Saturday X-tra X-Sheet: 18

EFFECTS OF POLLUTION: WATER, AIR AND SOIL

Key Concepts
Exam questions, based on this section of work, will focus on the impact of the various
types of pollution on the environment. Many of the questions will be in the form of data
response or experiments. You must know and practise skills like: drawing of graphs from
data that is provided, formulating a hypothesis, responding to data provided, applying
knowledge about water, soil and air pollution and also providing strategies to prevent
further damage.

Terminology & definitions
Pollutants: substances that contaminate air, water and or soil.
Contaminate: to pollute or infect, or make water, soil or air unclean or impure.
Bio-degradable: The ability of a substance to be broken down into simpler substances by
the natural process of decay example: crop wastes etc.
Non biodegradable: Substance that cannot be broken down into simple substances by
the natural process of decay, e.g., heavy metals or radioactive materials etc.

X-planation
Humans populate every corner of the earth, and change the environment to suit their
needs. Technological advances, industrialisation, pollution and the population explosion
cause the destruction of large parts of the natural environment. We build factories,
industries and houses, and plant food. In the process we produce tons of waste. This
waste must be disposed of and this is not always done with consideration for the
environment and future inhabitants. Pollutants are dumped in the water, air and soil,
affecting the biosphere. By contaminating our environment with pollutants, the health of
all living organisms suffers. Pollutants cause many health problems like asthma,
respiratory tract infections, allergic reactions, headaches, nasal congestion, eye and skin
irritations, coughing and sneezing, fatigue, nausea and cancer. It is the responsibility of the
national and local governments to ensure that the environment is kept pollution free, with
policies which stipulate rules and regulations. They also conduct impact studies to
establish how community practices impact the environment and formulate ways in which to
ensure a sustainable and healthy environment and development.

WATER POLLUTION
Water is an important resource because all living organisms require it to survive. Polluted
water poisons plants and animals, and has a direct impact on humans. The main causes
of water pollution are sewage, industrial wastes, oil spills and the use of pesticides in
agriculture.
When untreated sewage is emptied into rivers, it causes diseases like typhoid, dysentery
and cholera. Algae grows uncontrollably, using the oxygen in the water and causing the
death of all the water organisms. Harmful bacteria flourish in untreated sewage. When
drinking and swimming water becomes contaminated, the disease-causing bacteria
spread rapidly, making many people ill. Sewage must be treated so that it can be recycled
into the environment. Local government agencies monitor effluent levels in dams, rivers
and also the sea around our country. When they find that the levels have exceeded legal
allowance, investigations are conducted and the culprits are fined or operations closed
down.
Many industrial processes produce toxic wastes. In some cases, toxic wastes are
illegally pumped into rivers, streams and dams. Chemicals like cyanide, mercury, lead
and copper, are non-biodegradable. Organisms are poisoned as the concentrations of
toxins increase, and are passed through the food chain. The poisonous chemicals cause
cancer and damage internal organs in people and animals.

Factories and power stations sometimes pump hot water into rivers and streams causing
thermal pollution. Increased temperatures kill the water plants and the fish because fish
are cold-blooded and cannot tolerate extreme changes of environmental temperature. This
causes matter to decay in the water, with disease-causing bacteria thriving on the rotting
material.

Oil tankers transport oil and sometimes they leak oil, flush their oil tanks out or sink. The
oil spreads across large surfaces in the sea causing:
the death of killer whales, seals, fish and birds because they are covered in the oil
plants not to be able obtain enough CO
2
for photosynthesis
plants and animals not to be able obtain enough O
2
for cellular respiration
birds and penguins to ingest the oil and die

Corrective actions can be put in place to prevent water pollution:
Educate the community about the importance of recycling.
Provide containers to recycle paper, glass, tin and plastic.
Enforce large fines for the illegal dumping of sewage into rivers and streams.
Ensure that informal settlements are supplied with the proper facilities for the sewage
removal by municipalities
Enforce strict laws to prevent factories from dumping wastes into rivers, streams,
dams and seas.
Check oil tankers thoroughly checked for seaworthiness before they leave harbours.
Enforce strict laws and very large penalties when oil tankers leak or sink and spill oil.
Hold the oil companies accountable for cleaning up any oil spills.
Encourage the use of organic fertilisers instead of inorganic fertilisers.
Encourage farmers to use natural pesticides and natural enemies instead of artificial
pesticides and herbicides.
Educate farmers about the use of approved pesticides and herbicides.

AIR POLLUTION
Carbon monoxide (CO) is released from the exhaust fumes of cars and trucks, and
released into the atmosphere, combining easily with haemoglobin. A person inhaling CO
will suffer from headaches, dizziness and feel tired. Large quantities of CO can cause
death. Coal fires draw oxygen from the surrounding air and release CO, so fires made in
poorly ventilated places can lead to asphyxiation and death. Factories and power
stations burn gas, coal and oil to produce heat which is converted into energy. Informal
settlements obtain heat from burning coal for cooking and warmth. Pollutants like sulphur
dioxide, smoke, ashes and soot are released into the air. The pollutants combine with the
water in the air forming a dense mass. As the air warms and dries, the particles fall to the
ground. Buildings and plants in industrial areas are always coated in a black dust. The
plants covered with this dust cannot photosynthesise properly, and this impacts on plant
growth and health. Smog impacts on human health because it irritates the eyes, chest
and lungs of humans. Asthma, bronchitis and, eventually, cancer result if large quantities
of smog are inhaled on a regular basis.
Consider that fossil fuels are in limited supply. Fossil fuels were produced millions of
years ago, when plants died and decomposed. The plant remains gradually became
compressed to form coal, oil and gas. Fossil fuels are a limited resource because it takes
so long to produce them. When fossil fuels are burned, it results in the release of carbon,
which combines with oxygen in the atmosphere to form carbon dioxide and carbon
monoxide in a process called combustion. If we continue to use fossils fuels at the
present rate, we will run out of these resources within the next 50 years. We must look to
finding alternative processes to produce energy and prevent air pollution.

Corrective actions can be put in place to prevent air pollution:
The use of lead-free petrol will prevent the release of lead into the atmosphere.
Special filters will reduce smoke emissions from factories and industries. This will
require government legislation and drastic intervention.
Other energy sources, like wind and water, should be found to reduce the use of fossil
fuels like coal, oil and gas.
Strict policies to prevent the release of gases like CFCs and nitrogen oxide into the
air, should be formulated.
Ways in which to remove Sulphur from coal to prevent acid rain should be
researched.
Electrical motorcars and trucks should be developed to reduce the CO
2
and CO
emissions into the atmosphere.
More efficient public transport systems to reduce traffic congestion reduce fuel
usage and reduce air pollution, should be introduced.

SOIL POLLUTION
Soil sustains all life on earth. Roots of plants grow in the soil and absorb nutrients and
water which is used during the photosynthesis process, and also for the growth and
development of the plants. Consumers, like herbivores and omnivores, eat plants.
Herbivores are eaten by carnivores and omnivores in the food web, so nutrients that are
absorbed from the soil will benefit all organisms. Soil provides a habitat for many
organisms. When people abuse the land through careless acts, irresponsible behaviour,
greed and pollution, the soil is harmed and so too all the organisms that directly and
indirectly require fertile soil to survive. Forms of soil pollution are litter, dumping of toxic
waste, deforestation etc.

Litter is a major problem of modern society because man-made materials, like plastic,
glass and tin, are non-biodegradable. Litter results when wastes are not disposed in a
regulated and proper manner. Rubbish should be placed in disposal containers for
collection and dumped in landfills that are covered with soil. Exposed litter is the
breeding ground for rats, mosquitoes and flies, apart from being unsightly, unhygienic
and a danger to animals and plants. Toxic chemicals must be disposed of in sealed
containers that are buried in special cemented landfills. If these landfills are not managed
properly, containers may leak. This will result in streams and rivers becoming
contaminated, causing people and animals that drink the water, to be poisoned. Crops
may absorb the toxins and when eaten by people, birds and animals, cause diseases and
toxic poisoning. Unscrupulous people illegally dump containers of toxic chemicals into the
sea where the containers eventually corrode and leak, releasing the toxic waste. This will
directly impact on the marine plant and animal life in the area.

Local government agencies work within the policies and legislation of the provincial
and national government. Special areas are analysed and demarcated for dumps of toxic
waste. When contravention of the Acts and laws is suspected, local government will
investigate the process with the support of provincial and national departments. If people
or companies are found to be guilty, they might face major fines and even imprisonment.
Companies and factories might be closed down.

Corrective actions can be put in place to prevent soil pollution
Educate people to reduce, re-use and recycle wastes by providing containers to
recycle paper, glass, tin and plastic.
Enforce legislation to prevent dumping in unauthorised areas with strict fines.
Large fines levied when people litter, e.g., Hong Kong.
Use only indigenous trees for afforestation.
Educate farmers to ensure crop rotation.
Provide informal settlements with proper waste removal.
Ensure local government provides many dustbins in towns and cities.
Form action groups in communities to clean up polluted areas.

X-ample Questions

Question 1
The table below shows the results of an investigation carried out by learners at five
different places (A, B, C, D and E) along a river.



1.1. State the hypothesis that the learners set out to investigate. (2)
1.2. Describe the relationship between the number of green algae and the
condition of the river water. (2)
1.3. Give a reason for the relationship indicated in Question 1.2. (2)
1.4. Write down the letters only of the places in the river where trout were found. (2)
1.5. Why were trout only found in the places named in Question 1.4? (2)
(Taken from DoE November 2008 Paper 1)


Question 2
Study the bar graph below and answer the questions that follow.

2.1. By how much did the level of sulphur dioxide pollution in Sweden decrease
between 2000 and 2005? (1)
2.2. Compare the general pattern of air pollution levels of France to that of the
other countries. State the following:
(a) ONE similarity (1)
(b) ONE difference (2)
2.3. Which country had the lowest level of sulphur dioxide pollution in 2005? (1)
2.4. Suggest TWO possible reasons for your answer to Question 1.3. (2)
(Taken from DoE November 2009 Paper 2)

Question 3
The table below shows the amount of solid waste generated in a town over a period of 6
years. Study the table and answer the questions that follow.

3.1. Draw a line graph to represent the data in the table above. (10)
3.2. What general trend is indicated by the graph you have drawn? (2)
3.3. In which year was the solid waste generated the highest? (1)
3.4. What is the difference in the amount of waste generated between
2001 and 2003? Show ALL the calculations. (3)
3.5. Name TWO main sources of the town's solid waste. (2)
3.6. What strategies could the municipality employ to manage the increase in
municipal solid waste? Name TWO strategies and its impact on the
environment. (4)
3.7. Distinguish between biodegradable and non-biodegradable matter AND
Give an example of each. (4)
(Taken from DoE Preparatory Examinations 2008 Paper 2)
X-ercise

Multiple choice questions.

Select the correct option for each of the following questions:
1. Which of the following are biodegradable waste products?
A rubber, plastic, manure
B metal, glass, plastic
C vegetable peels, garden refuse, paper
D glass, wood cuttings, batteries

2. The main cause of water pollution is:
A untreated sewage, glass bottles and plastic bags
B chemical effluent, leaching of pesticides and algae
C pesticides, treated sewage and litter
D oil spills, untreated sewage and chemical effluent

3. Typhoid, cholera and dysentry are diseases that are spread by:
A air pollution
B water pollution
C land/soil pollution
D the use of pesticides

4. Non-biodegradable means:
A a substance that cannot decompose naturally
B a substance that is thrown away as kitchen refuse
C a substance that costs too much to recycle
D a substance that will not dissolve in water

5. Deforestation is.
A is the removal of all plants and trees from a large area of land
B is the complete removal of a forest to clear a large area for agriculture
C is the result of a veld fire
D is as a result of concentrated soil erosion

6. One solution to reduce air pollution may be
A the use of leaded petrol
B the burning of wood and coal
C the use of public transport
D causing veld fires

7. One of the following has a positive human influence on the environment:
A Deforestation
B Overpopulation
C Pollution
D Conservation


8. Biological control is useful because it
A usually attacks all plant species
B can destroy an alian plant infestation or reduce its population numbers
C usually originates in the country where the alien plant destroys indigenous
vegetation
D usually attacks all useful micro-organisms

9. Pollutant gases have an adverse effect on the environment and on our health. The
amounts of these gases have been steadily increasing over the years.

The table below shows the source and the amount of some pollutant gases
produced by human activities:



Which ONE of the following statements is correct?
A The total sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide produced per year is 145 million
tonnes.
B Carbon dioxide is produced by industries
C The Combined total pollutant gases produced by nitrogen oxide and
hydrocarbons, is less than the total produced by sulphur dioxide.
D Hydrocarbons are produced by vehicle exhaust gases only.

10. The following are all sources of pollution:

i) Solid waste
ii) Pesticides
iii) Sewage
iv) Fertilisers

Which of the following combinations contains sources of soil pollution?
A (i), (ii) and (iii)
B (ii), (iii), (iv)
C (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv)
D (ii) and (iv)

Answers to X-ercise questions:
1.
C
2. D
3. B
4. A
5. A
6. C
7. D
8. B
9. C
10. C