morgan fagan. oxygen demanding waste organic matter that enters water ways and feeds the growth of...
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Oxygen Demanding WasteOrganic matter that enters water ways and
feeds the growth of microbial decomposersAffects
Increases biological oxygen demand of water way
Places strain on larger organismsCreates dead zones
ExamplesSewage Feedlot runoff
Nutrient ReleaseNutrients entering the water way through runoff
of farms Affects
Eutrophication Causes rapid growth of algae Algae dies and an increase in decomposing microbes
increases Oxygen demand goes up Larger organisms suffer
ExamplesChesapeake BayMississippi River Dumping into the Gulf of Mexico
Disease Causing OrganismsBacteria, parasites, and viruses that cause disease
in areas where sanitation is not what practicesAffects
Cholera Claims thousands of lives worldwide yearly
Typhoid feverVarious types of stomach flueHepatitis
Common in places with substandard sanitation practicesMalaria
Indicator species of poor water qualityFecal coliform bacteria
Pharmaceuticals and HormonesMost waterways do not have a high enough
concentration to harm organisms (yet)Increased estrogen and cause male fish to
grow eggs in their testesExtent of hormones is really not known
Oil and Other Petroleum ProductsHighly toxic to marine birds, mammals, fish,
microorganisms, and algaeApproximately 5,000 offshore oil platforms in
the USExamples
2010 BP oil leak 206 million gallons leaked into the Gulf of Mexico
1989 Exxon Valdez 11 million gallons spilled of the coast of Alaska Most species have rebounded Not all oil has been cleaned up
Oil and Other Petroleum ProductsRemediating Oil Spills
Surface oil Contain oil and suck it off the top Apply chemicals that breaks up oil
Prevents oil from causing issues on the shoreline Toxic
Genetically modified bacteria Microbes that obtain their energy by consuming oil
Under water oil (plumes) No agreed upon method to remove
Solid WasteDiscarded materials from houses and industries1997 Scientists discovered a large area of floating
garbage in the North Pacific gyreSize of Texas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUM58LIU2Lo
Dumping of garbage by cruise ships 1970 – 1980
Coal sludge MercuryArsenicLead“Special Waste” – not regulated
Sediment PollutionSand, silt, and clay carried into waterways
through runoffConstructionPlowed agriculture fieldsRemoval of vegetation found on the bankDomestic livestock entering and leaving
streams Affects
Decreased sunlightClog gills
Thermal PollutionIncreased water temperatures decrease the
amount of dissolved oxygen available Cool water used to absorb heat in industrial
processes and returned to the source too warm
Noise PollutionSounds emitted from ships and submarines
interfere with animal communicationCases of beached whales in Bahamas, Canary
Islands, and Gulf of California 2003
Navy was rejected on their request to install detecting systems
2008 U.S. Supreme court ruled Navy was exempt from environmental laws
Water Treatmenthttp://
education-portal.com/academy/lesson/water-treatment-improving-water-quality.html#lesson
Clean Water Act1972
Supports the “protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and recreation in and on the water” by maintaining and, when necessary, restoring the chemical, physical, and biological properties of natural water
Over time more and more categories of pollutants have been added Feedlots Storm runoff Municipal sewer systems
Safe Drinking Water Act 1974, 1986, 1996
EPA established maximum contaminant levels for 77 different elements or substances in both surface water and groundwater. Microorganisms Disinfectants Organic chemicals Inorganic chemicals
http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-clean-water-act-safe-drinking-water-act-legislation-for-clean-water.html#lesson