Water_Pollution

What are the main causes of water pollution and how it can be prevented' Patty (Pei-Yu, Chao) Introduction Approximately 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water and the human body constitutes 70% of water, therefore water is vital and essential for all forms of life. However, water pollution is one of the major global issues in all parts of the world and it has been indicated that it is the giving rise of diseases and death worldwide. The two main causes that account for water pollution are point sources and non-point sources. Water pollution affects almost all living organisms and harmful to the natural ecosystem. Although, access to clean water has been progressively improved over the last decades worldwide, but it is still necessary to develop more specific solutions such as government policies, processing plants and limit chemical use to prevent further contamination. Causes of water Pollution The specific causes leading to water pollution include a wide range of chemicals, pathogens, elevated temperature, and discoloration that results from human activities and factories. Causes of water pollution can fall into two main categories: point and nonpoint sources. Point sources of contaminants are at a specific location or traceable (Harvey, 2010). On the other hand, nonpoint sources come from many different sources that are untraceable (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010). First contributing factor of the water pollution is point sources, such as industrial and agricultural works which use many different chemicals that can pollute water. The first main point source that cause of pollution is industry factories, where produces the chemical waste, such as acidity, ammonia and heavy metals. The acidity was caused by industrial discharges like sulfur and nitrogen compounds that produce the chemical gases, and when these chemical gases get into the atmosphere it contributes to the acid rain (Harvey, 2010). Moreover, the ammonia is a colorless gas with its characteristic pungent odour and it was result from food processing waste (New World Encyclopedia, 2008). The last, heavy metals like lead, mercury, arsenic, arsenic, chromium, and cadmium which are the non-biodegradable substance so is hard to clean up if the water is contaminated by these chemical wastes (Water Pollution Guide, 2003-2008) . For instance, Taiwan, in 1986, discovered the green oyster incident, because of the water contaminated by excess lead; in 1988, cadmium rice incident, rice was contaminated with cadmium; in 1950s, discovered the black foot disease which is characterize by black foot due to obstruction of vessels and result in necrosis of foot. The cause of this disease was suspected from arsenic contamination of drinking water; and in 1956, Niigata Japan fond the Niigata Minmamata disease, it is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. All these incidents are result in the effluent from factories discharges often combined toxic heavy metals or organic compounds. Second cause of water pollution is know was nonpoint source which is mainly from human activities, such as excess fertilizers, improperly managed construction site, pet waste, domestic sewage and food processing waste (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010). The majority in pollution is domestic sewage, people uses of detergent for cleaning or washing things, such as clothes and dishes, or uses some synthetic fertilizers, all of these things contain large amount of phosphide and nitrate and which will result in the water quality of eutro phication- ecosystem responds to human activities in which increase in artificial nitrogen and phosphorus in lakes, rivers and lead to excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth (Krantz, 2007). Furthermore, many people feed animals, and if the river is close to their breed place then the water could be have polluted by body waste from farm animals. This situation is especially serious in developing countries in Southern East Asia such as India, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Most developing countries lack organized filtration and water supply systems, therefore people use local water source include underground water, rivers and lakes to meet the daily usage of water which in turn become the leading human causes of water pollution. How to prevent water pollution' Over the last decades, most of countries realized the serious problems that result from the pollution of water. Therefore, governments are working hard to improve the water quality and access to clean water by establishing some policies to limit usage of toxic chemicals and also to develop processing plants, which include specialized treatment systems and on-site treatment system. Policies to reduce usage of dangerous chemicals, such as lead, mercury, arsenic, arsenic, chromium, and cadmium. Also, increase recycles such waste within the production process. Acid wastes can be neutralized under controlled process to form some precipitate substances that are less acid in turn less damage to the environment. Finally, the public and private sector should develop specialized treatment systems and on-site treatment systems that help reduce industrial waste. For instance, specialized treatment systems include adsorption, ion exchange process, wastewater stripping, filtration, membrane technology to filter micro substances and dewatering that are designed to meet the specific needs of factories (Celenza, 2000). Another technique is on-site treatment system which relies on decomposition of the organic wastes in human by bacteria include pit latrine, pour flush latrine, composting toilet and septic tanks. This can be achieved by either putting it into the ground or into a designed container that promotes bacteria decomposition of the waste. However, because not all pollutants, such as nitrates can be removed by these processes and the potential for ground water pollution may exist in on-site treatment system (United Nations Environment Programme, 2000). It is important to distinguish between suitable and unsuitable waste, such as the specific needs of factories and decomposition of the organic wastes in human that can be used by treatment systems and on-site treatment systems in order to achieve the best effect of preventing water pollution. Conclusion In conclusion, water is an essential element to everything on the planet. Due to increase of industrialization of many countries, water pollution accompanies many negative effects to the environments and water pollution is one of the main effects. Human activities also lead to a range of causes to the water pollution. Although, the factories and human activities cannot be banned, but they can be limited by policies to reduce the chemical wastes and increase efficient recycling of certain substances in order to diminish the pollution. It is clear, according to the public and private sector’s policies and systems that can also decrease damage in water pollution. It is important to understand that reducing and prevent the pollution of water is everyone’s responsibility. References Celenza, G. J. (2000). Industrial waste treatment process engineering: Specialized treatment systems. Technomic Inc. Accessed: 06/06/2010, from http://books.google.com/books'id=sFGdDh1XTMAC&pg=PR2&dq=Gaetano+Joseph+Celenza+(2000).+Industrial+waste+treatment+process+engineering:+Specialized+treatment+systems,+copyright%C2%A92000+by+Technomic+Publishing+company.+Inc&hl=zh-TW&ei=8tIXTNuTDY6WsQbDx6XOCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Harvey, J. K. (2010).Pollution Sources: Point and Nonpoint .Accessed: 05/06/2010, from http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Po-Re/Pollution-Sources-Point-and-Nonpoint.html Krantz, T. (2007). Environmental and resource management, Ecology and Oceans Accessed: 12/06/2010, from http://www.eoearth.org/article/Eutrophication New World Encyclopedia. (2008). Ammonia. Accessed: 05/06/2010, from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ammonia United Nations Environment Programme, D.T.I.E, I.E.T.C. (2000). ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND TECHNOLOGIES in wastewater treatment for the implementation of the UNEP GLOBAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION (GPA). Guidance On Municipal Wastewater. Accessed: 05/06/2010, from http://www.unep.or.jp/Ietc/Publications/Freshwater/SB_summary/5.asp U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2010). Polluted Runoff (Nonpoint Source Pollution). Accessed: 05/06/2010, from http://www.epa.gov/nps/whatis.html Water Pollution Guide. (2003-2008). The causes of Water Pollution. Accessed: 05/06/2010, from http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/industrialwaste.html