ENVS-101 Lecture Notes - Bicarbonate, Magnesium, Catalytic Converter
Document Summary
Water is abundant but usable water is rare. Most freshwater locked in glaciers and ice. Majority water use for agriculture, then industry, then municipal, and reservoir losses. Power generation (industry) - the world"s second largest use of water (largest use in the us) Water for thermoelectric power is used in generating electricity with steam driven turbine generators. Water is always used to cool power producing equipment. Us is the world"s 3rd largest user of household water. Discharge - volume of water per unit time. Dissolve oxygen (d. o) - oxygen dissolves in water and is available for aquatic organisms. Specific conductance - indirect measurement of total dissolved salts and inorganic materials such as chloride, sulfides and carbonates. Nitrate - most soluble form of nitrogen, indicator of nutrient pollution, also hazardous to humans at high concentrations. Epa standard for drinking water is less than 10 mg/l nitrate.
