Water Quality, Environment, Management, and Technologies PDF

Water Quality, Environment, Management, and Technologies ENGR. SHELAH JOY RAYMUNDO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (ES 012) Unit II. Pollution Environments Air Water Toxic and Solid Waste Hazardous...

Water Quality, Environment, Management, and Technologies ENGR. SHELAH JOY RAYMUNDO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (ES 012) Unit II. Pollution Environments Air Water Toxic and Solid Waste Hazardous Waste Water TOPIC OUTLINE: WAT E R R ES O U RC ES STAT U S O F R I V E R S I N T H E P H I L I P P I N ES WAT E R Q UA L I T Y WAT E R P O L LU TA N T S WAT E R E N V I RO N M E N T WAT E R M A N AG E M E N T  EXISTING WATER RESOURCES ❑ Marine Waters ❑ Inland Waters: Rivers ❑ Inland Waters: Lakes ❑ Groundwater STATUS OF RIVERS IN THE PHILIPPINES 180 of 421 rivers are POLLUTED. 50 are biologically DEAD. Sources: NWRB & DENR National Water Quality Status Reports Water pollution’s effects cost the Philippines approx. $1.3 billion annually Source: WEPA Water resources management: Issues and Challenges Climate change Population growth Water Pollution Over-extraction Inefficient water use Governance and policy issues Socioeconomic factors Water Quality Drivers of Water Quality Institutional framework Existing policies/regulations Research and education Water use Basin hydrology Implementation and best practices Human behavior Defining Water Quality “Water quality” is a term used to express the suitability of water to sustain various uses or processes. It can be defined by a range of variables which limit water use. Water for life Water for food Water for economy Water for environment Defining Water Quality The quality of any body of surface or ground water is a function of either or both natural influences and human activities. Fig. 1 Water hardness at water surface monitoring stations (UNEP GEMS, 2008) Defining Water Quality Water quality and quantity are intimately linked although not often measured simultaneously. Defining Water Quality The quality of water necessary for each human use varies, as Station 1 do the criteria used Station 2 to assess water Station 3 Station 4 quality. Station 5 DAO 2016-18 Station 6 DAO 2019-21 Defining Water Quality Water quality is neither a static condition of a system nor can it be defined by the measurement of only one parameter. It is variable in both space and time and requires routine monitoring to detect spatial patterns and changes over time. Chlorophyll-a (ppb) 20 36 Chlorophyll-a 16 Temperature 33 Temperature (oC) 12 30 8 27 4 24 0 21 March April May June July August Defining Water Quality Tides Wind Heating/ Cooling Management of aquatic Horizontal pressure Waves environments requires an gradients Density effects Currents understanding of the Nutrient transport Sediment transport important linkages between Solar Radiation Bio-chemical processes ecosystem properties and Bottom how human activities alter. Defining Water Quality There is a range of chemical, physical, and biological components that affect water quality and hundreds of variables could be examined and measured. Some variables provide a general indication of water pollution, whereas others enable the direct tracking of pollution sources.  Natural Conditions affecting WAQ Geology The geology of an area determines, in large part, the mineral makeup of its waters.  Natural Conditions affecting WAQ Climate Climate influences water quality because temperature, precipitation, and wind affect the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of water.  Natural Conditions affecting WAQ Vegetation In areas where it is abundant, vegetation falls into the water, mixes with it, breaks apart, decomposes, and becomes part of the water.  Natural Conditions affecting WAQ Morphology The shape and dimensions of water bodies have a direct influence on their quality, particularly related to the water bodies’mixing potential.  Natural Conditions affecting WAQ Location The location of a water body on the earth’s landscape determines the natural conditions described above: geology, climate, vegetation, and morphology and thusthe natural quality of its water. Fig. 1 Nutrient limita tion for temperate and tropical countries (Lewis,W.M. Jr., 2000)  Physical & Chemical Parameters Temperature A measure of the amount of stored heat in a medium. Sources: a) Ambient heat from the sun b) Discharge of industrial cooling water Effects: a) Affects the speed of chemical reactions b) Affects photosynthetic rate c) Affects metabolic rates of organisms d) Affects interaction of aquatic residents Physical & Chemical Parameters 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 45 48 3.75 3.75 33.0 32.6 Dry Season 3 3 Depth from bottom (m) 32.2 31.8 2 2 31.4 Temperature 31.0 1 1 30.6 Temperature Profile 30.2 0 (48 hours of 0 6pm 9pm 12mn 3am 6am 9am 12nn3pm 6pm 9pm 12mn 3am 6am 9am 12nn 3pm 6pm 0 3 6 9 12 15 measurement) 18 21 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 45 48 29.8 Time of Measurement unit: Celsius 4.5 4.5 (hours) 4.0 4.0 3.5 3.5 Wet Season Depth from bottom (m) 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.5 2.0 2.0 1.5 1.5 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 6pm 9pm 12mn 3am 6am 9am 12nn 3pm 6pm 9pm 12mn 3am 6am 9am 12nn 3pm 6pm Time of measurement (hours)  Physical & Chemical Parameters Dissolved Oxygen Amount of oxygen contained in the water. Most popular indicator of water quality. Sources: a) Diffusion across the water surface b) By-product of photosynthesis Effects: a) Affects metabolism of aerobic organisms b) Influences inorganic chemical reactions Oxygen dissolved in water is inversely proportional to temperature and salinity of water. Physical & Chemical Parameters 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 45 48 3.75 3.75 11.0 10.0 3 3 Dry Season Depth from bottom (m) 9.0 Dissolved Oxygen 8.0 2 2 7.0 6.0 1 1 5.0 Dissolved Oxygen Profile 4.0 0 0 1 2 n n 3 pm 6pm 9pm 12mn 3am 6am 9am ( 4 8 ho u rs 3am 6am 9am 12nn 3pm 6pm of6mpmeasu9prmeme1n2tm)n 3.0 unit: mg/L 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 33 36 39 42 45 48 Time of measurement (hours) 30 4.5 4.5 4.0 4.0 3.5 3.5 Depth from bottom (m) Wet Season 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.5 2.0 2.0 1.5 1.5 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 6pm 9pm 12m 3am 6am 9am 12nn 6pm 12m 3am 6am 9am 12nn 3pm 6pm n 3pm 9pm n Time of measurement (hours)  Physical & Chemical Parameters pH and Alkalinity In water, a small number of water (H2O) molecules dissociate and form hydrogen (H+) and hydroxyl (OH-) ions. If the relative proportion of the hydrogen ions is greater than the hydroxyl ions, then the water is defined as acidic. Otherwise it is defined as being alkaline. Sources: a) Acid rain b) Natural minerals of carbonates, bicarbonates and silicates Effects: a) Closely linked to biological productivity because of the limited tolerance limit of aquatic organisms.  Physical & Chemical Parameters pH and Alkalinity  Physical & Chemical Parameters Turbidity/Suspended Solids Turbidity refers to water clarity. The greater the amount of suspended solids in the water, the murkier it appears, and the higher the measured turbidity. Sources: a) Phytoplankton biomass b) Clays and silt from shoreline erosion c) Re-suspended bottom sediments d) Organic detritus e) Anthropogenic discharge Effects: a) Quantifies the depth of light penetration. Affects photosynthetic production. Related to water transparency and secchi depth Turbidity/S uspended Solids Physical & Chemical Parameters Rainfall Forest Built-up Mangrove Firmland TURBIDITY!! Coral Seagrass  Physical & Chemical Parameters Salinity Salinity is an indication of the concentration of dissolved salts in a body of water. The ions responsible for salinity include the major cations (calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium and the major anions carbonates, sulphate and chloride. Sources: a) Naturally occurring minerals b) Sea-water intrusion Effects: a) Important for aquatic system survival because of specific salinity tolerance. Related to specific conductance.  Physical & Chemical Parameters Chlorophyll-a (μg/ L) Salinity (ppt) 0 10 20 0 10 20 30 40 0 0 2 2 4 4 6 6 8 8 Salinity 10 10 12 12 14 14 0 10 20 0 10 20 30 40 0 0 2 2 4 4 6 6 8 8 10 10 12 12  Nutrients Phosphorous Present in natural waters primarily as phosphates, which can be separated into inorganic and organic phosphates. Sources: a) Natural weathering of minerals b) Biological decomposition c) Runoff from human activities Effects: a) Inorganic phosphorous (PO4 3-) is biologically available to primary producers for production and is an important nutrient limiting maximum biomass of primary producers. Phosphorous Nutrients  Nutrients Nitrogen Occurs in water in a variety of inorganic and organic forms and the concentration of each form is primarily mediated by biological activity. Sources: a) Animal manure b) Biological decomposition c) Runoff from human activities Effects: a) Phosphorus and nitrogen are considered to be the primary drivers of eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems, where increased nutrient concentrations lead to increased primary productivity.  Nutrients Nitrogen fixation, performed by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and certain bacteria, converts dissolved molecular N2 to ammonium (NH4+). Aerobic bacteria convert NH4 + to nitrate Nitrogen (NO3-) and nitrite (NO2-) through nitrification, and anaerobic and facultative bacteria convert NO 3 and NO2 to N2 gas through denitrification. Primary producers assimilate inorganic N as NH4+ and NO3-, and organic N is returned to the inorganic nutrient pool through bacterial decomposition and excretion of NH4+ and amino acids by living organisms.  Nutrients Silica Silicon dioxide (siO2) is a key micronutrient in diatom production, a very common algal group, and is taken up during the early growing season. The declines in silica in the surface waters usually lead to a rapid decline in diatom populations. Sources: a) Natural weathering of minerals b) Anthropogenic discharges Effects: a) Silica concentrations can limit diatom production if concentrations become depleted in surface waters.  Nutrients Silica  Organic Matter Matter that is once part of a living organism and that can decompose. It is important in the recycling of nutrients, carbon and energy between producers and consumers and back again in aquatic ecosystems. The decomposition of organic matter by bacteria and fungi, inefficient grazing by zooplankton, and waste excretion by aquatic animals, release stored energy, carbon, and nutrients, thereby making these newly available to primary producers and bacteria for metabolism. Sources: a) Aquatic life parts and forms b) Point and non-point effluent discharges Effects: a) Important for nutrient recycling b) Affects the biological availability of elements and minerals c) Affects light penetration for primary production  BOD and COD Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) are two common measures of water quality that reflect the degree of organic matter pollution of a water body. BOD is a measure of the amount of oxygen removed from aquatic environments by aerobic micro-organisms for their metabolic requirements during the breakdown of organic matter, and systems with high BOD tend to have low dissolved oxygen concentrations. COD is a measure of the oxygen equivalent of the organic matter in a water sample that is susceptible to oxidation by a strong chemical oxidant.  Biological Components They play a vital role in regulating biogeochemical fluxes in the surrounding aquatic environment. Microbes Composed of bacteria, viruses, protists and fungi. Mainly characterized by their high absolute population sizes, short generation times and high dispersal capabilities. Microbial contamination of surface and groundwater is probably the most important water quality issue, where access to safe, clean water is often limited. Pathogenic organisms of bacteria, protozoa, parasitic worms, fungi and viruses are often monitored using indicators such as E.Coli. Biological Components Algae and aquatic vascular plants They make-up the primary producers of aquatic ecosystems. Algae are unicellular organisms (phytoplankton), while vascular plants are multi- cellular and are usually rooted to a substrate. Their presence or dominance is controlled by the availability of nutrients of nitrogen and phosphorus, and light. Zooplankton and benthic macro-invertebrates Aquatic invertebrates are consumers that feed, primarily, on bacteria, algae, and detrital matter that is both produced within and enters from the surrounding catchment. Organic Contaminants Organic contaminants are primarily human-produced chemicals that enter natural environments through pesticide use, industrial chemicals, and as by-products of degradation of other chemicals. PCBs and oil and grease are some. If they persist in the environment and become widely distributed geographically, they can bio-accumulate through the food web, and pose the risk of causing severe adverse effects to human health and the environment.  Metals Metals Metals occur naturally and become integrated into aquatic organisms through food and water. Trace metals such as mercury, copper, selenium, and zinc are essential metabolic components in low concentrations. Sources: a) Underlying geology b) Anthropogenic discharges (mining and industry) Effects: a) Hazard to health in prolonged exposure or heightened exposure depending on the metallic element Metals Metals tend to bio-accumulate in tissues and prolonged exposure or exposure at higher concentrations can lead to illness. Metals are strongly associated with sediments and their release is largely a function of pH, oxidation-reduction state and organic matter content. Effects of Water Pollution Effects on human health – spread of disease-causing bacteria and viruses which may cause gastro-enteritis, diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, and SARS. P3 billion annually. Effects on aquatic ecosystem – depletion of oxygen leads to death of aquatic life; eutrophication; paralytic shellfish poisoning occurs during the “red tide” phenomenon when there are toxic phytoplankton blooms. P20 billion annually. Effects on aesthetics – unsightly, sources of foul odors and gases. P50 billion per occurrence.  WATER POLLUTANTS SOURCES ❑ Point Source Pollution Point sources release pollutants from discrete conveyances, such as a discharge pipe, and are regulated by state agencies. The main point source dischargers are factories and sewage treatment plants, which release treated wastewater.  Point Sources of Water Pollution Agricultural Feedlots: Organics, Solids, Nutrients, Microorganisms Power plants Municipalities Heated water Industries Domestic and industrial waste Water Microorganisms Color and foam Nitrogen, Phosphorus Organics, chemicals, color and foam, salts, toxins, heated water WATER POLLUTANTS SOURCES ❑ Nonpoint Source Pollution Nonpoint source pollution is a combination of pollutants from a large area rather than from specific identifiable sources such as discharge pipes. Runoff is generally associated with nonpoint source pollution, as water is emptied into streams or rivers after accumulating contaminants from sources like gardens, parking lots or construction sites.  Pollution Loading Pollution loading refers to the amount of pollutants entering a water body over a specific period. It is a critical concept in water quality management, as it helps determine the impact of various pollution sources on aquatic ecosystems; Assimilative Capacity - refers to the amount of contaminant load that can be discharged to a specific water body without exceeding the water quality guidelines;  Pollution Load Total pollution load refers to the summation of the pollution load from all point and non-point sources, including natural resources; Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) is the calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant allowed to enter a waterbody so that the waterbody will meet and continue to meet water quality standards for that particular pollutant. A TMDL determines a pollutant reduction target and allocates load reductions necessary to the source(s) of the pollutant. Pollution Load Calculating Pollution Load from Different Sources: a. Household Domestic b. Industry/Commercial c. Surface Runoff d. Solid Waste e. Backyard Livestock and Poultry f. Fisheries Pollution Load Calculating Pollution Load from Different Sources: a. Household Domestic b. Industry/Commercial c. Surface Runoff d. Solid Waste e. Backyard Livestock and Poultry f. Fisheries Household Domestic Generated/Produced waste load HDWL=No. of person x SF x PUL Household Domestic Generated/Produced waste load HDPL=HWL x TE (1-%) Pollution Load Calculating Pollution Load from Different Sources: a. Household Domestic b. Industry/Commercial c. Surface Runoff d. Solid Waste e. Backyard Livestock and Poultry f. Fisheries Industry/Commercial ICWL = WwD x PC Industry/Commercial ICPL = IWL x WwTFE Pollution Load Calculating Pollution Load from Different Sources: a. Household Domestic b. Industry/Commercial c. Surface Runoff d. Solid Waste e. Backyard Livestock and Poultry f. Fisheries Surface Runoff Q = 0.0028 CiA Surface Runoff Selected runoff coefficients Surface Runoff Pollution Load Calculating Pollution Load from Different Sources: a. Household Domestic b. Industry/Commercial c. Surface Runoff d. Solid Waste e. Backyard Livestock and Poultry f. Fisheries Solid Waste Pollution Load Calculating Pollution Load from Different Sources: a. Household Domestic b. Industry/Commercial c. Surface Runoff d. Solid Waste e. Backyard Livestock and Poultry f. Fisheries Backyard Livestock and Poultry Backyard Livestock and Poultry Backyard Livestock and Poultry Pollution Load Calculating Pollution Load from Different Sources: a. Household Domestic b. Industry/Commercial c. Surface Runoff d. Solid Waste e. Backyard Livestock and Poultry f. Fisheries Fisheries Total Pollution Load Computation Example for Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): TPLBOD = HDPLBOD + ICPLBOD + SROPLBOD + SWBOD + BLPPLBOD + FBOD Computed Assimilative Capacity, kg/day CAC = Qt x Ca x Cf Computed Assimilative Capacity, kg/day