Water Quality and Contamination Report 1 Schrita Scott Water Quality and Contamination SCI207: Dependence of Man on the Environment Instructor Carrie Myers February 25, 2014 Water Quality and Contamination Report 2 Water Quality and Contamination Introduction: When it comes to water quality and contamination, first and foremost ground water is present below the surface in porous rocks and is prone to contamination by natural and human activities. Large amounts of chemicals like soap, detergents, fertilizers, pesticides, and pharmaceutical are often times discharged into fresh water aquifers almost daily. These contaminants leak into the soil in which it then dissolves into ground water. Different contaminants have different rates of solubility and degradation once they reach the underground water table, either by simple flow or by the downward movement of rain water. The ground water may become contaminated with both organic and inorganic substances which may include heavy metals like Cadmium, Chromium and Nickel, etc.
Such remedies such as recycling, purification, treatment, and management of wastes can diminish the issues of a detrimental environment. Air pollution is also caused by technology and human influence. Similar to water damage, air pollution is derived from chemicals and toxins which are released into the atmosphere. Thus, the toxins begin to reveal the depletion of natural resources. Fuel combustion and automobile transportation are two large factors of air pollution.
The water that I placed activated carbon in actually increased by 2pH rather than decreasing. 3. Based on your data, what effect do you predict coal mining has on the environment? Answer = Coal mining is the removal of coal from the earth which slows the Earth's capability to decrease the acidity of groundwater. If an ideal pH level is 7 than the carbon was able to take our acidic water and make it more neutral.
Course # Student name / Names of members of group Date: Exp # : Estimating the effects of acid rain Introduction: Precipitation that measures a pH value below 5.6 is generally considered as acid rain. Burning fossil fuels is the main reason for the elevated levels of gaseous oxides in a polluted atmosphere that in-turn forms acid rain. Gaseous oxides such as that of carbon, sulfur, nitrogen and phosphorus could dissolve in water to form an acidic solution. A generalized reaction sequence on the formation of acid rain is as follows; One of the determinants of clean water in the natural environment is its alkalinity. Alkalinity can be defined as the capacity to neutralize acids.
Energy Sources and Alternative Energy Christina Childs SCI207: Dependence of Man on the Environment Instructor: Marc Jackson November 10, 2014 Lab 4 – Energy Sources and Alternative Energy Experiment 1: The Effects of Coal Mining Table 1: pH of Water Samples | Water Sample | Initial pH | Final pH (24-48 hours) | Pyrite | 6 | 4 | Activated Carbon | 7 | 8 | Water | 7 | 7 | POST LAB QUESTIONS 1. Develop hypotheses predicting the effect of pyrite and coal on the acidity of water? a. Pyrite hypothesis = If pyrite is added to with 100mL of water, it will decrease the pH over 48 hours. b. Coal hypothesis = If activated carbon is added with 100mL of water, it will increase the pH over 48 hours.
SO2, sulfur dioxide effects our trees and water systems and is the prominent cause of acid rain. Mercury- when Mercury enters our water systems it becomes harmful to our ecology (fish, plants, animals etc) and effects anyone who consumes part of the food chain. Nitrogen
Sulfuric Acid is a strong acid that exists as a colorless oily corrosive liquid and is made by reacting sulfur trioxide with water. This is most commonly found in batteries, manufacture of fertilizers, explosives, detergents, dyes and other different chemicals. Sulfuric Acid is very dangerous to humans as it can cause respiratory tracts of humans and other animals while doing some major damage to plants that helps provide oxygen for us. Ground-level ozone is a secondary air pollutant formed when sunlight triggers reactions between nitrogen oxides and volatile hydrocarbons. If a human inhales ground-level ozone it can cause chest pain, throat irritation, and congestion.
Pollution from coal-fired power plants is released as fly ash, bottom ash and waste gases. Coal-fired power plants produce large quantities of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, the key pollutants in the formation of acid rain. Acid rain acidifies water bodies and harms forests and coastal ecosystems. Coal-fired power plant is the largest single source of atmospheric mercury emissions which is toxic to the developing brain, and exposure in the womb can cause health problems in children. Mercury released in the air gets into the waterways and is accumulated in fishes which are consumed by humans.
Large amounts of methane and other poisonous gases released into the air from the gas wells contribute to heavy air pollution and global warming. Fracking has been linked to movement of radioactive materials and heavy metals from the underground layers of the earth to the surface through flow-back
Research question: Will the level of acidity of the rain have an effect on the corrosion of limestone, as measured by change in mass of marble chips in a beaker? Introduction: Acid rain is any form of precipitation due to excess or elevated levels of hydrogen ions. It is also a process by which acid particles leave the atmosphere. Natural rain has a pH of 5.6; this is due to the presence of carbonic acid by the mixture of carbon dioxide dissolved in water in the atmosphere. H2O + CO2 → H2CO3 The carbonic acid molecules immediately dissociate in water to form hydrogen carbonate ions: HCO3−, and hydronium ions, H3O+: H2CO3 + H2O → HCO3− + H3O+ The deposition of acid like sulfuric and sulfurous make rain water acidic this is from the sulfur