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.
Aquatic Invertebrates: Adaptations and Feeding Guilds INTRODUCTION Global warming and human's authoritative influence on the environment such as deforestation, pollution etc. are taking a bad toll on the diversity of the ecosystem. Global warming which has brought about increase in the temperatures is disturbing the natural cycle of the ecosystem. This has brought upon an increased droughts throughout the world. The droughts and increased heat has had negative impacts on local aquatic invertebrates.
Should a company follow through without proper consent, legal action should be taken against any and all individuals involved. Sinkholes and How They Occur A sinkhole is traditionally defined as a cavity in the ground caused by water erosion. A subterranean water flow would erode the stone around it until structural integrity is compromised. The consequences of which are a collapse that can cause topsoil and stones to drop significantly. This can drastically effect buildings and roadways, potentially causing fatality and
I have learned that the use of toxic chemicals during the fracking process and the occurring release of toxic chemicals and radioactive materials during well processing is bad for the environment. Such as, Naphthalene, Xylene, Toluene, Methylbenzene, and Formaldehyde, are all known or suspected to be human carcinogens (Schmidt). Also Hydraulic fracking hurts the environment by the contaminating the water wells, and springs, in which many humans and animals drink from. Another environment impact of hydraulic fracturing is air pollutions. Finally the way fracking impacted animal and human health.
Furthermore, the influx of chemicals brought deep into the ground for extraction purposes have mixed with ground water, leading to lethal contamination of local drinking water. Amongst these results, fracking often yields high amounts of methane gases to the atmosphere. If fracking continues at high rates it will evidently threaten local habitats while also contaminating ground waters and while polluting
Some of the environmental issues related to hydraulic fracturing must be investigated and regulations must be put in place. As a nation dependent on energy we must regulate and consider all consequences before allowing the depletion of yet another natural and non-renewable resource. Environmentalists claim an array of issues related to fracking. Polluted groundwater and aquifers, micro seismic events, disposal of waste water and the mining of the silica sand which is used in the process are all by-products of a loosely regulated practice. Studies have been done, from measuring the effects on drinking water to monitoring seismic events related to fracking.
Explain why oil exploration in the areas shown could lead to high economic and environmental costs. (10) The environmental effects of oil exploitation in these areas can vary depending upon the type, position and severity, however most pose the threat of being potentially severe. The explorations are taking place in deep water areas such as the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea or the Arctic. Just one of the many potential risks and dangers of deep sea drilling is highlighted by the horizon oil rig spill of oil extracted from the sea floor. A spill in any of the deep sea areas would reduce the biodiversity of that area through reductions of bird populations, fish-stocks and populations of marine mammals.
Hoses can be undone, gaskets can fail, pits leak and liquids always hit the ground, repeatedly in large quantities. Fracking needs a lot of work to be done before it can begin obtaining oil. The fracking fluids have a lot of toxic chemicals and become even more contaminated when pumped down a hole as they travel through rock formations before returning to the surface as flow back. The liquids can cause ground contamination and even in small portions can contaminate shallow aquifers with hydrocarbons, toxic chemicals, heavy metals and radioactive
The procedure consists of injecting a special fluid made up of chemicals and sand into the ground at high pressures to squeeze the natural gas back up through the rocks. By injecting this certain fluid we are leaving mercury, lead, hydrochloric acid, methane, and other poisonous chemicals left to rest in our earth’s crust. Studies show that more than 90% of fracking fluids are left underground. Because we are permanently polluting our land we are putting our environment at high risks of becoming destroyed and it is effecting human health. One resource that is at high risk of being contaminated due to fracking is water.
In South Africa water is used out to its limit, the pollution comes from traffic associated with crude oil transport from the Arabian Gulf which is contaminated from tanks that spill oil. Some ways we pollute the Everglades, is because of some of the stuff that goes down the drains. Most of the stuff goes into a lake, pond, or canal, most these are connected to the ocean and Everglades. We have to watch what we let go down the drains, such as chemicals, and trash. I think if we make a way where trash that goes down a drain can be separated from the water and goes into another drain leading to a dump.