Air-, water- and soil pollution - unideb.huhidrobiologia.unideb.hu/pdf/Air-water-and-soil-pollution.pdf · Soil pollution Result of human activities, which are significantly and adversely
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Air-, water- and soil pollution
Csaba Berta
Dr. Magdolna Kiss K.
Air pollution
The concept of air pollution
Air quality changes caused by gases, solid particulars and aerosols
• Changes in the natural composition
• Contaminants above the limit
• Adverse effects on humans and on the environment
Grouping of air pollutants
1. Based on their origin
Natural
• Volcanic eruption
• Lightning
• dust (cosmic, desert, from ground)
• Aerosols of marine origin
• Forest fires
Artifical • Industry • Agriculture • Transport • population
2. Based on formation mechanism
Primer air pollutants
Directly get to the air, no chemical change (ash, smoke, SO2, etc.)
Secunder air pollutants
Forming from the the primary pollutants and the normal components of the atmosphere ( oxidation, reduction, ionization, photo-chemical reaction, dissolution)
Sources of air pollution
• Point source o the amount of pollutants entering the environment is
clearly defined (eg. chimneys)
• Surface source o The emitting surface area is determined, but the
amount of material released into the environment can be inferred by indirect measurements and calculations only (eg. open technologies)
• Line source o The release is ordered to a line (eg. highway, railway)
Process of the air pollution
• Emission: emitted pollutant of time per unit from different sources
unit of measure: mass flow rate – kg/h concentration: mg/m3 specific value: mg/pcs, mg/kg (eg.: car: g CO2/100 km) • Transmission: the spread of pollutants, changes
(thinning, conversion) in the atmosphere – atmospheric physical and chemical, meteorological and topographical effects
• Imission: contamination status of air or ambient air quality
Unit: mg/m3, ppm, ppb
Self purification of air
• The concentration of pollutants are reducing by dilution
• The contaminants removed from the atmosphere
• The pollutant converting into other, possibly inert materials
Avoidance of air pollutants
• From the atmosphere to the ground, transport to the surface water
• Types:
A. Dry: adhering to aerosols, dust
B. Wet: rain, sleet, snow, fog etc.
Smog formation
Smoke + fog – smog
Conditions of its formation:
• high levels of air pollutant emissions
• unfavorable meteorological conditions (no wind and inversion)
• unfavorable topography (narrow valleys)
London-type smog • Occurs in winter as a result of inversion,
usually at dawn-evening
• Air temp.: -3 - +50 °C
• Reducing nature
• Humidity > 80%
• Main components: SO2, CO, soot
The London smog disaster
• 5-9. December 1952.
• ~ 100% relative humidity
• SO2 concentration: 4mg/m3
• Tens of thousands of sickness, ~4000 peolpe died
• In 1956 a law was passed to protect the air quality
Los Angeles-type smog
• Foming in summer, generally at noon (strong UV, 24-32 °C)
• Inversion
• <70% humidity
• Oxidative nature
• Main components: ozone, NOx, PAH compounds (eg.: Pyrene, Benzopyrene)
Acid rain
• Altered pH precipitation
• CO2 – not harmful (pH 5,6)
• SO2 – NOx
• Resulting pH below 5 (harmful)
Effects of acid rain To the soil: • Minerals leaching (Ca, Mg), fertility decreasing • Release of toxic materials (Al)
To surface waters: • Decreasing pH, below 5,5 very dangerous • Mortality of plankton and fish • Leaching of heavy metals
On the vegetation • destruction of leaf way layer, strong evaporation • mycorrhizae disappearance
Effects on the built environment
• Corrosion of metals
• Faster weathering of materials
• Works of art damaging faster
Water pollution
• Any human activity or material, which harmfully changes the physical, chemical and biological properties of water
„Results” of water pollution:
• Water for drinking use is partly or fully unsuitable
• Natural process of aquatic life suffering harm
Worldwide emerging water quality issues
• Eutrophication
• Nitrification
• Enrichment in micro-pollutants
• Emergency events (eg. Oil spill)
Eutrophication
Biological response for enrichmening in nutrients (N, P)
Natural – Artificial
Planktonic – Benthonic
Reasons for artificial eutrophication:
• Industrial and municipal wastewater
• Agriculture (fertilizer, manure)
Planktonic eutrophication
Benthonic eutrophication
Direct effects of eutrophication
• Anoxia (dawn !, after mass algal destruction – huge fish mortality
• Appearance of algal toxins:
Inhibition of different water uses (taste- and odor problems,
influance in water purification technology,
deterioration of aesthetic value)
Nitrification
Nitrification is the biological oxidation of ammonia or ammonium to nitrite followed by the oxidation of the nitrite to nitrate.
In Hungary the limit of nitrate in the drinking water is 40 mg/L
The detrimental effect of nitrate on the human body
• Methemoglobinemia (blue disease, blue baby)
Micropollutants
• Inorganic micro-contaminants (eg. toxic heavy metals)
Itai-itai disease: Cd contamination caused osteomalacia, renal damage (loss of protein and minerals)
Minamata disease: Hg contaminated fishes, damage of the central nervous system, teratogenetic effects
• Organic micro-contaminants (eg. pesticides)
xenobiotics
DDT=dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane
Effects: teratogenic, carcinogenic, damaging of the immune system
Oil pollution
• Form a film on the water surface
• Inhibiting the gas exchange
• Oil components are toxic, persistent and accumulating
• Damaging and destructing the aquatic organisms
Soil pollution
Soil pollution
Result of human activities, which are significantly and adversely changing the soil physical, chemical and biological properties
Result: the ecological functions of the soil are damaging
Land degradation
Any process which reducing the fertility of the soil, worsen the quality or reducing the function of it
Forms: – Erosion, deflation
– Salinization, soil acidification
– Deteriorating soil structure
– Turn to boggy, desertification
– Biological degradation
Industrial pollutants • Minerals • BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, xylenes) • Dioxins • Surfactant materials
Agricultural pollution • Ferilization
• Organic ferilization
• Soil conditioners
• Pesticides
• Transport – exhaust gases, salting
Thank you for your attention!
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