water pollution
GEOS 3310 Lecture Notes: Water
Pollution
Dr. T. Brikowski
Spring 2012
file:waterQuality.tex,v (1.33, November 14, 2011), printed March 30, 2012
Water Pollution
1
Introduction
Water pollution is the “degradation of water quality as measured by biological, chemical, or physical criteria.”
Common sources of groundwater pollution are listed in Keller
[Table 14.3, 2011]. Typical pollutants include:
• Oxygen-demanding waste: materials that produce a high
BOD [Fig. 11.2, Keller, 2000]
• Pathogens: disease-causing microorganisms
• Nutrients
– often lead to eutrophication [Fig. 14.6a-c, Keller, 2011].
– see Gulf “Dead Zone” below and worldwide map of reported dead zones
2
• Oil: e.g Exxon Valdez spill, BP Macondo Well blowout
• Toxic chemicals: organic compounds, heavy metals (e.g. mercury), radioactive material
• Sediments: our greatest pollutant by volume
• Heat: cooling-tower water discharge can produce significant environmental change, beneficial if planned (e.g. Lake
Konawa, OK)
3
Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone
The most severe nutrient pollution issue in U.S. is Gulf Coast
“Dead Zone” (Fig. 1), with Chesapeake Bay a close second.
• high nutrient loads in Mississippi River discharge ( USGS
Circular ) lead to large algal blooms see NOAA animation)
• seasonal stratification leads to hypoxia zone, killing marine life (Fig. 2) and Baltic images
• Gulf Dead Zone steadily growing , (see also LSU Current
Status webpage)
• problem source
– this is an example of a distributed (“non-point”) source
4
– depends on land-use [Fig. 11.3, Keller, 2000]
– e.g. increased corn production for ethanol may cause larger dead zone, see CNN story )
• similar hypoxia from nitrate in groundwater in Cape Cod
• hurricanes can intermittently reduce dead zone area re-aerating deeper waters
5
by
Gulf Dead Zone
Figure 1: Gulf of Mexico nitrate-generated “Dead Zone”, a byproduct of increased nitrate discharge from Mississippi River.
Pollution
Dr. T. Brikowski
Spring 2012
file:waterQuality.tex,v (1.33, November 14, 2011), printed March 30, 2012
Water Pollution
1
Introduction
Water pollution is the “degradation of water quality as measured by biological, chemical, or physical criteria.”
Common sources of groundwater pollution are listed in Keller
[Table 14.3, 2011]. Typical pollutants include:
• Oxygen-demanding waste: materials that produce a high
BOD [Fig. 11.2, Keller, 2000]
• Pathogens: disease-causing microorganisms
• Nutrients
– often lead to eutrophication [Fig. 14.6a-c, Keller, 2011].
– see Gulf “Dead Zone” below and worldwide map of reported dead zones
2
• Oil: e.g Exxon Valdez spill, BP Macondo Well blowout
• Toxic chemicals: organic compounds, heavy metals (e.g. mercury), radioactive material
• Sediments: our greatest pollutant by volume
• Heat: cooling-tower water discharge can produce significant environmental change, beneficial if planned (e.g. Lake
Konawa, OK)
3
Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone
The most severe nutrient pollution issue in U.S. is Gulf Coast
“Dead Zone” (Fig. 1), with Chesapeake Bay a close second.
• high nutrient loads in Mississippi River discharge ( USGS
Circular ) lead to large algal blooms see NOAA animation)
• seasonal stratification leads to hypoxia zone, killing marine life (Fig. 2) and Baltic images
• Gulf Dead Zone steadily growing , (see also LSU Current
Status webpage)
• problem source
– this is an example of a distributed (“non-point”) source
4
– depends on land-use [Fig. 11.3, Keller, 2000]
– e.g. increased corn production for ethanol may cause larger dead zone, see CNN story )
• similar hypoxia from nitrate in groundwater in Cape Cod
• hurricanes can intermittently reduce dead zone area re-aerating deeper waters
5
by
Gulf Dead Zone
Figure 1: Gulf of Mexico nitrate-generated “Dead Zone”, a byproduct of increased nitrate discharge from Mississippi River.
Bibliography: Freese and Nichols, Inc. Region C Water Plan-2011. Regional Water Plan C, Texas Water Development Board, Austin, TX, 2011 E. A. Keller. Environmental Geology. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 8th edition, 2000. E. A. Keller. Introduction to Environmental Geology. Prentice Hall, 3rd edition, 2005. E. A. Keller. Introduction to Environmental Geology. Prentice Hall, 4th edition, 2008. E. A. Keller. Introduction to Environmental Geology. Prentice Hall, 5th edition, 2011. from streams across the United States, 1998-2005. Scientific Investig. Rept. 2009-5109, U.S