Why can contaminated groundwater not cleanse itself?
Groundwater can’t cleanse itself very efficiently because it has little or no total turnover of its volume. Some of the major sources of contamination in ground water are nitrates from fertilizers, organic chemicals from pesticides, gasoline and solvents, and heavy metals from mining and ore processing.
Why can contaminated groundwater not cleanse itself quizlet?
Why can’t groundwater cleanse itself very well? cold temperatures which slow down the chemical reactions that decompose wastes.
Why does groundwater remain contaminated?
Groundwater contamination occurs when man-made products such as gasoline, oil, road salts and chemicals get into the groundwater and cause it to become unsafe and unfit for human use. Materials from the land’s surface can move through the soil and end up in the groundwater.
What happens when groundwater is contaminated?
Contamination of ground water can result in poor drinking water quality, loss of water supply, degraded surface water systems, high cleanup costs, high costs for alternative water supplies, and/or potential health problems. The consequences of contaminated ground water or degraded surface water are often serious.
What kind of contaminants can be found in groundwater?
Below is a list of some contaminants that can occur in groundwater. Groundwater will normally look clear and clean because the ground naturally filters out particulate matter. But, natural and human-induced chemicals can be found in groundwater.
What can cause a well to be contaminated with water?
Contaminated groundwater can occur if the well is located near land that is used for farming where certain kinds of chemicals are applied to crops or near a gas station that has a leaking storage tank. Leakage from septic tanks and/or waste-disposal sites also can contaminate groundwater.
What happens to the body when groundwater is contaminated?
May enter the environment from industrial discharge, mining waste, metal plating, water pipes, batteries, paints and pigments, plastic stabilizers, and landfill leachate. Replaces zinc biochemically in the body and causes high blood pressure, liver and kidney damage, and anemia. Destroys testicular tissue and red blood cells.
What causes the contamination of the water table?
Contaminants can be human-induced, as from leaking fuel tanks or toxic chemical spills. Pesticides and fertilizers applied to lawns and crops can accumulate and migrate to the water table.
