ToxicologyStudyoftheinteractionbetweenchemicalagentsandbiologicalsystems Toxicityisrelativeabilityofasubstancetocauseadverseeffectinlivingorganisms ToxicParamater,constituenttopollutantthathasanLD50.Knowntokillorganisms Hazardouscompoundwhichcausesacuteorchronichealthproblems,including,butnotlimited todeath Ifchemicalsandbiologicalagentsthatweuseandproduceaswasteproductswerenot "harmful"insomewaytosomepopulation,therewouldbenopointinstudyingwaterpollution. Pointsourcepollutionthatcomesfromaspecificlocation. Nonpointsourcepollutionthatoccursfrommultiplesourceswithnosinglepolluteridentified. Majorsourceof4148%waterpollutionisagriculture(populationgrowth,foodproduction,water use,waterpollution)accordingtoEPA,industrialfacilities,municipal,mining Plantnutrients,NO3,PO4,SO4Sewage,animalwaste,fertilizers Organicchemicals,petroleumproducts,plastics,cleaner,etc.

Industryfarms,households Inorganicchemicals,acids,salts,metalsindustryhouseholds,surfacerunoff Sediment,clay,sand,silterosion,farms,industry Thermal,heatpowerplants,nuclearfacilities Astemperatureincreases,solubilitiesofgasdecrease DOinwatercomesfromcontactwithatmosphere,splashingandflowingwatertrapsoxygen HighDOindicateshighwaterquality WatertempandvolumeofwateraffectDOlevels Gasesdissolvemoreincoolerwaterthanwarmer. Riversrespondtochangesinairtemperaturebycoolingorwarmingintemperateareas Dryperiods,airandwatertemphighmeansreductionofDO

WetweatherormeltingsnowincreaseflowmeansgreaterDO Nonpointsources:urbanrunoffofrainandmeltingsnow,agriculturalrunoff HighBODmeanslessDO Asorganicpollutionincreases,highdiversityisreplacedbylowdiversity pHmeasuresH+ionconcentrationofliquidsandsubstances RainfallpHis4.3 pHofnaturalwateris6.5and8.5,increasedamountsofnitrogenoxideandsulfurdioxideare convertedtonitricacidandsulfuricacidintheatmosphere. Nitrogenrarelylimitsplantgrowth,soplantsarenotassensitivetoincreasesinammoniaand nitratelevels Sewageismainsourceofnitratesaddedbyhumanstoriversandlakes Highnitratecancause"bluebaby"syndrome,itpreventsbloodfromcarryingoxygen methemoglobinemia Temperatureofriverisimportantforwaterquality:amountofoxygenthatcanbedissolved,rate ofphotosynthesis,metabolicrates,sensitivityoforganisms Coolwatercanholdmoreoxygenthanwarmwater Thermalpollutionisanincreaseinwatertempbyaddingwarmwatertoabodyofwater Whenwatertemprises,moreplantsgrowanddie Phosphoruscomesfromseveralsources:humanwastes,animalwastes,industrialwastes andhumandisturbanceofland Soilerosioncontributesphosphorustorivers Removalofnaturalvegetationforfarmingorconstructionexposesoiltotheerodingactionofrain andmeltingsnow Firstsymptomofculturaleutrophicationisanalgalbloom.Then,itcanproduceanaerobic conditionsinwhichoxygeninwateriscompletelydepleted.

Causesshiftinaquaticlifetofewernumberofpollutiontolerantspecies Aquaticecosystemshavethecapacitytorecoveriftheopportunityisprovidedbyreducinguse oflawnfertilizers,encouragingbetterfarmingpractices Groundwaterpollutioncausedbyhumanactivitiesusuallyfallsintopointsourceandnonpoint source Pointsourcesoriginatesfromsingletank,disposalsiteorfacility Nonpointsourcegroundwatercontaminationarechemicalsusedinagriculturesuchas fertilizers,pesticidesandherbicides Groundwatermovesveryslowlyandwithlittleturbulence,dilutionormixing TwomajorfederallawsonremediatinggroundwaterincludeRCRAandCERCLA RCRAStorage,transport,treatmentanddisposalofsolidandhazardouswastes CERCLAregulatescleanupofabandonedwastesitesoroperatingfacilitiesthathave contaminatedsoilorgroundwater EPAdecideswhoisresponsibleforthecleanupprocess 80%ofpollutiontomarineenvironmentcomesfromlandbasedsourceslikerunoffpollution