pollution in the great lakes a study of how pollution affects wildlife in the great lakes amy...
Post on 31-Mar-2015
219 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
Pollution in the Great Pollution in the Great LakesLakes
A Study of how pollution A Study of how pollution affects wildlife in the Great affects wildlife in the Great
LakesLakesAmy Latham, Amanda Tsang, Eric Amy Latham, Amanda Tsang, Eric WrightWright
Environ 110, Section 5 Environ 110, Section 5
IntroductionIntroduction
• Earlier beliefs that water could dissolve Earlier beliefs that water could dissolve chemicals and other wastes led to the chemicals and other wastes led to the degradation of the Great Lakes degradation of the Great Lakes ecosystemecosystem
• Pollution has negative effects on the flora Pollution has negative effects on the flora and fauna of the Great Lakes ecosystem. and fauna of the Great Lakes ecosystem.
-reducing water quality, -reducing water quality, contaminating contaminating soils, and harming the soils, and harming the lake wildlife and lake wildlife and surrounding regionsurrounding region
• To demonstrate a direct effect that To demonstrate a direct effect that pollution has on the Great Lakes pollution has on the Great Lakes ecosystem, we analyzed data from ecosystem, we analyzed data from four pollutants and the biomass of four pollutants and the biomass of trout residing in Lake Huron.trout residing in Lake Huron.
• Point-source pollutionPoint-source pollution
- direct source of pollution (e.g. a - direct source of pollution (e.g. a pipe)pipe)
- mercury, sewage, and fecal matter- mercury, sewage, and fecal matter
• Non point-source pollutionNon point-source pollution
- non-specific locations (e.g. air-- non-specific locations (e.g. air-bound bound pollution, industrial runoff)pollution, industrial runoff)
- fertilizers and pesticides- fertilizers and pesticides
Background: Background: Effects of Effects of PollutionPollution
• Pollutants move up food chainsPollutants move up food chains
• Reduce fish stocksReduce fish stocks
• Decrease water qualityDecrease water quality
• Spreads diseasesSpreads diseases
MethodsMethods
• Researched material through Mirlyn Researched material through Mirlyn websitewebsite
• Used Microsoft Excel to create graphs to Used Microsoft Excel to create graphs to analyze the relation between pollutants analyze the relation between pollutants and the Great Lakes.and the Great Lakes.
• We used specific data from the biomass of We used specific data from the biomass of Lake Huron Trout and the concentration of Lake Huron Trout and the concentration of four prominent chemicals in Lake Huronfour prominent chemicals in Lake Huron
Results and DiscussionResults and DiscussionPollutant Concentrations
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Year
) C
on
cen
trati
on
s(n
g/g
PCBDDTDieldrinToxaphene
Pollutants concentration found in tissue of Lake Huron trout.
PCB and toxaphene have highest concentration.
Results and DiscussionResults and Discussion
Concentrations & Biomass
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Year
Co
ncen
trati
on
s )
ng
/g
(
0
20000000
40000000
60000000
80000000
100000000
120000000
140000000
160000000
Bio
mass )
kg
(
PCBDDTDieldrinToxapheneBiomass (kg)
Relationship between the four pollutants and trout biomass (kg).
Results and DiscussionResults and DiscussionBiomass & PCB Conc.
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
19
92
19
93
19
94
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
Year
Con
cen
trati
on
s )
ng/g(
0
20000000
40000000
60000000
80000000
100000000
120000000
140000000
160000000
Bio
mass )
kg
(
PCBBiomass (kg)
Specific correlation between trout biomass and PCB concentration
Results and DiscussionResults and Discussion
Biomass & Toxaphene Conc
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
Year
Co
nce
ntr
ati
on
s )
ng
/g
(
0
20000000
40000000
60000000
80000000
100000000
120000000
140000000
160000000
Bio
ma
ss )
kg
(
Toxaphene
Biomass (kg)
Specific correlation between trout biomass and toxaphene concentration.
ImplicationsImplications
• Restricts wildlife and fish growthRestricts wildlife and fish growth
• Wildlife deformities and spread of Wildlife deformities and spread of diseasesdiseases
• Degrades natural communitiesDegrades natural communities
• Limits wildlife consumptionLimits wildlife consumption
• Closes beaches and hinders other Closes beaches and hinders other recreational activitiesrecreational activities
SolutionsSolutions
• Clean Water Act, 1972Clean Water Act, 1972
• Great Lakes Water Quality Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, 1972Agreement, 1972
• State of the Lakes Ecosystem State of the Lakes Ecosystem conferenceconference
• Clean Michigan Initiative, 1998Clean Michigan Initiative, 1998
ConclusionConclusion
• Great Lakes are an important source Great Lakes are an important source of freshwater and their contamination of freshwater and their contamination affects both the wildlife surrounding affects both the wildlife surrounding the region and those who utilize its the region and those who utilize its vast resourcesvast resources
• Though measures have been taken, Though measures have been taken, more are needed to protect the more are needed to protect the valuable resources of the Great Lakesvaluable resources of the Great Lakes
ReferencesReferences• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. ToxFAQs for Polychlorinated Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. ToxFAQs for Polychlorinated
Biphenyls(PCBs). Feb 2001. Biphenyls(PCBs). Feb 2001. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts17.html#bookmark02http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts17.html#bookmark02 (Oct. (Oct. 23 2006)23 2006)
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. ToxFAQs for Toxaphene. Sept. 1997. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. ToxFAQs for Toxaphene. Sept. 1997. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts94.htmlhttp://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts94.html (Oct. 23 2006) (Oct. 23 2006)
• Hickey, J.P., Batterman, S. A., and Chernyak, S. M. 2006 Trends of Chlorinated Organic Hickey, J.P., Batterman, S. A., and Chernyak, S. M. 2006 Trends of Chlorinated Organic Contaminants in Great Lakes Trout and Walleye from 1970 to 1998. Arch. Environ. Contaminants in Great Lakes Trout and Walleye from 1970 to 1998. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 50, 97-110Contam. Toxicol. 50, 97-110
• Liu, Lubo; Phanikumar, Mantha S.; Molloy, Stephanie L.; Whitman, Richard L.; Liu, Lubo; Phanikumar, Mantha S.; Molloy, Stephanie L.; Whitman, Richard L.; Shivley, Dawn A.; Nevers, Meredith B.; Shwab, David J.; Rose, Joan B. 2006. Shivley, Dawn A.; Nevers, Meredith B.; Shwab, David J.; Rose, Joan B. 2006. Modeling the transport and Inactivation of E. coli and Enterococci in the Modeling the transport and Inactivation of E. coli and Enterococci in the Near-Shore Region of Lake Michigan. Environ. Sci. Technol. 40, 5022-5028Near-Shore Region of Lake Michigan. Environ. Sci. Technol. 40, 5022-5028
• Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. 1999. First Round of Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. 1999. First Round of Environmental Bonds sold Over Internet for Clean Michigan Initiative. Office Environmental Bonds sold Over Internet for Clean Michigan Initiative. Office of Great Lakes Activity Report, Lansing, MI.of Great Lakes Activity Report, Lansing, MI.
References ContinuedReferences Continued
• Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. 1998. Great Lakes Trends: Into the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. 1998. Great Lakes Trends: Into the New Millennium. Office of the Great Lakes, Lansing, MI.New Millennium. Office of the Great Lakes, Lansing, MI.
• Robertson, Andrew, and Lauenstein, Gunnar G. 1998. Distribution of Chlorinated Robertson, Andrew, and Lauenstein, Gunnar G. 1998. Distribution of Chlorinated Organic Contaminants in Dreissenid Mussels Along the Southern Shores of the Great Organic Contaminants in Dreissenid Mussels Along the Southern Shores of the Great Lakes. J. Great Lakes Res. 24(3): 608-619Lakes. J. Great Lakes Res. 24(3): 608-619
• Shear, Harvey. 2006. The Great Lakes, an Ecosystem Rehabilitated, but Still Under Shear, Harvey. 2006. The Great Lakes, an Ecosystem Rehabilitated, but Still Under Threat. Threat. Environmental Monitoring and AssessmentEnvironmental Monitoring and Assessment 113: 199-225 113: 199-225
• TEACH. Water Pollution in the Great Lakes TEACH. Water Pollution in the Great Lakes http://www.great-lakes.net/teach/pollution/water/water1.htmlhttp://www.great-lakes.net/teach/pollution/water/water1.html (Oct. 23, 2006) (Oct. 23, 2006)
• U.S. Environmental Protections Agency. Clean Water Act, July 2006. U.S. Environmental Protections Agency. Clean Water Act, July 2006. http://www.epa.gov/r5water/cwa.htmhttp://www.epa.gov/r5water/cwa.htm (Oct. 23, 2006) (Oct. 23, 2006)
top related