Pollution of the Hydrosphere

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Pollution of the Hydrosphere
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Objectives

• Describe the negative effects of sediment
  pollution
• Trace the effects of nutrient pollution in an
  aquatic ecosystem
• ID sources of toxic organic toxic inorganic
  pollutants
• Describe two waterborne illnesses their sources
• Differentiate between types of thermal pollution
  and describe the negative effect of each on
  aquatic ecosystems

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Why is Freshwater Important?

• All organisms require freshwater to live
• Less than 1 of all Earths water is useable
  freshwater
• Freshwater is not evenly distributed on Earth

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What is Pollution?

• The addition of any substance that has a negative
  effect on water or on the living things that
  depend on the water

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Sediment Pollution

• 1 form of water pollution
• Occurs when eroding soil particles are washed
  into water by runoff

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Causes of Sediment Pollution

• Exposed agricultural fields
• Clear-cut logging operations
• Construction sites

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Effects of Sediment Pollution

• Reduces amount of sunlight penetrating water
• Less photosynthesis
• Reduces food supply
• Clogs gills of fish, amphibians, etc
• Cant get oxygen
• Reduces vision
• Some species rely on vision for hunting food
• Negatively affects spawning
• Fewer eggsfewer organisms
• Make water more shallow
• Upsets ecosystem
• Promotes more flooding

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Nutrient Pollution

• Increase in the amount of water soluble chemicals
  such as nitrates phosphates in water
• These chemicals act as fertilizers to aquatic
  plants

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Sources of Nutrient Pollution

• Fertilizers applied on lawns, gardens, farms
• Leaking septic systems
• Wastewater treatment plants
• Detergents

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Effects of Nutrient Pollution

• Eutrophication (imbalance in aquatic ecosystem)
• Algal bloom - More algae
• More algae dies
• Decaying algae decomposed by aerobic bacteria
• Aerobic bacteria use oxygen
• Less oxygen in water hypoxia
• Other organisms die
• Decaying organisms build up on bottom, making
  water more shallow
• Algal blooms clog pipes
• Algal blooms clog boat engines

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Eutrophication
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Eutrophication
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Toxic Organic Compounds

• Contamination containing carbon atoms
• Includes oil, gasoline, solvents, pesticides,
  herbicides

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Sources of TOCs

• Oil tanker spills
• Underground fuel storage tanks
• Lawn maintenance
• Agriculture herbicides, pesticides, manure

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Effects of TOCs

• Toxic to living organisms
• Oil can on bird feathers and animal fur,
  restricting their movement
• Cant hunt, theyll die
• Affects tourism

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Toxic Inorganic Compounds

• Contaminants that dont contain carbon
• Heavy metals arsenic, mercury, lead
• Synthetic industrial chemicals

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Sources of TICs

• Poor waste disposal practices
• Leaking landfills
• Abandoned industrial sites

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Effects of TICs

• TICs dont break down as readily as TOCs
• Can remain in environment for many years causing
• Long term health problems
• Death
• Bioaccumulation - increase in concentration of a
  pollutant from the environment to the first
  organism in a food chain
• Biomagnification -increase in concentration of a
  pollutant from one link in a food chain to
  another

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Effects of TICs
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Disease-causing Agents

• Viruses
• Bacteria
• Amoeba
• Protozoa
• Parasitic worms

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Sources of Disease-causing Agents

• Human waste
• Animal waste
• Waste water

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Effects of Disease-causing Agents

• Waterbourne illnesses
• E.Coli
• Typhoid
• Malaria
• Hepatitis
• Cholera
• Dysentery
• Can cause death

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Thermal Pollution

• Temperature change to water
• Causes change in aquatic environment
• Can cause change in oxygen level of water
• Cold water holds more oxygen than warm water

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Causes of Thermal Pollution

• Industry uses water. Water is heated in
  industrial process then returned to river or
  lake. River or lake environment is now warmer.
• Dams built on rivers. Water behind dam builds
  upgets deeper. Deeper water is colder.

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Effects of Thermal Pollution

• Changes in water temperature are changes to the
  aquatic environment.
• Some species are not able to tolerate the
  temperature differences and die off.
• Whole aquatic ecosystem is affected, changed.