clarity vs. purity: when it comes to water, what you see isn’t always what you get mark dzurko
DESCRIPTION
Clarity vs. Purity: When it comes to water, what you see isn’t always what you get Mark Dzurko [email protected] Ph.D candidate, Trent-Queen’s Graduate Program. Water is one of our most precious resources in Canada, yet we take it for granted each and every day. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
04/20/23 draft 3_no visuals 1
Clarity vs. Purity:Clarity vs. Purity:
When it comes to water, When it comes to water, what you see isn’t what you see isn’t
always what you getalways what you get
Mark DzurkoMark [email protected]@trentu.ca
Ph.D candidate, Trent-Queen’s Graduate ProgramPh.D candidate, Trent-Queen’s Graduate Program
Water is one of our most precious resources in Canada, yet we take it for granted each and every day
Toxic chemicals: the legacy of a chemical society
• We are a "chemical" society, using hundreds of chemicals in our normal daily activities: washing, eating, house-cleaning, tending the lawn and garden, driving
• Of the almost 10 million chemicals known today, approximately 100 000 chemicals are used commercially.
Toxic chemicals: the legacy of a chemical society
• Most toxic chemicals are discharged directly into our waterways as waste, but many also enter the water after everyday use in the home, agriculture and industry
• They constantly change the chemical composition of our waters
Pollution Cycle
• The chemicals can cause problems with the taste, odour and colour in water
• Fish and wildlife can experience reduced fertility, genetic deformities, immune system damage, increased incidence of tumours, and death
Non-persistent (degradable)
• Domestic sewage • Fertilizers • Some industrial wastes • These compounds can be broken down by
chemical reactions or by natural bacteria into simple, non-polluting substances such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen
• The process can lead to low oxygen levels and eutrophication if the pollution load is high
Persistent (degrade slowly)
• Many pesticides (e.g., DDT, dieldrin) • Some leachate components from landfill sites
(municipal, industrial) • Petroleum and petroleum products • Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins,
polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) • Radioactive materials such as strontium-90,
cesium-137, radium-226, and uranium • Metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium
• Metal and positive ions: arsenic, lead, mercury
Inorganic Contaminants
• Negative ions: fluoride, chloride, phosphate
Inorganic Contaminants
Organic Contaminants
• Pesticides are used in agriculture, forestry and homes
• PCBs although no longer used in new installations, are still found as insulators in older electrical transformers
• PBDEs, or polybrominated diphenyl ethers, are widely used by industry for their flame retarding properties
• Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products are being detected in an increasing number of waterbodies
Organic Contaminants
Levels in the Environment
• State-of-the-art analytical instruments can detect down to one part per trillion of some substances – comparable to tracing one thousandth of a teaspoon of salt dissolved in an Olympic-size swimming pool
Worsfold Water Quality Center www.trentu.ca/wqc
Aquatic Cycling of Toxins
The Effects of Water Pollution
• Pollution is not always visible
• A river or lake may seem clean, but still be polluted
• In groundwater, on which over one quarter of all Canadians rely for their water supply, pollution is especially difficult to discern
• Nor are the effects of pollution necessarily immediate; they may take years to appear
What can we do?
• Use eco-friendly household products
• Don't misuse the sewage system
• Use elbow grease, not hazardous materials in your gardens and lawns
• Storm drains are not dumping sites for hazardous products
• Don't forget about water quality – even when you're having fun
For more information or to get involved
• Nature Canada – Water Campaign
www.naturecanada.ca/advocate/water_campaign
• Environment Canada
www.ec.gc.ca/WATER/
• Ontario Ministry of the Environment
www.ene.gov.on.ca/en/water
• Health Canada
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/water-eau/drink-potab
• Trent University – Worsfold Water Quality Center
www.trentu.ca/wqc
Water is the Lifeblood of the Environment