Contamination of Water - Assignment Example

Water is essential resource and with its chemical and physical properties it becomes essential to life and civilization (Frank, McClure, Press & Walsh, 2001). When combined with carbon dioxide by green plants it helps in the synthesis of carbohydrates, from which all foods are formed; it is an efficient medium for dissolving and transporting nutrients through the soil; it is indispensable for domestic and industrial purposes. When any change in the chemical, physical, biological, and radiological quality of water that is injurious to its existing, intended, or potential uses takes place, the water is said to be polluted (Scholz, 2003). Water pollution refers to the human-induced changes to water quality. Scholz contends that contamination of ground water, rivers, lakes, wetlands, estuaries, and oceans can threaten the health of humans. Contaminated water has threatened the health of humans for centuries and continues to pose the same threat even today. Water is crucial for the welfare of the humanity and it is the quality of water that matters, not the quantity (Myllyntaus, 2005). Water occupies more than 71 percent of the earth’s surface but only 2.5% of it is fresh water, meant for human consumption. Again, 1 percent of this fresh water is divided into lakes (61%), atmosphere and soil moisture (39%) and the streams make up for less than 0.4 percent (Frank, McClure, Press & Walsh, 2001). The streams including the rivers constitute the smallest percentage of river distribution, most of the water for human consumption is provided by them. Drinking water accounts for even less because much of the fresh water in undrinkable (Myllyntaus, 2005). About 20 percent of the fresh water is stored in fresh water form and this is not a quickly renewable natural resource. Rainwater is the only naturally renewable form of water. Water pollution can be divided into two categories – point-source pollution and non-point-source pollution. When contaminants are discharged from a discrete location, as the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, it is known as point-source pollution (Scholz, 2003). Non-point-source or diffuse pollution refers to all other types of contaminants that polluter the water body. Acid rain is an example of non-point-source pollution. Water pollution poses threats to human health in different ways. The pollutants enter the body via skin exposure or when drinking water or contaminated food is consumed directly (Scholz, 2003). Mercury has been detected in fish tissues that are found in contaminated water bodies and when these fishes are consumed, it could affect the human health. Those who drink contaminated water of eat raw shell fish from contaminated water bodies also run the risk from bacteria and viral pathogens generated through water pollution. Water pollution can impact the entire ecosystem. When water bodies are enriched with nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous, algae and other aquatic plants could grown in those water bodies and they then clog the streams. The discharge from such streams is polluted which when falls on the river bed, pollutes the fishes. When these fishes are consumed by human, their health experiences adverse effects. Thus even when contaminated water is not directly consumed, the consumption of fishes or other foods that have been nourished by this water, can impact the humans. A study by the United States Government Accountability Office (Stepehnson, 2007) contends that perchlorate can be readily dissolved and transported and it has been found in groundwater, surface water, soil, or public drinking water systems at almost 400 sites across the country in varying concentrations. More than one-third of the sites are public drinking water systems where perchlorate concentrations ranged from 4 to 420 ppb. Perchlorate is a chemical, a rocket fuel contaminant that is used by Department of Defense (DOD), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the defense industry in the manufacturing, testing, and firing of missiles and rockets. It is also used to manufacture automobile airbags, fireworks, flares, and commercial explosives. One of the ways that human are exposed to perchlorate is by ingesting it in drinking water and food. Low-level perchlorate exposure adversely affects the thyroid and increases the risk of neurodevelopment impairment in fetuses of pregnant women. Perchlorate can interfere with the normal functioning of the thyroid gland as it inhibits the transportation of the iodide into the thyroid. This ultimately affects the production of the thyroid hormones. It has also been found that the fetus depends on an adequate supply of maternal thyroid hormone for the development of the central nervous system especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. Factors like these forced the Government to issue drinking water regulations for more than 90 contaminants. Processing and manufacturing of various products leads to organic water pollutants that have dire consequences on human health. For instance food processing plants have inadequate waste treatment facilities which result in disease causing disease causing organisms, bacteria, viruses and parasites (Jorgenson, 2009). Industrial waste from steel manufacturing or pulp and paper processing contain pathogenic organisms. These make their way into lakes, rivers and canals. The water from sources is used by the human population especially those living in high poverty conditions. The human use of such polluted water can lead to serious consequences like birth defects, spontaneous abortion, various types of cancer and death. Diseases and deaths are usually caused by consumption of polluted water. Water-borne diseases are known to be the largest category of communicable diseases which contributes to infant mortality especially in the less developed countries. Infants do not have the resistance power and are not able to fight the disease-causing organisms found in polluted water. Organic pollutants accumulate in the fatty tissues of the women and these can be passed on to infants and young children through breast-feeding. When some organic chemicals from manufacturing processes are added to water, it can stimulate oxygen consumption by decomposers (Jorgenson, 2007). This increased oxygen level can deplete the dissolved oxygen level thereby harming the fishes. Humans consume such fishes as well unknowingly. Thus, water polluted by industrial waste adversely affects the human health. The water pollution from industrial manufacturing and processing plants also contribute to other environmental problems. Apart from the waste being dumped into rivers, lakes and streams, they also leach into underground aquifers and contaminate drinking water (Shandra, Shor & London, 2008). Many of the chemicals thus dumped are not only highly toxic but also take a long time to decompose. This causes a shift in the pH of water which in turn causes certain plants and animals to perish. Some other plans and animals carry on reproducing unchecked, thereby reducing biodiversity. The toxic chemicals found in the water supplies affect people through the process of ‘bioaccumulation’. This builds up the toxins in the fatty tissues of the mammals. The long-term effects include cancer, blood disorders, immunity suppression, and spontaneous abortions. Apart from health, in less developed countries, as water becomes more polluted and hence less accessible, women and children have to travel farther and put in more effort to collect it. This means they spend more time in collecting water and which affects their time for education, work and health care. The coastal cities have salty water which has not been qualified for drinking and cooking (Myllyntaus, 2005). Water as a resource has many functions like providing nutrition, providing potable water, liquid for various industrial purposes; it also provides a means for irrigation, washing, recreation and aesthetic experiences. Human beings recognize the importance of water in their lives. They have been using technology to govern water. Waterborne technology is vital for societal infrastructure and the use and control of water has been one of the major tasks of the societies. History evidences that diseases killed more people than battles. History also proves that if the infrastructure of a society collapses and the drinking water becomes unusable, health care also becomes difficult. Drinking water and household water has to be kept clean and healthy; they have to be separated from refuse and toxin substances. In the 1830s Europe was struck with the fatal cholera pandemic, which demonstrates the power of microbes. Water is the home for the microbes and their living in water is a threat for people. The cholera bacillus too arrived in Russia from South Asia in 1829 and within a few months it reached the Baltic Sea region. From there it spread widely over the continent through trade and military operations. In Holland too 10,000 people died of an epidemic of cholera Asiatica during a 2-year period. Through out the 19th century this epidemic resulted in thousands of deaths across Europe and even reached the United States. It was only when treatment plants for drinking water, efficient sewers and waste water treatment system were built that the intensity of people being struck with diseases reduced. How water is supplied and used and how water is treated before and after use is very significant. China’s rivers are all polluted and they are perpetually having water shortage. Water shortage means diseases because water is needed not just for drinking but also for sanitation (Jones, 1999). Water pollution is the reason for high infant and maternal mortality statistics. About 35 million Canadians and Americans depend on the Great Lakes for bathing and drinking water, industry, fishing and recreation. The health of the lakes’ water also affects the land and air around it. It is widely believed and accepted that bioaccumulation and biomagnifications of toxic contaminants in the food leads to developmental effects in children (The Futurist, 1999). Evidence suggests that human health is affected by the exposure to the persistent chemicals found in the Great Lakes. When expectant mothers and young children consume fish, ducks and turtles from this lake, it could lead to premature births, low-birth weight, and impaired cognitive motor, and behavioral development. It is believed that toxic chemicals accumulate at all levels on the food web including people who drink the water, consume fish or water fowl and breathe the air. Airborne contaminants also drop into the lake and all the pollutants found in the lake move around in many ways. They travel through different media – air, water and land and they are transferred into the living organisms, where they move up the food web. This way they get biomagnified in the process. In addition to toxic chemicals wastes, water pollutants occur in many other forms. These include pathogenic microbes (harmful bacteria and viruses), excess fertilizers (containing compounds of phosphorus and nitrogen), and trash floating on streams, lakes, and beaches (Orlins & Wehrly, 2006). Pollutants not only adversely affect the human health, the lakes too become unswimmable. According to the UN World Water Assessment Program, about 2.3 million people suffer from diseases associated with polluted water and more than 5 million people dies from these diseases each year. When water contaminated with harmful microbes in ingested, it can lead to illnesses like dysentery, typhoid, cholera, and hepatitis A. there are other diseases like malaria, filariasis, yellow fever, and sleeping sickness, which arise out of stagnant, unclean water. Humans can also contact skin rashes or birth defects through chemicals like DDT, dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and heavy metals found in the water. If an infant drinks water polluted with excess nitrate, he could have the "blue baby syndrome" in which the child’s digestive system cannot process the nitrate, which thereby diminishes the blood’s ability to carry adequate concentrations of oxygen. Physicians for Social Responsibility, a public policy organization, which has medical and health professionals in their panel, contends that pervasive mercury contamination is harmful. Mercury is released into the atmosphere by smokestacks and ultimately finds its way into the water bodies and accumulates in the fish (PSR, 2006). Mothers who consume such contaminated fish pass on the mercury to their unborn child. This targets their developing nervous system, low-birth weight, mental retardation and other birth defects. Natural pollutants also affect the quality of water. For instance, in China water is overdrawn and when groundwater is overdrawn the quality of water deteriorates. In Bangladesh, with overdrafting of the ground water supply, there is a high level of naturally occurring arsenic (Ehrenman, 2007). Today only parts of the world suffer from lack of clean, hygienic water but it will ultimately threaten the ability of all countries to maintain health. Lack of safe drinking water causes a high degree of diseases or water-borne diseases. The magnanimity of the problem depends upon the region – whether rural or urban, densely populated or thinly populated. It also depends upon of the infrastructure and sanitation. Water quality and contamination is a major concern for both the developed and the developing nations. Thus it can be seen that fresh water source is limited while its usage is widespread. Contamination of water is being ignored leading to dire consequences for humanity. It affects them in many ways, primarily health concerns. It not only affects the adults, it affects the fetuses through their mothers, and it affects the young children through the food and water they consume. Industrial waste water being discharged into bodies of water is the primary causes of pollution of water. Even though technology has advanced and waste water can be treated, most organizations do not follow the regulations. Chemicals like perchlorate and arsenic, nitrate and mercury all have killer effects on humans. If the aquatic animals are affected, through that also the humans become affected as they consume fishes and turtles. Other affects on humans is the lack of safe drinking water, unswimmable water, and the time wasted in search of clean water. This is especially a problem in the undeveloped regions where humans have to travel far to fetch clean hygienic water. Thus water pollutants affect humans and some solution has to be found by individual nations. References Ehrenman, G. (2007). Billions of People Will Run Out of Fresh Water by 2050. At Issue: Will the World Run Out of Fresh Water?. Ed. Debra Miller. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Retrieved February 4, 2009 From http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%2528en%252C %252C%2529%253AFQE%253D%2528su%252CNone%252C30%2529water% 2Bpollution%2Baffects%2Bhumans%2524&contentSet=GSRC&sort=Relevan ce&tabID=T010&sgCurrentPosition=0&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECTS&prodId=OVRC&searchId=R3¤tPosition=16&userGroupName=cec&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%28e n%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28SU%2CNone%2C17%29%22Water+Pollution%22%24&inPS=true&searchType=BasicSearchForm&displaySubject=&docId=EJ3010467202&docType=GSRC Jones, A. (1999). DROWNING IN TRAGEDY, LET US PRAY FOR WATER. National Catholic Reporter, 00278939, 35 (20). Retrieved February 4, 2009 from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=103&sid=ec5470ff-d2bc-4ede-9d25-9966d9c1b646%40sessionmgr102&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWNvb2tpZSxpcCx1aWQmc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZl#db=aph&AN=1679654 Jorgenson, A. K. (2007). DOES FOREIGN INVESTMENT HARM THE AIR WE BREATHE AND THE WATER WE DRINK? Organization & Environment, 20 (2), 137-156. Retrieved February 3, 2009 from http://ft.csa.com/ids70/resolver.php?sessid=q9hb8oio0udkp79hc9dp0j2dn0&server=csaweb109v.csa.com&check=b9f18c2da58c2e9cc32cc1fb5f51e3e7&db=sageman-set-c&key=1086-0266%2F10.1177_1086026607302153&mode=pdf Jorgenson, A. K. (2009). Political-Economic Integration, Industrial Pollution and Human Health, International Sociology, 24(1), 115–143. Retrieved February 3, 2009 from http://ft.csa.com/ids70/resolver.php?sessid=q9hb8oio0udkp79hc9dp0j2dn0&server=csaweb109v.csa.com&check=61764d4f305b9280baf154a4826b7cfc&db=sagesoc-set-c&key=0268-5809%2F10.1177_0268580908099156&mode=pdf Myllyntaus, T. (2005). A LINE DRAWN IN THE WATER Historical Perspectives on Technology and the Environment. PUBLIC WORKS MANAGEMENT & POLICY, 9 (4), 278-286. Retrieved February 3, 2009 from http://ft.csa.com/ids70/resolver.php?sessid=q9hb8oio0udkp79hc9dp0j2dn0&server=csaweb109v.csa.com&check=8f51e375e31d4ab613aaa02c7369217d&db=sagepol-set-c&key=1087-724X%2F10.1177_1087724X05274744&mode=pdf Scholz, N. (2003). George Tchobanoglous, "Water pollution", in AccessScience@McGraw-Hill, http://www.accessscience.com, DOI 10.1036/1097-8542.738900 Orlins, J., & Wehrly, A. (2006). Water Pollution Poses a Serious Threat, Opposing Viewpoints: Pollution. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Retrieved February 4, 2009 from http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%2528en%252C%252C%2529%253AFQE%253D%2528su%252CNone%252C30%2529water%2Bpollution%2Baffects%2Bhumans%2524&contentSet=GSRC&sort=Relevan ce&tabID=T010&sgCurrentPosition=0&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECTS&prodId=OVRC&searchId=R3¤tPosition=1&userGroupName=cec&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%28en %2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28SU%2CNone%2C17%29%22Water+Pollution%22%24&inPS=true&searchType=BasicSearchForm&displaySubject=&docId=EJ3010157248&docType=GSRC Frank, B., McClure, M., Press, G., & Walsh, J. J. (2001). "Water conservation", in AccessScience@McGraw-Hill, http://www.accessscience.com, DOI 10.1036/1097-8542.738600 PSR. (2006). Mercury Contamination Poses a Serious Health Threat. Opposing Viewpoints: Pollution. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Retrieved February 4, 2009 from http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%2528en%252C%252C%2529%253AFQE%253D%2528su%252CNone%252C30%2529water%2Bpollution%2Baffects%2Bhumans%2524&contentSet=GSRC&sort=Relevan ce&tabID=T010&sgCurrentPosition=0&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECTS&prodId=OVRC&searchId=R3¤tPosition=21&userGroupName=cec&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%28e n%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28SU%2CNone%2C17%29%22Water+Pollution%22%24&inPS=true&searchType=BasicSearchForm&displaySubject=&docId=EJ3010157254&docType=GSRC Shandra, J. M., Shor, E., & London, B. (2008). DEBT, STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT, AND ORGANIC WATER POLLUTION. Organization & Environment, 21 (1), 38-55. Retrieved February 3, 2009 from http://ft.csa.com/ids70/resolver.php?sessid=q9hb8oio0udkp79hc9dp0j2dn0&server=csaweb109v.csa.com&check=bf41fedeb86d5c176dcd90b12175df73&db=sageman-set-c&key=1086-0266%2F10.1177_1086026608314759&mode=PDF Stephenson, J. B. (2007). PERCHLORATE EPA Does Not Systematically Track Incidents of Contamination, United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), Retrieved February 3, 2009 from http://web.ebscohost.com/src/pdf?vid=1&hid=102&sid=fb501e0c-ff42-490b-822f-a8f8426a9ce3%40sessionmgr109 The Futurist, (1999). The Great Lakes: Threat to human health? The Futurist, May-June 1990. Retrieved February 4, 2009 from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=1&hid=103&sid=e841b813-9d19-49f5-8b78-e11a0a157765%40sessionmgr103 Read More