1
Q
State of matter def
A
Whether a material is a solid, liquid or gas
2
Q
Density def
A
The degree of compactness of a substance
3
Q
Energy form def
A
Pollutants that are also forms of energy including noise, heat, light and ionising radiation
4
Q
Persistence def
A
Length of time a pollutant remains in the environment before breaking down
5
Q
Toxicity def
A
Measure of how poisonous a substance is to living organisms
6
Q
Reactivity def
A
Likelihood of undergoing a chemical reaction
7
Q
Adsorption def
A
Pollutants attaching to the surface of materials such as soil particles
8
Q
Solubility def
A
Ability to be dissolved in liquids
9
Q
Bioaccumulation def
A
Amount of a substance within an organism increasing
10
Q
Biomagnification def
A
Amount of a substance becoming more concentrated along a food chain
11
Q
Synergism def
A
Two or more pollutants interacting to create a different effect, usually more serious
12
Q
Mutagenic action def
A
Causes changes in the chemical structure of DNA
13
Q
Carcinogenic action def
A
Mutagens that cause cancer
14
Q
What is smoke?
A
particulate produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon based materials
15
Q
What happens to smaller particles in smoke?
A
They stay in the atmosphere longer so are more likely to be inhaled
16
Q
What can smoke do?
A
Disperse over a large area quickly due to winds
17
Q
Smoke particles are measured in PM10, PM5, PM1. What does this mean?
A
PM10 less than 10 microns in diameter
PM5 less than 5 microns in diameter
PM1 less than 1 micron in diameter
18
Q
If EM radiation reacts with smoke and smog what could happen?
A
form secondary pollutants
19
Q
Provide two sources of smoke
A
combustion of coal, diesel
combustion of crop waste
20
Q
List 5 effects of smoke?
A
Humans -> respiratory problems eg. lung cancer
Organisms photosynthesise less
Smoke can damage buildings due to acid
Climate -> large releases of smoke increases albedo and reduces temperature
Ozone -> can deplete ozone because particles remain in the atmosphere where there is no rain to was them out
21
Q
What is smoke smog?
A
when smoke and fog are present together
22
Q
What is fog?
A
when moist air is cooled and reduces its dew point
23
Q
Fog is more likely with temperature inversion. What is a temperature inversion?
A
temperature increases with height
24
Q
List everything about London smog 1952?
A
slight valley in London
there were 5 days where anticyclonic weather produced clear skies + low wind
-> so a temperature inversion formed
this lead to more pollution and the smog was responsible for 12,000 deaths
25
List what the clean air act 1956 restricts?
restricts the use of fuels that produce smoke in large urban areas
26
How did they change domestic sources to reduce smoke and smog?
Increased use of fuels that do not produce smoke eg. gas and electricity
27
How did they change transport sources to reduce smoke released?
Diesel particulate filters fitted into exhaust pipes -> traps 80% of smoke particles
28
What did they introduce in industry to try and reduce smoke?
Electrostatic precipitators
29
Explain the process of electrostatic precipitators?
gases passed through a chamber with many electrically charged wires
smokes particles are attracted to charges and begin to collect together
they then fall off on the floor as "fly ash"
30
What are cyclone separators?
works in similar way to vacuum cleaners. Gases are cleaned before gas is released
31
What are scrubbers?
Use of a fine water spray to wash particulates out and dissolve gaseous pollutants
32
How does coal treatment reduce smoke?
heating coal to remove tar, producing smokeless coal
33
How do bag filters help reduce smoke?
trap particles on a fabric filter
34
How does more efficient combustion help reduce smoke and what is the process?
supplying more oxygen to combustion to ensure no incomplete combustion
diesel engines produce too much smoke when the driver accelerates too quickly
too much fuel enters engine for oxygen present. Turbo chargers provide more air increasing efficiency.
35
List a few things that can cause oil pollution?
Engine oil being leaked/deliberately discarded into environment
Industrial machine oil washed into drains
Accidental spillages eg. oil rigs
Oil exploration drilling - drill pipes leak
36
List some effects of oil pollution?
Coat's bird feathers can cause them to stick together - leading to drowning or dying of hypothermia
Affect smell of marine animals
Toxic components affect planktonic organisms towards the surface of the ocean
37
What 3 controls can oil control be split into?
oil tanker operation
oil tanker design
treatment of spills
38
Oil tankers can release oil. How does recycling of waste lubrication oil help reduce the likelihood?
by removing contaminants and distilling the oil in order to use it again
39
How do better shipping routes reduce likelihood of spillages?
staying further away from the shore to give more time to deal with mechanical difficulties before the oil washes ashore
40
How do better navigation systems improve oil tanker operation?
More up to date GPS prevents collisions
41
How do inert gas systems help improve oil tanker operation?
tanks are filled with cooled exhaust gases with no oxygens so explosions are not possible
42
How do tank washing procedures help improve oil tanker operation?
If left, tar sludge builds up in the bottom of tanks. -> To prevent this from having to be washed out into the ocean, mixing is encouraged during unloading so the sludge is removed too
43
How does oily waste water disposal improve oil tanker operation?
any water that has mixed with oil can be removed at oil terminals -> liquids can be separated, oil is used and the treated water discharged
44
How do double hulls improve oil tanker design?
during previous oil spills there was only one layer between the oil and ocean -> tankers now have 2 with a gap of 2m in between
45
How do having duplicates of essential equipment such as engines improve oil tanker design?
ships do not collide or hit rocks during mechanical failure
46
How does separating oil and ballast tanks improve oil tanker design?
After unloading oil, tanks are filled with ballast water to keep the ship stable and properly submerged
Oil and ballast water are separate → prevents oil contamination
47
How do bund walls improve oil tanker design?
helps contain oil if the tank splits
48
How do oil interceptors help treat oil spills?
Separate oil from drainage water eg. in roads or car parks so oil can be used for future use
49
How do booms help treat oil spills?
Inflatable tubes that restrict the movement of floating oil
they also have a skirt which stops underwater flow of oil if there is a current
cannot be used in open water, only sheltered areas
50
How do skimmers help treat oil spills?
rotating metal disks that pick up oil
they can be scraped off and the oil stores for later disposal
51
How do absorbent materials help treat oil spills?
High surface area materials like textiles can be used to soak up oil
Oil can then be removed and disposed
52
How do detergents help treat oil spills?
Break up the soil to produce an emulsion of droplets in water
can be spread by aircraft or on shore -> ALLOWS THE OIL TO DISPERSE BUT DOES NOT REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF POLLUTION
53
How do polymerising agents help treat oil spills?
chemicals that cause the oil molecules to join together -> produces solids that can be collected easily
54
How does steam washing help treat oil spills?
using sprays of steam and hot water to remove oil from sensitive habitats -> DOES NOT DESTROY OIL AND CAN KILL ORGANISMS IN THE BEACH SEDIMENT
55
How does bioremediation help treat oil spills?
some bacteria break down hydrocarbons
rate of action depends on environmental conditions and happens quickly where temperatures, nutrient and oxygen levels are high. Can be accelerated by ploughing and irrigation
56
What are photochemical smogs?
haze in the atmosphere accompanied by high levels of ozone and nitrogen oxides - caused by the action of sunlight on pollutants
57
What is a common misconception about photochemical smogs?
they involve smoke and fog which THEY DO NOT
They involve urban pollution and temperature inversions
58
List sources of primary pollutants?
NOx from petrol and diesel engines. This can be split into O, forming tropospheric ozone
Unburnt hydrocarbons from engine exhausts, fuel evaporating from tanks, solvents and spillages
59
Effects of primary pollutants?
Increase the risks of respiratory infections
PANs become more toxic at lower concentrations compared to NOx
Tropospheric ozone is toxic -> contributed to PANS
60
Why are some cities more prone to photochemical smogs?
due to topography, heavy vehicle use and climate
eg. Los Angeles
61
Catalytic converters help control photochemical smogs. How do catalytic converters reduce NOx?
Re-form the original oxygen and nitrogen gases -> they are fitted into exhaust systems of petrol/diesel engines
62
List a few non living things that acid rain effects?
corrodes metals
water pipes
63
Explain direct impacts on living organisms as a result of acid rain?
denatures proteins in cell membranes and can inhibit enzymes
tissues with living cells exposed are more likely to be damaged eg. leaf stomata, germinating seeds, fish eggs and fish gills
Invertebrates with exoskeletons may die as the acid dissolves the calcium compounds
Breathing difficulties + frequency of asthma attacks
64
Explain indirect impacts on living organisms as a result of acid rain?
Metal ions become more soluble at low pH. Acid rain can percolate through the soil and leach metal ions from inside
Magnesium and Calcium ions are usually lost first
Once these are gone, ions that would normally be immobile are
mobilised. These include toxic ions like aluminium and lead
may be leached into rivers and lakes -> impact on human health as lead is a neurotoxin
65
List and explain three other factors that affects the severity of acid rain?
high soil lime content neutralises acids
fog may prolong the contact if acid rain
areas with snow -> may accumulated acid snow, if this melts quickly then pH of meltwater will be very low (acidic)
66
Explain how you can remove sulphur compounds from fuels?
natural gas can be removed after extraction by dissolving it in an amine solution or reacting with iron particles
crude oil - removed during distillation by using molybdenum catalysts
Coal - can be removed by washing and streaming (coal crushed and then put into a steam of water) -> this washes the coal along
67
Dry flue-gas desulphurisation can remove sulphur compounds from flue gases. Explain the process?
Flue gases (from burning fossil fuels) pass through CRUSHED CALCIUM CARBONATE (CaCO₃)
Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) reacts with CaCO₃ → forms solid calcium sulfite or sulfate
Solid can be removed, leaving cleaner gas
68
Wet flue-gas desulphurisation can remove sulphur compounds from flue gases. Explain the process?
gases are bubbled through a sodium sulphite solution
69
List 3 way to reduce NOx produced?
catalytic converters
low temperature combustion
urea sprays
70
List the 5 types of ionising radiation?
alpha
gamma
x rays
beta
neutrons
71
Wat does alpha radiation consist of?
2 protons and 2 neutrons
72
What does beta radiation consist of?
high energy electrons emitted when a neutron splits into a proton and an electron
73
What are the components of both gamma and x-ray radiation?
short wavelength
high frequency
electromagnetic radiation
74
Alpha is easily absorbed and travels short distances. What are the health risks?
outside of the body usually safe when absorbed by dead skin and clothing
Inside the body: very dangerous as particles are all absorbed in a small mass of tissue
75
What is the risk of beta particles? Bare in mind beta particles travel medium distances and are moderately absorbed?
Moderately dangerous near human body
76
Gamma and X rays travel long distances and are not easily absorbed. What health risks do they pose?
Lower danger but still dangerous as they travel long distance
77
neutrons are moderately absorbed and travel medium distances. How dangerous are they?
very dangerous
pose risk even after they have been absorbed
78
Exposure definition?
absorption of ionising radiation. The person must be close enough to the source for radiation to reach them
79
Contamination definition?
physically carrying radioactive materials that may cause exposure
If someone is contaminated, then exposure will continue for as long as they carry the source on or in them
80
Nuclear fission and fusion use ionising radiation. What is nuclear fission and fusion used for?
electricity production
nuclear weapons
ship propulsion
81
How do healthcare use ionising radiation?
sterilising heat sensitive surgical equipment
x ray and CT scans
82
List 3 effects of ionising radiation?
gonadic effects
somatic effects
cell nucleus damage
83
What does ionising radiation do to cell nucleus?
change to DNA -> skin and gut cells more easily affected as their cells are more active
84
What are somatic effects of radiation?
damage to body cells and organs
85
What are gonadic effects of radiation?
damage to cells in ovaries or testes
86
3 control methods of ionising radiation?
risk: benefit analysis
ALARA
BATNEEC
87
What is risk: benefit analysis?
comparing the risks with benefits to decide which outweighs the other
88
What is ALARA?
managing situations so that exposure is "as low as reasonably achievable"
89
What is BATNEEC?
Achieving low exposure through the "best available technology not entailing excessive cost"
90
List 3 ways behaviour can reduce risks of radiation?
closed sources - radioactive materials sealed inside a capsule or container
protective clothing
material to absorb radiation
91
How can workers monitor to ensure exposure is kept low?
personal dose meters
photographic film badges
92
What is the cause of thermal pollution?
steam turbine power stations use cold water from water body to condense steam
Coolant water is returned to the source at a higher temperature
93
List ecological effects of thermal pollution
dissolved oxygen concentrations, which can kill sensitive species
increased water temperatures lead to proteins and enzymes denaturing
94
List physiological changes as a result of thermal pollution?
increased metabolic rates
eggs hatching earlier
reduced resistance to disease
95
What can control thermal pollution?
cooling towers
96
How do cooling towers control thermal pollution?
Hot water is sprayed into the bottom of a tall tower
Cool air enters the tower and takes heat from the water
As the air warms up, it rises and leaves from the top of the tower
This upward movement pulls more cool air in, helping the water cool further
The cooled water can then be safely released back into the environment
97
How does specificity of pesticides cause pollution?
no pesticides are specific to only kill target species
harm to non-target species can be reduced by controlling the dose needed
98
How does mdaf cause pollution?
maximum dose always fatal - lowest dose needed to kill every member of population
can be used to estimate the dose needed to control pests
99
How does LD50 cause pollution?
dose that kills 50% of population
100
How does the MDNF pollution?
Maximum dose never fatal - highest dose that be used without killing any members of the population
Ideally, the pesticide dose would not exceed the MDNF of non-target species
101
Why is persistence a problem of pesticides that cause pollution?
persistent pesticides may remain in the environment long enough to disperse over larger areas and are more likely to bioaccumulate or bio magnify
102
What is bioaccumulation in relation to pesticide pollution?
liposoluble pesticides - dissolve into fats eg. within the human body
if organisms cannot excrete them, or break them down they accumulate in body
bioaccumulated
Over a long time, even small doses can produce toxic concentrations
103
What is biomagnification in relation to pesticide pollution?
Pesticides which have bioaccumulated in one type of organism may become more concentrated when they are eaten by predators
104
How does mobility cause pesticide pollution?
this is controlled by properties like persistence, solubility and ease of vapourisation
pollutants can be transported within organisms to new areas where they may be excreted
105
What are the direct effects on living organisms of pesticide pollution?
toxic harm to non-target species ; non-lethal doses may inhibit metabolic processes and cause ill health
106
What are indirect effects of pesticides on living organisms?
a reduction in the population of one species impacts interdependent species
eg.loss of food supply
107
How does restriction on use of pesticides work?
some pesticides have been banned, or use of them has been restricted when the benefits outweigh the potential problems
eg. DDT is banned in most countries but is still used sometimes to control malaria mosquitoes
108
How does using non-persistent pesticides help?
break down quickly so cannot become concentrated or travel long distances
109
What non pesticide techniques can be used to reduce pesticide pollution?
pest control technique
110
How does using more specific pesticides help with an example?
eg. pyrethroids and organochlorines are both toxic to insects but pyrethroids are less toxic to mammals so they are a less damaging choice
111
How does using systemic pesticides help reduce pesticide pollution?
these are absorbed by the plant so they do not have to be sprayed everywhere
112
How does application timing reduce pesticide pollution?
spraying on still days results in less drift onto surrounding habitats
spraying at night or when crops are not in flower will reduce the impact on bees
113
How have newer spraying technologies helped reduce pesticide pollution?
use smaller droplets, producing a more even coverage which reduces the amount of pesticide needed to cover all of the crop leaves
114
How is smoke released and what type of pollutant is it?
primary pollutant released by combustion of organic material
115
What is smog made from?
smoke and fog
116
What does a cyclone separator do? How do they reduce air pollution?
spin effluent gases quickly in a chamber which throws the smoke particles to the edges where they can be collected
117
What does a scrubber use and what does it remove?
uses water to remove smoke particles from effluent gases
118
What do PANs form?
photochemical smog
119
What causes photochemical smog and what are its main components?
Caused by: Sunlight + NOx + unburned hydrocarbons
Main components formed: Ozone (O₃) and PANs
120
Why are PANs bad?
respiratory harm
plant damage
persistent and mobile
121
How can activated carbon filters be used to prevent the formation of PANs?
unburnt hydrocarbons absorb to the filter
122
Provide an indirect impact of acid rain?
kills soil biota -> lowers fertility -> kills plants
123
What is the removal of sulphur from effluent gases after the fuel has been combusted called?
flue gas desulphurisation
124
What is flue-gas desulphurisation?
removing sulphur from effluent gases after the fuel has been combusted
125
Why is thermal pollution considered as low persistence?
Added heat does not stay in environment for a long time
126
What occurs in cooling towers?
heat is transferred from hot water to cold air which rises
127
Oil extraction can cause pollution. Which oil extraction technique uses the injection of carbon dioxide to increase the pressure in the oil well?
secondary oil recovery
128
How does a boom contain oil?
using a floating tube surrounding the oil
129
How do skimmers remove oil from the surface of water?
using a spinning disc
130
What do polymerising agents cause?
oil droplets to clump together and solidify so they can be removed easily from the water
131
What do detergents cause?
Oil droplets to separate so they disperse more readily
132
What is bioremediation?
environmentally friendly, cost effective, sustainable technology that uses microorganisms or plants to remove contaminants
133
What would make it bioremediation of an oil spill impossible to carry out?
Extreme pH
134
Example of the pesticide group organochlorines?
DDT
135
A pesticide kills pollinators leading to the death of plants. Wat type of impact is this?
indirect impact
136
Why do organic pollutants increase the water turbidity?
because they form tiny suspended particles which scatter light
137
Why do legumes reduce the reliance on inorganic fertilisers?
because they have root nodules with nitrogen fixing bacteria
138
Why are lipid soluble pollutants bad?
because they accumulate in animal fat instead of being excreted
they get more concentrated, bioaccumulated and can poison animals and humans
139
140
Two ways to remove sulphur compounds from flue gases?
Dry-flue gas desulphurisation
Wet-flue gas desulphurisation
141
Three ways to control acid rain?
Dry-flue gas desulphurisation
Wet-Flue gas desulphurisation
Removal of nitrogen oxides
142
The removal of nitrogen oxides helps control acid rain. How can you remove them?
Urea sprays - reacting NOx with urea removes it to form Nitrogen
Catalytic concertera
Low temperature combustion help
143
How are sulphur compounds removed in wet flue-gas desulphurisation?
Gases bubbled through a sodium solution
144
How are sulphur compounds removed in dry flue-gas desulphurisation?
Gases are passed through a bed of cruched calcium carbonate which reacts to produce calcium sulphur
145
sources of inorganic nutrient pollution
phosphates in sewage effluent and eroded soil particles
nitrates washed off farmland from manure and artificial fertilisers
146
One major effect of inorganic nutrient pollution
eutrophication
147
Other effects of inorganic nutrient pollution
very soluble so can make it into drinking water - reduce ability to carry oxygen especially in infants
148
Inorganic nutrient controls
reduce the use of nitrate fertilisers
not depositing of waste manure where it could leach into the ground/be washed into water
use legume crops rather than fertiliser to fix nitrates into the soil
not ploughing at times of heavy rain
adding iron sulphate to remove phophates from liquid effluents
dredging lakes and rivers that have phosphate rich sediments from past pollution
149
What are organic nutrients?
processes that involve animal and plant products and often produce effluents which contain organic nutrients like carbohydrates, lipids and proteins
150
List sources of organic nutrients
sewage works
manure disposal
silage storage
leather tanneries
paper mills
food processing plants
151
List effects of organic nutrient pollution?
deoxygenation
pathogens
152
What happens when organic nutrients decay?
they can release inorganic nutrients which causes eutrophication
153
3 methods of pre treatment for organic nutrient pollution
screens
grit traps
comminutors
154
How do screens work in treating organic nutrient pollution?
sieves used to trap floating items
treated by incineration or disposed of in landfill
155
How do grit traps work in treating organic nutrient pollution?
widening of channel causes effluent to slow, losing energy and depositing grit
grit is then removed and disposed of in landfill or sterilised and reused
156
How do comminutors work in treating organic nutrient pollution?
chop up suspended faecal solids, increasing exposed surface area and speeding up later processes
157
What is the primary treatment method for organic nutrient pollution?
primary sedimentation
158
How does primary sedimentation work?
effluent is left to stand in large tanks where faecal solids sink to the bottom so that they can be removed and treated separately
159
What is sludge treatment?
managing sludge removed from primary sedimentation tanks
160
How does sludge treatment work?
use anaerobic digestion which kills pathogens -> reduces odours
also produces methane which can be used as fuel
161
Methods of disposal of remainder of organic nutrient pollution?
landfill
dispersal in sea
incineration
agricultural use
162
List everything about alpha radiation
Very high Ionising power
Low penetration power
External exposure not dangerous but if enters body then can damage cells
163
List everything about gamma
Very high penetration so external exposure is dangerous
Low Ionising power -> damages internal organs
164
List everything about beta radiation
Medium penetration
Medium ionising power
Can damage internal tissues and cause cancer
165
List everything about neutron radiation
Free neutrons emitted during nuclear reactions eg.nuclear weapons
Very high penetration
166
List everything about X rays?
Produced by electron interaction
High penetration
Low ionising power but still capable of damaging DNA
167
What is Secondary treatment?
Digestion and breakdown of remaining organic matter in fluids
168
Three methods of secondary treatment for organic nutrient pollution?
Aeration tanks/oxidation ponds
Secondary sedimentation tanks
Trickling filter beds
169
How do Aeration tanks work for secondary pollutant?
Organic matter broken down by bacteria
Shortage of oxygen is limiting factor
This can be prevented by mixing large amounts or air in with paddle wheels or air stones
170
How do Secondary Sedimentation Tanks work during organic nutrient pollution?
After the aeration tank, water contains lots of suspended bacteria
In the secondary sedimentation tank, these bacteria settle out as sludge
This sludge is called activated sludge
Some sludge is returned to the aeration tank
This keeps a high number of microorganisms to break down more organic matter
”
171
What do we have after secondary treatment?
Clear effluent which is discharged into water but can still contain inorganic nutrients
172
What is tertiary treatment?
Removing phosphates and bacteria
173
Method of tertiary treatment for organic nutrient pollution?
Adding up solution of iron sulphate - this removes phosphate
The product created in this reaction is iron phosphate which can be used as an agricultural fertiliser
174
Explain the process of acid mine drainage
many igneous metal ores are sulphides
these react with oxygen un the air when in spoil heaps, producing metal oxides and oxides of sulphur
when dissolved in water, they make sulphuric acid
175
List effects of acid mine drainage
liquid may contain dissolved toxic metals if they were present in the mine waste -> health issues + environmental issues
other effects similar to acid rain
eg. denaturing cell membranes, inhibiting enzymes and dissolving exoskeletons of invertebrates
176
How to control acid rain?
pH of drainage water can be increased by passing it through crushed limestone to neutralise acids
this will also reduce the solubility of lots of the toxic metals
177
What can heavy metal pollution be affected by?
solubility
lipsolubility
synergism
178
Explain the relation between bioaccumulation and heavy metals?
most metals are higly liposoluble therefore they accrete in fatty tissues of living organisms
this can lead to increased concentrations in higher trophic levels
179
Explain the relation between synergism and heavy metals?
some heavy metals have significantly increased effects when working in conjunction with other pollutants
cadmium and zinc is an example of this
180
Explain the relation between mobility and heavy metals?
most heavy metals are soluble at low pH therefore can be mobilised effectively under acidic conditions
we can manage the effects by changing pH of solvent
181
What is lead used for? Why is it so dangerous?
car batteries, construction
Industrial workers can inhale lead or absorb it through the skin
exposure can lead to brain damage, paralysis and death
182
Control measures of lead pollution?
lead has been used to make water pipes -> in the 20th century the UK switched to copper pipes
Stopped adding tetra ethyl lead to fuels
183
What is mercury used for? Why is it so dangerous?
batteries, combustion of coal
mercury compounds are liposoluble so can enter blood and harm unborn babies
mercury also causes kidney damage
184
Does mercury bioaccumulate?
yes, it has been released into the environment in the past and the concentration increase drastically
185
Control methods of mercury?
disposal methods restricted
eg.
mercury thermometers have been replaced by electronic thermometers
186
Explain how the properties of cadmium means it can have a significant impact when found in the environment
Liposoluble and bioaccumulates, so chronic exposure can lead to toxic concentrations and it can biomagnify in food chains
187
Why is cadmium and zinc synergism important?
zinc reduces harmful effects of soley cadmium
zinc can limit cadmium uptake by crops in soil
188
Suggest how cadmium pollution could increase in future
used in battery production -? increased demand for electric vehicles
189
Outline methods of controlling cadmium pollution
government standards -? health and safety
Disposal in hazardous waste landfill
190
Explain the process of past tin pollution
tin used as antifouling paint on bottom of boats to control growth of marine organisms + slow boats down
but active chemical was tri-butyl tin and this was toxic and could bioaccumulate
191
Tri-butyl chemicals can bioaccumulate and are endocrine disruptors. How does this effect humans?
Bioaccumulate in marine organisms such as oysters and shellfish
these are then eaten by humans and humans get can endocrine disruptor effects
192
Control measures of tri-butyl tin?
Tri-butyl prohibited -> now replaced with copper
193
What are solid wastes?
Waste produced by human activities - some are produced in large quantities and are harmful but some are small and hazardous
194
Sources of solid wastes?
Mine and construction
Domestic and commercial
Industrial waste
195
What is the bel scale used to measure?
sound and as the human ear is sensitive to a large range of power levels
The scale is logarithmic, with each Bel also being divided into 10 sections - decibels
196
Does 0db mean no sound
No - it is the quietest sound that can be heard by humans
197
How does human hearing work?
sound vibrations in air are detected in the cochlea by hair like projections on nerve cells
each group of cells is senstivive to a particular frequency or sound
198
What is the typical range of young people and how does this differ from older people?
young people 20-20,000 Hz
Older people have a reduced range, especially at higher frequencies, and require higher volumes for sounds to be detectable
199
Effects of noise or non living objects?
Acoustic fatigue
Vibration damage
Shock impacts
200
What is acoustic fatigue?
Objects with natural resonant frequencies may experience stress cracking and structural failure - prevalent in early aircraft jet engines
201
What is vibration damage?
Repetitive vibrations can cause structural damage to the built environment
eg. damage to buildings and underground pipes by the wheels of heavy vehicles
202
What are shock impacts?
Force of sudden very loud noises causing damage
eg. the "sonic boom" of supersonic aircraft causing damage to buildings like broken windows
203
Effects of noise pollution on living organism
humans:
hearing damage
stress related health problems - ulcers
behavioural changes
livestock:
cause animals to panic and injure themselves
Breeding birds:
singing to establish territories or attract mates may not be possible in urban areas
Reduced feeding success:
animals use sound to find food may be distributed by background noise
hearing damage:
whales and dolphins can be harmed by loud noises eg. military sonar
204
How can we manage railway noise?
wheel vibration - track polishing and sound absorbing ballast
Engine noise - sound absorbing suspension
Pantograph turbulence - use of aerodynamic fairing - a structure used to reduce drag
Wheel squeal on corners - lubrication of wheels and track
Braking squeal - use of composite brakes - contains steel wool
205
How to manage road traffic noise?
Wheel noise - sound absorbing road surfaces, such as porous asphalt
Air turbulence around the vehicle - improved aerodynamics
Engine noise - acoustic insulation around the engine, quieter exhaust pipes
General road noise - rerouting traffic around residential areas - traffic management to encourage free flow - embankments - double glazing
206
Sources of industrial noise?
air compressors
pile drivers/stamping machines
drills
mine blasting
military sonar
207
How to manage industrial noise?
worker ear protection
remote operation for loud machinery
acoustic insulation/baffle mounds
time restrictions on operating
alternative, quieter procedures
eg. drilling instead of pile driving
208
How to manage domestic noise?
acoustic insulation - like in washing machines and vacuum cleaners
volume limiters - on music equipment
New technology - leading to quieter products
209
Sources of aircraft noise?
military aircraft
civil aircraft
more specifically:
engine noise - especially at high thrust
air turbulence
210
How to manage aircraft noise? - airport design and location controls
Airport design and location controls - new airports located in areas with low population density to minimise affected populations
Taxi areas away from residential areas
Free acoustic insulation for affected buildings
Land use restrictions
Baffle mounds and acoustic barriers
211
How to manage noise pollution? Aircraft design control
High bypass ratio engines - additional tubing which smooths the flow of exhaust air and reduces noise levels
aerodynamics - fairings to reduce around wheels, leg struts and wings
Lighter aircraft - using carbon fibre so aircraft require less thrust
212
What are solid wastes?
wastes produced by a variety of human activities
some produced in large quantities which are harmless however some are small but hazardous
213
List a few sources of solid waste
mining and construction
domestic and commercial
industrial
214
List a few specific for the different types of solid wastes. Mining, domestic and industrial.
mining - mainly non toxic but demolition
domestic - can come with certain problems like the change in types of waste throughout the year
Industrial - often require specific disposal methods
215
List a few different properties of solid wastes which impact disposal methods?
degradability
flammability
radioactivity
toxicity
conditions eg. pH, temperature
216
What do more affluent communities create?
more waste as there is more likelihood of built in obsolescence, disposable products and over packaging
217
Why and how is asbestos a specialist waste?
need to be kept intact to ensure it is not dangerous.
it is double wrapped in heavy duty polythene bags in specialised landfill sites where contents are recorded
218
Why and how are Cyanide Compounds a specialist waste?
very toxic enzyme inhibitors when inhaled or ingested
the safest way to dispose of these is to incinerate them
219
List everything about incineration?
Waste is burned at high temperatures
Reduces waste volume significantly and can generate energy (waste-to-energy)
Produces CO₂ and potentially toxic emissions (needs filters/scrubbers)
Leaves behind ash, which still needs disposal.
220
List everything about spoil heaps?
Piles of waste material from mining or quarrying (e.g. rocks, soil).
Usually stored above ground near extraction sites.
Can cause visual pollution, dust, and water contamination (e.g. acid runoff).
Often unstable and may require restoration (e.g. landscaping, planting vegetation).
221
List everything about landfill?
Waste is buried in the ground in specially designed sites.
Often lined to stop leachate (toxic liquid) polluting groundwater.
Produces methane gas from decomposition (a greenhouse gas, sometimes collected for energy).
Cheap but unsustainable due to land use and long-term pollution risks.
THEOS ENVIRO
flashcards
Decks in class (18)
# Cards
-
TOPIC 1 CONDITIONS FOR LIFE27
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TOPIC 2 CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY106
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TOPIC 3 LIFE PROCESSES60
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TOPIC 4 ATMOSPHERE P150
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TOPIC 5 HYDROSPHERE P133
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TOPIC 6 LITHOSPHERE P199
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TOPIC 7 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES P179
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TOPIC N/A SOIL P1122
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SIMPLE KEY DEFINITIONS136
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Research methods28
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Key Things I Keep Getting Wrong For Test45
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Biological resources agriculture146
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Energy P1168
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Aquatic food production systems90
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Pollution P1221
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HARD RESEARCH AND SAMPLING20
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WEAKNESSES28
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Forestry47
