to be evacuated
Nuclear power
Health effects i. increase in thyroid cancer. ii. increases in other cancers iii. psychological consequences such as anxiety, depression, helplessness and despair leading to, social withdrawal and loss of hope for the future. iv. other disorders attributable to mental stress
Environmental science
environmental scientists attempt to find solutions to environmental problems solving environmental problems: i. assessment ii. risk analysis iii. public education iv. political action v. follow-through we also need to preserving no replaceable resources such as topsoil, groundwater and biodiversity