Transcript Basis of Water Pollution

Understanding the basis of water pollution.
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Placing unwanted substances (pollutants)
into the ecosystem
Pollution has negative impact on living things
Ex. Oil, trash, human/animal wastes, nuclear
wastes from factories, acid rain, etc.
Sources of pollution: human activity, natural
causes
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Point source pollution: the place where the
pollution originates can be identified
Nonpoint source pollution: the origin of
pollution can not be identified easily
1. Point source pollution:
septic sewage tank;
damaged sewer pipes, release of raw sewage
from wastewater treatment plants
2. Nonpoint source pollution: runoff near a lake
or stream, waste runoff from feedlots, runoff
from streets (sand, grit, oil, & gasoline)
1. Disease-causing organisms
(Cryptosporidium); caused by human wastes &
runoff livestock pens
2. Pesticides & fertilizers: DDT, nitrates,
phosphates caused by runoff from farms
fields, golf courses
3. Industrial chemicals: PCBs, carbon
tetrachloride, dioxin caused by factories &
waste disposal sites
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5. Radioactive wastes such as uranium and
carbon-14 caused by medical & scientific
disposal sites & nuclear power plants
6. Petroleum products such as oil, gasoline
caused by road runoff, leaking &
underground storage tanks
Log on to Edmodo.com and answer the
following question: Why might it be helpful
to know the source of a particular pollutant
detected in a body of water?