EESC BC 1001x Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Safe Drinking Water Act, Nonpoint Source Pollution, Maximum Contaminant Level
15 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
Pollution: unwanted alteration of natural systems as a result of human activity. Point source pollution: pollution from a precise origin, e. g. industrial plant. Nonpoint source pollution: pollution form an unclear source, e. g. , finding fertilizers in groundwater could be from any number of sources: homes, farms, golf courses. Biodegradable pollutant: a pollutant that can be broken down into less harmful components by bacteria. The biota can be overwhelmed by excess pollution. Some examples: sewage, paper, wood, cloth, leather, wool, vegetable/plant matter are biodegradable pollutants. Non biodegradable: pollutant that can not be broken down or metabolized. They accumulate over time and therefore become more dangerous. Examples, pcbs, ddt, dioxin, heavy metals (mercury arsenic lead). Biomagnification: higher concentrations of a particular pollutant are reached in organisms higher up the food chain, generally through a series of prey-predator relationships (a hawk eats five contaminated mice. How do pollutants get into the water? industry waste illegal dumping.
