Chapter 12: Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution

A pollutant that you can see and point to. Usually a single source.

A pollutant that comes from many sources such as pollution from cars in a city. You can’t point to one particular place or thing.

Formed in the ocean where there is low oxygen (hypoxic) caused by too many nutrients coming from the land

A graph of discharged pollutant and the distance from the discharge. It is usually sewage pollution but can be other things.

Chemicals that can mimic hormones in organisms and can cause birth defects and have been linked to developmental, reproductive, neural, immune, and other problems in animals

Land consisting of marshes, swamps, or bogs; saturated land

A body of water that has so many nutrients (fertilizers like nitrogen and phosphorus) that have run off from the land that the nutrients have "fertilized" the algae that live in the water

A body of water with little to no oxygen in the water

A body of water with normal to low algae levels, high amounts of oxygen, and very few nutrients

Occurs when warm water is pumped into a lake or river, lowering the oxygen levels and harming biodiversity

do not break down in the environment very quickly and can build up in the tissues and fat of animals

POPs, like the pesticide DDT, can accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals; this is referred to as bioaccumulation

When animals eat other animals and the prey have POPs that have bioaccumulated in their tissues, the POPs can magnify up the food chain. This occurs because top predators eat many different prey.

Electronic waste like TVs, computers, phones, etc

Where solid waste from homes, businesses, and more is stored. It has a clay or plastic liner, leachate detection systems, a way for the gas to be collected or burned, and a way to make sure storm water doesn’t enter the landfill.

Taking solid waste and turning it into something new rather than throwing it away

Taking food, yard, or other organic waste and letting it decompose to form good soil

The first stage of sewage treatment in which the sewage is filtered in grates and screens for items that are not liquid. In addition, the sewage is slowed down so things like eggshells and coffee grounds that also are not liquid can sink to the bottom and be disposed of in a landfill.

The second stage of sewage treatment where lots of air is added so the bacteria found in the sewage can begin to consume the waste and break it down into carbon dioxide and inorganic sludge. The sludge sinks to the bottom of the tank and is disposed of as well.

The stage of sewage treatment where either chemicals like chlorine and ozone gas or UV light kills any remaining bacteria Then the water is released to a river or lake.

A term used in toxicology to indicate the amount of a toxin that kills 50 percent of the organisms that are being tested

A curve plotting the relationship between the dose of a drug administered and its pharmacological effect