ENV 1301 Final: Nesmith

nutrient pollution

Around the world ___________________ has been blamed for harmful algal blooms and dead zones in oceans and lakes.

endocrine disruptor

BPA is an...

increasing; consumption of technology

E-waste is __________________ as we increase the...

infrared; ultraviolet

Earth's atmosphere is relatively transparent to incoming sunlight, absorbing mainly the _________________ and _____________________ ranges.

increasing

Global temperature is....

duration; concentration; frequency

How are we affected by toxins (3 things)?

first law of thermodynamics

In nature, chemical elements are continually recycled because of the...

64;30

In poor countries, ____% of waste is organic, but only _____% of waste in wealthy countries is organic.

solid hazardous waste

Landfills with double liners and double leachate collection and removal with a leak detection system is for...

1.3 billion

Municipal solid waste as increased from 600 million tons per year in 2002 to _________________ in 2012.

triple

Municipal waste is supposed to _____________________ from 2002 to 2025.

more

Rich countries produce a lot ____________ waste than poor countries, and they types of things they throw out differs greatly.

infrared light

Solar energy absorbed by Earth's surface, clouds, or atmospheric gases is radiated as _____________________, heating Earth's surface and atmosphere in the process.

burned

Some hazardous waste can be _______________ like medical waste.

groundwater

Some hazardous waste can be injected into deep wells (usually 1200 m), so it is below _________________.

atmospheric gases, clouds, and the Earth's surface

Sunlight not reflected is absorbed by....

hazardous liquid waste

Surface impoundments are for...

methods of storing hazardous waste

The RCRA (Resource conservation and recovery act) dictates the...

benign

The majority of bacteria are...

pathogenic

The vast majority of bacteria are not...

volatile organic carbon, carbon monoxide, radon, and asbestos are common pollutants

What are examples of indoor air pollutants in the developed world?

people cook on smoky indoor fires or stoves

What are examples of indoor air pollutants in the developing world?

species distribution decreases, coral reefs deteriorate

What are some effects of a warmer ocean?

1. carbon monoxide 2. lead 3. nitrogen oxides 4. ozone 5. particulate matter 6. sulfur dioxide

What are the 6 EPA criteria pollutants?

1. vegetation 2. clay, subsoil, topsoil 3. alternating layers of waste and soil 4. porous gravel or sand 5. leachate collection pipe and sump 6. tough plastic liner 7. packed clay

What are the 7 layers of a landfill from top to bottom?

algal or plant production, depletion of dissolved oxygen in aquatic ecosystems, a loss of biodiversity

What are the results of cultural eutrophication?

ocean currents or gyres

What caused the big garbage island?

CO2

What gas have we changed the most?

methane

What gas is collected from landfills and treatment plants?

increasing as poor countries develop

What is happening to municipal solid waste?

to define safe levels of exposure to toxic substances

What is the goal of toxicology?

water vapor

What is the most important greenhouse gas?

increased nutrients, sediment, and aquatic plant growth causes decreased oxygen, lake depth and species diversity

What starts eutrophication?

when they enter the human body and produce exotoxins or endotoxins

When do bacteria cause illness?

burning fossil fuels (the most) or sea salt

Where does most of the atmospheric sulfur come from?

the basic chemical industry (nail polish removers, chlorine)

Which industry produces the most hazardous waste?

high income countries, like the US

Who produces the most hazardous waste?

human structures do not last long enough for materials to become harmless; people don't want to leave near nuclear waste sites

Why is nuclear waste an issue?

90

_____% of the human body is bacteria cells

weather; CO2

______________________ causes ups and downs in global average temperature, but the underlying trend is driven by ____________________.

acid deposition

a better name for acid rain is...

endocrine disruptor

a chemical that mimics hormones; damages reproductive systems, behavior, immune systems, neurological systems, and causes tremors

hazardous

a flammable, reactive, corrosive or toxic waste capable of causing illness, death or other harm to humans/organisms

eutrophication

a natural process by which nutrients, especially those that limit primary production, build up in an ecosystem

toxin

a poisonous substance produced by a living organism that can harm human health

secondary pollutant

a pollutant formed from the chemical reactions between other pollutants

indoor air pollution

a serious threat to human health resulting from the buildup of pollutants in the indoor environment

pollutant

a substance or condition harmful to living organisms that contaminates air, water, or soil

allergen

a substance that activities the immune system, inducing an allergic reaction

teratogen

a substance that causes abnormalities during embryonic growth and development, resulting in birth defects

carcinogen

a substance that causes cancer by directly damaging the DNA of cells

acid

a substance that releases hydrogen ions upon dissociation when dissolved in water, resulting in a reduced pH, and indicator of relative hydrogen ion concentration.

cap and trade

a system for controlling carbon emissions and other forms of atmospheric pollution by which an upper limit is set on the amount a given business or other organization may produce but which allows further capacity to be bought from other organizations that have not used their full allowance

carbon tax

a tax on carbon emissions to incentivize alternatives with lower carbon footprints

toxicant

a toxic substance produced by humans or as a by-product of human activity

5.3

acid rain has a pH less than...

cultural eutrophication

an accelerated process of eutrophication resulting from human activities that increases the rate of nutrient addition to ecosystems

antagonistic effects

an interaction of two toxic substances wherein the toxicity of one chemical is reduced in the presence of the second chemical, which may be used as an antidote

synergistic effects

an interaction of two toxic substances wherein their combined toxicity is greater than the sum of their individual effects

additive effects

an interaction of two toxic substances wherein their combined toxicity is simply the sum of their individual effects

toxic

causes harm at low concentrations

pollution

contamination of the environment by substances or conditions at levels harmful to living organisms, usually a result of human activity but not always

flammable

easily ignited, burns quickly, can spontaneously ignite by friction or contact with other waste

energy subsidies

government spending to reduce consumer cost of higher-priced options

neutral; acidic

pH 7 is ___________________; anything below 7 is _________________

2.1 kg/day

per capita solid waste in a high income country

1.25 kg/day

per capita solid waste in a high-middle income country

.5 kg/day

per capita solid waste in a low income country

.75 kg/day

per capita solid waste in a low-middle income country

transboundary pollution

pollution that surpasses geographical barriers (the Fukushima radiation and DDT)

exotoxins

proteins that bacteria secrete that harm the body

reactive

readily undergo a violent chemical change when in contact with other substances

bacteria

single celled organisms lacking a nucleus or other membrane bound organelles

point source pollution

source of pollution is easy to identify, monitor and regulate

corrosive

strong acids or bases that damage surfaces and living tissue

endotoxins

substances released when bacteria cells die and disintegrate that harms the body

greenhouse effect

the absorbing and reradiating of infrared light by various components of Earth's atmosphere, resulting in higher surface and atmosphere temperatures

command and control

the direct regulation of an industry or activity by legislation that states what is permitted and what is illegal

waste stream

the flow of discarded materials, especially municipal solid waste from institutions, homes, and businesses

watershed

the land area from which an aquifer or river system aquifer or river system acquires water; also defined as the dividing line between catchments or drainage basins

incomplete combustion of fossil fuels or biomass

the main source of carbon monoxide is...

coal burning, metal smelting, oil, sewage

the main source of lead is...

coal burning, oil, gasoline and biomass; soil bacteria

the main source of nitrogen oxide is...

forms in troposphere via a series of reactions in the presence of sunlight between oxygen, water, NO, carbon monoxide and volatile organic carbon compounds

the main source of ozone is...

fossil fuel and biomass burning; wind and water erosion

the main source of particulate matter is...

burning of coal, oil, and gasoline; metal smelting; volcanic eruptions

the main source of sulfur dioxide

toxicology

the science that studies toxic substances; concerned with the effects of toxic substances on humans and other organisms

demanufacturing

this is growing in developed countries and take back laws require manufacturers in some states to pay for e-waste recycling programs

non-point source pollution

this pollution diffuses and is often mobile

nerotoxin

toxic substances that attack nerve cells

municipal solid waste

waste from institutions, households, and businesses (including paper, plastic, glass, metal, organic and other)

nuclear waste

waste that has half-life of 1000s of years; must be stored in steel and concrete to protect the soil around it; need deep geological storage

acid rain

when SO2 undergoes chemical reactions in the atmosphere and forms sulfuric acid and nitric acid

organic waste

when too much organic matter and nutrients pollute ecosystems, they can alter function and harm biodiversity