What Are The Best Preventative Measures And Most Effective Treatments?

     Heavy metals, such as copper, lead, mercury, and selenium are another group of toxins that pollute the water as well as the rest of the environment. The source of many of these pollutants are industries, automobile exhaust, mines, and even natural soil.

There are three main mechanisms by which the chemical composition of groundwater, which is our natural source of drinking water, may be changed: by natural processes, by man's waste-disposal practices such as those for sanitary wastes, liquid industrial wastes, solid wastes, and radioactive wastes, and by spills, leaks, and agricultural activities and other sources unrelated to disposal. The degree of risk posed by contaminants varies according to many factors. These include the volume and toxicity of the contaminant, its concentration in the aquifer, its persistence in the environment, and the degree of human and environmental exposure to the contaminant. In addition, the number of persons affected, or likely to be affected, over time and the percentage of available groundwater both locally and regionally should be taken into consideration. If the contaminants in the groundwater exceed the standards set for drinking water by the federal government, for example, then the water is hazardous for the use for which it was designated under the standards. These standards include, however, only a limited number of chemicals, and thus they do not necessarily protect humans or the environment against either the short-term or the long-term effects of every contaminant that might be found in

To complete the research a scientist went out to the Delaware River three different times at 6 different locations (Shi, Allen & Grassi, 1998). He collected the water and brought it back to the lab to be tested (Shi et al., 1998). The research method that was used was sampling and collecting data to see if the river has a high rate of copper in it (Shi et al., 1998). The results of the journal were also conclusive. Data was shown that when the water went through treatment plants or through sewers the water would come out with more copper than without going through these places (Shi et al., 1998). In the long run, the water is safe depending on where and when you collect the water for use (Shi et al.,

Often, toxic substances are being drained into the air, waterways, and undergrounds wells. According to the report by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over 60 million pounds of deadly chemicals are produced by industries in Florida. Notably, Florida’s water has been suffering mercury contamination until the state’s department of migration issues a circular regularly for regulations of eating freshwater fish in the region (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission). In fact, such metals emanate from coal combustion’s emissions which run into water bodies. Not to mention, pesticides and herbicides utilized by government and homeowners pollute the environment (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission). Indeed, all chemicals released into the atmosphere find themselves in rivers.

A water treatment plant built by Atlantic Richfield Co. was completed in 2004. Current plans are for the plant to begin purifying the water in 2019, just a few years before water rises to the critical level. However, the facility presently uses a water treatment method that will contain the metals in the Berkeley Pit, not remove them. When the plant comes online, it will use a process of adding lime (basic material composed of calcium oxide) to the water to increase its pH to be less acidic. As the pH rises, metals will lose solubility and begin to separate from the water. Polymers will be added to the mix to bond to the metallic sludge and will be separated from the water (PitWatch, 2013). The remaining purified water will be released into the Silver Bow Creek while the sludge byproduct will be released back into the lake. In order to prevent the water level from reaching critical, Horseshoe Bend Water Treatment Plant must treat over seven million gallons of water a day, of which 500,000 gallons will be returned to the lake (Christensen, 2014). Additionally, the artificial mixing from the treatment plant creates substances such as schwertmannite and jarosite (which store heavy metals in the lake bed). If the minerals oxidize from the acidity of the pit, their stored chemicals will

7. The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 established the basic framework for protecting the drinking water of the United States. Most ground water used for drinking water occurs near the earth’s surface and is easily contaminated .The major concern is the potential contamination of underground sources of the drinking water by any of the hundreds or thousands of subsurface wastewater disposal .Waste disposal wells dispose of approximately more than 11% of the nation’s toxic fluid waste. The injection wells can be good or bad and cause a major problem. Some of the wells are used many different ways like for a aquifer recharge and the production of oil, gas, or minerals. Also for improper usage as disposal of toxic and hazardous waste. The EPA

The health hazards for humans who come in contact with contaminants from exposure to polluted water can have long term effects on the body causing possible organ failure and death. Contaminants and chemicals such lead and mercury can bring about many minor illnesses ranging from nausea, lung irritation, skin rash, vomiting, and dizziness, to the major diseases that include cancer, liver and kidney damage, disorders of the nervous system, damage to the immune system, birth defects and even death.

Underground mining involves large scale movements of rock and vegetation, which creates potential risks of land and tunnel collapse. Furthermore, this process of mining can release toxic compounds into surrounding water bodies. As the water takes on harmful concentrations, it can pollute the region surrounding the mine, as well as neighbouring water bodies. This can affect the growth of vegetation, animals and humans living in the surrounding areas. This form of mining also has high demand for water, which can deplete supplies in the surrounding region (Web.mit.edu, 2017). When copper is mined, toxic compounds are released into the air. The dust released during the mining of copper can release a variety of impurities associated with common health problems. Mining is also dependent on fossil fuels, which when released have harmful effects on the atmosphere (Web.mit.edu, 2017).

Although municipal water can contain a vast array of contaminants, several continued to repeatedly show up in water of the cities studied. Among the most frequently found contaminants were Arsenic, mentioned earlier, and other toxic chemicals such as radon, the rocket fuel perchlorate and other carcinogens, which may cause skin problems, birth defects, reproductive problems and even cancer. High Volumes of Lead were found, which enters the drinking water supplies from the corrosion of old pipes and

Groundwater contamination has many far reaching environmental, political, societal and economic effects. Groundwater contamination, while obviously potentially detrimental to human wellbeing, can have a large impact on localities in any region of the world. When toxic agents are introduced into a groundwater system it puts all local wildlife in immediate danger. This includes the health of both flora and fauna near or in the flow from the source of contamination. Human health can also be impacted by this type of contamination. Toxic agents, in my example specifically tetrachloroethene (PCE), have many harmful effects on human health including affecting the central nervous system, causing cancers and causing pulmonary edema (Tetrachloroethylene Toxicity, 2017).

In the groundwater samples (rural, city, and well samples), there were acidic contaminants, coliform bacteria contaminants, pesticide and herbicide contaminants, and metal contaminants. More specifically, the rural water sample had pesticide and herbicide contaminants, the city water sample had acidic and coliform bacteria contaminants, and the well water sample had metal contaminants.

There are natural and human causes of water pollution. Humans have the ability to increase natural contamination by mining natural resources and disposing of them improperly which has dangerous affects. Animals, as well as plants can potentially be affected by the dissolved pollutants. Rocks and soils have concentrations of substances, such as, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, copper, cobalt, molybdenum, zinc, or iodine, which cause health problems in animals. During the Industrial Revolution burning charcoal produced cast iron at high temperatures. Other types of metals that were produced in this time period were titanium, cobalt, titanium, cobalt, platinum, chromium, and more. Use of these metals created larger mining and production industries,

Analysis shows the area surrounding the mine building contains the highest level of contamination on the mine site. Whilst the area remains uncovered by vegetation, particulates are prone to dispersion by wind action. There is low bioavailability of the contaminants in the soil, so precipitation is not a major factor in contaminant movement. However, a stream runs directly out of the underground mine entrance and into a river at the north of the site. Where the two water ways meet, metals can be seen precipitating out of solution proving contamination is

With air and soil pollution comes water contamination. In the event that a leak takes place underground it results in contamination to the groundwater. This groundwater slowly moves into other bodies of water and spreads the contamination. A wide spread area can be affected. (Rinaldi 422). The chemicals that are found in the contaminated water include Sodium Sulfite, Uranium 226 & 228, high levels of Sodium, and too many others to list. Bromite is among the worst because once treated at a water treatment facility it mixes with the chlorine to produce Trihalomethane. Trihalomethane is known to cause cancer. (Ken Dufalla, qtd. "FRACK US"). After repeated reports of drinking water contamination in PA alone, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection released a statement that "[The industry will require an ‘adjustment period' to refine practices.]" (PA DEP, qtd. Bamberger and Oswald

Interactions between groundwater and surface water are complex. Consequently, groundwater pollution, sometimes referred to as groundwater contamination, is not as easily classified as surface water pollution.[7] By its very nature, groundwater aquifers are susceptible to contamination from sources that may not directly affect surface water bodies, and the distinction of point vs. non-point source may be irrelevant. A spill or ongoing releases of chemical or radionuclide contaminants into soil (located away from a surface water body) may not create point source or non-point source pollution, but can contaminate the aquifer below, defined as a toxin plume. The movement of the plume, a plume front, can be part of a Hydrological transport model or Groundwater model. Analysis of groundwater contamination may focus on the soil characteristics and site geology, hydrogeology, hydrology, and the nature of the contaminants.