Earth Science 100 Hill

Water Pollution

Student: Scott Hill

Hypothesis

If water pollution is not reduced, then it will lead to disastrous repercussions for both human life and animal life.

"Water pollution happens when toxic substances enter water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans and so on, getting dissolved in them, lying suspended in the water or depositing on the bed. This degrades the quality of water" (World Wildlife Fund).

Definition

Mining has been around since prehistoric times. Mining is essential as valuable metals and minerals can be extracted from the earth that aids in numerous different things. What happens to these mines when the valuables are extracted? Well, they become abandoned. Coal mining has been one of the main culprits of water pollution for years, and it can have a dangerous impact on the water supply. One highly dangerous impact is that of acid mine drainage. "Acid mine drainage is the formation and movement of highly acidic water rich in heavy metals. This acidic water forms through the chemical reaction of surface water (rainwater, snowmelt, pond water) and shallow subsurface water with rocks that contain sulfur-bearing minerals, resulting in sulfuric acid" (EPA). Acid mine drainage can directly affect sedimentation, hindering plant life and wildlife habitat. While this is primarily associated with mining, there are naturally occurring acidic streams such as those found in Yellowstone National Park.

Mining and the Link to Water Pollution

Most people know how important agriculture is to our country. Without agriculture, our food supply would be in shambles. Our food has deep roots in agriculture, so what happens when water pollution is introduced? According to the European Environment Agency, "Pollutants can enter soil through various pathways, including atmospheric deposition (e.g. of heavy metals, nitrogen), direct application (e.g. of synthetic fertilisers, manure, pesticides, sludges, waste) and accidents (e.g. spills at industrial sites)". (EEA). The quality of soil can be drastically changed, resulting in a lower fertility rate as the soil can become more acidic and possibly leading to soil erosion. Soil erosion can be caused by water pollution, but can also cause water pollution. Without quality soil, crops cannot thrive, are often poor in quality, or even die. Once this occurs, ecosystems are extremely at risk. This shows that if water pollution is not taken more seriously, consequences continue to grow and will eventually strongly affect human life, no longer limiting itself to soil and plant life.

Agriculture Challenged by Water Pollution

We touched on the possibility of water pollution impacting human life if left untreated, but how might that happen? As previously stated, water pollution can severely damage soil and crops. Once the polluted water has reached the soil, it can find its way into our drinking water. It is common knowledge that humans need water to survive, and polluting our drinking water can lead to major consequences. An article from the EPA states, "If drinking water contains unsafe levels of contaminants, it can cause health effects, such as gastrointestinal illnesses, nervous system or reproductive effects, and chronic diseases such as cancer" (EPA). While water pollution can occur naturally, it is important to realize the impact that we as humans have on our water quality. If humans continue to pollute our waters, we are jeopardizing our health and future generations without thinking twice.

Long Term Water Pollution

Ecosystems thrive off of water. Introducing polluted water into these ecosystems can greatly damage them. Atlas Scientific dives into the impact of water pollution on ecosystems, one of which is the decline in biodiversity. Pollutants entering the water source can disrupt the habitats and even lead to the deaths of the inhabitants. Atlas Scientific states, "Plants that count on clean water to live can’t grow or do well in polluted environments. Now, this hurts how it looks and the overall health of an ecosystem. Aquatic plants are important because they filter out pollutants and supply oxygen for other animals. Without this, bodies of water get colder and dirtier which leads to a point where the whole ecosystem can deteriorate" (Atlas Scientific). Leaving water pollution untreated can eventually lead to the creation of dead zones, which are created due to the lack of oxygen in the water and cannot support any lifeform.

Long-Term Consequences of Water Pollution on Earth

Dead Zones have been touched on briefly throughout this presentation, but let's do a deep-dive into the dead zone known as the Gulf of Mexico. The earliest documented reports of the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico roughly dates back to the early 1950s, originally coming from shrimp trawlers. While this is commonly accepted, there are beliefs that the dead zone may have began to naturally occur sometime in the 1800s. Regardless, researchers began to take the issue seriously during the 1970s. The cause of the dead zone cannot be simplified down to just runoff and increased fertilizer usage from farms, it is much larger than that. The Gulf of Mexico is the end point for six river basins in the United States. These river basins are the Missouri, Upper Mississippi, Lower Mississippi, Ohio, Red, and Arkansas-White river basins. (Mississippi River Delta) There is little information regarding the Gulf of Mexico prior to the formation of the dead zone. Most documented history only references the dead zone and the growing problem. One of the most interesting aspects of the Gulf of Mexico is reading the articles throughout the history of the internet and each year being warned about the continued growth and what could happen if progression does not cease.

Depleting Oceans

After entering the flowing freshwater bodies, pollutants such as nitrogen compounds and pollution from human activity are converted to greenhouse gases by microorganisms. Specifically, when dissolved oxygen in the rivers drops because of pollution, anaerobic bacteria mineralise organic matter to produce CO2 and methane while denitrifying bacteria converts nitrate (NO3) to nitrous oxide (N2O)" (BBC).

We have established that water pollution is one massive repeating chain reaction cycle, and it will not stop unless addressed. Water pollution heavily impacts our atmosphere which can lead to severe consequences. An article from BBC covers the impact that water pollution has on our atmosphere. They state, " Greenhouse gasses are the root of climate change, which greatly impacts our Earth. They can also cause the development of smog which is capable of causing respitory disease. Cutting back on water pollution and fighting the issue can drop the emission of greenhouse gases.

Impact on Atmosphere

• Proper disposal of household chemicals and cleaning agents
• Avoid using the toilet as a trashcan
• Minimize the use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers
• Properly dispose of the previously listed chemicals, as well as motor oil and other automotive fluids. Do not wash them down the sewer/drainage as this leads to the river. (Town of Simsbury).

When it comes to putting an end to water pollution, it must start at an individual level in order for it to work on a grand scale. The town of Simsbury, CT website offers many useful tips that we can all incorporate into our daily lives to reduce water pollution. Some of those tips include:

Viable Solution

This project has opened my eyes to the problem that is water pollution. In my opinion, it is going to take a very long time to come close to making a dent in water pollution. I personally feel that the majority of the world's population are only going to take the issue seriously when it is too late. Back in May, I took a trip with my fiancee to her home state of New Jersey and was dumbfounded when I found out that plastic bags were banned. This was done to cut back on pollution but it seemingly backfired. Her father informed me that there was an outrage when this occurred. When we visited the beach, it was apparent that this ban did not help as there was plastic waste everywhere. Most of the solutions that I found were great solutions and would make great progress in the fight against water pollution. The problem is getting everyone to implement those solutions and take the issue seriously.

Proposed Solution

My hypothesis stated, "If water pollution is not reduced, then it will lead to disastrous repercussions for both human life and animal life". As I have covered throughout this project, we are already suffering disastrous repercussions. Climate change is in full effect and evolving rapidly. Dead zones within our oceans are growing at a rapid pace. Animal, plant, and human life are impacted by water pollution every day. Efforts to cut back on pollution are met with backlash and revolt. My final thoughts regarding water pollution are not good ones. There are many people out there who are fighting against this dangerous issue and they deserve their flowers, however, it boils down to stopping others from undoing their hard work. I cannot tell you what measures we could take to ensure that every human is willing to fight this battle. It is a sad and unfortunate truth, and I wish that I could end this project on a better note. We can only hope that others begin to take water pollution seriously and we begin to see Earth thrive again.

Conclusion

Environmental Protection Agency. (2020, October 7). Abandoned mine drainage. EPA. https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/nps/abandoned-mine-drainage_.html#:~:text=Acid%20mine%20drainage%20is%20the,on%20humans%2C%20animals%20and%20plants. Environmental Protection Agency. (2024, July 8). Drinking Water. EPA. https://www.epa.gov/report-environment/drinking-water Explaining the Gulf of Mexico dead zone. Restore the Mississippi River Delta. (2019, October 3). https://mississippiriverdelta.org/learning/explaining-the-gulf-of-mexico-dead-zone/ Keegan, M. (2022, February 24). The rivers that “breathe” greenhouse gases. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210323-climate-change-the-rivers-that-breathe-greenhouse-gases Lenahan, G. (2022). Acid Mine Drainage. Department of Environmental Protection. photograph, Pennsylvania. Retrieved November 3, 2024, from https://www.dep.pa.gov/OurCommonWealth/pages/Article.aspx?post=92. Soil pollution and Ecosystems. European Environment Agency. (2023, March 14). https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/zero-pollution/ecosystems/soil-pollution#:~:text=The%20diversity%20and%20activity%20of,as%20well%20as%20rural%20areas. Ten things you can do to reduce water pollution. simsburyct. (n.d.). https://www.simsbury-ct.gov/water-pollution-control/pages/ten-things-you-can-do-to-reduce-water-pollution Water pollution. WWF. (n.d.). https://wwf.panda.org/discover/knowledge_hub/teacher_resources/webfieldtrips/water_pollution/ 7 effects of water pollution. Atlas Scientific. (2023, November 13). https://atlas-scientific.com/blog/effects-of-water-pollution/#:~:text=Furthermore%2C%20water%20pollution%20has%20a,overall%20health%20of%20marine%20ecosystems.

References