Causes and effects of Pollution in Lake Huron - Research Paper Example

As observed by Hickey et al. (2006), there is a direct relationship between pollution rate and effects on aquatic life and on humans. Adverse effects, in brief, include destruction of the surrounding ecosystems, reduction of water quantity, and contamination of soils. This paper will explore Lake Huron only, specifically addressing causes and effects of Lake Huron pollution on people and economy. Moreover, the determination of causes and effects of water pollution in the lake may cause environmentalists to come up with new solutions and ideas for cleaning water areas and improving the health of the public.

About Lake Huron The name of the lake was coined by early French explorers, meaning a group of people who inhabit regions around the water body (Shear, 2006). As one of the Great North American Lakes, Lake Huron is bounded by Michigan State on the west and Canadian province of Ontario on the east. The lake has several bays, with the greatest one being the Georgian Bay, and overtime it has undergone drastic aquatic changes. Initially, the lake was occupied by deepwater fish species, but nowadays it has been invaded by other fish species such as alewife, sea lamprey, and rainbow smelt.

The change, according to Liu et al. (2006), is attributed to pollution of the lake. Causes of Pollution in Lake Huron Leading cause Causes of pollution in Lake Huron are classified into three categories. The leading cause of pollution in the lake is point-source pollution, followed by nonpoint-source pollution, and the third cause is air pollution (Hickey et al., 2006). Point-source pollution describes direct sources of pollution, such as piped pollutants or other vessels. As it is a fresh water lake, there is a belief that several chemicals dissolve in the water and are, therefore, neutralized.

However, much attention is not given to products formed after dissolution processes. Many industries such as pulp and paper companies that surround the lake, as well as treatment plants, dump their waste products to neutralize their lethality. Through dumping, there is continual accumulation of mercury and other heavy metals in the lake. As another form of point-source pollution, large amounts of sewage and fecal matter are dumped in the lake. According to Liu et al. (2006), there is a strong correlation between sewage accumulation level and multiplication rate of harmful bacteria.

Liu et al. (2006) identifies E. coli and enterococci as two harmful bacteria whose population is influenced by sewage accumulation in Lake Huron. Therefore, both organic and inorganic wastes and sewage deposits increase bacterial growth. Second leading cause Nonpoint-source pollution, according to Robertson & Lauenstein (1998), does not originate from specific locations. Runoffs from lawns with contaminants and polluted water from agricultural farms form major components of nonpoint-source pollution.

Agricultural chemicals, such as pesticide and fertilizer runoffs, significantly contribute to nonpoint-source pollution. Examples of agricultural chemicals are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which results from the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Chloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, also known as DDT, is another agricultural chemical that contributes to pollution of Lake Huron. Insecticides such as lindane and toxaphene also contribute significantly to the pollution of the lake (Robertson & Lauens