Abstract This paper studies the connection between agriculturally-based landpollution, such as from herbicides and pesticides, and contaminated water. The paper presents research studies and statistics that indicate that this is the most significant and damaging source of waterpollution. The paper also looks at the impact of water diversion through damning for irrigation projects. The paper concludes by discussing the international ramifications of land-based waterpollution.
From the Paper "Rachel Carson, in her landmark book "Silent Spring" was the first to discover the pollution and contamination of land as well as water by insecticides. These chemicals are absorbed in the earth, and then run off into water- lakes or rivers and streams, and eventually into the oceans. The most recent catastrophe on Chesapeake Bay which contaminated almost the entire shrimp and scallop crop was presumed to have been caused by a chemical spill which began a "fouling" process that was like a fatal domino effect. From the pristine water, of the Bay it then ran off into nearby farmland, not only damaging crops, but also polluting one of the largest poultry producing areas in the country."
Abstract This paper examines the fundamental causes of pollution and its effects on the environment. It looks at the categories of pollution, explains the differences in these categories and describes the different types of polution in the water and the sources of this pollution. The paper also dissusses air pollution and describes its two main causes as well as its dangers. Finally, the paper discusses the long term effects of pollution, and what we can do to help alleviate the problem and prevent further damage.
Table of Contents
Pollution Categories
What is the Pollution in the Water What is the Pollution in the Air
Pollution Effects - Long Term
But What Can be Done
From the Paper "Environmental pollution is a serious threat that jeopardizes both plant and animal survival on the planet. Water and atmospheric pollution become more of a danger each passing year as the population explodes and the resources of the planet become more difficult to access. Emerging societies are also demanding the same types of luxuries and materials that the Western world has convinced them that are the symbols of civilized society. This demand is also increasing the need for more production and as a consequence is causing more environmental pressure."
Abstract This paper presents an in-depth look at the water toxins and the way they affect the ecosystem as a whole. The writer takes the reader on an exploratory journey through the ecosystem and the way it works. Then it discusses the way water toxins and pollution are destroying the system by killing the marine organisms. Finally, it concludes that in the future it will be imperative to find ways to thwart the water toxins affects.
From the Paper "Because we have lived on this planet for millions of years, we have come to rely on its ability to support and sustain human and animal life indefinitely. The world survives by way of an ecosystem and that system is the core of all living things. For many years now scientists have warned that our cavalier attitude toward preservation of the eco system will cause it to begin breaking down, however, their warnings often fell on deaf ears. Now it is time to pay the piper. Recently scientists have begun to take a close look at the cycles of life and the way they are intertwined in the ecosystem. There is strong evidence that toxins are destroying the ecosystem because the abundance and diversity of marine organisms is rapidly declining(Liat pp 142)."
Abstract This paper looks at climate and topographical factors that have contributed to and intensified air pollution in Los Angelse, as well as those that have helped reduce it. Also discussed are the sources of waterpollution in Los Angeles, as well as how both air pollution and waterpollution adversely affect the people and environment of the city, both physically and economically.
From the Paper "Pollution in the giant and sprawling American metropolis of Los Angeles is nothing new. As a 1997 article marking the fiftieth anniversary of smog and pollutant cleanup efforts in the city notes, this problem started well at the beginning of the twentieth century. "Los Angeles suffered from smog well before World War II," states the article. "Industrial smoke and fumes were so thick during one day in 1903 that residents mistook it for an eclipse of the sun" ("Southland's War," 1997a). It was the city finally tiring of this ongoing pollution just after said world war that forced its residents, planners, and movers and shakers to investigate the problem and attempt to remedy it. This paper shall look at climate and topographical factors that have contributed to and intensified air pollution, as well as those that have helped reduce it."
Abstract The paper examines the environmental issues in Lake Simcoe, one of the popular summer resort areas in southern Ontario. The paper discusses the effects of urbanization, recreation and waterpollution on the lake and its marine life. The paper also shows how air pollutionaffects the lake, directly and indirectly. The paper calls for each one of us to do our part in the conservation effort.
Outline:
Introduction
Urban sprawl
Lake Simcoe and Recreation
Impact on Marine Life
Air Pollution on the Watershed
Conclusion
From the Paper "Lake Simcoe is one of the popular summer resort areas in southern Ontario [1]. This body of water is located between the Georgian Bay and Lake Ontario and is often used for recreational boating and fishing [2]. The Lake Simcoe watershed and the Nattawassaga watershed are the two major sources feeding Lake Simcoe and cover 744 square kilometres surrounding most of the lake and is currently a hot spot for environmental action. Not only does the general population around the lake depend on it as their drinking water, but the lake itself is responsible for generating more than $200,000,000 per year in recreational revenue [4]. So it is disturbing to know that urbanization is leading to the pollution of the lake in terms of increasing levels of sewage, air pollution, and phosphorous among others [5]."
Abstract The paper discusses the fact that polluting of water, regardless of the source whether from industry, agriculture or household, ultimately finds its way into the environment, causing substantial damage to health and to the environment. The paper relates that air pollution is responsible for premature deaths and includes pollution from road transport, industrial sources, forest and agricultural fires.
Outline:
Effects of Air and WaterPollution and Its Relation to Environmental Laws
Climate Change
Environmental and Emission Laws
Future Trends of Air and WaterPollution Analysis of Future Trends
From the Paper "Figures of WHO reveals that air pollution is responsible for 8,00,000 premature deaths from lung cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases apart from the rising incidence of chronic bronchitis, severe respiratory illness, asthma, heart ailment and damage of lung function. The bulk of this pollution includes road transport, stationary combustion sources such as coal burning in households, industrial sources, incinerators and waste disposals, fossil fuels power plants and also non-combustion sources such as construction, quarrying and mining and lot of other sources such as forest and agricultural fires. The principal pollutants seen in the air we breathe covers particulate matter, PAHs, lead, ground level ozone, heavy metals, sulphur dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxides."
Abstract This paper examines how the Delaware River is currently being polluted from industries along its banks and from runoff from rainwater and how, although it is cleaner than it has been in years, the fish from it are still unsafe to eat due to high levels of PCBs in the water. It looks at how, although efforts are currently underway to reduce the amounts of pollutants in the river, oil spills like the one that recently occurred, undermine these efforts and kill or sicken large numbers of wildlife in the area.
From the Paper "Although the executive director of the "Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) stated that the Delaware River in 2003 is the cleanest it has been in decades, the presence of PCBs remains a problem (Unknown, Newswire)." The high amount of PCBs in the river have forced states to issue warnings about consuming fish from the river due to the detection of high amounts of PCBs in their tissues. The DRBC hopes to eventually eliminate these warnings by finding ways to lower the amounts of PCBs in the river. They are currently working with "Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and the EPA to develop the technical basis for four TMDLs to address four different water quality zones in the river's tidal reach, the 85-mile stretch from Trenton, N.J., downstream to the head of the Delaware Bay, and near Liston Point, Delaware (Unknown, Newswire).""
Abstract This paper addresses the environmental and health concerns that one's drinking water is polluted due to the fact that the water source has pollutants being pumped into it by factories and the like. Using the situation in Louisiana as an example, this paper examines these problems and explains what is being done by the authorities in Louisiana to reverse this trend.
From the Paper "Although clean water is essential to human health ? as well as to the health of the plants and animals with which we share our world ? water quality is often far below what it should be. The reasons for this are complex, but are almost always based in the fact that water is in many ways a shared resource, with pollutants flowing easily from one place to another. Because water is such an efficient solvent, it can dissolve and carry with it a number of substances that can well prove harmful to our health and that should therefore be carefully monitored and eliminated whenever possible."
Abstract This paper explains that the direct application of gaseous chlorine from pressurized steel containers is generally the most economical method for disinfecting large volumes of water. The author points out the types and sources of waterpollution extend far beyond the ability of this single treatment process; therefore, American consumers should be aware that additional pollutants may continue to be present in their drinking water despite the best efforts of water treatment experts to make it safe. The paper suggests that taste or odor problems can be minimized through proper dosages of chlorine at the treatment plant with a residual concentration maintained throughout the distribution system to ensure a safe level at the points of use.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Review and Analysis
Background and Overview
Current Applications
Conclusion
From the Paper "Healthcare practitioners have long recognized that small amounts of toxic substances can sometimes have beneficial effects for humans, and this would seem to be the case with chlorine as well. As a chemical, chlorine is a toxic, corrosive, greenish yellow gas that is irritating to the eyes and respiratory system; it is two and a half times heavier than air. The substance becomes a liquid at -34C (-29F) and was first prepared from hydrochloric acid and manganese dioxide in 1774 by Carl Wilhelm Scheele; chlorine was widely regarded as a compound until research by Sir Humphry Davy showed (1810) that it cannot be decomposed and that muriatic (hydrochloric) acid is comprised of hydrogen and another true element that he named chlorine."
Abstract In the form of a speech, this paper details the problems of smog, acid rain, and depletion of the ozone layer. The paper details major technology and regulations that have greatly reduced some of the pollution including, catalytic converters, alternative fuels, electrostatic precipitation, bag filtration, the Clean Air Act, fluidized bed combustion, and HCFCs. Discusses water problems, including lead and methyl mercury, and legislation like the Clean Water Act.
From the Paper "Dear Congresswomen and Congressmen, Our environment is a pressing issue in our society today. Due to societies' demand on governmental organizations to improve the condition of our environment, I am submitting to you today a 25-year program that will be effective in reducing pollution in the air and water. I urge you to look into the issues presented and make an informed decision that will help to improve the quality of our environment."
Abstract This paper examines how a study of Southern California coastal waters in 1999 showed that the waters rarely contain enough bacteria during the summer to make swimmers sick, except at creeks and storm drains that are releasing urban runoff. It looks at how significant portion of coastal water contamination comes from non-point source pollution such as agriculture and urban runoff, faulty septic systems, marinas and recreational boating and habitat degradation. It proposes a study to determine the coliform count in water samples from New Port Beach, California which is considered to be one of the best urban beaches in the United States and provides an analysis of the results.
From the Paper "Newport Beach is the fifth best urban beach in the United States, according to the Surfrider Foundation report issued in May, 2000 (Mehta, 2000). The city was one of three California communities to make the list as a place where healthy shorelines and urban development coexist. However, Newport Bay suffers from extreme pollution from the Santa Ana River. In January, 2000 Gumbel (2000) reported that all 8 miles of Huntington Beach, a few miles north of Newport Beach, had been closed since the previous summer because the water had shown exceptionally high levels of enterococcus bacteria, indicating fecal contamination. Surfrider Beach in Malibu was plagued at the same time by E. coli bacteria and viruses. The contamination in both cases was attributed to urban runoff."
Abstract The paper explains that many parts of the world have experienced elevated levels of nitrates in their drinking water by virtue of past industrial and agricultural practices. The paper provides a review of the relevant literature to determine the effects of nitrates in drinking water sources and examines what types of testing are typically done to assess the presence of nitrates, in particular in New Jersey. The paper discusses current and future trends in this area. The paper concludes that elevated levels of nitrates in drinking water supplies can result in profound adverse health consequences. People around the world are using their groundwater resources faster than they are being naturally replenished and this has caused further concentrations of any pollutants that might be present.
Outline:
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Conclusion
From the Paper "In a day and age characterized by debates over oil and potential future energy sources, an important fact is being overlooked. By all accounts, fresh water is far more important than oil and people had better pay closer attention to what is happening to their drinking water sources today. According to Roberts (2001), "Water use in the United States averages about 100 gallons of drinking water per person per day, more than just about any other country. A very small proportion of this water per person, approximately two gallons, is actually used for drinking and cooking. We use the majority of the water that comes into our homes for bathing, flushing toilets, doing laundry, watering lawns, filling swimming pools, and washing cars" (p. 64). Throughout the world, people obtain their drinking water from a wide range of sources, and these same techniques are used in the United States."
Abstract The paper describes the experiment that tested five different water sources and the experiment that inoculated five Petri dishes with samples from different sources. The paper explains the results of these experiments and discusses how the presence and amount of coliforms indicate that the water source is polluted, or in contact with domestic sewage, animal wastes, soil, plant, or animal material.
Outline:
Introduction
Results
Discussion
From the Paper "Water is an important part of one's survival. Therefore, the existence of clean, potable water source is integral to one's health. Unfortunately, many mircoorganisms can thrive in drinking water source, and a small glass of water from that infected water source can cause a number of life-threatening gastrointestinal diseases such as gastroenteritis, dysentery, giardiasis, typhoid, cholera, and hepatitis (Parrott, Ross, and Woodard, par. 1). In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been investigating the disease burden of occupational and environmental risk factors, one of which is water, sanitation, and hygiene. It has been found that the worldwide risk factor of water, sanitation, and hygiene accounted for 5.3% of all deaths and 6.8% of all disability-adjusted life year (DALYs) (Pruss, Kay, Fewtrell, and Bartram, 2002). Furthermore, WHO estimated that every eight seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease every year, and more than five million people died from illnesses linked to unsafe drinking water or inadequate sanitation (Fewtrell and Bartram, p. 62)."
Abstract This research work seeks to isolate and characterise microorganisms found in Ekosodin, Benin City. It examines borehole (underground) water for microorganisms and investigates the quality of the drinking water. The paper also analyses the tests that were performed and discusses the results. Finally, the paper presents recommendations for the future.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Origin Of Water Sources Of Water (Underground)
Importance Of Water Microbes And Underground (Borehole) Water Literature Review
Availability Of Underground Water Major Sources Of Pollution Of Groundwater
Underground Water Quality
Aim
Materials And Method
Total Bacterial Count
Cultural Characterization
Pure Culture Preparation And Preservation
Gram Staining
Motility Test
Oxidase Test
Coagulase Test
Biochemical Test
Discussion And Conclusion
Recommendation
From the Paper "The borehole water in Ekosodin and environs is the sole potable water supplied to sixty per cent of the students on campus. Therefore the basis of the investigation is on the quality of the said water. The selected borehole water samples were analyzed for the presence of coliform bacteria, as this is one of the means of assessing the purity of water supplied to the school in general."
"The result above shows that the presumptive count and mean of the water samples is 4.48 bacterial per 100ml of water. This falls within the normal range of standard values suggested by the World Health Organization (1971). At this point, the water could have been accepted for consumption but the usefulness of this count as an indicator of bacterial water contamination or its consumption quality has been questioned by some analysis partly because coliform bacterial detection which are potentially subjected to inferences."
Abstract The paper asserts that why bottled water has become such a successful product is truly a marketing mystery. The paper reveals that 40% of bottled water brands are just tap water! The paper then explains the conveniences involved in consuming bottled water. The paper discusses how the bottled water industry has a tremendous effect on fuel consumption. The paper maintains that we must create a cleaner environment by using water filters and similar alternatives to bottled water.
From the Paper "Why bottled water has become such a successful product is truly a marketing mystery. It may be because the water is packaged in a nice neat plastic container that makes consumers believe that it is from some "magical" source that is pure and unique, unlike the tap water they drink daily. In fact, studies have shown that tap water is much more pure than many brands of bottled water, exclusive of those that contain only tap water, which may be as many as 40% brands (Food and Water Watch, 2007). Furthermore, many consumers believe that this "magical" water has certain health benefits, which as of yet has not been proven."
Tags: tap, mineral, springs, purification, filters, plastics, pollution
