Pollution

Thermal Pollution

•Causes: Factories release hot water into waterways

•Effects: Less oxygen gas dissolved in water

Biological Magnification

•Cause: a toxic nonbiodegradable material such as DDT build us in a food chain

•Effects: animals at the top of the food chain exhibit negative effects

Acid Rain

• Causes:1. Nitrites from vehicle exhausts2. Sulfate from coal burning

**Both gases dissolve in water causing the pH of rain to lower.

Effects:1. Damage to plant leaves2. Dissolves important minerals in the soil3. Lowers the pH of water below the limit

of tolerance

Ground level ozon build up

Causes1. Nitrites and nitrates from fuel combustion2. VOC’s (volatile organic compounds, printing, painting, drycleaning)3. Hot, still and bright conditions allow chemical reactions to occur that build up OOO (smog) itn the lower atmosphere.

• Effects:

1. ozone causes lung tissue to age faster

2. breathing difficulties

3. Damages rubber and plastic products

Upper level ozone depletion

CAUSES:

1. CFC’s (chloroflourocarbons) or other refrigeratants. In past were found in most aerosols.

EFFECTS:

Destroys ozone in stratosphere – leads to increased cancer and cataracts

Greenhouse Effect

CAUSE:

Carbon dioxide build up in atmosphere, and traps heat

EFFECT: overall warming of the earth, climate shifts, ice melting, due to burning of fossil fuels and slash/burn trees, also fewer trees/plants available to take up carbon dioxide.

Wastes

• BIODEGRADABLE: wastes that can be broken down by decomposers

• NonBIODEGRADABLE: not be broken down by decomposers, plastics, pesticides, toxic metals