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SCIENCE FOLIO

NAME : NOR SYAZWANI BT


ZULKEFLI

NO I/C: 940621-07-5348

CLASS: 2 IKRAM

TITLE : THE EFFECTS OF WATER


POLLUTIONS ON LIVING
THINGS
CONTENTS
NO CONTENT PAGE

1 TITLE

2 INTRODUCTION

3 OBJECTIVE

4 WATER POLLUTION

5 ADDITIONAL FORMS OF WATER POLLUTION

6 CAUSES OF WATER POLLUTION

7 EFFECTS OF WATER POLLUTION

8 WAYS TO CONTROL WATER POLLUTION

9 WAYS TO CONSERVE AND PRESERVE WATER


QUALITY

10 CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
Comprising over 70% of the Earth’s surface, water is undoubtedly the most precious
natural resource that exists on our planet. Without the seemingly invaluable compound
comprised of hydrogen and oxygen, life on Earth would be non-existent: it is essential for
everything on our planet to grow and prosper. Although we as humans recognize this
fact, we disregard it by polluting our rivers, lakes, and oceans. Subsequently, we are
slowly but surely harming our planet to the point where organisms
are dying at a very alarming rate. In addition to innocent organisms dying off, our
drinking water has become greatly affected as is our ability to use water for recreational
purposes. In order to combat water pollution, we must understand the problems and
become part of the solution.
OBJECTIVE
• To learn more about the effect of the water pollution

• To discuss about ways to conserve and preserve water quality

• To be able to explain the effects of water pollution on living things

• To be able to explain ways to control water pollution

• Help take care of our precious commodity

• To be more responsible when using water

• Understanding the preservation of water quality


1. Water pollution occurs when unwanted and harmful substances pollute the water.
The substances are called water pollutants.
2. Water pollutants come from industrial waste, domestic waste, chemicals,
agricultural activities, mining activities, Siltation and oil spillage from tankers.
3. Industrial waste
(a) Factory waste includes inorganic solids and toxic chemicals. Examples of such
chemicals are alkalis, acids, mercury, lead, cyanide and radioactive substances.
(b) Factory waste is discharge into rivers and seas, polluting the water and poisoning
the aquatic life.
4. Domestic waste
(a) Domestic waste which is thrown into drains results in water pollution.
(b) Pollutants from homes include garbage, untreated sewage and detergents
(c) Non-biodegradable detergents, plastic bags and styrofoam articles which cannot
be broken down into harmless substances can pollute water for many years.
They are harmful to plants and small animals.
(d) Sewage is waste matter that is dissolved or suspended in water. It has a high
content of human excreta and urine.
(e) Domestic rubbish includes left over food and wastes such as paper, plastic, glass
and metal.
5. Agricultural waste
(a) In agriculture, the use of chemicals fertilisers, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides
and fungicides can pollute the water.
(b) These substances leach into the ground and enter the water sources in the soil
which later flows into rivers, ponds and lakes.
6. Siltation
(a) When forests are cut down and construction activities are carried out, the mud
and silt flow into rivers lakes.
7. Oil spills
(a) Oil spills occur when oil tankers are involved in accidents with other ship at sea.
(b) The seas are also polluted with oil that comes from illegal cleaning of oil
tankers while at the sea.
(c) The layer of oil that forms on the surface of the sea does not dissolved in water.
The oil spreads quickly and soon forms a large area on the surface of sea. This
layer of oil kills animals in the sea and ruins beaches when it turns the shore
black and sticky.
ADDITIONAL FORMS OF WATER
POLLUTION

Three last forms of water pollution exist in the forms of petroleum,


radioactive substances, and heat. Petroleum often pollutes water
bodies in the form of oil, resulting from oil spills. The previously
mentioned Exxon Valdez is an example of this type of water pollution.
These large-scale accidental discharges of petroleum are an important
cause of pollution along shore lines. Besides the supertankers, off-
shore drilling operations contribute a large share of pollution. One
estimate is that one ton of oil is spilled for every million tons of oil
transported. This is equal to about 0.0001 percent. Radioactive
substances are produced in the form of waste from nuclear power
plants, and from the industrial, medical, and scientific use of
radioactive materials. Specific forms of waste are uranium and
thorium mining and refining. The last form of water pollution is heat.
Heat is a pollutant because increased temperatures result in the
deaths of many aquatic organisms. These decreases in temperatures
are caused when a discharge of cooling water by factories
Many causes of pollution including sewage and fertilizers contain
nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates. In excess levels, nutrients
over stimulate the growth of aquatic plants and algae. Excessive
growth of these types of organisms consequently clogs our waterways,
use up dissolved oxygen as they decompose, and block light to deeper
waters.
This, in turn, proves very harmful to aquatic organisms as it affects the
respiration ability or fish and other invertebrates that reside in water.
Pollution is also caused when silt and other suspended solids, such
as soil, wash off plowed fields, construction and logging sites, urban
areas, and eroded river banks when it rains. Under natural conditions,
lakes, rivers, and other water bodies undergo Eutrophication, an aging
process that slowly fills in the water body with sediment and organic
matter. When these sediments enter various bodies of water, fish
respiration becomes impaired, plant productivity and water depth
become reduced, and aquatic organisms and their environments
become suffocated. Pollution in the form of organic
material enters waterways in many different forms as sewage, as
leaves and grass clippings, or as runoff from livestock feedlots and
pastures. When natural bacteria and protozoan in the water break
down this organic material, they begin to use up the oxygen dissolved
in the water. Many types of fish and bottom-dwelling animals cannot
survive when levels of dissolved oxygen drop below two to five parts
per million. When this occurs, it kills aquatic organisms in large
numbers which leads to disruptions in the food chain.
1. By-products, toxic substances and radioactive substances from factories:
(a) Radioactive waste substances can cause cancer.
(b) Mercury, lead and heavy metals from the water will accumulate in the tissues
and organs of animals through the food chain.
(c) These harmful metals may end up being consumed by humans when they eat
these animals.

2. Domestic waste
(a) People who drink water that has been polluted by domestic waste can be
infected with diseases such as cholera, dysentery and typhoid.
(b) This polluted water can also cause skin diseases if it is used for washing clothes
and bathing.
(c) As bacteria and algae grow in polluted water, they use up oxygen. The
decaying organic substances also reduce the dissolved oxygen supply in the
water. As a result, many aquatic living things will die. The decaying matter will
emit a bad smell.

3. Chemicals substances from the agricultural sector:


(a) Fertilisers that flow into rivers will cause algae to grow fast. Their growth
prevents sunlight from reaching the plants in the water.
(b) The aquatic plants die. The river ecosystem will be affected. Many aquatic
animals will also die as a result of lack of oxygen in the water.
(d) most pesticides, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides are not easily broken
down. These toxic substances leach into the soil. From the soil they are
transferred through the food chain to animals and humans.

4. Siltation
(a) Mud pollutes rivers and lakes.
(b) Mud prevents sunlight from entering the water. As a result, plants cannot carry
out photosynthesis and die.

5. Oil spills
(a) The layer of oil that forms on the surface of the sea prevents sunlight and air
from entering the water. The plants and animals in the water will die.
(b) Seabirds fish and other aquatic organisms are killed because the oil is toxic.
(c) Polluted beaches endanger the organisms which live along the beach areas.
(d) Fishermen depend on the sea for their livelihood. So they suffer economic
hardship.

1. Water pollution is a serious and complex problem in Malaysia.


2. several approaches can be used to control water pollution:
(a) Holding campaigns to prevent water pollution. These campaigns educate the
public on the dangers of water pollution and suggest ways to prevent water
pollution.
(b) Implementing laws under the Environmental Quality Act (Scheduled Wastes)
1989 on the disposal of chemical wastes, rubbish, carcasses and excreta into
rivers and seas.
(c) Rubbish should be placed in closed rubbish bin and disposed of in the
designated dumps. They should not be thrown into drains, river or seas.
(d) The use of fertilisers, fungicides and pesticides must be controlled to reduce
water pollution. Safer alternative methods such as biological control can be
used in the agricultural sector.
(e) Recycling paper, plastic, glass and metals prevents these materials from
ending up in drains and rivers.
(f) Waste products from factories have to be treated. This is to make sure that
they are not harmful before they are disposed of into the public sewage
system.
(g) The authorities should implement a system of detecting oil spills in the Straits
of Malacca or the South China Sea. This system will surely ensure that oil
spills are detected immediately. Quick action can be taken to prevent the
worsening. Offenders can be prosecuted under the law.
(h) The main steps to water pollution control are prevention, monitoring and
enforcement.
1. Industries have policies and the technology to achieve their business objectives.
At the same time, these policies should also preserve the quality of water.
2. A factory that has caused water pollution must be responsible for its actions. It
must pay compensation for the damages brought about by its activities.
3. Projects such as building hotels and rest house along beach areas to attract tourists
may cause pollution of the seas and beaches. Therefore, a carefully planned
construction strategy should be followed.
4. Cleaning agents that are used in homes are mostly petrochemical-based. These
cleaning agents contain substances that can pollute the rivers and lakes. Today,
cleaning agents without petrochemicals are available. The public should be
encouraged to use these new cleaning agents.
5. In the agricultural sector, steps should be taken to reduce the use of pesticides,
fungicides and fertilisers. These chemicals pollute the water.
6. To control pests, biological control methods can be used. For example, owls can
be used to control rats which eat the oil palm fruit.
7. In the education sector, environmental education should be incorporated into the
school curriculum. This will make students aware of the water pollution problem.
Students will know the effects and consequences of water pollution. They will
learn about ways to control this problem.
8. Educational programmes for the community should be carried out. This increases
the public awareness of conserving water, reducing dangerous wastes and
recycling to preserve water quality.
9. As part of the efforts to preserve water quality, recycling should be carried out.
Wastes which can be recycled include old newspapers, glass, aluminium cans, old
tyres and plastic.
10. We should make an effort to conserve and preserve water quality. The first step
must come from us. We are the ones who determine the water quality in our
country.
Clearly, the problems associated with water pollution have the
capabilities to disrupt life on our planet to a great extent. Congress has
passed laws to try to combat water pollution thus acknowledging the
fact that water pollution is, indeed, a serious issue. But the
government alone cannot solve the entire problem. It is ultimately up
to us, to be informed, responsible and involved when it comes to the
problems we face with our water. We must become familiar with our
local water resources and learn about ways for disposing harmful
household wastes so they don’t end up in sewage treatment plants
that can’t handle them or landfills not designed to receive hazardous
materials. In our yards, we must determine whether additional
nutrients are needed before fertilizers are applied, and look for
alternatives where fertilizers might run off into surface waters. We
have to preserve existing trees and plant new trees and shrubs to help
prevent soil erosion and promote infiltration of water into the soil.
Around our houses, we must keep litter, pet waste, leaves, and grass
clippings out of gutters and storm drains. These are
just a few of the many ways in which we, as humans, have the ability
to combat water pollution. As we head into the 21st century,
awareness and education will most assuredly continue to be the two
most important ways to prevent water pollution. If these measures are
not taken and water pollution continues, life on earth will suffer
severely.
Global environmental collapse is not inevitable. But the developed
world must work with the developing world to ensure that new
industrialized economies do not add to the world's environmental
problems. Politicians must think of sustainable development rather
than economic expansion. Conservation strategies have to become
more widely accepted, and people must learn that energy use can be
dramatically diminished without sacrificing comfort. In short, with the
technology that currently
exists, the years of global environmental mistreatment can begin to be
reversed.
We can conclude that:

Types of Pollutants Source Harmful effects on living things


pollutants
Industrial Toxic chemicals Factories that use Causes poisoning such as mercury
waste chemicals poisoning in animals and plants.
Radioactive Nuclear power Harms animals and plants that have been
residues plants exposed to the radioactive rays.
Domestic Garbage or litter Household • chokes fish, birds and other
waste marine which eat the garbage
• blocks sunlight and prevents
aquatic plants from making food
Untreated sewage Households • causes diseases such as cholera
without proper and typhoid
sewage facilities • Reduces dissolved oxygen in
water as bacteria use up the
dissolved oxygen to break down
sewage.
• Promotes growth of algae which
in turn blocks sunlight from
reaching other water plants
• Kill marine life when the
dissolved oxygen and food in
water are reduced
Agricultural waste Excessive Farms, gardens, • Reduces the amount of dissolved
fertiliser estates oxygen in water as bacteria use
up the oxygen to break down the
fertilizers.
• Promotes growth of algae which
in turn blocks sunlight from
reaching other water plants
• Kill marine life when the
dissolved oxygen and food in
water are reduced
Pesticides Farms, gardens, • Kills other living things besides
estates pests
• Harms animals and human when
they eat plants which contain
toxic pesticides
Waste from Mud, silt, sand Deforested areas, • blocks sunlight from reaching
silting and other solids construction sites water plants which will die when
in the soil they cannot make their own food
• slows down or blocks the flow of
water

Accidental Oil Oil tankers, sea • Poisons and kill birds, animals and
spillage and vessels, boat other marine life that swallow the
leakage from repair yards, oil oil.
oil tankers refineries • Damages the feathers of birds and in
turn prevents bird from flying to
search for food.

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