GEOG 106 Lecture Notes - Lecture 22: Thermal Pollution, Carbon Sink, Washing Machine
Document Summary
Pollution: release into the environment of matter or energy that causes undesirable impacts on the health and well- being of humans and/or other organisms. Pathogens & water- bound diseases; pathogenic viruses, protists, bacteria. Toxic chemicals: pesticides, synthetic chemicals, metals, acids, poison. Suspended matter: soil and wind erosion, eroded sediment. Thermal pollution: removing vegetation that shades water or damming = cold rush. Point sources: discrete locations (ex. factory or sewer pipes) Non- point source pollution: arises from multiple cumulative inputs over large areas (ex. farms, city streets) Water quality: characterized by physical, chemical, biological properties of water. Hard water = high concentrations of calcium/magnesium. Turbidity: measures the density of suspended particles in a water sample. Groundwater pollution: retains its contaminants until they decompose. Nitrate in drinking water linked to cancers, miscarriages and blue baby syndrome . Legislative and regulatory efforts have helped reduce pollution; canadian. Great lakes hold 18% of the world"s surface fresh water.
