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.
In this process acidic water flows over and through the ground and affects varieties of plants and animals. The water has become too acidic, and this creates a problem to the environment because all living things depend on water. Dry deposition is also a form of acid deposition, but refers to acidic gases and particles. “Half the acidity in the atmosphere falls back to earth through dry deposition”. The wind blows these acidic gases into building, cars, homes and trees.
Lake Huron is one of the Great Lakes and a major part of our fresh water system, which contains many wildlife and species. The lake however, is in a real danger, adversely effecting habitats, fish, wildlife, and human lives. Lake Huron has become a dumping ground for many companies, dumping waste that contains many pollutants. Bacteria levels have increased in the lake which can cause serious illness. These pollutants have reduced water quality, contaminated soils, and damaged the Lake’s ecosystems.
If a human inhales ground-level ozone it can cause chest pain, throat irritation, and congestion. It also affects the wild life as the animals that eat certain leaves and plant which can have problems producing food. Chlorofluorocarbons are normally found in Freon, halons, methyl bromide, methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride. The damage CFCs causes to our ozone layer is very dangerous especially since the ozone layer protects us from ultra violet radiation from the sun. If we continue to dispose of these chemicals in correctly it will continue hurt us especially by affecting the brain, eyes, heart, kidney and the reproductive system if large amount is exposed to
West Virginia Chemical Spill Effecting Our Environment Industrialization has greatly impacted our Earth. In the article Federal Grand Jury Investigates West Virginia Chemical Spill, the authors, Drew Griffin and David Fitzpatrick, emphasize the damage the chemical spill did to our planet. Many people were left with no water to use and the environment was greatly damaged by the spill. Chemical plants allow our society to develop some service such as water, electricity or disposal services. Conversely, Chemical plants can contaminate the pure water or create harmful diseases to humans and the Earth.
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
As a result, many trucks have to travel to and fro the mining site to supply the water and other amenities causing dust pollution and soil erosion on the dirt roads. Chemicals used in the fracking process are able to sip through cracks in the rocks and the soil and contaminate any water sources they meet. This water finds its way into the community or cities. When consumed, these chemicals can lead to cancer, defects in newly-born babies and disorders in the nervous system. Large amounts of methane and other poisonous gases released into the air from the gas wells contribute to heavy air pollution and global warming.
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
It also have some very harmful effects on humans and nature. It creates large amount of pollution, destroys the nature and also increases the diseases in human societies. As in documentary about “The Ethics of Fracking” by Marleen troy PhD (Environmental Engineer), Bernard Prausak and Rabbi Mordechai Liebling.
It is common to consider pollution to streams as being transported from industries and cities which release waste water into water courses such as lakes, rivers and streams through designated and established point sources. A bigger problem, however, actually comes from other unidentified sources where possibility of these contaminants being absorbed into the soil or transformed through natural processes before reaching the waterways is hindered by large impervious areas around the water body and short peak runoff times.