Discuss each of the following categories of water pollutants and the problems they cause: pathogens, organic wastes, chemical pollutants, and sediments

What will be an ideal response?


Waterborne disease (pathogens) reaches water through animal (including human) wastes being discharged to land or water; the basic impact is disease. Human and animal wastes reach water by either direct discharge or runoff from land; the basic impact is the addition of nutrients (limiting factors) and disease to water. Chemicals pollute water by either direct discharge to water or runoff from land; the basic impacts are rendering "water unpalatable (or dangerous) for humans and dangerous for aquatic life." Sediments reach water as a result of erosion; the basic impact is to increase turbidity and increase the nutrient load.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

You might also like to view...

When fossils are preserved as _______ remains, their original structure and composition are

preserved Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

The dominant branch of Islam is

A) Druze. B) Eastern Orthodoxy. C) Sikh. D) Sunni. E) Shi'ite.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

What is the age of the moon?

A) 4.5 billion years B) 5.025 million years C) 3.14 million years D) 4.527 million years

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Large dams and reservoirs

a. reduce danger of flooding upstream b. disrupt migration and spawning of fish c. cannot be used for outdoor recreation d. can be used to provide electric power e. two of these answers are correct

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences