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Pollution
Team,
Here is a summary of the balance of chapters in the text we have yet to cover:
Pollution-varioius references
12: Land Use Planning
17: Solid Waste Management
18: Hazardous waste
19: Environmental policy
We've covered some of these topics as part of our Barron's reviews, others we will cover after Spring break, which will give you time to read these chapters in detail.
When we take the diagnostic exam next week Tuesday, 840-1005, it will cover some of these topics.
Here are some notes that will help you with the questions on the exam. It would be a good idea to look these up if they are unfamiliar to you:
Water quality:
WQI is a composite of many qualities (see below)
BOD is a measure of the oxygen demand to decompose organic materials
BOD measures the rate of oxygen uptake by micro-organisms in a sample of water at a temperature of 20°C and over an elapsed period of five days in the dark.
The following is a list of indicators often measured by situational category:
Drinking water
▪ Alkalinity
▪ Color of water
▪ pH
▪ Taste and odor (geosmin, 2-methylisoborneol (MIB), etc)
▪ Dissolved metals and salts (sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, manganese, magnesium)
▪ Microorganisms such as fecal coliform bacteria (Escherichia coli), Cryptosporidium, and Giardia lamblia
▪ Dissolved metals and metalloids (lead, mercury, arsenic, etc.)
▪ Dissolved organics: colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), dissolved organic carbon
▪ Radon
▪ Heavy metals
▪ Pharmaceuticals
▪ Hormone analogs
Environmental
Chemical assessment
▪ Conductivity (also see salinity)
▪ Dissolved Oxygen
▪ nitrate-N
▪ orthophosphates
▪ Chemical oxygen demand (COD)
▪ Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
▪ Pesticides
Physical assessment
▪ pH
▪ Temperature
▪ Total suspended solids (TSS)
▪ Turbidity
LD50 is the measure of toxicity that kills 50% of the population after 2 weeks
The LD50 is usually expressed as the mass of substance administered per unit mass of test subject, such as grams of substance per kilogram of body mass.
As a measure of toxicity, LD50 is somewhat unreliable and results may vary greatly between testing facilities due to factors such as the genetic characteristics of the sample population, animal species tested, environmental factors and mode of administration.[3] Another weakness is that it measures acute toxicity only (as opposed to chronic toxicity at lower doses), and does not take into account toxic effects that do not result in death but are nonetheless serious (e.g. brain damage). There can be wide variability between species as well; what is relatively safe for rats may very well be extremely toxic for humans, and vice versa. In other words, a relatively high LD50 does not necessarily mean a substance is harmless, but a very low one is always a cause for concern.
Here is your assignment for Tuesday:
Pollution: Review chapters 9 and 10 in Barron's,
And answer the following questions:
1. CERCLA stands for what?
2. What happened at Love canal?
3. How was CERCLA expanded in 1986?
4. How is the SuperFund funded now?
5. What two kinds of response actions are outlined in the CERCLA?
6. Who are the "potential responsible parties" under CERCLA?
7. What is the NCP revision, and how does it impact polluters?
8. What is the NPL and what is it's role?
9. What does RCRA stand for?
10. Why is it an improvement on the 1965 law on solid waste?
11. Explain "cradle to grave" requirements and give an example.
12. What is a TSDF, and how does it manage hazardous waste?
13. What is a "whistleblower" and how are they provided for in the RCRA?
14. What are the corporate arguments against the clean air act?
15. Describe the 1955, 1963, 1967, 1970, 1977 and 1990 acts and cite a common theme and opponent.
16. What was new in the 1990 law that may affect third world nations?
17. Last week the EPA made news regarding CO2 emissions and the clean air act. What happened?
18. What is the CWA, and how is it enforced?
19. What are navigable waters, and how are they defined?
20. How does the CWA treat point sources? Give at least two examples.
21. How is this different for non-point sources?
22. What is different with the WQA of 1987?
23. Explain the NEPA act of 1970, and its impact.
24. What happened off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1969 (also the year of Woodstock, and several assassinations), and how is it relevant today, March, 2011?
25. What is an EIS, and are they required today?
26. How does an EIS differ from an EA?
Over spring break, we'll expect you to review the Princeton review book, so please order this soon if you have not already.
Let us know if you have any questions.
aloha
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