Water pollution Research Activity by John Venedict Perido

Sergie and Faiz

2024-04-23 05:05:46 UTC

Toxic metals is a massive cause of water pollution that is very pervasive throughout the world.

In the Caribbean, due to the high amount of volcanic activity as well as manufacturing, mercury is pervasive in the waters surrounding it and this is a toxic metal that causes the death of living organisms within the waters.

Citation:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.unep.org/cep/fr/node/149%3F%252Fheavy-metals%3D&ved=2ahUKEwi-jYnfx9eFAxW12TgGHclVBR4QFnoECBUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1bsUORpUpR4jW-VkogHKS-

Nafiisah

2024-04-23 11:00:26 UTC

One of the examples of floating debris pollution is the Citarum river in Indonesia that is placed 60 km from the city of Bandung. It is one of the the longest rivers in West Java, stretching about 297 km before the Java Sea. The pollution takes place within the river as its pollutants come from domestic households and industries. The plastic debris within the river has ranged from plastic bottles to packs of cigarettes. The Citarum river is one of the most strategic rivers in Indonesia as the Jatiluhur Reservoir, a large water supplier, heavily relies on it. The Jatiluhur Reservoir serves clean water for Bandung and supplies 80% of the capital's water supply. Hence, due to the people's dependency on the Citarum water, it has led to the development of diseases such as scabies or infection. Moreover, people in the area become susceptible to respiratory diseases. The accumulation of plastic within the Citarum river has also caused flooding in various areas near its location.

Hence, the floating debris within the river could then be carried into the houses of citizens. Due to the intensity of the pollution within the Citarum river, there were several interventions and solutions from the government. For example, there were continuous clean-up programs held by authorities such as the Citarum Harum project that was aided by the Govenor of West Java to fasten the waste management in the Citarum River. Moreover, there has also been movements by local communities such as the Bening Saguling foundation and other individuals who have found ways to clean up the river by managing household wastes.

Citations :

Rakhmat, Dikanaya Tarahita and Muhammad Zulfikar. “Indonesia’s Citarum: The World’s Most Polluted River.” The Diplomat, 28 Apr. 2018, thediplomat.com/2018/04/indonesias-citarum-the-worlds-most-polluted-river.
Morse, Molly. “The Irony of the Citarum River - Clean Currents Coalition.” Clean Currents Coalition, 12 Apr. 2023, cleancurrentscoalition.org/the-irony-of-the-citarum-river.
Hariyadi, Sigid, et al. “Plastic Debris in Citarum River.” IOP Conference Series. Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 1062, no. 1, July 2022, p. 012024. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1062/1/012024.

Azarel

2024-04-23 12:02:07 UTC

Pathogens can be found in various places, such as in water, which is contaminated by domestic/industrial waste. Soil, which is contaminated by human or animal waste. Air, which is contaminated by bacteria, viruses through dust/droplets. Surfaces, which are contaminated by frequently touched objects, and finally food. But what is best known is through its spread from water.

One example can be seen in Indonesia, for example in large rivers, such as the Citarum River in West Java. This river is often polluted by domestic and industrial waste, which contains many pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. This industrial waste contains pathogens because many industries involve organic materials that can support the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. This pollution can spread due to waste disposal channels and the surrounding environment. Sewage pipes often become a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses. For example, pathogens originating from rivers can also spread through contaminated air and surrounding surfaces.

One of the consequences of pathogenic pollution is disease. This pathogenic contamination causes disease in exposed humans and animals, especially through consumption of polluted water. Some examples of symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting, chlorera, dysentery, typhoid, parasites, etc. Not only humans but pathogens can damage the water and land environment and disrupt our ecosystem. Indonesia has taken several steps, such as ensuring that the industry complies with safe waste management standards, creating public awareness programs to increase understanding. Lastly, the application of environmentally friendly technology to reduce industrial waste and create a cleaner production process. There are many more solutions that have been done and that can be done. But most importantly, we must always maintain cleanliness.

Work cited:

“Pathogen Pollution.” peconicestuary, https://rb.gy/7vn4m2.

“Pathogen Pollutants.” Raleigh, 11 Dec. 2023, https://raleighnc.gov/stormwater/services/spot-report-and-stop-water-pollution/pathogen-pollutants.

Rufaida. “Mengenal Ragam Cemaran Pada Pangan Segar Asal Tumbuhan (PSAT).” PertanianJogja, 28 Mei. 2021, https://pertanian.jogjakota.go.id/detail/index/15054.

Nina

2024-04-23 14:00:57 UTC

Lionfish are a major venomous invasive species in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. They are native to the Indo-Pacific region, but were likely released into the Atlantic by humans. However, researchers have not found a definite cause for the sudden introduction of the species. Lionfish have no natural predators in the Atlantic and are voracious eaters, consuming a wide variety of fish and crustaceans. This has led to a decline in native fish populations, which can disrupt the entire marine ecosystem.

Lionfish are voracious eaters (large amounts) and can consume a wide variety of fish and crustaceans. This can lead to food shortages for native fish populations, which can stunt their growth and reproduction. Lionfish are known to also prey on juvenile fish. Lionfish are at the top of the food chain in the Atlantic Ocean, but they have no natural predators. This can disrupt the balance of the ecosystem and lead to outbreaks of other pests. Lionfish can damage coral reefs by feeding on the small fish that help to keep the reefs clean and healthy.

There are a number of things that are being done to control the lionfish population in the Atlantic Ocean. These include:

Culling lionfish: Divers can spearfish lionfish or use traps to catch them.
Encouraging people to eat lionfish: Lionfish are actually an edible and rather delicious fish, once stripped of its venomous spines, cleaned, and filleted like any other fish and there is a growing market for lionfish meat.
Introducing natural predators: Scientists are looking at ways to introduce natural predators of lionfish into the Atlantic Ocean.

Citations:

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "lionfish". Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Apr. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/animal/lionfish. Accessed 23 April 2024.

Vino

vino2025 — 2024-04-23 14:45:37 UTC

There are serious environmental consequences resulting from the agricultural practices in the Mississippi River Basin, especially from the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. Due to the widespread use of these fertilizers in this area, it flows to the Gullf of Mexico and kept increasing , resulting in the formation of sizable "dead zones" where there is not enough oxygen to support marine life. The huge area and intense agricultural activity of thelake increase the issue. In response to these challenges, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed integrated models like the Integrated Multi-Media Modeling System, which combine agricultural, atmospheric, and hydrological components. These models help to better understand and predict the environmental impacts of nitrogen use, aiming to guide policies and practices that can reduce or prevemnt these effects Citation: https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/understanding-impacts-synthetic-nitrogen-air-and-water-quality-using-integrated https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1133/pesticides.html

Aletta

aletta2025 — 2024-04-24 00:22:43 UTC

An incident of inorganic plant nutrients pollution in bodies of water is Mar Menor. The Mar Menor is the largest coastal water salt lake lagoon in Europe, in the Iberian Peninsula. It is located in Murcia, a university city in southeastern Spain. This lagoon suffered sever contamination by fertilizer runoff containing excess amount of phosphate and nitrate over the past 4 decades. As a result, the lagoon has turned green in color and pushed endemic species to the brink of extinction, such as the Spanish tooth carp, also known as the Iberian killifish. After decades of inaction, local authorities have enacted solutions to mitigate and moreso, prevent pollution such as this. One of which is a communal effort to clean the abundant algae bloom that is populating the lagoon, discoloring the lagoon and limiting oxygen capacity in the ecosystem. Additionally, the government has enacted legislations regarding the disposal of fertilizers, and moreover limiting the use of inorganic fertilizers, with farmers planting hedges to reduce the flow of nutrients as well as prevent the erosion of soil.

Citation:

Saralegui, María Elorza, and Ronald Rodrigues. "Mar Menor: cleaning Europe's largest saltwater lagoon." BBC, BBC, 12 Oct. 2023, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231010-mar-menor-saving-europes-largest-saltwater-lagoon.

Abbey

2024-04-24 01:48:04 UTC

Sand mining is the process of extracting sand mainly from underground quarries and sand pits however, it usually also extends to beaches and riverbeds. Sand may seem like a very common material, but it's also one of the most in-demand resources in the world. One of the ongoing activity of illegal sand mining is in the Yamuna river which is a major river of northern India, primarily in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh states. In India, illegal sand mining has been a major issue. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the global demand for sand and gravel stands between 40 and 50 billion tonnes annually, and its scarcity is an emerging global crisis. Meanwhile, according to the Sand Mining Framework (2018), there is a shortage of sand in the country. It is estimated that the demand for sand in India is around 700 million tonnes (in 2017) and it is increasing at the rate of seven per cent annually. Sand mining can disrupt habitats for plants and animals, both in the water (rivers, oceans) and on land (beaches). It can also lead to increased erosion of coastlines and riverbanks. Sand mining is one of the significant contributors to environmental degradation. This is because when miners dig out layers of sand, riverbanks become less stable and become more susceptible to erosion from waves and currents. Sand mining can also stir up sediment in the water, making it cloudy. These disruptions due to destroyed habitats, dirty rivers, and eroded beaches can harm fish and other aquatic life. Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 of India regulates the mining activities in the country. Despite a set of guidelines to curb the practice, illegal and unsustainable sand mining has continued.

Citation:

“Global Sand Mining Is Destroying the Planet and Costing Lives.” EcoWatch, 15 Mar. 2021, www.ecowatch.com/sand-mining-climate-crisis-2651083582.html.
“The Bloody World of India’s Illegal Sand Mining: At Least 193 Killed since Jan 2019.” Gaonconnection | Your Connection with Rural India, 23 Nov. 2020, en.gaonconnection.com/the-bloody-world-of-indias-illegal-sand-mining-at-least-193-killed-since-jan-2019/.

Diamanta 11B

2024-04-24 01:51:27 UTC

Background research (for context):

https://study.com/academy/lesson/synthetic-organic-chemicals-definition-examples.html

Synthetic organic chemicals are man-made substances containing carbon atoms that are not naturally occurring.

https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fee.1450

Though concerns about the proliferation of synthetic chemicals – including pesticides – gave rise to the modern environmental movement in the early 1960s, synthetic chemical pollution has not been included in most analyses of global change. The examined rate of change in the production and variety of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and other synthetic chemicals over the past four decades. Comparing these rates to those for well-recognized drivers of global change such as rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, nutrient pollution, habitat destruction, and biodiversity loss. The analysis showed that increases in synthetic chemical production and diversification, particularly within the developing world, outpaced these other agents of global change.

Case Study (Real events/occurances): Citarum River Pollution

Unfortunately, the Citarum River in West Java, Indonesia, has become one of the world's most polluted rivers, mostly as a result of the pervasive use of synthetic substances. Numerous factors contribute to this pollution, such as residential waste disposal, agricultural activities, and industrial runoff. Untreated wastewater comprising a wide variety of synthetic chemicals used in production processes is released by industries along the riverside. These include numerous harmful compounds from domestic items, herbicides used in agriculture, and heavy metals from textile industries. As a result, there are serious threats to the environment and public health due to the excessive quantities of heavy metals, pesticides, and other dangerous substances that have contaminated the river's water.

Synthetic (manufactured, aritificial, chemical, etc.) substances have a disastrous effect on the ecology of the Citarum River. Because of pollution, the river's aquatic life has drastically decreased, and many species now face extinction. The issue has been made worse by the bioaccumulation of hazardous substances in the food chain. Millions of people depend on the river for drinking water, irrigation, and other everyday necessities, but the pollution has also made the water unfit for human use, endangering their health and wellbeing. Due to exposure to tainted water, communities residing near riverbanks have a range of health concerns, including as gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory troubles, and skin infections.

This aquatic environmental disaster has been addressed, although efforts have been hindered by a number of issues, such as poor leadership/neglectful governance, insufficient money/lackig of funds, and inadequate infrastructure to process the widespread contamination as a whole. The situation is still terrible and progress in cleaning up the river has been poor despite government initiatives. In order to decrease the usage of synthetic chemicals, comprehensive steps are urgently required to control industrial discharge, enhance wastewater treatment facilities, and adopt sustainable agriculture methods. To promote sustainable development methods and cultivate a sense of responsibility for river protection, public awareness initiatives and community involvement are also essential. The Citarum River can only be brought back to its previous splendor and the health and well-being of the surrounding communities and environment guaranteed by coordinated and cooperative efforts.

Citations:

Diva

rafa2025 — 2024-04-24 01:57:57 UTC

The Kyshtym disaster, sometimes called the Mayak disaster or Ozyorsk disaster in more recent accounts, was a radioactive contamination accident that happened on September 29, 1957, at Mayak, a plutonium production site for nuclear weapons and a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. That occurred when overheating caused a storage tank holding highly radioactive waste from the production of plutonium to explode. A substantial quantity of radioactive material was discharged into the adjacent Techa River by this explosion, contaminating water supplies and having far-reaching effects on the ecology and human health. The storage tank's overheating was exacerbated by the hot water from the nuclear reactors' cooling systems.
The solutions were that they evacuated impacted areas, built containment structures, and tracked radiation levels among other steps they took to lessen the contamination after the accident. The area is still affected by the contamination's long-term consequences, though, and continuous work is required to control the health and environmental hazards. This is bad because hot water can also harm aquatic life by reducing dissolved oxygen, affecting reproduction rates, and creating favorable conditions for algal blooms.

Chezan Abhindra

2024-04-24 02:01:08 UTC

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (NPGP) is a vast area in the North Pacific Ocean characterized by high concentrations of plastic and other marine debris. This pollution is primarily caused by ocean currents carrying trash from various parts of the world and accumulating it in this region. The consequences of floating debris pollution in the NPGP are severe for marine life, with seabirds, turtles, and fish often mistaking plastic debris for food, leading to ingestion and entanglement, which can cause internal injuries, blockages in the digestive system, and even death. Additionally, the presence of plastic debris can alter marine ecosystems, disrupt food chains, and harm biodiversity.Efforts to address the issue of floating debris pollution in the NPGP and other marine environments include cleanup initiatives, waste management strategies, public awareness campaigns, and policy interventions. Organizations such as The Ocean Cleanup have developed innovative technologies to remove plastic debris from the ocean, while governments and international bodies work towards implementing regulations to reduce plastic production and improve waste disposal practices.By raising awareness, promoting sustainable practices, and supporting cleanup efforts, we can work towards mitigating the impacts of floating debris pollution on marine ecosystems and safeguarding the health of our oceans for future generations.

Citations:

US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “Marine Debris.” NOAA’s National Ocean Service, 19 Jan. 2018, oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/marinedebris/.
Gregory, Murray R. “Environmental Implications of Plastic Debris in Marine Settings--Entanglement, Ingestion, Smothering, Hangers-on, Hitch-Hiking and Alien Invasions.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 27 July 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2873013/.
NOS | OR&R Marine Debris Program, NOAA. “What Is Marine Debris?” What Is Marine Debris? | Marine Debris Program, marinedebris.noaa.gov/discover-marine-debris/what-marine-debris. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
clarion, one. “Floating Debris.” Controlling Plastic Pollution in Waterways, clarionmunicipal.com/floating-debris.html. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Egger, Matthias, et al. “Relative Abundance of Floating Plastic Debris and Neuston in the Eastern North Pacific Ocean.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 26 Apr. 2021, www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.626026/full.

Kinno

2024-04-24 02:01:22 UTC

Deepwater Horizon oil spill, largest marine oil spill in history, caused by an April 20, 2010, explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig located in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 41 miles (66 km) off the coast of Louisiana and its subsequent sinking on April 22.The Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred after a surge of natural gas blasted through a concrete core recently installed to seal an oil well for later use. Once released, the natural gas traveled up a riser to the platform of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that was over the well, where it ignited.To clean oil from the open water, 1.8 million gallons of dispersants substances that emulsified the oil, thus allowing for easier metabolism by bacteria were pumped directly into the leak and applied aerially to the slick.

Nauraa

2024-04-24 02:02:42 UTC

Caulerpa taxifolia or killer algae is a fast-growing seaweed native to tropical and subtropical waters. It was accidentally released into the Mediterranean Sea from an aquarium in the 1980s. Since then, it has spread rapidly and become a major invasive species. Caulerpa taxifolia occurs natively in tropical and subtropical seas. This encompasses the Caribbean Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean (including Hawaii and Japan), and sections of Southeast Asia. Caulerpa taxifolia, an invasive plant, has been mistakenly transported into new places and can create issues. The most well-known example is the Mediterranean Sea, where it has become a significant invasive species. Er eradication initiatives have been conducted in several locations, including California and Australia, with success in California.

Caulerpa taxifolia has a negative impact on the ecosystem because it actively competes for space and light with native species. This smothers existing seagrass beds and upsets the delicate balance of the environment, resulting in a decrease in species diversity. A real-life example of the economic effects of killer algae is Small infestations discovered in Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad, near San Diego, and Huntington Beach, near Los Angeles, took six years to eradicate, costing more than $7 million. So far, no further cases of the cold water strain of Caulerpa have been discovered in the United States. Commercially significant fisheries in the Mediterranean have suffered as a result of reduced fish populations in regions with high Caulerpa infestations.

Unfortunately, there are no options for removing killer algae. The best way is to avoid introducing Caulerpa taxifolia into new places in the first place. This includes measures such as tougher laws for the disposal of aquarium waste (which can be mistakenly released), enhanced public awareness, and early detection initiatives.

Citations:

“Caulerpa Taxifolia or Killer Alga.” Center for Invasive Species Research, 28 Sept. 2022, cisr.ucr.edu/invasive-species/caulerpa-taxifolia-or-killer-alga. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

“This Is My First Test on FB.” MISIN, 2024, www.misin.msu.edu/facts/detail/?project=misin&id=278&cname=Killer%20algae#:~:text=Synonyms%3A%20Fucus%20taxifolius,fronds%20arising%20from%20creeping%20stolons. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

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Upane.it, Upane. “GISD.” Iucngisd.org, 2024, www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc=115. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

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Rachel

2024-04-24 02:05:36 UTC

More than 1 million Georgians may have been exposed to "forever chemicals" in their water systems that may cause cancer and other health problems, the Environmental Protection Agency reports.

The synthetic compounds known collectively as polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, have contaminated drinking water to varying extents in many large cities and small towns as well as private wells and public systems.

The compounds are widespread, don’t degrade in the environment and have been around for decades. They’ve been used in nonstick pans, food packaging and firefighting foam. Their use is now mostly phased out in the U.S., but some remain. Studies of lab animals have found potential links between PFAS chemicals and some cancers, plus issues such as high blood pressure and low birth weight. While there are currently no federal limits on "forever chemicals" in drinking water, the EPA announced plans to issue new regulations later this year. The EPA has proposed the first national drinking water standards for six PFAS chemicals. The proposed limits set the allowable levels for these chemicals so low that they could not be easily detected.

If the standards are finalized, water systems will have to determine whether levels of these PFAS pose a potential risk. They may also need to install treatment or take other actions, and may even need to switch to different water sources.

Citations:

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/forever-chemicals-georgia-water-epa-report

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/05/health/pfas-nearly-half-us-tap-water-wellness/index.html

Aurel

2024-04-24 02:06:28 UTC

Areas of the Great Lakes, including Saginaw Bay and the Western Basin of Lake Erie, are affected by pollution. In the 1960s and 1970s, there were algal blooms in Lake Erie that led to the loss of aquatic life, including valuable fisheries. Algal decomposition in the deeper waters of the Central Basin was causing oxygen depletion, which earned Erie the label of a "dead lake." Scientists discovered that eutrophication was linked to nutrient loading from human activities, such as sewage and industrial waste, during this time. It was estimated that the total phosphorus loads exceeded 25,000 metric tonnes/year.

The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) was signed by the United States and Canadian governments in 1972, and the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) was passed by Congress, authorizing the Environmental Protection Agency to establish pollution control regulations and the US Army Corps of Engineers to conduct the Lake Erie Wastewater Management Study (LEWMS). Monitoring was also introduced to determine the amount of phosphorus entering the lake and the relative contributions of point and nonpoint sources. By the 1980s, agricultural runoff became the primary source of phosphorus in Lake Erie, as many wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) reduced phosphorus discharge. The Ohio Lake Erie Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program encouraged the adoption of no-till planting practices, the use of streamside buffers, and the implementation of set-aside programs for highly erodible land to mitigate sedimentation and associated phosphorus runoff. By the early 1980s, eutrophication in the lake had been mostly resolved, and algal blooms had virtually disappeared.

Citation:

“The Cultural Eutrophication of Lake Erie.” Gala, www.learngala.com/cases/great-lakes-watershed-management/1#:~:text=to%20oxygen%20depletion-,.,exceed%2025%2C000%20metric%20tonnes%2Fyear. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

Nathan

2024-04-24 02:10:49 UTC

The main and most well-known sources of hot water pollution are typically electric and nuclear power plants, steel mills, coal-fired power plants, and boilers from industries that release large amounts of heat into water bodies, changing their chemical, biological, and physical properties. This has happened in the Rhine River. Nuclear power takes account for over 75% of the thermal emissions in the Rhine. Of the river's entire flow, one-third had temperature increases of more than five degrees Celsius, and just 14% of the river was free of thermal pollution all year long. The loss of biodiversity due to the large deaths of fish, amphibians, plants, and insects are a result of heat shock, then the animals moving to a suitable environment as a result of a small variation in the water ecosystem's temperature and, finally Lower oxygen levels because fish and other animals require oxygen to exist, and warmer water has less of it (The Hound). The use of air-cooled systems can remove thermal pollution from rivers and lakes. There are many options for these. Using a "cooling pond," which is a specifically constructed lake or pond where heat is released by surface evaporation, is the easiest way to solve the problem (Science Direct).

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/thermal-pollution#:~:text=Some%20of%20the%20important%20sources,physical%2C%20chemical%20and%20biological%20characteristics

https://thehound2.wordpress.com/2017/01/03/power-station-discharge-makes-rhine-the-worlds-most-thermally-polluted-river/#:~:text=Around%2075%20per%20cent%20of,thermal%20pollution%20throughout%20the%20year.

Audrey

audrey20251 — 2024-04-24 02:14:02 UTC

A real-life example of pathogens producing serious problems was the cholera outbreak in Yemen. Starting in 2016, the pandemic has been among the deadliest in recorded history. The bacteria Vibrio cholerae, which is frequently brought on by poor sanitation, is what causes cholera. Water supplies in Yemen became polluted due to the destruction of infrastructure during the crisis, which was made worse by the breakdown of health services. Consequently, by 2018, hundreds of fatalities and over a million probable cases of cholera have been recorded (WHO, 2018). International support, major immunization efforts, and better water and sanitation infrastructure are all being used to contain the outbreak. However, these solutions have been hampered by the continued violence and economic instability, making sustainability difficult (UNICEF, 2020).

Citations:

https://applications.emro.who.int/docs/WHOEMCSR433E-eng.pdf?ua=1

“Number of Suspected Cholera Cases Reaches 100,000 in Yemen.” UNICEF, www.unicef.org/mena/press-releases/number-suspected-cholera-cases-reaches-100000-yemen. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

Dara

dara2025 — 2024-04-24 02:15:48 UTC

Suspended solids refers to the tiny particles of matter such as decaying organic matter, soil, and particles that are discharged into the water. The particles that make up suspended solids can originate from different sources and often have negative consequences towards for aquatic ecosystems such as reduced water clarity, disruption of food chain, and harm to aquatic life.

Chesapeake Bay is an example of a case that suffers suspended solids pollution, primarily due to land-based activities throughout the watershed. This region empties into the bay via rivers and streams and includes portions of six states as well as Pennsylvania. The main sources of sediment runoff are urban areas, construction sites, and agricultural fields. Owing to the influx in suspended solids, Chesapeake Bay experienced reduced water clarity which causes the inability of sunlight to reach the underwater grasses, which is vital to the health of the bay, due to high concentrations of silt particles in the water. These grasses help maintain shorelines and give a variety of species food and habitat. Underwater grasses die off in the absence of sunshine, further upsetting the food chain and aggravating coastline erosion. Aside from that, fish are less visible in murky water due to suspended particles, which increases their vulnerability to predators. Fortunately, there are efforts to overcome this situation such as stricter regulations on farm practices, wetland restoration, and urban stormwater management. These solutions essentially includes limits on fertilizer and manure use, conservation tillage, and buffer strips along waterways. Additionally, wetland restoration efforts and urban stormwater management strategies such as rain gardens and improved drainage systems aim to mitigate pollution entering the bay.

Stanley

stanley20251 — 2024-04-24 02:22:16 UTC

Radioactive pollution incidents can have devastating consequences. The Chernobyl disaster released a massive amount of radiation, contaminating vast areas and displacing thousands. Fukushima's meltdowns polluted both air and water, impacting the environment and human health. Even smaller-scale incidents, like the Goiânia accident with a scavenged medical source, can cause serious illness and death. While solutions like containment structures, decommissioning efforts, and stricter regulations exist, radioactive pollution remains a serious threat. This highlights the importance of responsible management of nuclear materials and safety precautions at every stage. Additionally, ongoing research into safer reactor designs, improved waste disposal methods, and environmental remediation techniques offer hope for a future with a minimized risk of radioactive pollution. As citizens, we can stay informed about nuclear facilities in our area, advocate for strong safety regulations, and support research into cleaner energy alternatives.

Chava

2024-04-24 02:26:38 UTC

An example of organic pollution could be found within sediments and green mussles in Jakarta Bay, Indonesia. Organic pollution was found to be concentrated, "The concentration of PAHs in mussels was higher than sediments, meanwhile the organic pollution were potentially found in sediments." (Taylor & Francis Online). The PAH found in the organisms as well as the organic pollution could be a potential hazard for consumption due to the contained carcinogens, mutagens, and more. Not only limited to PAHs, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), which is mentioned to indicate potential ecological risks. These organic pollutants was resulted from biogenic, terrigenous, and petroleum sources. (Taylor & Francis Online). The study emphasizes that in order to address the pollution in Jakarta Bay, environmental management interventions are required. Improved waste management techniques, stronger industrial discharge regulations, and frequent water quality monitoring may be required to prevent further contamination and safeguard aquatic ecosystems due to the high concentrations of pollutants in some areas. Because of their high levels of contamination, the study also advises against consuming Asian green mussels from polluted stations, highlighting the significance of public awareness campaigns and legislative actions pertaining to seafood safety.

Citations:

Aziz, Muhammad Yudhistira. “Taylor & Francis Online: Peer-Reviewed Journals.” Organic Pollutants Hazard in Sediments and Green Mussels in Jakarta Bay, Indonesia, www.tandfonline.com/. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Dwiyitno, Dwiyitno, et al. “Potential Risk of Organic Contaminants to the Coastal Population through Seafood Consumption from Jakarta Bay.” Squalen Bulletin of Marine and Fisheries Postharvest and Biotechnology, www.bbp4b.litbang.kkp.go.id/squalen-bulletin/index.php/squalen/article/view/289. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Mallah MA;Changxing L;Mallah MA;Noreen S;Liu Y;Saeed M;Xi H;Ahmed B;Feng F;Mirjat AA;Wang W;Jabar A;Naveed M;Li JH;Zhang Q; “Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon and Its Effects on Human Health: An Overeview.” Chemosphere, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35151703/#:~:text=Many%20PAHs%20are%20widely%20referred,to%20long%2Dterm%20PAH%20exposure. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.