Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

WASH_1.0 OpenWASH

Study Session 7 Pollution: Types,

Sources and Characteristics

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

Copyright 2016 The Open University

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted
or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without written permission from the publisher.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

Contents
Introduction
Learning Outcomes for Study Session 7
7.1 What is pollution?
7.2 Physical nature of the pollutant
7.3 Sources of pollution
7.3.1 Domestic sources
7.3.2 Industry
7.3.3 Agriculture
7.3.4 Transport
7.4 Pathways of pollution
7.5 Sector of the environment affected by pollution
7.5.1 Water pollution
7.5.2 Air pollution
7.5.3 Soil and land pollution
Summary of Session 7
Self-Assessment Questions (SAQs) for Study Session 7

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

Introduction
You were introduced to wastes and pollutants in Study Session 1, where we discussed
the interactions between humans and our environment. Pollution was defined as the
introduction into the environment of substances liable to cause harm to humans and
other living organisms. Many human activities pollute our environment, adversely
affecting the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the soil in which we grow food.

In this and the next study session we will look more closely at pollution. In this
session you will learn about the different types and sources of pollution and the
various human activities that can cause pollution. We will also describe the ways
pollution can affect different sectors of the environment: water, air and soil. Study
Session 8 describes some of the significant effects of pollution on the environment
and on human health. It also discusses options for preventing and controlling
pollution.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

Learning Outcomes for Study Session 7

When you have studied this session, you should be able to:

7.1 Define and use correctly all of the key words printed in bold. (SAQs 7.1, 7.2,
7.3 and 7.4)

7.2 Describe the main types of pollution. (SAQ 7.3)

7.3 Describe the sources of pollution and the way pollutants reach the environment.
(SAQ 7.4)

7.4 Describe the main characteristics of water, air and soil pollution. (SAQ 7.5)

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

7.1 What is pollution?

If you hold up a glass of water in front of you, how can you tell if its polluted? You
would expect drinking water to be colourless, odourless and transparent (not turbid
with suspended particulates). If it was not all of these things, then it could be polluted.
If you were looking at water in a river, it is unlikely to be as clear as drinking water in
a glass, but you could deduce it was probably not polluted if you observed that the
water did not look dirty or smell bad. You might also observe that animals were
drinking the water without ill effects and fish were swimming in it. However, if the
water was discoloured or had an unpleasant odour, or you could see dead fish floating
on the surface you could conclude that pollution was the problem.

Let us consider the human activity that could have caused the pollution. Imagine a
river that flows through an area of land on the edges of a town. The water is used by
the community for drinking and other domestic uses and also for vegetable farming.
Several residents use this water to irrigate small areas of land where they cultivate
vegetables and many of the farmers use fertiliser and pesticide to improve
productivity (Figure 7.1). Fertilisers are made of chemicals such as nitrogen,
potassium and phosphorus, which are essential plant nutrients. Pesticides are
chemicals that destroy pests but can be harmful to other forms of life including
humans.

Figure 7.1 Farmers use fertilisers and pesticides on their vegetable crops to improve
productivity.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics
Imagine that one farmer has finished spreading the chemicals on his crop and decides
to wash the empty pesticide sack he has been using in the river. Later that day, it rains
heavily and rainwater is seen running off the field into the river. What do you think
happens? The river is receiving run-off containing fertiliser and pesticide chemicals
that had been applied to the crops, which is made worse by the farmer washing his
sack that had contained the pesticide. This could harm fish and other organisms living
in the water possibly killing them. The river is also used by the community so the
chemicals could get into drinking water that is consumed by humans. The river has
been polluted by the careless action of the farmer washing his sack and by the action
of rainwater washing the chemicals into the river.

Pollution always has a source and a recipient. The source is where the pollution
comes from, that is, where the pollution is released into the environment. The
recipient is where the pollution ends up, which may be a part of the environment
or people or animals that become contaminated or damaged.

In the above example about the farmer washing the pesticide sack in
the river, what is the source and what is the recipient of the pollution?

The pollution source is the activity of urban farming with pesticides

and fertilisers and washing sacks so that pollutants get into the river.
In this example, the primary recipient is the water body that receives
the pollutants. Other recipients are the people who drink the
contaminated water and animals such as fish that also are affected.

There are a number of ways of identifying pollution. These include finding symptoms
of damage to aquatic plants and animals (such as dead fish), finding chemicals in the
water, comparing the previous history of the quality of water with the present quality,
and getting complaints from water users. Even when a problem has been found,
investigations to identify the source may take time. For example, water samples from
several different points upstream and downstream will need to be analysed to locate
precisely where the problem originated.

There are several different ways of classifying pollutants. They can be categorised by
their physical nature, by their source, by the recipient or by the sector of the
environment affected. In the following sections we will look at each of these
classification groups

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

7.2 Physical nature of the pollutant

Pollutants may be in the form of gas, liquid, solid or energy.

What polluting gases can you think of?

Greenhouse gases are pollutants that contribute to human-induced

climate change (mentioned in Study Session 1). The main greenhouse
gases are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen oxides.

Liquid pollutants usually come from liquid waste. Liquid waste includes human
excreta (both faeces and urine), industrial wastewaters and other forms of waste from
water-using activities (Figure 7.2). Factories generate liquid waste from activities
related to washing in the manufacturing process, cleaning objects and chemical
mixing. Sewage is a mixture of human excreta from water-flushed toilets and other
wastewater from houses and businesses. Sewage and human waste from overflowing
septic tanks and latrines are frequent sources of pollution.

Figure 7.2 Car washing produces contaminated water containing engine oil and fuel,
which may flow into rivers and lakes.

Urban run-off is another type of liquid waste that can cause pollution. Rainwater
washes many different types of waste from the land surface into lakes and rivers.
Urban run-off can contain a lot of organic matter. This may come from open
defecation or inappropriate handling of organic wastes produced from households and
businesses. Organic matter includes anything that is derived from living
organisms, such as human and animal wastes, decaying plants and food wastes.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics
Pollutants also come in solid form. Plastic bags are one of the most common solid
wastes. Solid waste is any solid material that is assumed not to be useful and is
therefore thrown away. Factories, businesses and households produce different kinds
of solid waste such as paper, plastics, metals, chemicals in solid form, pieces of cloth
or food and animal remains (Figure 7.3). Sometimes you may have observed faecal
matter discarded with solid waste, which adds to the problems.

Figure 7.3 Solid waste is an unsightly problem in many towns.

There is a fourth type of pollution that is common in urban communities. This is

energy in the form of noise pollution. Noise pollution means unacceptable levels of
noise in work, residential and recreational places. Noise makes it difficult to have a
conversation and also irritates and disturbs us and in the long term can damage our
hearing. Loud music from music shops and clubs in an urban community is a known
source of noise disturbance. Such noise may please some, but it disturbs many other
people because it interferes with communication in the daytime and sleeping at night.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

7.3 Sources of pollution

Another way of classifying pollution is by the sector of human activity that produces
it. Before we look at the various sectors, there is an important distinction to be made
about pollution sources. Sources of pollution can be categorised as point or non-point
sources. Point sources are identifiable points or places that you can easily locate.
An example is a diesel truck that produces visible black exhaust fumes from its
tailpipe. Liquid waste released from a pipe into a river is another example (Figure
7.4). A non-point source (also known as diffuse pollution) is one where it is
difficult to identify the exact origin of the pollution. A good example is floodwater
that washes all types of waste from the land (possibly including faecal matter) into a
river. In this situation you cannot identify the individual or household or
establishment that has caused the water pollution (Figure 7.5).

Figure 7.4 Point source: liquid waste entering a small stream.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

Figure 7.5 Non-point source: solid waste and faecal matter are distributed all along
the banks of the river so no single source can be identified.

Can you think of examples of point and non-point source pollution

from earlier in this study session?

The farmer washing his sack is an example of a point source because

you could identify where he washed his sack. However, the pesticide
washing from the field is an example of a non-point source. The
pollutant would wash into the river at several places, and could
possibly also have come from other fields. This is an example of how
difficult it can sometimes be to accurately identify the source.

7.3.1 Domestic sources

Domestic sources of pollution include toilets, latrines and wastewater from kitchens
and bathrooms. If these wastes are properly contained and prevented from getting into
the environment, they will not cause pollution. However, frequently this is not the
case. Open defecation obviously releases human waste into the environment, which
can then be washed into rivers and other surface waters.

What types of organic waste are produced by a typical household?

The organic wastes from domestic sources include human excreta and
also food waste and other kitchen waste such as cooking oil residues.

Solid wastes from households and also from shops, markets and businesses include
food waste, packaging materials and other forms of rubbish. Domestic sources are
also responsible for gaseous pollutants in the form of smoke and carbon dioxide from
domestic fires.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

7.3.2 Industry
Pollution from the industrial sector in Ethiopia has been on the rise, posing a serious
problem to the environment. Many industrial processes produce polluting waste
substances that are discharged to the environment, frequently through chimneys (to
the air) or through pipes (to surface water) (Figure 7.6). Among the most polluting
industries are food processing, tanneries and textiles with processing plants and
factories that produce liquid effluents which are discharged into rivers, often without
treatment (Ademe and Alemayehu, 2014; Wosnie and Wondie, 2014). In practice,
rivers frequently receive polluting discharges from many different sources all at the
same time. The Little Akaki River in Addis Ababa, for example, is polluted by several
different industrial sources as well as by domestic wastes (Tegegn, 2012).

Figure 7.6 Air pollution from an industrial source.

7.3.3 Agriculture
Like industry, agricultural activities are also increasing in Ethiopia, and changing too.
Nowadays, agricultural activities in Ethiopia use more pesticides and fertilisers.
Ethiopia imports over 3000 tons of various types of pesticides annually (Federal
Environment Protection Authority, 2004). Fertiliser use in Ethiopia has increased from
140,000 metric tons in the early 1990s to around 650,000 metric tons in 2012 (Rashid
et al., 2013). Fertiliser contains phosphate and nitrate and if these reach water bodies
they can cause excessive plant growth (Figure 7.7).

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

Figure 7.7 Plant fertilisers can encourage excessive growth of vegetation if they are
washed into lakes and other water bodies.

Agriculture is also responsible for gaseous pollutants in the form of methane produced
by livestock and solid pollutants from crop residues, packaging materials and other
wastes similar to those produced domestically. Animals also contribute to waste
products and potential pollutants with their excrement.

7.3.4 Transport
Do you live in a city or have you visited a city close to where you live? If so you will
no doubt be familiar with the variety of vehicles on our roads (Figure 7.8). Some are
small cars, others are heavy motor trucks. These vehicles differ not only in their size,
but also by using different types of fuel such as petrol, diesel, and blended fuel (10%
ethanol and petrol). If you observe the tailpipe of diesel engine vehicles, you will have
seen the black exhaust gas produced. The intensity of the black colour is greater for
poorly maintained vehicles, to the extent sometimes that it makes the air hazy or
smoky and causes coughs and eye irritation. The lack of a policy to remove old
vehicles from the roads adds to the problem. Tiwari (2012) found that nearly a third of
vehicles in Addis Ababa were over 30 years old, resulting in high levels of tailpipe
emissions. Traffic jams, common in all big cities, make the problems worse.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

Figure 7.8 Pollution from exhaust is worse if vehicles are poorly maintained.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

7.4 Pathways of pollution

We said earlier that pollution always has a source and a recipient. The pathway of
pollution is the way the pollutant moves from the source, enters into the environment,
and finally how it reaches the human body or other recipient. The pathway between
source and recipient can take several different forms depending on the type of
pollutant. Primary recipients for pollution are water, air, and soil. Pollutants usually
reach humans through the consumption of contaminated and polluted water and food,
and breathing polluted air.

Once released into the environment, the worst effects of many pollutants are reduced
by one or more of the following processes:

Dispersion smoke disperses into the air and is no longer noticeable

away from the source.
Dilution soluble pollutants are diluted in the water of a river or lake.
Deposition some suspended solids carried in a river settle (are
deposited) on the river bed.
Degradation some substances break down (degrade) by natural
processes into different, simpler substances that are not polluting.

In each case the effect is to reduce the concentration of the pollutant.

Concentration is a measure of the amount of the substance in a known volume
of water or air. The units used for water pollutants are usually milligrams per litre
(mg/l, also written as mg l-1), although sometimes you may see ppm which stands
for parts per million.

These processes do not apply to all pollutants. There are some persistent
pollutants which remain intact when released into the environment because they
do not break down by natural processes. These are described in Study Session 8.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

7.5 Sector of the environment affected by pollution

Classifying pollution by the sector of the environment affected water, air, soil and
land is probably the most commonly used method.

7.5.1 Water pollution

Water pollution can affect surface water such as rivers and lakes, soil moisture and
groundwater in aquifers, and the oceans. As you know from Study Session 4, the
actions of the water cycle connect all these different reservoirs of water. For example,
a polluted river will discharge into the ocean and could damage the marine
environment. However, the volume of water in the ocean can disperse and dilute the
pollutant so that its worst effects are only felt near the mouth of the river.

Water pollution is characterised by the presence of excess physical, chemical or

biological substances that change the qualities of the water and are capable of causing
harm to living organisms. We mentioned earlier that natural or unpolluted water is
colourless, odourless and transparent. Water that tastes or smells bad or is cloudy can
be said to have the symptoms of water pollution. However, some water pollutants
cannot be seen or tasted, for example some chemicals, such as pesticides, and most of
the micro-organisms that cause waterborne diseases. So, water pollution involves
more than just the appearance of the water. Polluted water should not be used for
drinking, washing, bathing or agriculture. If polluted water is used by humans, then it
can adversely affect the body in different ways, depending on the type and
concentration of pollutant.

You also read in Study Session 4 that most rivers and streams in Ethiopia contain
significant quantities of suspended solids that are carried along in the flow and make
the water look brown in colour, especially in the rainy season (Figure 7.9). Most of
the solids are fine particles of soil that have been washed into the river from
surrounding land by rain, often following cultivation or construction work. Large
quantities of solids in the water can reduce light penetration into the water which can
affect the growth of plants.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

Figure 7.9 Akaki River: suspended solids carried in the flow make the water look
brown.

Biological water pollutants are micro-organisms that are harmful to humans and other
forms of life. They are responsible for many different waterborne diseases. The
original source of these pollutants is people or animals already infected with the
micro-organisms concerned. If faeces from infected people are not correctly contained
and treated, the pollutants can get into surface and groundwater. The main groups of
biological pollutants are bacteria, viruses, protozoa and helminths (worms).

Chemical water pollutants take many different forms depending on their source. They
include plant nutrients (compounds of phosphorus and nitrogen) used as fertilisers
which, as you read earlier, can be washed from fields into rivers. These nutrients are
also produced by the breakdown of human and animal wastes and are common
pollutants of surface waters.

Chemical pollutants also include heavy metals, pesticides and other persistent
pollutants. Heavy metals are a group of toxic chemical pollutants that contain
compounds of persistent metals such as mercury, cadmium, lead and chromium. The

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics
presence of heavy metals in water in excess of acceptable levels can cause illness and
death among animals and humans if consumed through drinking and food (Zinabu and
Pearce, 2003).

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are also toxic to humans and

wildlife. They include many different synthetic organic chemicals manufactured for
use as pesticides and in industrial processes, e.g. DDT, aldrin and PCBs
(polychlorinated biphenyls). Many of these persistent chemicals have been banned in
some countries. Their persistence in the environment creates specific problems that
are described in Study Session 8.

7.5.2 Air pollution

Air pollution can exist at all scales, from local to global, and can include gases and
solid particles. It can affect you in your own home, or in your town or city, and can
contribute to global atmospheric changes. The most common sources of air pollution
in the urban centres of Ethiopia include the burning of wood, charcoal and other
biomass fuel by households, small businesses such as bakeries, manufacturing
industries, and vehicles.

Air pollution is defined as the presence in the air of abnormal amounts of

chemical constituents capable of causing harm to living organisms. Clean air consists
of nitrogen (78% by volume), oxygen (21%) and trace gases (< 1%). Polluted air may
contain particulate matter (such as black soot) and many different gaseous chemicals
such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, ozone,
nitrates, sulphates, organic hydrocarbons and many others. Many of these are also
found in clean air as trace gases but they become pollutants if present in abnormal
quantities.

The emission of black smoke is an indication of intense pollution. However, not all air
pollution is visible or can be smelled. Gases such as carbon monoxide and carbon
dioxide are invisible and odourless. Carbon monoxide is very dangerous to humans. It
can be produced by inefficient burning of fuel (for example a charcoal stove in a
home with inadequate air supply) and if breathed in large quantities it can be deadly.
Carbon dioxide is an important pollutant that is involved in climate change. (You will
learn about in climate change in Study Sessions 9, 10 and 11.)

7.5.3 Soil and land pollution

Soil pollution, also called land pollution, is linked to water pollution. Liquid wastes
containing toxic chemicals or pathogenic micro-organisms on the surface of the land
can seep slowly into the soil and may percolate down to contaminate groundwater,
which can affect people using springs or wells in the area. Possible sources include
open defecation, pit latrines or leaking storage containers for industrial chemicals and
wastes.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics
Solid waste can cause soil pollution. A collection of solid wastes in one place or
scattered around is unsightly and might smell bad to you as you pass by (Figure 7.10).
Household waste typically consists mostly of food waste that will gradually
decompose. This produces a bad odour and attracts insects and rats, both of which
contribute to the transmission of disease. As the waste decomposes it produces a
liquid called leachate which trickles down into the soil. Leachate is a highly
concentrated liquid pollutant that may contain toxic chemicals and pathogenic micro-
organisms as well as high levels of organic compounds. Rainwater falling on, and
washing through, solid waste adds to the problem.

Figure 7.10 Urban solid waste contains a mixture of many different types of waste
and can pollute soil and water if it is not contained and managed correctly.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

Summary of Session 7
In Study Session 7, you have learned that:

1. Environmental pollution is the result of human activity and

development that occurs when physical, biological and chemical
agents are released to the environment in such quantities that the
pollution adversely affects human health and damages the
environment.
2. Pollution can be classified by its physical nature, by its source, by its
recipient, by the sector affected or by its effects.
3. Pollution may be in the form of a gas, liquid, solid or energy.
4. Sources of pollution may be point sources, which are easily identified,
or non-point sources, where the pollution comes from diffuse sources
that are not easy to pinpoint.
5. There are different types of pollution: water pollution, air pollution,
solid waste pollution and noise pollution. All of these can be found in
urban areas.
6. The main sources of pollution are household activities, factories,
agriculture and transport.
7. Once they have been released into the environment, the concentration
of some pollutants is reduced by dispersion, dilution, deposition or
degradation.
8. Water can be contaminated by physical pollutants (solid material),
biological pollutants (such as bacteria that cause waterborne
diseases), and many different chemical pollutants.
9. Air pollution can be caused by gases or solid particulates.
10. Soil pollution is linked to groundwater pollution. Solid waste can
produce highly polluting leachate which contaminates soil
groundwater.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

Self-Assessment Questions (SAQs) for Study

Session 7
Now that you have completed this study session, you can assess how well you have
achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions.

SAQ 7.1 (tests Learning Outcome 7.1)

Why is a point source of pollution easier to identify than a non-point source of
pollution?

View answer - SAQ 7.1 (tests Learning Outcome 7.1)

SAQ 7.2 (tests Learning Outcome 7.1)

Rewrite the sentences below using terms from the list provided to fill the gaps:

concentration, heavy metals, organic matter, persistent pollutant, sewage.

consists of human excreta and wastewater. It has a high

of

Some pollutants, called , do not break down naturally in the

environment. Examples are mercury, cadmium and other

View answer - SAQ 7.2 (tests Learning Outcome 7.1)

SAQ 7.3 (tests Learning Outcomes 7.1 and 7.2)

Describe what is meant by the terms liquid waste and solid waste, using examples
from your own experience to illustrate your answer.

View answer - SAQ 7.3 (tests Learning Outcomes 7.1 and 7.2)

SAQ 7.4 (tests Learning Outcomes 7.1 and 7.3)

For the scenarios (a) to (d), fill in the table below to show the pollutant, the source of
pollution, the possible pathways and the recipients:

a. A farmer washes an empty pesticide sack in a river; the river flows

into a lake which is used for drinking water by people from a local
town.
b. Rain falls on a waste dump used to collect household waste; the waste
dump isnt properly sealed and liquid percolates down into the soil

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics
and into groundwater that is extracted from a nearby well for
domestic use.
c. A tannery based in a town produces liquid waste that contains organic
matter and chemicals used in the tanning process; this effluent is
discharged into the local river which flows out of the town and
through a nature park.
d. A bus driving through a busy town emits black smoke from its
tailpipe.
Pol So Pat Re
lut urc hw cip
ant e ay ien
t

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)

View answer - SAQ 7.4 (tests Learning Outcomes 7.1 and 7.3)

SAQ 7.5 (tests Learning Outcome 7.4)

Describe how water pollution can change the characteristics of water.

View answer - SAQ 7.5 (tests Learning Outcome 7.4)

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

SAQ 7.1 (tests Learning Outcome 7.1)

Answer
Point sources of pollution are easier to identify because they come from points or
places that you can easily locate, such as a pipe discharging waste into a river. A non-
point source is more difficult to identify because it does not come from just one place,
but can come from a wide area, for example fertiliser washing off a number of fields
or floodwater that washes waste from latrines.

Back

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

SAQ 7.2 (tests Learning Outcome 7.1)

Answer
Sewage consists of human excreta and wastewater. It has a high concentration of
organic matter.

Some pollutants, called persistent pollutants, do not break down naturally in the
environment. Examples are mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals.

Back

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

SAQ 7.3 (tests Learning Outcomes 7.1 and

7.2)
Answer
Liquid waste is liquid material that is thrown away, or discharged into the
environment. From the household you might include human excreta (both faeces and
urine) and other wastewaters. In your area you might also see urban run-off when rain
washes waste from the land surface. You might also see liquid waste discharged from
factories through a pipe into a river.

Solid waste is any solid material that is assumed not to be useful and is therefore
thrown away; examples that you might use include food waste, cloth, paper and
plastic that are thrown out from your own household or that you see in the area where
you live.

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

SAQ 7.4 (tests Learning Outcomes 7.1 and

7.3)
Answer
Pol So Pat Re
lut urc hw cip
ant e ay ien
t
(a) pest agri thro lake,
icid cult ugh hum
e ure the ans
rive
r
(b) leac dom thro soil,
hate estic ugh grou
/ soil ndw
hou and ater,
seho grou hum
ld ndw ans
ater
(c) liqui indu thro river
d stry ugh ,
efflu the hum
ent rive ans,
(org r wild
anic life
matt
er
and
tann
ery
che
mic
als)
(d) blac tran thro hum
k spor ugh ans
smo t the
ke air

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Study Session 7 Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics

SAQ 7.5 (tests Learning Outcome 7.4)

Answer
Natural or unpolluted water is colourless, odourless and transparent. Water pollution
changes the characteristics of water by the presence of excess physical, chemical or
biological substances that change the qualities of the water and are capable of causing
harm to living organisms.

Polluted water can taste or smell bad or be cloudy. Polluted water can contain
suspended solids that make the water look brown in colour; most of the solids are fine
particles of soil that have been washed into the river by rain from surrounding land.
Large quantities of solids in the water can reduce light penetration into the water
which can affect the growth of plants.

Water pollution changes more than just the appearance of the water. Polluted water
can also contain chemicals, such as pesticides, fertilisers and heavy metals that are
toxic. Polluted water also can contain biological substances such as organic matter
and micro-organisms that cause waterborne diseases.

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