ENVS 1126 Final Exam

mercury is used in the production of ___, for use in thermometers, batteries, and fluorescent light bulbs

chlorine

reaction to a chemical following exposure over a time scale of years:

chronic effects

there are no warnings of bioaccumulation and biomagnification until ___ cause problems

contaminants

the ___ splits north america into 2 watersheds: "east" & "west"

continental divide

___ & ___ merge to form larger and larger rivers

creeks streams

if bacteria take all of the dissolved oxygen, this leaded to ___ of the area by animals that need dissolved oxygen (dead zone):

death/avoidance

inject the wastes deep and eventually they will react with naturally occurring material to neutralize them:

deep-well injection

early in the industrial revolution, chemicals and sewage were dumped directly into U.S. waterways, contaminating ___ & causing ___

drinking water disease

___ makes water unappealing for swimming, drinking, boating, and fishing

eutrophication

exposure to asbestos is primarily achieved through the inhalation of these tiny ___ that are suspended in the air, often getting trapped deep within the lungs

fibers

a DO < 2or3 ppm kill ___ &___

finfish shellfish

low number on a plastic bottle:

flimsy plastic

shallow, narrow soil erosion grooves formed in slopes by water flow:

fluvial rills

water travels along ___

fluvial rills

the most significant sources of exposure to inorganic lead include __, ___, __, & ___

food water soil lead-based paint

1998-2010 wetlands were restored and created, but mostly ___ wetlands

freshwater (coastal wetlands continue to decrease)

marshes are dominated by ___ and short bushes and vegetation, but no trees

grasses

wetlands help recharge __

groundwater

how do chemicals get into the environment?

hairspray, pesticides, fertilizers, road salts, paints, adhesives, solvents, coal products, gas, oil, antifreeze, carwash soap, lubricants, cleaning fluids, etc

Anything that causes (1) injury, disease, or death to humans, (2) damage to personal or public property, or (3) deterioration or destruction of environmental components:

hazard

risk = ___ x ___

hazard vulnerability

BT concentrations in Bottlenose Dolphins were generally __ in older animals and ___ in males than femals

higher higher

in the Kannan study of bottle nose dolphins the ___ BT concentrations were highest, followed by ___, regardless of cetacean and regardless of the type of BT

liver kidneys

over time, lead will be stored in the ___, where it can remain there for years and released following high fever, osteoporosis, or pregnancy

long bones (arms, legs)

wetlands are usually in ares in __ elevation and __ water table, and are poorly drained

low high

bioaccumulation:

many synthetic organic chemicals that are soluble in lipids (fats) & they pass through cell membranes into the body's lipids

a low-lying, poorly drained wetland often found at the edge of lakes and streams:

marsh

rapid and malignant cancer of the lining of the lung or abdomen caused by asbestos:

mesothelioma

anaerobic sludge digesters use anaerobic bacteria in an oxygen-free environment, resulting in production of ___

methane

wetlands are major producers of:

methane gas

some non-reputable companies simply dumped barrels and pocketed the fees:

midnight dumping

total of all material thrown away from homes and commercial establishments and collected by local governments, including trash, refuse, or garbage:

municipal solid waste

bogs are mostly found in __, __, & ___

northeast great lakes southeast

wetlands remove sediment in surface runoff and thus reduce ___ in (and thus clogging of) streams

sedimentation

dead zones last from may to ___

september (until the water gets mixed in winter)

in the late 1800s, Pasteur, Snow, and others showed that ___ caused infectious disease

sewage-borne bacteria

a ___ brings all tub, sink, and toilet drains together. This is defined as raw sewage or raw wastewater

sewer system

in a swamp, water moves very ___

slowly

a wetland contains unique types of __, __, & __

soil plants organisms

sediment is eventually deposited as a layer of ___ on the bed or bottom of a body of water

solid particles

wetlands help absorb __ surges

storm

high number on plastic bottle:

sturdy plastic

a tax on chemical raw materials (trust fund for cleanup):

superfund

wetlands are supplied by __ & ___ water

surface ground

waste is discharged into a LINED pond, solid waste settles, water evaporates, and the layers continue:

surface impoundments

a wetland usually near rivers or lakes:

swamp

swamps are characterized by ___ & can be fresh or salt water

tall, woody trees

the high the number on a plastic bottle, ___:

the longer it takes to break down and the more times the material can be re-used

___ are extremely valuable and productive, including many endangered species

wetlands

the ___ are home to minks, beaver, muskrat, otters, shellfish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and fish; seasonal habitat for migrating species such as ducks and geese

wetlands

kannan paper wanted to determine:

what was killing the dolphins that were washing up dead on the shore in 1997

___ (microscopic animals) eat phytoplankton:

zooplankton

the process of eutrophication:

-nutrient enrichment allows rapid growth of phytoplankton -water turbidity increases and shades out SAV -dead SAV decreases food, habitat, dissolved oxygen

3 forms of mercury:

-organic (usually methyl, usually toxic) -elemental (mercury vapor) -inorganic (mercury compounds)

how did persistent organic pollutants (POPs) get to the Arctic Circle:

-persistence -biomagnification -transportability

non point-source pollution:

-poorly defined and scattered -agricultural runoff, storm water runoff, atmospheric deposition

methane production:

-produce from anaerobic decomposition inside the landfill where oxygen cannot reach -a component of greenhouse gases -flammable

public health measures to prevent diseases:

-purification and disinfection of public water supplies -sanitary collection and treatment of wastes -sanitary standards where food is prepared for the public -personal and domestic hygiene practices

strategies to control water pollution:

-reduce/remove the source (non-point source) -treat the water before release (point-source)

dioxin:

-slowly breaks down in the environment when exposed to ultraviolet rays of the sun, otherwise is a stable compound -indirectly breaks down the body's normal estrogen & decreases the number of estrogen receptors available for naturally occurring estrogen

lead affects blood formation:

-slows normal maturation of red blood cells in bone marrow -inhibits synthesis of hemoglobin

on-site septic tank and leaching field:

-solids sink in septic tank & are digested by bacteria -liquids flow to leaching field and then into soil

organic mercury poisoning:

-symptoms appear after 1-2 months -numb tongue/lips/fingertips, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing

inorganic mercury compound poisoning:

-symptoms: kidney damage, liver damage, interference with coordination, generalized tumors, hallucinations -symptoms frequent among 17th century hat makers who soaked animal hides in mercuric nitrate

gas wells:

-tap the landfills and use methane as fuel -390 gas well projects in US

coastal wetlands:

-typically associated with estuaries -include mangrove swamps, salt marshes, bays, and lagoons -wetlands along the Great Lakes considered coastal

sources of PCB exposure:

-using old fluorescent light fixtures or old TVs & refrigerators (may leak PCBs into air if too hot) -eating animal products containing PCBs -breathing air near hazardous waste sites tat contain PCB -drinking PCB contaminated well water -repairing and maintaining PCB transformers

occupational safety and health act (OSHA):

-workers right to know -material safety data sheets

the higher the BOD, the greater the likelihood DO will be ___

depleted

dead phytoplankton settle out, depositing __ on the bottom

detritus

an unwanted by-product from heating mixtures of chlorine and organic compounds in industrial processes:

dioxin

water hold much less __ than air

dissolved oxygen (DO)

in LA, __ are the major focus of wetland restoration efforts

diversion

a ridge of land separating distinct watersheds:

divide

watersheds are surrounded by ___:

divides

the watershed (land) AND the rivers/streams that drain from it:

drainage basin

in many developing countries, the same waterway are used for __, __ & ___ exp: Ganges River

drinking washing waste disposal

the creation of new land:

accretion

immediate reaction to a chemical following exposure:

acute effects

response:

acute or chronic effects

allow bacteria to feed on sludge in the absence of oxygen --> carbon dioxide+methane+water (biogas)

anaerobic digestion sludge treatment

a high BOD limits or precludes __ life

animal

stream flow rate:

area x velocity

asbestos is a collective term for a group of 6 fibrous silicate materials:

asmolite chrysotile tremolite actinolite anthophylite crocidolite

The accumulation of a substance over time, becoming toxic in various tissues of a living organism:

bioaccumulation

a measure of the amount of organic material in water, stated in terms of how much oxygen will be required to break it down biologically, chemically, or both:

biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)

the multiplying effect of bioaccumulation through the food chain, overtime making the organisms in the chain have more concentrated amounts of chemicals in their bodies:

biomagnification

a wetland that accumulates acidic spongy peat, often moss:

bog

the pitcher plant lives in ___

bogs

TBT (tributylin) weathers and over time breaks down, losing ___ groups

butyl

polyethylene terephythalate plastic (PETE):

carpets, jackets, film, strapping, new PETE bottles

settling:

-land is unstable and can't be used -houses, playgrounds, parks

problems of landfills:

-leachate -methane production -incomplete decomposition -settling -(S.L.I.M.)

dose= ___ x ___

-level of exposure -length of exposure

famous mass mercury poisoning in Minamata, Kyushu, Japan 1953-1961:

-local vinyl chloride company had been dumping inorganic Hg into Minamata Bay -bacteria converted it to organic mercury-->food chain-->fish -fish had 100,000 X Hg levels -one day, cats started acting weird & hurling themselves into the ocean to die -humans started to show symptoms -Minamata population shrunk from 50,000 to 33,000 -company didn't stop dumping until 1968

an oligotrophic lake:

-low nutrient= healthy -light penetrates deeply -watershed holds its nutrients, so little enters the lake -low nutrient levels support growth of SAV -benthic plants support a diverse aquatic ecosystem -high aesthetic, recreational, & fishing qualities

incomplete decomposition:

-many plastics aren't digestible by decomposing bacteria -biodegradable products were the answer -need water to degrade paper efficiently

PCBs in the body:

-may be estrogenic or anti-estrogenic -may bind to thyroid hormones -my bind to proteins in the blood that are supposed to bind to thyroid hormones, altering growth and metabolism -connection between paternal and PCB exposure ad birth defects

biofouling:

-mussels, barnacles, oysters, seaweed, bacteria -antifouling paints -slows ship speed -costs money to clean -excellent fishing at oil rigs -nasty looking bacteria growing on poles & other things at oil rigs

Cholera (vibrio cholerae):

-non inflammatory diarrhea -lack of access to clean drinking water -death is by dehydration -recovery is by re-hydration

acute lead poisoning:

release of lead stored in long bones through high fever, osteoporosis, or pregnancy

___ merge and empty into larger bodies of water such as creeks and streams:

rills

___ diversions are used to direct fresh water and associated sediment into wetlands

river

__ empty into the ocean at the mouth:

rivers

diversions decrease ___ and introduce sediment, restoring wetlands and increasing their sizes

salinity

clean air act 1970:

-identify the most widespread pollutants -set ambient standards (healthy baseline levels) -establish control methods and timetables to meet the standards

hazardous materials:

-ignitable -corrosive -reactant -toxic

the Clean Water Act of 1972 (CWA):

- Passed by Congress in response to public outrage about polluted water - Charged the EPA with restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of waters - One of the most effective environmental laws enacted

the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948:

-The first federal action regarding water pollution -Provided technical assistance but nothing else

Love Canal (near Niagara Falls, NY):

-1970s; area occupied by school and some houses, all built atop chemical waste dump -surface began collapsing, exposing barrels -fumes began escaping, miscarriages, health problems -president Carter relocated 800 families -Occidental Petroleum company spend $233 million to clean up -now redeveloped with new homes

persistent organic pollutants (POPs):

-DDT, PCBs, dioxins, etc -found in fish and the people who eat them

legislation passed to protect wetlands:

-FL, 1972; NJ, 1998; U.S. gov, Coastal Zone Management Act 1972 -National Wildlife Refuge System; federal gov. purchased wetlands , 10 million acres

resource conservation and recovery act 1976:

-all disposal facilities must be sanctioned by permit -must have safety features including monitoring wells & others -caused most old facilities to shut down (superfund sites) -toxic wastes destined for landfills must be pretreated (including biodegradation or incineration) -"chain of command" or "cradle to grave" tracking

aquarium nitrification and denitrification by bacteria:

-ammonia (NH3) --> nitrite (NO2) --> nitrate (NO3) --> nitrogen gas (N2) -goes from harmful to harmless

clean water act 1972:

-any firm discharged more than an certain volume into natural waterways must have a discharge permit -permits allow tracking -permit renewal contingent on satisfactory performance -exempt: private homes, small firms, farms

leachate:

-as water percolates through soil, it carries with it dissolved trash components -lead based paints, nail polish remover, house supplies, hairspray, mercury thermometers -FL is especially bad

3 major environmental acts today:

-clean air act 1970 -clean water act 1972 -resource conservation and recovery act 1976

wastewater components:

-debris and grit -particulate organic matter -colloidal and dissolved organic material -dissolved inorganic material

methods of land disposal:

-deep well injection -surface impoundments -landfills

asbestos:

-develops over 20-30 years -gradual worsening of breathlessness, productive cough, bluish discoloration, restricted chest expansion -could lead to lung cancer & mesothelioma

negative effects of losing wetlands:

-dusky seaside sparrow became extinct in 1987 -ivory billed woodpecker disappeared in 1940s and was spotted in 2005 -Louisiana black bear is now listed as threatened because of wetlands loss

point-source pollution:

-easy to identify, monitor, and regulate -factories, sewage systems, power plants, underground coal mines, oil wells

2 ways oxygen can be removed from water:

-evaporated -consumed by flounder, shrimp, crabs, bacteria

anthropogenic factors that affect wetlands and watershed:

-filled in and used for agriculture -used for development (build houses, businesses on beaches, roadways, etc.) -dredging to increase navigability (larger ships can get through) -dams -pollution from excess sediment, chemical pollutants, pesticide contamination, & fertilizers -invasion by exotic species

natural factors that affect wetlands and watershed:

-floods -erosion and deposition -drought -volcanic eruptions -fires -wind -global climate change

inland wetlands:

-found along streams, lakes, rivers, and ponds -include bogs, marshes, swamps, river overflow lands

elemental mercury vapor:

-found in dental fillings, thermometers, batteries -hazardous only when inhaled (if swallowed, excreted in a few days) -easily passes through blood-brain barrier and transplacentally -symptoms: hypersalivation, myalgia (muscle pain), insomnia, irritability

phytoplankton:

-grow as single cells or in clumps -live suspended in water or floating on the surface -can literally turn water pea-soup green

organic matter:

-human and animal wastes -leaves, grass, trash, etc -most (except plastic) is biodegradable -bacteria and detritus feeders consume organic matter and oxygen

Louisiana has ___ smaller watersheds:

12

bottle nose dolphins can swim up to __ miles per day

15

municipal solid wastes in pounds per person/day in 1960 vs. 2013:

2.7 lbs to 4.4 lbs

bottle nose dolphin diet:

20 lbs/day of finfish, squid, jellyfish, & shrimp

in the continental 48 states, wetlands once covered ___ million acres, but today only cover 100 million

220

a BOD value for raw sewage:

220 ppm

total municipal solid wastes per year:

236 million tons

now, ___% of wetlands are protected

25

the Bonne Carre Spillway (freshwater division) stream flow rate:

250,000

lead has an initial half life of ___ days

36

___% of species listed as endangered or threatened, rely on wetlands

45

soil particles, sand, and other mineral matter eroded from land and carried in waters:

sediment

the largest swamp in the world:

Atchafalaya Swamp

when the Mississippi river flooded in 2011, the ___ was opened to divert the extra river water into Lake Pontchartrain

Bonnet Carre Spillway

T or F: a marsh can only be freshwater:

F: can be fresh or salt water

the ____ led to the comprehensive environmental response compensation and liability act of 1980, also known as superfund

Love Canal

in 1969, ___ river caught fire, burning 7 bridges due to waterways becoming open chemical and waste sewers

Ohio's Cuyahoga River

chemically inert, nonflammable fluid with high plasticizing ability, and a high dielectric constant:

PCBs

toxic substances:

PCBs dioxins asbestos lead mercury

____ is the predominant species of BT the gulf of mexico fish, Calcasieu Lake is highest & Galveston Bay is lowest

TBT

dolphins were dying mostly of infections because the dolphins were exposed to ___

TBT

___ is made of recycled plastic grocery bags, reclaimed pallet wrap, and waste wood

Trex

in 1974, scientists found that the water and sediments in the gulf no longer contained oxygen, making it a ___ zone

hypoxic

in the Kannan study of bottle nose dolphins, BT concentrations ___ as body length increased

increased

lead may enter the body through __ & __, while organic lead may also be absorbed through the skin

inhalation ingestion

heavy metals, acids from mine drainage or precipitation, road salts used to met ice or snow:

inorganic chemicals

high-density polyethylene plastic (HDPE):

irrigation drainage tiles, sheet plastic, recycling bins

in the Kannan study of bottle nose dolphins the __ contained higher TBT concentrations than the muscles

kidneys

hazmat are treated to stabilize and neutralize and are deposited in landfills in drums:

landfills

In North America, lead has been used in agriculture in the form of ____ for pesticide use, as solder in pipes, as solder in food containers, and an antiknock compound in gasoline

lead arsenate

wetland diversions bypass restrictions created by ___

levees

inorganic materials that essential for plants:

nutrients

petroleum, pesticides, industrial chemicals, cleaning solvents, detergents:

organic chemicals

companies stored barrels on site and simply went out of business, leaving the barrels behind:

orphan sites

excess nitrogen leads to ___ depletion. (deadzone)

oxygen

in the 1970s, both federal regulatory and legislative efforts were begun to reduce lead hazards including limitation of lead in __ & ___

paint gasoline

after 4-6 weeks of sludge treatment, what remains are __,__ biosolids (sludgecake=fertilizer)

pathogen-free, nutrient-rich

__ are among the most serious water pollutants:

pathogens

disease carrying bacteria, viruses, and parasites found in human and animal excrement:

pathogens

4 types of water pollution:

pathogens organic wastes chemical pollutants nutrients

the 2 most important nutrients: (limiting factors if they are in short supply)

phosphorus & nitrogen

nutrient enrichment stimulates ___ growth

phytoplankton

abundant nitrogen promotes growth of ___

phytoplankton (photosynthetic microorganisms)

2 sources of water pollution:

point nonpoint

untreated or poorly treated sewage outfalls particularly in developing countries:

point sources

nutrients become ___ when they stimulate undesirable plant growth in water

pollutants

wetlands absorbs nitrogen and phosphorus, thus reducing ___

pollution

bogs are usually fed by ___, rather than by runoff, groundwater, or streams and are low in nutrients

rain water

___ is treated to remove debris, clarify, purify, and disinfect

raw sewage

the level below which there are no ill effects, but above which there are ill effects:

threshold

the study of the harmful effects of chemicals on human and environmental health:

toxicology

in the US from 1929 to 1977, PCBs were used in ___, capacitors, hydraulic and heat transfer fluids, and solvents in adhesives and sealants (banned in 1979)

transformers

a marsh acts as a ___ region between land and water

transitional

the mississippi river is fed by ___ in 31 of 48 contiguous states

tributaries

___ lowers immune response in dolphins and other aquatic animals

tributyltin (TBT)

___ filters, similar to biological filters in aquaria, consist of a 6 foot layer of rocks with bacteria adhering to them:

trickling

phytoplankton growth makes water ___, which shades out SAV

turbid

___ water decreases photosynthesis and the depth at which SAV can survive

turbid (cloudy)

famous orphan site:

valley of the drums

susceptibility to or likelihood of being exposed to a hazard:

vulnerability

fecal indicators:

water is filtered, and the filter is incubated to allow fecal indicator bacteria to grow (colorimetrically)

the presence of a substance in the environment that, because of its chemical composition or quantity, prevents the functioning of natural processes and produces undesirable environmental and health effects:

water pollution

the area of land ONLY where all of the water that is on it or drains off of it goes into the same place:

watershed

TBT likely (indirectly) led to death of the stranded bottle nose dolphins found along FL coast in the Kannan study because TBT ___

weakens the immune system

___ destruction has slowed over the past few decades, and even reversed

wetland

a land area along freshwater (inland) or salt water (coastal) in which the soils are typically saturated with water all or part of the year:

wetland