NonPoint Source Pollution Prevention

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Non-Point Source Pollution Prevention

• Sarina J. Ergas
• Civil Environmental Engineering
• UMass Amherst

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Non-point Source Pollution

• Nation's largest source of water quality
  problems.
• Main reason that 40 of rivers, lakes, and
  estuaries are not clean enough for fishing or
  swimming.
• Difficult to control - end of pipe methods not
  effective.
• Requires action of informed citizens.

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Non-point Sources

• Residential pollution
• Agricultural pollution
• Runoff from roadways
• Atmospheric deposition
• Logging
• Construction
• Mining
• Industrial pollution

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Some Representative Pollutants

• Fertilizers and other nutrients
• Organic matter
• Sediment
• Bacteria
• Deicing chemicals
• Toxic Organic Compounds
• Metals
• Acid deposition

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Nutrients - Nitrogen and Phosphorous

• Added to soil as fertilizer, through human and
  animal wastes and sludges, through atmospheric
  deposition of NOx
• Taken up by plants
• Adsorbs to soil
• Volatilizes ? atmospheric deposition
• Nitrification NH4 ? NO3- (soluble, mobile)
• Runs off to surface waters
• Leaches into groundwater

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Source www.physicalgeography.net
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The Nitrogen Cycle
Assimilation
Organic N
Ammonification
NH4
NO3-
N2
Denitrification
NO2-
Nitrification
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Problems with Nutrients

• NO3- toxic to humans blue baby syndrome
• NH4 toxic to fish
• NH4 increases Cl2 demand
• N and P cause eutrophication of surface waters
• Algae blooms and excess plant growth
• Depletes water of oxygen
• Fish kills
• Taste and odor problems in drinking water.

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Organic Matter

• Decaying plants (e.g. crop residues) and algae
  (e.g. due to eutrophication).
• Human and animal wastes and sludges.
• Landfill leachate.
• Industrial wastes and sludges.
• Petroleum hydrocarbons.
• Consumer products household chemicals,
  detergents, pesticides.

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Aerobic Degradation of Organic Matter

• Organic matter O2 microorganisms nutrients
  ?
• CO2 H2O new cells stable products
  
• Aerobic bacteria in the water degrade the organic
  matter causing a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).

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Problems with BOD

• Depletes water supply of O2 needed for aerobic
  organisms (fish, microorganisms, plants etc.).
• Creates anaerobic conditions odors etc. which
  make water unsuitable for recreation.
• If water is used as drinking water source
  tastes and odors, disinfection by-products,
  greater chlorine demand.

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Solids

• Human and animal wastes.
• Bacteria.
• Storm water runoff.
• Soil Erosion soil minerals washed or blown into
  surface waters.
• Tilling soils - removes protective vegetation
• Trampling and grazing by livestock
• Road construction
• Logging

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Problems with Solids

• Atmospheric dust visibility, weather
  modification.
• Stream degradation -can turn a deep lake into a
  shallow one can also cause channel erosion.
• Carries metals, organic matter, nutrients, and
  bacteria.
• Interferes with fish spawning.
• Smothers insects and other benthic organisms.
• Darkens water absorbs more solar radiation -
  Increases temperature.

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Problems with Solids (cont.)

• Sediment makes water turbid (cloudy, murky)
• Clogs fish gills.
• Decreases light to algae and other photosynthetic
  organisms.
• Effects on drinking water
• Increases water treatment costs.
• Increased disinfectant demand.
• Potential for increased pathogens.
• Potential for by-product formation (THMs).

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Bacteria

• Run-off from human and livestock wastes and
  sludges.
• Increased microbial growth due to contamination
  with nutrients and organic matter.
• Industrial discharges (e.g. from slaughterhouses,
  food processing facilities)

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Problems with Bacteria

• Compete with fish and other organisms for
  dissolved oxygen.
• Spread of disease in humans diarrhea,
  hepatitis, salmonella.
• Spread of animal diseases.

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Deicing Anti-icing Chemicals

• Vast amounts of salt (NaCl) used on frozen,
  snow-covered roads and highways every winter.
• Calcium magnesium acetate used as an alternative
  in sensitive areas.
• Ethylene glycol, propylene glycol used as
  aircraft deicing agents.

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Problems with Deicing Agents

• Vehicle corrosion, damage to vegetation and
  wildlife, disintegration of concrete.
• Runoff to surface water and infiltration to
  groundwater
• High levels of sodium and chloride
• Damage to fish
• High BOD loadings CMA and aircraft deicing
  agents

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Toxics

• Agricultural chemicals e.g. pesticides.
• Consumer products solvents, paints, personal
  care products, pharmaceuticals.
• Industrial discharges.
• Landfill leachate.
• Atmospheric deposition Hg, Pb, PAHs
• Vehicle corrosion
• Mining.

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Acid Deposition

• Acid Deposition - acid rain, snow, fog, dry
  deposition.
• pH -logH
• acid ? 7 ? basic
• SOx (coal and diesel combustion)
• NOx (thermal NOx, fuel NOx)
• CFCs (refrigerants, etc.)

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Source www.epa.gov
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Problems with Acid Deposition

• Damage to foliage
• Leaching nutrients needed for growth (e.g.
  calcium, magnesium and potassium)
• Increased acidity of lakes- destruction of
  sensitive species - fish, amphibians, etc.
• Surface deterioration of buildings, archeological
  artifacts, historical monuments, works of art,
  textiles.

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Water Flow Activity

• Take three minutes to write out the names of some
  of the water pollutants you know about on
  post-its.