Water Pollution and Drinking Water Quality Essay

First a background on the problem with water pollution must be given. Both oceans and freshwater

Acid deposition can come in two forms, dry and wet. Wet deposition is when the acid falls in the form of fog, snow or other precipitation. Dry deposition is found in dry areas where it does not precipitate often. In these areas the chemicals fall as dust or smoke, and stick to whatever they land on. Acid deposition can be result to both natural and manmade sources. Natural sources of acid deposition include electrical storms, volcanoes, and decaying vegetation. Man-made emissions, from power plants that burn fossil fuels are released into the atmosphere as nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). These elements react to oxygen, water, and other gasses in the atmosphere in order to form acidic compounds. These acidic compounds then fall in either a wet or dry form. Acid rain can have a potentially devastating effects on the ecosystem it falls on. When acid rain hits the ground, it faces a natural buffer in the soil often in the form of limestone and calcium carbonate. The water will then travel into either a stream or a lake, where it affects fish. If the fallen rain has a pH at or below 5 undesirable species invade, often in the form of mosses or plankton. The top layer of water becomes too acidic for the inhabitants reproductive cycle to work properly, slowly killing off the

Water pollution impacts how humans and other living organisms live their life. Most common way humans are effected by water pollution is through diseases while drinking the water. Scientists have found over “five hundred different types of diseases” that can affect humans. (Book). These diseases get into the water streams by human and animal wastes. The diseases in the water can often lead to death for humans. Recent research has shown that that each year

Acid rain is rain that has been made acidic by certain pollutants in the air and has low pH levels that can harm the environment. It is a type of acid deposition that can appear in many forms such as, wet deposition, which can be rain, sleet snow or fog that is more acidic than normal, and dry deposition, where gases and dust particles become acidic. (Epa.gov) Acid deposition in wet and dry forms, falls on buildings, cars and trees and makes lakes acidic, which then leads to the danger of plant and animal life. Dry acid deposition though, can be inhaled by humans, which can then cause health problems. (Epa.gov)

Acid rain damages wildlife and their environments. For example, according to Marian Chertow, he says that acid rain damages lakes, rivers, and streams. Therefore, because the water is polluted with more of the wildlife will die from the acids in the water. In this case, this part is important because if you think about it, many people and animals get food from the water. For example, the fish live in the ponds. But if the acid from the acid rain gets into the water. Then the fish will die and that will be less food for animals and humans. This means that the animal life will die down.For instance, according to Marian Chertow he claims, acid rain can damage forests and soil. Therefore, forests and many areas that contribute to soil are places for animals to live. So this means that they will lose

Acid rain, according to the EPA, is any form of precipitation such as rain, fog, sleet, snow, hail, or even dust that contains acidic components (2016). It can also be called “acid deposition” and will usually contain compounds such as sulfuric or nitric acid in their wet or dry forms. While acid rain might not have an immediate apocalyptic effect on the various life forms of Earth, its impact can very well be lethal over time. This dangerous rain may occur anywhere and everywhere on Earth; however, its most drastic ecological damage can be in aquatic and forest systems. Some fish and other aquatic life have adapted over time, yet the plants that these animals thrive on may not have the same advantages (epa.gov, 2016). Forests have not shared the same optimistic outlook that some of the aquatic systems have had. Experimaental procedures and testing is currently in place, but at this point in time, we cannot permanently reverse the environmental damage that has been done by this type of rain. The only option is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to ensure cleaner, healthier rain for the Earth.

Not many things have the ability to kill fish, destroy economies, and deteriorate buildings, but acid rain can do all of that. This lethal precipitation originates from both natural causes and those made by man. It has the potential to destroy ecosystems, including aquatic life and forest life. In addition to harming nature, it can also cause economic problems. However, efforts are being made to minimize the negative effects of acid rain, and they’re working.

The formation of acid rain occurs when particular gasses are dissolved into rainwater which in turn creates acids. When precipitation is caught up in clouds, potent gasses are capable of polluting the rainwater causing it to become extremely acidic. One of the most common acids that is absorbed into the rain is sulfur trioxide. This acid is produced from the vast amount of human activity on our earth. Nitrogen and sulfur are two main airborne elements that cause this dangerous precipitation of acids. The scientific study of acid rain has brought researchers to believe that sixty-five to seventy percent of acid rain formation is caused by sulfur dioxide. Various kinds of nitrogen oxides cause the remaining percentage of acid rain occurrences. With the amount of emissions released into the ozone, acid rain is becoming more and more of a problem for our environment. When these pollutions react with rain, they form a dangerous product that can damage forests and soil. This in turn makes the soil infertile, ruining our land. Power plants and other large industries are releasing a harmful amount of SO2 in the atmosphere. These excess oxides that are interacting with rain have to be cut down in order to start reducing the amount of acid rain fall annually. When this acidic solution falls on areas with sea life and vegetation, it is found to kill fish, larva, insects, plants, and many other organism. When these forms of life are exposed to this low of a PH, it

If you have not heard the term acid rain before it is imperative that you understand the detrimental effects of this critical issue. According to the National Atmospheric program, “Acid rain” was a term well known by the public in the 1980s when uncontrolled emissions from industrial companies and motor vehicles were blamed for causing environmental deterioration. The development of scientific evidence has connected acid rain to decreased wildlife populations, degraded lakes and streams, and human health hazards. Even though, The term acid rain has deteriorated from public awareness, acid rain is a complex and global problem that continues to exist.

Acid rain, simply put, is a mixture of rainwater and a few specific chemicals that are emitted both naturally and non-naturally. The process occurs in the lowest layer of the atmosphere, the troposphere. When compounds such as sulfuric dioxide(SO2) and nitrogen oxides(NO, NO2), are transported to this layer and react with the other parts of the troposphere(water, oxygen, carbon dioxide). Acid rain was first discovered in Sweden in 1872, but has been seen as a more prevalent problem in modern times. Although research had been conducted for many years on acid rain, it did not become an issue for society until around the 1980’s. Acid rain’s effects were vast, harming natural environments, architecture, and even the public’s health. Regulation of chemical emissions have lessened the threat of acid rain, yet it remains a problem to this day. A

Causes of acid rain range from man-made to natural causes. Several man-made causes range from burning things, car exhaust fumes, smoking, burning off fossil fuels for power such as electricity. Natural causes of acid rain are chemicals such as sulfur dioxide being erupted from volcanoes. Acid rain has a major negative impact on the environment. According to HelpSaveNature, trees are greatly harmed from acid rain due to acid rain damaging the cuticles of leaves. In the prescience of acid rain, gas seeps into leaves where cuticle damaged has occurred. This gas takes the places of water in the photosynthesis process. Once this happens the plant cannot take in carbon dioxide and the plants starts dying. Acid rain contaminating sea water can cause harm to sea animals and potentially death. Sea animals dying and decomposing at the bottom of the sea from acid rain cause further damage

Industrial agriculture is among the leading causes of water pollution today. In 2010, The National Water Quality Inventory conducted by the

Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds.

Recent years, population growth, urbanization and industrialization has rapidly increased the clean water demand, however, the anthropogenic activities brought by these development, such as wastewater discharge, waste disposal and fertilization, has endangered the water supply by polluting water resources. Especial for the drinking water supply,

Acid rain is a type of acidic precipitation caused by chemical reactions between the water in the atmosphere and byproducts from the combustion of fossil fuels. Acid rain can be very detrimental to animal and plant life.