Term
| Understand what is meant by contaminant “availability” and “mobility” |
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Definition
-Availability: indicates a contaminant is in a form that has the potential to impact water quality, organism health, and ecological health.
-Mobility: the contaminant is in a form that allows it to disseminate in the environment |
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Term
| Understand how water solubility influences availability and mobility of contaminants. |
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Definition
| - In order for a contaminant to be available and mobile in aquatic systems, it must be dissolved in water |
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Term
| Know that many inorganic contaminants are ionic and that their solubility varies. |
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Definition
| - Many inorganic contaminants are ionic and that their solubility varies. |
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Term
| Know that poor water solubility can limit a contaminants impact on aquatic systems. |
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Definition
| - Poor water solubility can limit a contaminants impact on aquatic systems. |
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Term
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Definition
| - PH is Defined by the Hydrogen Ion: It has equal numbers of protons (+) and electrons (-) |
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Term
| Know the definition of an acid and the ion involved. |
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Definition
| - Any substance that increases the H+ concentration in solution. |
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Term
| Know what high and low pH indicates regarding the amount of H+ in water. |
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Definition
- Low pH = High amount of Hydrogen ions in water
- High pH = Low amount of Hydrogen ions in water |
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Term
| Know that a 1 unit change in pH reflects a 10-fold change in H+ concentration. |
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Definition
| - Log indicates that for each 1-unit change in pH the H+ concentration changes by 10-fold |
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Term
| Know how pH and acidity can influence the forms and availability of metals. |
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Definition
| - Acid dissolution of metals increases their mobility and allows them to interact with aquatic species. Acid can alter solulbilities. |
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Term
| Know the two dominant forms of nitrogen in the environment and which is more mobile. |
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Definition
- NH4+ dominant at low pH
- NO3- dominant at higher pH (more mobile than the other) |
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Term
| Know the principal impacts of excess nitrogen to aquatic systems. |
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Definition
| - Low water clarity, low oxygen content, High Nutrients, High Primary Productivity (algae, etc.), Turbid, Cloudy Water (algae, phytoplankton). |
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Term
| Know that contaminants, like arsenic, are naturally occurring. |
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Definition
| - Contaminants, like arsenic, are naturally occurring. |
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Term
| Know the country where large numbers of people were poisoned by arsenic and why. |
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Definition
| - Bangladesh. Ineffective water and sewage systems Periodic monsoons and floods: Waterborne pathogens |
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Term
| Know the principal way by which mercury enters the environment. |
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Definition
| - Enters water bodies principally from the atmosphere |
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Term
| Know the #1 anthropogenic source of mercury to the environment. |
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Definition
| - The number 1 anthropogenic source is the combustion of coal (power generation). |
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Term
| Know why power plants contribute substantial amounts of Hg to the atmosphere. |
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Definition
| - Because the consumption of coal |
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Term
| Know the compound that made the Mad Hatter mad. |
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Definition
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Term
| Know that mercury gas is a component of fluorescent light bulbs. |
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Definition
| - Mercury gas is a component of fluorescent light bulbs |
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Term
| Understand how inorganic Hg2+ interacts with sediments in aquatic systems. |
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Definition
| - (inorganic) interacts with soil and sediment particles (- charge) becoming part of lake bottom sediments (limits availability) |
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Term
| Understand the fundamentals of mercury methylation and why methylmercury is more dangerous than is inorganic mercury. |
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Definition
| - Inorganic mercury can be converted to more toxic forms in bottom sediments under anaerobic (low O2) conditions. More dangerous because Methylmercury is accumulated in the body |
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Term
| Know what a bioaccumulation factor is, and what high levels indicate. |
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Definition
| - Bioaccumulation is the process by which organisms (including humans) can take up contaminants more rapidly than their bodies can eliminate them, thus the amount of mercury in their body accumulates over time. |
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Term
| Why do swordfish, shark and king mackerel have higher levels of mercury in their tissues? |
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Definition
| - They eat other little fish who have mercury causing their mercury levels to increase |
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Term
| Understand how fluoride strengthens teeth. |
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Definition
| - Tooth enamel is similar to a mineral called hydroxyapatite, Hydroxyapatite is subject to dissolution by acids (H+), and Fluoridation changes the chemical composition of hydroxyapatite to a crystal less subject to acid dissolution |
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Term
| Know the consequences of excess fluoride in water systems. |
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Definition
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Term
| Know the chemical element that defines organic compounds. |
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Definition
| Principally, Carbon and Hydrogen |
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Term
| What is bio-magnification? |
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Definition
| - The increase in concentration of a chemical in organisms higher up in the food chain. |
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Term
| Know the marine mammal which had the highest levels of PCBs in a Canadian study. |
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Definition
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Term
| Understand basically how carbon-based water filters are able to remove organic chemicals from drinking water. |
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Definition
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Term
| What percentage of bottled water comes from a public source? |
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Definition
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Term
| Know the 2 chemicals that potentially could be leaching from PET water bottles. |
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Definition
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Term
| What % of plastic water bottles are not recycled? |
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Definition
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