Hydrosphere - Hydrologic cycle

Hydrosphere - Global

distribution of water

Global water stress

• Water stress occurs when the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain period or when poor quality restricts its use.

• Water stress causes deterioration of fresh water resources in terms of quantity (aquifer over-exploitation, dry rivers, etc.) and quality (eutrophication, organic matter pollution, saline intrusion, etc.)

Global water stress

Water stress• Changes in climate are affecting water availability • Pollution, water diversions and uncertainties about the

abundance of water are threatening economic growth, environment, and health.

• Underground water is often being overexploited and polluted.

• To augment water supply, traditional techniques – such as rainwater collection – are now being supplemented by newer technologies like desalination and water reuse.

• Political support is needed to improve information collection that can turn and enable better decision making about the management and use of water.

Water availability in Europe in future

Water table regenerationHigh Middle Low

Fresh water pollution

Water disposal in Europe

The enrichment of waters (mostly) by inorganic plant nutrients (P, N). This phenomenon can be caused by various sources, both artificial and natural.

Eutrophication has relevant effects on water bodies: the main are algal blooming, excessive aguatic macrophyte growth and oxygen depletion – clear water phase.

Further consequences for human activities are: the decrease of water quality, aesthetic flow and navigation water problems and extinction in some water bodies of some oxygen depending organisms or animals.

Eutrophication

Vegetation colouring -

algae

Water blossom – blue-green algae

Freshwater pollution• Agriculture• Industry• Municipal waste water• Other

Drugs in fish meat (Chicago):

46% Antidepressant

33% Antikoevulsive

20% Antihistaminikum

2% Antihypertenzivum

Hormons from birth control pills

Industry waste water in river inChina

Sewage Water Treatment Plants

• lower nutritiousness of sewage waters

•„more intensive“ technically selfpurification

•1. Mechanical level (Primary treating) – undissolved matters, sand, flowing materials, fats,…

•2. Biological level (Secondary treating) – biofilms, sludge oxigenation, intensive biochemical processes (Activation)

•3. Nutrition remotion - P and N level (Tertiary treating) = prevent eutrophication, biological way (ponds, reservoirs, wetlands,..), chemical way (coagulation)

Water purification in Europe

Cities with more than 150 thousands in 15 „old EU“ countries (2002)

Water cleaning:

-Technically (SWTP)

-More naturally (vegetation SWTP)

Sewage Water Treatment Plants

•Big –over 5 000 ER (equipollent rezident) in CR must be built until 2010

•Small – under 5 000 ER, sometimes only mechanical or biological, vegatation treatment

•Municipal waters

•Industrial waters

•Special waters (mine, junkyard,…)

•Centralized system (united, devided sewerage)

•Decentralized system (cesspool, soil filter, home SWTP,…)

Sewerage

Very expensive part of water treating

United sewerageBigger, great ambivalence

Rain reservoirs

Rain lighten chambers

Devided sewerageRain pipes - Rain settle reservoirs

Sewage pipes - smaller

gravitational, pressure, underpressure

Parts of water treating

Sewerage Municipal SWTP (2.500 ER)

Sewerage cleaningCity SWTP (80.000 ER)

Activation – part of Secondary treating

2. Level – biochemical, oxigenation of sewage water.

Nitrification – changing N compounds

Denitrification – changing N compounds into gas – loss of N

Results = „clean“ water , sludge

Bayerisches Landesamt für Umweltschutz 2002

Vegetation SWTP – horizontal and vertical filter

1. Septum reservoir

2. Devided pipes

3. Artificial wetland

4. Revisory shaft

5. Cleanse pond

6. Evaporate area

7. Compost, sludge drainage

Vegetation no-outflow SWTP (decentralized)

Lemna-System (Chicago) In combination with traditional SWTP Energy from Sun (only 60% in winter) small amount of sludge periodical harvesting (fertilizer, animal food, compost, biogas)

Harvesting system Detail

Water treatment, vegetable production, Tega Lake

• no – substrate, supporting mattress• clingfilm for facade protection (wetness, roots)• water purification (separate toilets)

Quelle: Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. (2004)

Hanging gardens - green facade, cooling and dust removal

Atmosphere structure

• Troposphere – almost all atmospheric phenomenons (clouds, rain, lightning, smog,..) – it reflects part of sunlight back to Earth

• Stratosphere – in upper part is Ozone layer

• Mezosphere • Termosphere • Exosphere

• Elements in Atmosphere:• 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, 1%

others

Air pollution• While ambient air quality in Europe improved in several respects during the last

decades of the 20th century, current levels of air pollution do affect public health. They can cause respiratory diseases and reduce life expectancy.

• The health effects of three major air pollutants have been reviewed: • Particulate Matter• Ozone • Nitrogen Dioxide

• Exhalation – pollutants in air• Emission – discharge of pollutants from a source (in time unit)• Immission – air polluting substances in atmosphere

• Black triangle – Czech, German, Poland (formerly) – S and N oxides in air created acids and caused acidification (dead forests) – acids of S and N

Ozone• Ozone is a form of oxygen having the molecular form of

O3. It is a bluish, unstable gas with a pungent odour, found in two parts of the atmosphere: the stratosphere and the troposphere

• The ozone layer (Strathosperical ozone): The stratosphere contains a layer in which the concentration of ozone is greatest, the so called ozone layer. The layer extends from about 12 to 40 km. Dobson unit

• It shields the Earth from ultraviolet radiation's harmful health effects on humans and the environment. This layer is being depleted by human emissions of chlorine- and bromine-containing compounds.

• Ground-level ozone: At ground level (in the troposphere), ozone is considered an air pollutant that can seriously affect the human respiratory system. It is a chemical oxidant and a major component of photochemical smog.

CFCs = Chloro-fluoro-Carbons is ODS – ozone depleting substance

• When nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons (in particular, unsaturated hydrocarbons) coexist in the atmosphere, if they receive ultraviolet light via the irradiation of sunlight, photochemical reaction occurs. The photochemical reaction generates: oxidants including ozone, peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), nitrogen dioxide and peroxide; reduction materials such as formaldehyde and acrolein; and aerosol. In addition, when there is sulfur dioxide in the air, sulfuric acid mist is generated.

• Short-term exposure to ozone peaks can temporarily affect the lungs, the respiratory tract, and the eyes. It can also increase the susceptibility to inhaled allergens. Long-term exposure to relatively low concentrations of ozone can reduce lung function

Photochemical smog – Los Angeles smog

Photochemical smog genensis

NO2 + uv --> NO + OO + O2 --> O3

London smog – winter smog• Smog = smoke and fog. Classic smog results from large

amounts of coal burning in an area and is caused by a mixture of smoke and sulfur dioxide.

• The Great Smog, also referred to as the Big Smoke, befell London starting on 5.12.1952, and lasted until 9.12.1952. This catastrophe caused or advanced the death of thousands. Deaths in most cases during the Great Smog were due to respiratory tract infections from hypoxia (low level of oxygenation of blood) due to mechanical obstruction of the air passages by pus arising from lung infections caused by the smog. The lung infections were mainly bronchopneumonia or acute purulent bronchitis.