Free Essays on Water Pollution

Water pollution has been a problem for a very long time. There are many different kinds of water pollution. Water pollution causes many problems with the living plants and animals in the water. Water has always been used to carry away unwanted trash. Since the beginning of civilization people have used our waters to dump their trash in. Rivers, streams, canals, lakes, and oceans are currently used as receptacles for every imaginable kind of pollution. Lakes are especially polluted because they cannot cleanse themselves as rapidly as rivers or oceans. Materials that decay over a short period of time are called, biodegradable materials. Biodegradable materials are less of a long-term threat to the enviroment than materials like metals, plastics, and some chlorinated hydrocarbons, but can still damage a water supply for long periods of time. Metals, plastics, and some chlorinated hydrocarbons remain in the water and can make it poisonous for most forms of life. These materials are not b iodegrable, which means that they are a greater risk to the enviroment. There are many different kinds of water pollution. A common kind of water pollution is the effect caused by heavy concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous, which are used by plants for growth. In large amounts nirogen and phosphorus cause tiny water algae to boom, or grow rapidly. When the algae die, oxygen is needed to decompose them. Which then creates an oxygen definiency in the water, which causes the death of many animals. These events speed up the process of the aging and evental drying up of a lake. Another way water is polluted is by sedimentation, which is the result of poor soil conservation practices. Sediment fills water-supply reservoirs and cloggs power turbines and irrigation pumps. It also diminishes the amount of sunlight that can penetrate the water. The silting of streams is another kind of water pollution. A heavy load of silt kills fish indirectly by reducing the a... Free Essays on Water Pollution Free Essays on Water Pollution The following essay will be looking at the factors that cause pollution, and the effect that pollution has on our world today. It will also investigate what it has in store for the future if things do not improve. It will also explore some of the methods used to treat and clean-up wastewater, and oil spills. Today, the industrialization of Canada is severely affecting this nations lakes, streams, and rivers. If something is not done to improve the situation it is going to have some severe environmental problems in its future. Today pollution is very high in both inland and marine waters. All different types of water pollution are contributing factors in this problem. Here are some things that are associated with pollution: Pathogens: Pathogens are disease causing bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. They usually come from human sewage. As pathogen numbers increase, so does the risk of human health. Biochemical Oxygen Demand: Organic wastes that decay in a body of water. decrease the amount of oxygen found in it. The living things in the lake need oxygen to survive. If the oxygen level is depressed to zero, all fish in the lake die. Any decomposition that does not contain oxygen starts to generate noxious gases such as Hydrogen Sulfide. Pulp and paper mills, and municipal sewage causes BOD. Nutrients: Nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, enrich waters and accelerate the aging of lakes and streams. Also, the result of this is rich plant life which prohibits recreational activities. Plankton blooms depress oxygen levels (as mentioned before) and therefore, endanger living organisms. Major sources of nutrients are municipal sewage and agricultural runoff. Toxic Materials: Can affect the health of aquatic organisms and their consumers, and the people who drink the contaminated water. The toxicants include lead, mercury, DDT, PCB, benzopyrene, oil, and dibutyl phthalate. These chemicals enter the l... Free Essays on Water Pollution Water pollution has been a problem for a very long time. There are many different kinds of water pollution. Water pollution causes many problems with the living plants and animals in the water. Water has always been used to carry away unwanted trash. Since the beginning of civilization people have used our waters to dump their trash in. Rivers, streams, canals, lakes, and oceans are currently used as receptacles for every imaginable kind of pollution. Lakes are especially polluted because they cannot cleanse themselves as rapidly as rivers or oceans. Materials that decay over a short period of time are called, biodegradable materials. Biodegradable materials are less of a long-term threat to the enviroment than materials like metals, plastics, and some chlorinated hydrocarbons, but can still damage a water supply for long periods of time. Metals, plastics, and some chlorinated hydrocarbons remain in the water and can make it poisonous for most forms of life. These materials are not b iodegrable, which means that they are a greater risk to the enviroment. There are many different kinds of water pollution. A common kind of water pollution is the effect caused by heavy concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous, which are used by plants for growth. In large amounts nirogen and phosphorus cause tiny water algae to boom, or grow rapidly. When the algae die, oxygen is needed to decompose them. Which then creates an oxygen definiency in the water, which causes the death of many animals. These events speed up the process of the aging and evental drying up of a lake. Another way water is polluted is by sedimentation, which is the result of poor soil conservation practices. Sediment fills water-supply reservoirs and cloggs power turbines and irrigation pumps. It also diminishes the amount of sunlight that can penetrate the water. The silting of streams is another kind of water pollution. A heavy load of silt kills fish indirectly by reducing the a...