Water Environment and Quality Quiz

Study Notes

Water pollution can alter the physical, chemical, biological, and radiological properties of water.
Water pollution impairs water purity and quality.
Water quality can be determined by physical parameters such as color, odor, turbidity, density, and temperature.
Water quality can be determined by chemical parameters such as pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).
Water quality can be determined by biological parameters such as microorganisms, bacteria, algae, protozoa, and crustaceans.

Organic pollutants include degradable and non-degradable products, disease-causing agents, plant nutrients, sewage, synthetic organic compounds, and oil.
Organic pollutants can decrease the dissolved oxygen (DO) level in water.
Inorganic pollutants include inorganic salts, finely divided metal or metal compounds, trace elements, and mineral acids.
Sediments are insoluble soil particles that enter waterways through erosion.
Sediments are the most extensive pollutants of surface waters.
Agricultural practices construction activities, and strip mining all contribute to sediment erosion.
Radioactive pollution is caused by natural sources such as cosmic rays and artificial sources such as nuclear plants.
Radioactive pollution is detrimental to health.
Thermal pollutants are caused by the release of heated water from industries such as coal-fired and nuclear power plants.
Thermal pollutants decrease the dissolved oxygen (DO) level in water.

### Water Environment

Water is sourced from both surface and subsurface.
Surface water sources include rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, and impounded reservoirs.
Subsurface water sources include springs, infiltration galleries, and wells.

Water pollution impacts water quality by altering its physical, chemical, biological, and radiological properties.
Key parameters of water pollution include physical, chemical, and biological properties.
Physical parameters: color, odor, turbidity, density, temperature, and so on.
Chemical parameters: pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), ionic composition, suspended solids, dissolved oxygen (DO), residual chlorine, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), redox potential, radioactive substances, organic materials, metallic ions (including heavy metals), oxides, and industrial byproducts.
Biological parameters: microorganisms, bacteria, algae, protozoa, and crustaceans.

Organic pollutants include degradable and non-degradable products, disease-causing agents, plant nutrients, sewage, synthetic organic compounds, and oil. They lower the Dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water.
Inorganic pollutants include inorganic salts, finely divided metal or metal compounds, trace elements, mineral acid, and complexes of metal with organic moieties.
Sediments are insoluble soil particles that enter water bodies through soil erosion. They are a significant source of water pollution with sedimentation rates often exceeding solids loading from sewage discharge.
Radioactive substances are the most detrimental pollutants to health. Sources include cosmic rays and nuclear plants.
Thermal pollutants are generated by coal-fired or nuclear fuel power plants that utilize water from nearby rivers, lakes, or municipal sources to cool their operations. The heated water then discharges back into the water body, decreasing DO and affecting aquatic life.

Point sources are easily identifiable at a single location.
Industrial waste disposal, leaching residue tips, water treatment plant, sanitary landfills, municipal sewage leakage, aerial fallout, combined sewer overflows, industrial effluent seepage, and raw sewage are examples of point sources.