Environmental studies

Pollution is any undesirable change in physical,

chemical or biological characteristics of air,
water or land

AIR
WATER
LAND
 AIR POLLUTION
Sources: Burning of coal
Vehicle emission
industries

MANAGEMENT OF FOSSILS FEULS

- other sources for electricity
- reduce electricity consumption
- use energy saving devises
 WATER POLLUTION
TABLE 11.3 p225

Pathogens in SA waters
vibro cholerae - Cholera is an acute intestinal infection
Salmonella ptyphi - pathogen that inhabits the lympathic tissues of the small
intestine, liver, spleen, and bloodstream of infected humans

Eutrophication  is an increase in the concentration of chemical nutrients in

an ecosystem to an extent that increases the primary productivity of the ecosystem.

Eutrophication promotes excessive plant growth and decay,

favours simple algae and plankton over complicated plants
causes a severe reduction in water quality.

In aquatic environments, enhanced growth of choking aquatic vegetation or 

phytoplankton (e.g.algal blooms) disrupts normal functioning of the ecosystem,
causing a variety of problems such as:
a lack of oxygen in the water, needed for fish
water becomes cloudy, coloured a shade of green,
yellow, brown, or red.
 EUTROPHICATION
Eutrophication decreases the resource
value of rivers, lakes, and estuaries such
that recreation, fishing, hunting, and aesthetic
enjoyment are hindered.
Health-related problems can occur where eutrophic
conditions interfere
with drinking water treatment
 CYCLE OF EUTROPHICATION
• Increase pollutants – eutropication – algae
and plankton increase – algal blooms –
decrease amount of light in water – organisms
die – dead organic material increases –
bacteria increase - oxygen depletion – more
organims die – phytoplankton takes over

• Local species cant survive eutropication –

alien species do - decrease in biodiversity
 • LAND POLLUTION
• Land pollution – Youtube

• We have 540 waste disposal sites and will

exceed our capacity by 2013

• HW activity 11.3 and 11.4 p 230