Ways To Stop Water Pollution: What Not To Do

Water pollution is a pressing issue that jeopardises human health and the environment. It occurs when harmful substances contaminate bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes and oceans, rendering them toxic. While there are various ways to prevent and clean up water pollution, this paragraph will focus on the incorrect methods of tackling this issue.

One of the incorrect ways to prevent water pollution is to keep car tires slightly deflated. This is because it can lead to increased rolling resistance, causing the car to use more energy and emit more pollutants. Additionally, using foil or plastic wraps to store food is not a recommended way to reduce solid waste. These materials are often not recyclable and can contribute to landfill waste. Buying meat, poultry and produce grown outside your local area is also not a recommended way to reduce chemical pollution as it can increase the carbon footprint and contribute to water pollution during transportation.

Sewage and wastewater

Untreated wastewater is a major threat to nature and human health. According to the United Nations, more than 80% of the world's wastewater flows back into the environment without being treated or reused, and this figure tops 95% in some least-developed countries. Wastewater introduces a toxic cocktail of contaminants, including pathogens, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, heavy metals, and endocrine disruptors, which threaten food and water security as well as marine species.

Wastewater treatment facilities reduce the amount of pollutants such as pathogens, phosphorus, and nitrogen in sewage, as well as heavy metals and toxic chemicals in industrial waste, before discharging the treated waters back into waterways. However, ageing and overwhelmed sewage treatment systems can also release untreated wastewater.

There are three types of wastewater: domestic, industrial, and storm sewage. Domestic sewage carries used water from houses and apartments, while industrial sewage is used water from manufacturing or chemical processes. Storm sewage, or stormwater, is runoff from precipitation that is collected in a system of pipes or open channels.

Wastewater treatment plants remove chemical or biological waste from water through physical, biological, and chemical processes. There are three levels of wastewater treatment: primary, secondary, and tertiary (or advanced). Primary treatment removes about 60% of total suspended solids and about 35% of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD); dissolved impurities are not removed. Secondary treatment removes more than 85% of both suspended solids and BOD. Tertiary treatment can remove more than 99% of all impurities from sewage, producing an effluent of almost drinking-water quality. However, it is very expensive, often doubling the cost of secondary treatment.

The last step before discharging treated sewage effluent into a body of surface water is disinfection, which destroys any remaining pathogens in the effluent and protects public health.

Industrial chemicals

One example of point-source pollution is the discharge of untreated or inadequately treated wastewater from industrial facilities. This can include toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and other pollutants that are harmful to both human health and the environment. Inadequate regulation and enforcement of pollution controls often allow these contaminants to enter water bodies, posing risks to the communities that rely on them for drinking water, fishing, and recreational activities.

Non-point-source pollution from industrial chemicals can occur when rainwater or irrigation water carries pollutants, such as fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides, into nearby water bodies. Another example is stormwater runoff, which occurs when rainwater washes pollutants from roads, parking lots, and other impervious surfaces into rivers, lakes, and oceans.

The use of certain chemicals in industrial processes can also lead to water pollution. For instance, paper and pulp mills generate liquid and solid waste that is often high in biological oxygen demand, suspended solids, and chlorinated organic compounds. Similarly, the textile and dye industries release toxic residues from equipment cleaning into waterways. Petrochemical manufacturing plants contribute suspended solids, oils, grease, phenols, and benzene to water bodies.

Mining is another significant source of industrial water pollution. The grinding of ores and subsequent processing with water can result in the discharge of fine silt and toxic metals into nearby waterways if proper precautions, such as sedimentation ponds, are not implemented. Historically, mining has been responsible for widespread cadmium poisoning, as seen in Japan's Itai-Itai disease outbreak in the 1940s.

The release of mercury into water bodies is another concern. Mercury can enter waterways from mining operations, industrial premises, and the incineration of medical waste. Once in the environment, certain microorganisms can methylate mercury, increasing its toxicity and posing risks to human health and the environment.

To address industrial chemical pollution, it is crucial to adopt cleaner production processes, properly treat and dispose of hazardous waste, and implement measures to filter or neutralize toxic chemicals before they enter water bodies. Additionally, reducing the use of chemicals in industrial, agricultural, and domestic settings is ideal for minimizing water pollution.

Pesticides and herbicides

The effects of pesticides and herbicides on water sources are influenced by various factors, including the type of pesticide, its solubility, persistence, and application rate, as well as soil temperature, microbial activity, and irrigation management.

To reduce the risk of water contamination, proper pesticide storage and application techniques are critical. Local spray advisories, best management practices, and proper disposal of pesticide containers are also important.

Oil and grease

When FOG is improperly disposed of by pouring it down sinks, garbage disposals, or stormwater drains, it can have detrimental effects on the environment. These substances eventually make their way to wastewater treatment facilities, where they solidify and require cleaning. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), grease from restaurants, homes, and industrial sources is the most common cause (47%) of reported blockages in sewer pipes. When such blockages occur, raw sewage can enter the environment untreated, flowing into streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. This untreated sewage carries excess nutrients, bacteria, and other disease-causing pathogens that negatively impact human health, fish, and wildlife.

FOG pollution also affects septic systems, causing blockages, backups, and overflows. Leaking or poorly maintained septic systems release raw sewage that can be picked up by stormwater and discharged into nearby water bodies. Additionally, FOG can accumulate in stormwater pipes, leading to blockages or reduced flow, which can result in localized flooding and potential damage to homes and other structures.

The impact of FOG pollution extends beyond aesthetics. Contaminants can accumulate in the food chain, leading to consumption or absorption by fish and wildlife, which may then be consumed by humans. This can have harmful effects on human health, as contaminated water can cause various illnesses and even death.

To prevent FOG pollution, it is essential to properly dispose of fats, oils, and grease. This includes allowing FOG to cool and then sealing it in a can or bottle for disposal at a local recycling center or in household trash. It is crucial to never pour FOG down garbage disposals, sinks, or storm drains. By following proper disposal methods, we can help reduce the negative impact of FOG pollution on our environment and protect our water sources.

Radioactive substances

There are several methods to detect and measure radioactive materials, some of which have been developed in recent years. These methods include portable radon gas surveyor SILENA (PRASSI), RAD7, spectrometry gamma-ray high-purity germanium, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and the alpha spectrometer method. The spectrometry gamma-ray high-purity germanium method has attracted more attention than other methods because it can measure a wide range of radionuclides with high resolution.

The preparation of samples before measurement is an important step in the detection and measurement of radioactive substances. The main difference between measuring radioactive substances in food and other analytical experiments is that the initial sample amount is higher compared to other methods. For the measurement of pure beta-radiation, such as toxic radio strontium-90, a relatively small amount of sample is analyzed since sample preparation is very difficult. For other types of radiation, the equipment should be thoroughly cleaned and used between every preparation to prevent cross-contamination.

There are several steps to prepare samples before the measurements:

• Remove dust, surface contamination, and non-edible parts of foods such as citrus peel, apple kernels, shellfish, and softwoods, the outer leaves of leafy vegetables, and the upper parts of root vegetables.
• For different species of fish, separate the non-edible parts such as skin, lungs, and ovaries, and then mix and shred the edible parts for analysis.
• To remove dust and surface contamination from mushrooms and vegetables, completely wash them with tap water, separate the non-edible parts from the edible parts, and then prepare them for the next step (drying).
• For water and liquid samples, remove their organic compounds by adding nitric acid and acidifying the environment.
• Sample size reduction and water removal could be done via high-temperature drying, ashing, filtration, and centrifugation, which can ultimately increase the concentration of radioactive materials in the samples.
• When the concentration of radionuclides is low and there is a large volume of water, condense and reduce the volume of water by passing it through absorbent resins.
• When the separation method does not depend on the element's mass, use different carriers, such as barium for radium.
• In critical situations, apply rapid preparation methods such as digesting the sample with microwaves, adding stable radioactive isotopes to the sample, using centrifuges instead of filtration, and using chromatographic columns containing resin.
• When the amount of radioactive material in the sample is very low, it is convenient to load and dispose of the sediment containing radionuclides by adding a carrier group.
• In chemical separation, use different methods such as deposition, ion exchange, distillation, and electrolysis.

The spectrometry gamma-ray high-purity germanium method is one of the most desired detectors for high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometric studies. These detectors can be used to detect photon beams and specific actinide rays. Germanium semiconductor detectors are embedded in a cylindrical lead shield with an inner coating of copper and cadmium. The thickness of the cylindrical shield is much greater than that of the internal coating. The cylindrical shield around the system reduces background radiation and radiation.

The advantages of the spectrometry gamma-ray high-purity germanium method include its ability to detect a wide range of radionuclides, high purity, low ionization energy required to generate electron pairs, high conductivity, fast response time, high resolution, and good resolution between two rays. It is also simple to use and has high efficiency.

In conclusion, radioactive substances are a serious health concern, and several methods are available to detect and measure them in food and water. The spectrometry gamma-ray high-purity germanium method stands out for its ability to measure a wide range of radionuclides with high resolution.

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