water pollution (nres 102)

8/10/2019 Water Pollution (NRES 102)

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Water Pollution

point source

non-point source


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Point versus non-point point source pollution

discharge from factories, sewage treatmentplants, mines, power plants

easy to identify, monitor, regulate we have done a good job controlling, and hasresulted in much improved water quality

(National Pollution Discharge EliminationSystem, NPDES)

non-point source agricultural runoff, storm-water, atmosphericdeposition

broadly scattered, difficult to regulate andcontrol


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Water Pollutants

organic wastes pathogens chemical pollutants (metals,

mercury)/ oil sediments nutrients hormone disruptors and drugs


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Organic Wastes

known as oxygen demanding wastes most are biodegradable, but dissolved

O2 used up measure as BOD, biochemical oxygen

demand (typically 5 day) raw sewage, paper mill discharge,

food waste, dead animals


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Dissolved oxygen versustemperature


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Biochemical Oxygen Demand

amount of oxygen required forbiochemical decomposition process microbial decomposition

depletes stream O 2 concentrations three zones

pollution zone active decomposition zone recovery zone


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Organic Waste Added to Stream


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Pathogens

outbreaks of waterborne diseases Milwaukee, WI

Cryptosporidium in 1993, (400,000 people) Fecal Coliform bacteria ( E. coli )

standard measure, indicates fecal material ispresent

these bacteria usually harmless Walkerton, ON example of where cow

manure got into drinking water (5 died, manymore sick)


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Sediments still a major problem despite 75 years of

programs

important water quality problem in Illinois bare soil and intense rainfall leads toerosion, and sediments entering streams smothers organisms

adds oxygen demand leads to poor aquatic habitats turbidity


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Embarras River - Camargo


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Nutrients

eutrophication enrichment of aquatic system nutrients

leading to growth of plant andphytoplankton (algal blooms, periphyton,blue-green algae)

cultural eutrophication when eutrophication is accelerated by

human processes that add nutrients to abody of water


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Lake

Eutrophication


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US EPA TMDLs EPA want states to address non-point

source pollution

total maximum daily loads - largest amountof a nutrient a stream can receive withoutcausing degradation

focused on nitrogen and phosphorus

P usually limiting nutrient to algal growth infreshwaters most degradation in US now thought to be

nutrients from agriculture


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Nutrient Standards

all states being required to develop, includingIllinois

must show that nutrients cause problems foraquatic life in Illinois concentration high nearly everywhere habitat problems (sediments) how to demonstrate?

sewage treatment plants versus agriculture


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Big Ditch Outlet

Copper Slough

North Fork Salt Creek North Fork Vermilion

Jordan CreekSangamon River Fisher


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Common Substrate Study


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Phosphorus in detergents

used to be present in all detergents

many states banned in 1970s to 1980s in hand dish detergent, laundry detergents still no nationwide ban, but not in any. Why?

was still present in ADDs until July 2010

automatic dishwasher detergents 16 states banned phosphate recently in ADDs were 3 to 8% P, now < 0.5%


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Hormone Disruptors and Drugs

estrogens phthalates (plasticizers)

Endocrine disruptors? caffeine to ibuprofen typically from sewage effluent

now at low concentrations in mostlarge rivers long-term exposure effects?


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From Kolpin et al.(2002)EnvironmentalScience &Technology36:1202-1211

Cited >3100 timesalready


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Groundwater Pollution

often long-term problem chemicals/pollutants can

accumulate/move over many years,difficult to remove

bioremediation one approach utilizes microorganisms in the ground to

consume or break down pollutants


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Water Pollution Today

much better than before Clean WaterAct of 1972

still problems with nutrients and manynew chemicals easy problems fixed (point sources),

non-point more difficult sewage treatment has helped

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water pollution (nres 102)

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