WATER POLLUTION AND

WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS

Tayyab Ashfaq Institute of environmental engineering & Research(IEER) UET Lahore

WHAT IS WATER POLLUTION?

Any chemical, biological, or physical change in water quality that has a harmful effect on living organisms or makes water unsuitable for desired usage.

WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION?

Point Sources
y

Can be traced back to one particular origin

Industrial Plants (Power, Chemical, Waste Treatment) Drain pipes, Sewer Lines, Underground Mines

Nonpoint Sources
y

Tend to be widespread with many regions contributing to the water pollution.

Agricultural Runoff Stormwater Runoff (Roads and Parking

POINT SOURCE OF POLLUTED WATER

NONPOINT SOURCES

Buffer Zones Near Streams

POLLUTION OF LAKES
Eutrophication

Fig. 22-7 p. 499

EUTROPHICATION OF LAKES
Eutrophication: nutrient enrichment of lakes mostly from runoff of plant nutrients (nitrates and phosphates)
During

hot dry weather can lead to algae blooms Decrease of photosynthesis Dying algae then drops DO levels Fish kills, bad odor

EUTROPHICATION IN LAKES
Solutions: Advanced sewage treatment (N, P) Household detergents Soil conservation Remove excess weed build up Pump in oxygen or freshwater

Water Quality
Good Slightly polluted Moderately polluted Heavily polluted Gravely polluted

DO (ppm) at 20C
89

6.78

4.56.7

44.5

Below 4

SOLUTIONS: PREVENTING AND REDUCING SURFACE WATER POLLUTION

Nonpoint Sources Point Sources

 

Reduce runoff  Buffer zone vegetation  Water Quality Act Clean Water Act

Reduce soil erosion

 Only apply pesticides and fertilizers as needed

DICHLORO DIPHENYL TRICHLOROETHANE

Very hydrophobic molecule which acts by interfering with ion transport systems in neuronal cell membrane Inhibits neurotransmission kills animals at certain dose DDT (introduced in 1950s) is not species specific in its effects DDT and related insecticides, endrin, dieldrin and aldrin are called ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES DDT revolutionised farming practices DDT was developed by Swiss entomologist Paul Mller Nobel Prize in 1948! Banned in the mid-1960s in most developed countries

MERCURY POISONING (MINAMATA BAY-1960)

POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL & PBB

Biomagnificati ons of PCBs in an aquatic food chain from the Great Lakes.

Category Causes health problems Infectious agents Organic chemicals Inorganic chemicals

Example

Sources

Bacteria, virus, worms Pesticide, plastic, detergents, oils Acids, caustic salts, metals

Human, animal waste Industrial household farm use Industrial effluent, household cleaners, runoff

Cause ecosystem disruption Sediments Plant nutrients Oxygen demanding wastes Thermal Soil, silt NO3,PO4,NH4 Animal human faeces, plant residues Heat Land erosion Agriculture fertilizers, sewage, sludge Sewage, agriculture runoff, paper mill industrial waste Power plant, cooling water

WATER POLLUTION CONTROL MEASURES

Pollution prevention approaches -Cleaner technologies diverse range of products, services, and processes that harness renewable materials and energy sources, dramatically reduce the use of natural resources, and cut or eliminate emissions and wastes Good housekeeping-Water conservation Oil grease traps Reuse/recover materials (Cr recovery, sewage irrigation) Natural fertilizers Less pesticide(IPM)

WATER POLLUTION CONTROL

Treat wastewater physical ,chemical, biological treatments Pollution control legislation

Pakistan environmental quality act(1997) y National environmental quality standards(NEQS) y Pollution charges
y

Enhance public awareness

CLEANER TECHNOLOGIES IN TANNING

INDUSTRY Hide chilling to avoid salt in the effluent . Hair recovery processes to reduce BOD/COD of the effluent Enzyme-assisted unhairing to reduce sulphide CO2 deliming to reduce ammonia in the effluent Better uptake/exhaustion of chrome or chrome recovery/recycling to reduce chrome in the effluent Alternative mineral tanning agents to avoid chrome in the effluent or solid wastes

WATER QUALITY
Quality :degree of excellence,a measure of fitness of use Drinking water quality: degree of cleanliness and wholesomeness of water Physical Chemical bacteriological

WHAT IS WATER POLLUTION?

WHO: 3.4 million premature deaths each year from waterborne diseases 1.9 million from diarrhea