Groundwater Pollution

0331 Types of Pollution

http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module04/title
.htm
Contaminants are separated into four
main categories:
Physical
Biological
Inorganic chemicals
Organic chemicals
These categories may overlap
sometimes. eg a biological organism
might make organic chemicals and
the organisms have a physical effect
on the water.
Contaminants can have effects at very small
concentrations.
Measure amounts of contaminants in terms of
concentration.
ppm and ppb and ppt, which are parts per
million and parts per billion and parts per
trillion.
PPM is the amount of contaminant units in
1,000,000 (1 million) units of groundwater.
PPB is lthe amount of contaminant units in
1,000,000,000 (1 billion) units of groundwater.
PPT is the amount of contaminant units in
1,000,000,000,000 (1 trillion) units of
groundwater.
http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module04/GW
ContaminationBasics1.htm
Very small concentrations of some
groundwater contaminants could have
serious health effects.
Different kinds of contaminants have
different concentration limits.
It is necessary to find out both the specific
type of contaminant and the concentration
of the contaminant.
http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module04/GW
ContaminationBasics3.htm
 Contamination Movement
As contamination moves it disperses.
The concentration decreases as it moves
farther away from the source of the
pollution.
So there are different concentrations of
contaminants at different points in the
aquifer.
The representation of these different
concentrations is called a contamination
plume.
http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module04/Co
ntaminationMovement.htm
 Area of Contamination

A contaminant may be released into the

groundwater for only a short time and in a
very small area, but as it disperses the
contaminant can affect a very large area
and number of people.
http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module04/Are
aofContamination.htm
Plumes can be very irregular
http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/mod
ule04/PlumeExample.htm
Watch and say:
Where is the source of the contamination?
Is the source continuous or a one-time event?
Based on the direction of the plume, which
way is the groundwater moving?
How far does the contamination travel in 16
years?
What important areas of the city are affected
by the contamination?
 Finding Contaminants
Look at the history of the site.
See if a nearby river is contaminated or what
possible above-surface sources exists.
To find the contaminant plume drill test wells
or use other technology to find
concentrations at different points
underground.
http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module04/Plu
meSourceGame.htm
Some specific contaminants.
Sites to search for contaminants
http://www.clu-
in.org/contaminantfocus/default.focus/sec/
General_Contaminant_Information/cat/Ov
erview/
http://www.clu-in.org/contaminantfocus/default.focus/sec/General_Contaminant_Information/cat/Overview/

has a large list of sites, including

http://www.nature.nps.gov/hazardssafety/tox
ic/entry.cfm
 Suspended Solids
Organic and inorganic particles in water
are termed suspended solids
May be distinguished from colloids,
particles that do not settle readily
Measured by filtering a water sample,
drying and weighing the filter
 Suspended Solids
Problems
sedimentation
may exert oxygen demand
primary transport mechanism for many metals,
organics and pathogens
aesthetic
complicates drinking water treatment
Sources
storm water
wastes
erosion
 Pathogenic Organisms
Many organims that cause human or
animal diseases colonize the instinal tract
but can live for a period of time outside the
body
Carriers (who may or may not exhibit
disease symptoms) excrete these
intestinal tract organims in very large
numbers
When water is contaminated by excretia,
the organisms can be transmitted to those
who contact the water
Pathogenic Organisms
Pathogenic Organisms
 Toxic and Hazardous
Substances
Heavy metals Volatile organic
Other inorganic compounds
elements Hydrophobic organic
Acids/bases compounds
Oxidants/reductants Endocrine disruptors
Chlorination by- Surfactants
products Petroleum Additives
Combustion by- Pesticides
products
 Volatile Organic Compounds
Petroleum constituents:
benzene and substituted benzenes

CH3 CH2CH3 CH3

CH3
Benzene Toluene Ethylbenzene m-Xylene

prevalent in gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil

most easily transported, slow degradation,
toxic
 Volatile Organic Compounds

Oxygentated gasoline additives

CH3
CH3 C O CH3 Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE)
CH3

added to gasoline to improve air quality

very soluble, resistant to degradation, toxic
attempt to solve one problem caused
another (spills)
 Volatile Organic Compounds
Chlorinated solvents
C1 and C2 aliphatics

Cl Cl Cl H Cl H
Cl C Cl H C Cl Cl C C H C C
Cl Cl Cl H H H

carbon tetrachloride chloroform 1,1,1-trichloroethane vinyl chloride

widely used in degreasing, dry cleaning,

extraction
somewhat soluble, volatile, difficult to degrade
 Hydrophobic Organic
Compounds
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

naphthalene anthracene phenanathrene

pyrene benzo[a]pyrene

potent carcinogens, tend to associate with

particles
also combustion by-products
 Hydrophobic Organics/
Chlorinated Aromatics
Chlorinated Pesticides
Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs)
Cl O Cl

Cl O Cl
2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Cl

Cl

Cl
Biphenyl 2,3',4-trichlorobiphenyl
 Some Other Categories
Trihalomethanes
Explosives and Propellants
Phenolics
Aldehydes
Organometallics
Asbestos
 Arsenic
Occurs naturally in rock and soil
Released to groundwater under some
conditions
Health effects include cardiovascular
diseases, skin cancer, nervous system
effects, and kidney disease
Major problem in Bangladesh
Drinking water standard being lowered in
U.S.