This document provides an overview of various types of water pollution including sewage, disease-causing agents, sediment pollution, inorganic and organic nutrients and compounds, thermal pollution, and more. It discusses how these types of pollution affect water quality and ecosystems. The document also outlines common methods for treating municipal water and sewage, as well as US laws enacted to control water pollution like the Clean Water Act.

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Water PollutionWater Pollution

2. In-class Discussion Readers:In-class Discussion Readers:
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1 - Me1 - Me
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2 – David Dudley2 – David Dudley
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3 – Elizabeth Goodrich3 – Elizabeth Goodrich
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4 – James McLeod4 – James McLeod
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5 – Labecca Hampton and Jessica Vidal5 – Labecca Hampton and Jessica Vidal
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6 – Patrick Grennan and Scott Arnold6 – Patrick Grennan and Scott Arnold
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7 – William Arnold7 – William Arnold
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8 – Crisy Overgard8 – Crisy Overgard
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9 – Juan Rodriguez9 – Juan Rodriguez

3. OverviewOverview
o Types of Water PollutionTypes of Water Pollution
• SewageSewage
• Disease-causing agentsDisease-causing agents
• Sediment pollutionSediment pollution
• Inorganic plant and algal nutrientsInorganic plant and algal nutrients
• Organic compoundsOrganic compounds
• Inorganic chemicalsInorganic chemicals
• Thermal pollutionThermal pollution
o Water Quality TodayWater Quality Today
o Improving Water QualityImproving Water Quality
o Laws Controlling Water PollutionLaws Controlling Water Pollution

4. Types of Water PollutionTypes of Water Pollution
o Water pollutionWater pollution
• Any physical or chemical change in water that adverselyAny physical or chemical change in water that adversely
affects the health of humans and other organismsaffects the health of humans and other organisms
• Varies in magnitude by locationVaries in magnitude by location
o Major water pollution issue globallyMajor water pollution issue globally
• Lack of disease-free waterLack of disease-free water
o Eight categoriesEight categories
• Sewage, disease-causing agents, sediment pollution,Sewage, disease-causing agents, sediment pollution,
inorganic plant and algal nutrients, organic compounds,inorganic plant and algal nutrients, organic compounds,
inorganic chemicals, radioactive substances, and thermalinorganic chemicals, radioactive substances, and thermal
pollutionpollution

5. SewageSewage
o The release of wastewater from drains or sewersThe release of wastewater from drains or sewers
• Includes human wastes, soaps, and detergentsIncludes human wastes, soaps, and detergents
o Causes 2 serious environmental problems:Causes 2 serious environmental problems:
• EnrichmentEnrichment
•
Fertilization of a body of water by high levels of plant and algalFertilization of a body of water by high levels of plant and algal
nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus)nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus)
• Increase in Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)Increase in Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)
•
Amount of oxygen needed by microorganisms to decomposeAmount of oxygen needed by microorganisms to decompose
biological wastesbiological wastes
•
As BOD increases Dissolve Oxygen (DO) decreasesAs BOD increases Dissolve Oxygen (DO) decreases

6. SewageSewage

7. Sewage- EutrophicationSewage- Eutrophication
o OligotrophicOligotrophic
• Unenriched, clear water that supports smallUnenriched, clear water that supports small
populations of aquatic organismspopulations of aquatic organisms

8. Sewage- EutrophicationSewage- Eutrophication
o Eutrophic-Eutrophic-
• Slow-flowing stream, lake or estuary enriched bySlow-flowing stream, lake or estuary enriched by
inorganic plant and algal nutrients such asinorganic plant and algal nutrients such as
phosphorusphosphorus
• Often due to fertilizer or sewage runoffOften due to fertilizer or sewage runoff

9. Disease-causing AgentsDisease-causing Agents
o Infectious organisms thatInfectious organisms that
cause diseasescause diseases
• Originate in the wastes ofOriginate in the wastes of
infected individualsinfected individuals
o Common bacterial or viralCommon bacterial or viral
diseases:diseases:
• Typhoid, cholera, bacterialTyphoid, cholera, bacterial
dysentery, polio, anddysentery, polio, and
infectious hepatitisinfectious hepatitis

10. Disease-causing AgentsDisease-causing Agents
o Monitored by testing for presence of E. coli in theMonitored by testing for presence of E. coli in the
water via awater via a fecal coliform testfecal coliform test
• Indicates the presence of pathogenic organismsIndicates the presence of pathogenic organisms

11. Sediment PollutionSediment Pollution
o Excessive amounts of suspended soil particlesExcessive amounts of suspended soil particles
• Originates from erosion of agricultural lands, forest soilsOriginates from erosion of agricultural lands, forest soils
exposed by logging, degraded stream banks, overgrazedexposed by logging, degraded stream banks, overgrazed
rangelands, strip mines, and constructionrangelands, strip mines, and construction
o ProblemsProblems
• Limits light penetrationLimits light penetration
• Covers aquatic animals and plantsCovers aquatic animals and plants
• Brings insoluble toxins into waterwaysBrings insoluble toxins into waterways

13. Inorganic Plant and AlgalInorganic Plant and Algal
NutrientsNutrients
o Chemicals such as nitrogen and phosphorus thatChemicals such as nitrogen and phosphorus that
stimulate the growth of plants and algaestimulate the growth of plants and algae
• Harmful in large concentrationsHarmful in large concentrations
o Sources:Sources:
• Human and animal wastes, plant residues, atmosphericHuman and animal wastes, plant residues, atmospheric
deposition, and fertilizer runoffdeposition, and fertilizer runoff
o Causes:Causes:
• Enrichment, bad odors, and a high BODEnrichment, bad odors, and a high BOD

14. Inorganic Plant and Algal Nutrient-Inorganic Plant and Algal Nutrient-
The Dead ZoneThe Dead Zone

16. The Great PacificThe Great Pacific
Patch of GarbagePatch of Garbage

17. Organic CompoundsOrganic Compounds
o Chemicals that contain carbon atomsChemicals that contain carbon atoms
• Natural examples: sugars, amino acids, and oilsNatural examples: sugars, amino acids, and oils
• Human-made examples: pesticides, solvents, industrialHuman-made examples: pesticides, solvents, industrial
chemicals, and plasticschemicals, and plastics

18. Inorganic ChemicalsInorganic Chemicals
o Contaminants that contain elements other thanContaminants that contain elements other than
carboncarbon
• Examples: acids, salts, and heavy metalsExamples: acids, salts, and heavy metals
o Do not degrade easilyDo not degrade easily
o LeadLead
• Found in old paint, industrial pollutants, leaded gasolineFound in old paint, industrial pollutants, leaded gasoline
o MercuryMercury
• Mercury bioaccumulates in the muscles of top predatorsMercury bioaccumulates in the muscles of top predators
of the open oceanof the open ocean

19. Radioactive SubstancesRadioactive Substances
o Contain atoms of unstable isotopes thatContain atoms of unstable isotopes that
spontaneously emit radiationspontaneously emit radiation
o SourcesSources
• MiningMining
• Processing radioactive materialsProcessing radioactive materials
• Nuclear power plantsNuclear power plants
• Natural sourcesNatural sources

20. Thermal PollutionThermal Pollution
o Occurs when heated waterOccurs when heated water
produced during industrialproduced during industrial
processes is released intoprocesses is released into
waterwayswaterways
o Organisms affectedOrganisms affected
• Temperature affectsTemperature affects
reproductive cycles,reproductive cycles,
digestion rates, anddigestion rates, and
respiration ratesrespiration rates
• Warm water holds less DOWarm water holds less DO
than cold waterthan cold water

21. Water Quality TodayWater Quality Today
o Two Types of Water PollutionTwo Types of Water Pollution
o -Point Source Pollution-Point Source Pollution
• water pollution that can be traced to a specific originwater pollution that can be traced to a specific origin
• Discharge via pipes, sewage, and ditchesDischarge via pipes, sewage, and ditches
o -Non-point Source Pollution-Non-point Source Pollution
• Pollutants that enter bodies of water over large areasPollutants that enter bodies of water over large areas
rather than being concentrated at a single point of entryrather than being concentrated at a single point of entry
• Diffuse, but its cumulative effect is very largeDiffuse, but its cumulative effect is very large
• Ex: runoff from agricultural fields or parking lotsEx: runoff from agricultural fields or parking lots

22. Water Pollution from AgricultureWater Pollution from Agriculture
o Agriculture is leading source of water pollution inAgriculture is leading source of water pollution in
USUS
• Animal wastes and plants residues have high BODAnimal wastes and plants residues have high BOD
• Chemical pesticides can leach into groundwaterChemical pesticides can leach into groundwater
o Almost all streams and rivers are polluted withAlmost all streams and rivers are polluted with
agricultural pesticidesagricultural pesticides

23. Municipal Water PollutionMunicipal Water Pollution

24. Industrial Wastes in WaterIndustrial Wastes in Water
o Different industries generate different pollutantsDifferent industries generate different pollutants
• Food processing plants- high BODFood processing plants- high BOD
• Paper mills- High BOD and toxic compoundsPaper mills- High BOD and toxic compounds
o Many industries recover toxins before they go intoMany industries recover toxins before they go into
the waste streamthe waste stream

25. Case-In-Point Green ChemistryCase-In-Point Green Chemistry

26. Groundwater PollutionGroundwater Pollution

27. Water Pollution in Other CountriesWater Pollution in Other Countries
o Lake Maracaibo, VenezuelaLake Maracaibo, Venezuela
• 10,000 oil wells tap lake bottom10,000 oil wells tap lake bottom
•
Leak oil into lakeLeak oil into lake
• Agricultural wastesAgricultural wastes
from local fieldsfrom local fields
• Unit recently rawUnit recently raw
human wastehuman waste
polluted the lakepolluted the lake

28. Water Pollution in Other CountriesWater Pollution in Other Countries
o Po River, ItalyPo River, Italy
• Similar to Mississippi River
• Pollutants: Sewage, industrial wastes, sediment
• >16 million Italians depend on the river for drinking
water
• Pollution is high
•
Swimming and fishing prohibited
• Cleanup will require a national management plan and
may take decades

29. Water Pollution in Other CountriesWater Pollution in Other Countries
o Ganges River, IndiaGanges River, India
• Used for bathing and washingUsed for bathing and washing
clothingclothing
• Sewage and industrial wasteSewage and industrial waste
discharged into riverdischarged into river
• Ganga Action Plan initiated byGanga Action Plan initiated by
governmentgovernment
•
Construction of 29 sewageConstruction of 29 sewage
treatment plantstreatment plants

30. Improving Water Quality-Improving Water Quality-
Purification of Drinking WaterPurification of Drinking Water
o In US most municipalIn US most municipal
water supplies arewater supplies are
treatedtreated
o Collected from waterCollected from water
or reservoiror reservoir
o TreatedTreated

31. o Treated waterTreated water
distributed to customersdistributed to customers
o Sewer lines bringSewer lines bring
sewage to treatmentsewage to treatment
plantplant
o Sewage treated atSewage treated at
sewage treatment plantsewage treatment plant
Improving Water Quality-Improving Water Quality-
Purification of Drinking WaterPurification of Drinking Water

32. Purification of Drinking WaterPurification of Drinking Water
o Chlorine DilemmaChlorine Dilemma
• Chlorine kills disease causing organismsChlorine kills disease causing organisms
• Chlorine byproducts are linked to numerous cancers,Chlorine byproducts are linked to numerous cancers,
miscarriages and birth defectsmiscarriages and birth defects
• Peru stopped using chlorinePeru stopped using chlorine
•
1991- huge cholera epidemic that infected 300,000 people1991- huge cholera epidemic that infected 300,000 people
o FluoridationFluoridation
• Prevents tooth decayPrevents tooth decay
• Linked to cancer, kidney diseaseLinked to cancer, kidney disease

33. Municipal Sewage TreatmentMunicipal Sewage Treatment
o Primary treatmentPrimary treatment
• Removing suspended and floating particles by mechanicalRemoving suspended and floating particles by mechanical
processesprocesses
o Secondary treatmentSecondary treatment
• Treating wastewater biologically to decompose suspended organicTreating wastewater biologically to decompose suspended organic
material; reduces BODmaterial; reduces BOD

34. Municipal Sewage TreatmentMunicipal Sewage Treatment
o Sewage SludgeSewage Sludge
• Solids remaining after primary and secondary sewageSolids remaining after primary and secondary sewage
treatment has been completedtreatment has been completed
o Tertiary treatmentTertiary treatment
• Advanced wastewater treatment methods that areAdvanced wastewater treatment methods that are
sometimes employed after primary and secondarysometimes employed after primary and secondary
treatmentstreatments
• Reduce phosphorus and nitrogenReduce phosphorus and nitrogen

35. Municipal Sewage TreatmentMunicipal Sewage Treatment

36. Individual Septic System-Individual Septic System-
Septic TankSeptic Tank

37. Individual Septic System-Individual Septic System-
Drain FieldDrain Field

38. Laws Controlling Water PollutionLaws Controlling Water Pollution
o Citizen Watchdogs to Monitor PollutionCitizen Watchdogs to Monitor Pollution
o Safe Drinking Water Act (1974)Safe Drinking Water Act (1974)
• Set uniform federal standards for drinking waterSet uniform federal standards for drinking water
• Maximum contaminant levelMaximum contaminant level
o Clean Water Act (1972)Clean Water Act (1972)
• EPA sets up and monitors National EmissionsEPA sets up and monitors National Emissions
LimitationsLimitations
• Effectively improved water quality from point sourcesEffectively improved water quality from point sources

39. Laws that Protect GroundwaterLaws that Protect Groundwater
o Safe Drinking Water ActSafe Drinking Water Act
o Resource, Conservation and Recovery ActResource, Conservation and Recovery Act