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adversely affects the biosphere's land, atmosphere, and water |
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pollution emitted from a specific place; i.e. wastewater from a plant, noise from a plane, or oil from a tank |
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Non-Point-Source Pollution |
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pollution that doesn't come from any specific area; can be hard to identify the main source of the pollution; i.e. vehicle emissions or farm runoff |
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the concentration of 1 very dilute toxin or substance to 1 million parts another substance; commonly used to express pollutant amounts |
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composed of unwanted gases and particulate matter; can be composed through natural means or through human actions |
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6 common air pollutants monitored by the EPA and measured to gauge air quality - CO, NP2, SO2, O3, Pb. & particulate matter |
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colorless, odorless gas that results from the incomplete combustion of organic matter (esp. fossil fuels) |
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reddish-brown gas w/ strong odor; created from combustion at high temperatures (most common in vehicles & electric utilities); reacts with sun's heat to form photochemical smog (like in LA) |
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formed when sulfur is released from burning coal or oil; mostly due to emissions from coal-fired power plants; reacts with UV rays to form industrial smog; can produce aerosols |
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solid particles and droplets suspended in the atmosphere |
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colorless gas found in the stratosphere and the troposphere; 'good' ___ is in troposphere & protects the Earth from high lvls of the sun's UV radiation; 'bad' ___ is located close to the ground in the troposhere; main component in smog; found in cleaning products |
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Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) |
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a key component in smog, along with Ozone, human-created NOx, sunlight, and heat |
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heavy metal used in many processes bc of its availability and ability to be poured into molds where it hardens into a solid; emitted into atmos as a particulate |
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solid or liquid particles in the atmos; can be a primary pollutant or a secondary pollutant; i.e. dust, smoke, metals |
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pollution from direct emissions |
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pollution formed from chemical reactions of substances like SO2 or NOx |
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formed from interactions w/ pollutants catalyzed by solar radiation; photochemical type - NO2 + UV; industrial type - SO2 + UV |
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occurs when chemical reactions occur in atmosphere between pollutant emissions and atmospheric components, which ultimately falls to Earth through precipitation, particulate, or gas; i.e., acid rain (S + O2) |
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Peroxyacetyl Nitrate (PAN) (CH3CO3NO2) |
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produced by the reaction of volatile organic hydrocarbons with oxygen and NO2; combined wht ozone & organic compounds called aldehydes is responsible for many of smog's harmful effects |
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urban areas w/ long-term increased temps from heat released by vehicles, air conditioning, and the pavements/buildings that absorb more heat than a natr'l ecosystem |
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found in most buildings & can be an issue w/ poor ventillation; i.e., tobacco smoke, CO, VOCs, wood-burning, asbestos, lead, and mercury |
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encompass all human activities that make enough sound to be a nuisance |
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the excessive use of artificial light; can cause glare, sky glow, and decreased night visibility |
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refers to the spread of mutated DNA from genetically engineered organisms to natr'l organisms |
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Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) |
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organisms that have had their DNA altered by combining their genes w/ another organisms; usually for something commercially desirable - growth, size, disease resistance |
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nutrients added to an ecosystem through runoff, including xtra N & P; N affects marine ecosystems; P affects freshwater ecostems |
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Pollutants that Affect Freshwater |
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Pesticides, VOCs, Oil products, & heavy metals (poisonous); nutrient runoff from farms (can unbalance ecosystem); Temperature (change affects species + ecosystem balance); sediment (changes aquatic balance); pathogens & waterbourne diseases (can enter drinking water supply) |
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the ability for something to reflect light; usually used in water pollution--sediment, particulates increase it |
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Pollutants of Marine Ecosystems |
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Oil pollution (BP rupture); excess nutrients (N); sewage; trash (plastics & fishing equipment) |
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takes waste from septic systems of the local homes/businesses and send it to a central treatment plant to undergo clarification process |
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flammable, corrosive, toxic, or reactive |
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created during industrial processes (mining, agriculture, consumer goods, extraction & refining of petroleum products) |
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area where solid waste is disposed of by being buried or piled in a mound; must be located away from wetlands & can't be built on an EQ fault; bottoms are lined w/ plastic and clay to prevent leakage |
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heat generated through combustion is captured & used to heat water, which turns turbines & generates energy |
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someone exposed to a high dose over a brief per of time |
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occurs repeatedly over a long period of time in small doses |
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when anlyzing substance's effects, a product is assumed harmful unless otherwise stated |
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Dose-Response Relationship |
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the effect of a toxin on an organism/population; describes the effects of certain levels of a toxin & the tipping point where the toxin becomes hazardous |
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the lethal dose for 50% of the test popualation |
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when 50% of the pop is affect (but not killed) by a dose of the toxin |
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can wear away & break down metals |
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Easily reacts w/ other substance & can cause a serious reaction (explosions or toxic gases) |
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medical costs, loss of income, loss of productivity, lost agriculture profits, potential tourism decrease, cleanup costs |
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effects expressed in dollars |
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effects that don't necessarily have a fixed dollar amt, but may be tangible & intangible effects to ecosystem & human well-being |
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Command-and-control Strategy |
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gov't sets and enforces legal limits on pollution; very common but not always the most efficient |
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