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The Epidemic… (Intro for Poison Pump)

In 1854, hundreds of people living in London died during a cholera

epidemic. The disease spread from India to London.

Cholera is characterized by rapid dehydration resulting from

vomiting, diarrhea and sweating. Victims may suffer only mild

symptoms or can die in less than an hour.

Dr. John Snow, considered the father of epidemiology, is

credited with tracking and identifying the source and

transmission agent of the 1854 cholera epidemic.

Your team has been given the same information that Dr. Snow

possessed. As a team your mission is to try to solve the

mysterious epidemic.

You have been given a Broad Street Area map, a set of victim

cards and a marker. Using the information make a chart

comparing all common characteristics among the victims. Use

the marker to mark the location of the victims.

The class will share their conclusions (locating and explaining

the source of the epidemic) with the other teams. Additional

information uncovered by Dr. Snow will then be provided to all

teams. Teams will be given time to confirm or revise their

original conclusions. After confirming or revising, teams will

again share their conclusions.

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Pollution

Two types of pollution

Point pollution – pollution that comes from a single identifiable

source such as a pipe that dumps oil or toxic chemicals from a

factory in to a lake, stream, or river. (It is a source you can point

to.) Some towns use septic tanks, which can pollute the ground

water.

Non-point Pollution – pollution that cannot be traced to a specific

point, but comes from many places

We are concerned about non-point pollution; because with the

development, this is the main problem in Atlanta. The city of

Atlanta is working diligently to repair the damage they have done

in the past by allowing factories to dump sewage and other

chemicals in the Chattahoochee.

Examples of Non-point:

 Thermal pollution – heating the water causes the level of

dissolved oxygen to lower. With less oxygen in the water,

fish and other aquatic life can be harmed or killed.

Caused by: Storm run-off

 Sediments – soil, sand, silt, clay wash from land into the

creeks. Caused by poor construction practices. Large

quantities are considered pollution. (Silt screens)

1. Cause flow to slow down

2. Suffocate fish and shellfish

3. Darkens the color of water making it attract sunlight,

causes the water to heat up (What does this do to level

of oxygen?)

4. Slows down plant growth that provides oxygen

 Metals and Plastics – remain in the water, are not

biodegradable, can be poisonous for most forms of life

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 Nutrients - Concentration of nitrogen and phosphorous –

these are used for plant growth Ex. Fertilizers, household

detergents These cause algae in the water to bloom and

multiply – As the algae dies, oxygen is needed to decompose

the algae. (When the oxygen is depleted, what happens?)

 Acid Rain - rain that has been affected by pollution in the

air, When water becomes too acidic or basic, sensitive fish

and other organisms cannot survive

 Pesticides – designed to kill or limit the growth of weeds

and insects on crops and lawns. These flow into the creeks

or groundwater causing chemical imbalance in the water.

© 2006 Dee Shore. Used with permission.

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© 2006 Dee Shore. Used with permission.

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© 2006 Dee Shore. Used with permission.

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What’s in the Water Pollutants

Sediment – (brown M&M’s)

This is caused by run-off from land into the creeks and streams due to

construction. This slows down the flow of the river and can suffocate fish

and macroinvertebrates. Because sediment turns the water brown, the water

is heated and therefore can cause thermal pollution.

Organic Wastes (yellow M&M’s)

Wastewater treatment plants and food processing plants release organic

wastes that bacteria consume. If too much waste is released, the bacterial

populations increase using up the dissolved oxygen.

Fertilizers (red M&M’s)

This is caused primarily by run-off into streams. During heavy rain,

fertilizers from lawns flow into the creeks and streams. Increased amounts

are found near agriculture farms. Fertilizers contain nitrogen and

phosphorous which cause large amounts of algae to bloom in the water.

When the algae die, it decreases the amount of dissolved oxygen in the

water.

Petroleum Products (green M&M’s)

Oil and gas travel into the water from ships, oil refineries, auto service

stations, and streets. These spills can kill aquatic life, and gasoline and oil

can leak into the ground water through damaged underground tanks.

Thermal - Heated or Cooled Water (blue M&M’s)

Heated water, also known as thermal pollution, decreases water’s ability to

dissolve oxygen. Electric power plants use large quantities of water in their

steam turbines. The heated water is often returned to streams. Water is also

heated by run-off from hot pavement and asphalt. Water temperature can

drop in temperature as well causing problems for fish that require warmer

water to survive. Example: Buford Dam lowers the temperature in the

Chattahoochee River to 55 degrees (F) because the outtake of water is from

the base of the dam. Native trout cannot survive in this temperature.

Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fungicides (orange M&M’s)

This pollution results from man’s attempt to limit the pests and weeds that

grow in lawns and gardens. The growth in Atlanta has increased the amount

of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides present in the Chattachoochee River

watershed.

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Excel Directions for What’s in the Water?

1. In Column A-1, write Pollutant 2. In Column A-2, write Organic waste 3. In Column A-3, write Petroleum 4. In Column A-4, write Sediment 5. In Column A-5, write Thermal 6. In Column A-6, write Pesticides 7. In Column A-7, write Fertilizers 8. In Column B-1, write # of Pollutants 6 Fill in the data you gathered on B-2 through B-7

7. Press Save as to save your work. Place work in your number.

Example:

Pollutant # of pollutants

organic waste 10

Petroleum 5

Sediment 22

Thermal 8

Pesticides 14

Fertilizers 12

8. Highlight your data: A-2 through B-7 9. Go to insert and locate the charts 10. Select the Chart Type: Pie 11. Go to design and select the fifth one. 12. Give a title for your chart. Pollutants found in _______________

Creek 13. Insert a text box at the bottom right of the graph. Add your names. 14. Save your work. 15. Print to a color printer.

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Temperature

Water temperature is extremely important to a waterway. It can

+affect the waterway by changing it physically, biologically, and

chemically.

The ways humans change the temperature in waterways:

 Thermal pollution (most serious)

o Industries discharging water used to cool machinery

o Storm water runoff from warmed paved surfaces

o Cutting down trees reduces shade

o Soil erosion makes water turbid causing the sun’s rays

to be absorbed.

Results from temperature change:

As the temperature rises, photosynthesis and plant growth

increase. The plants become overcrowded and die. The bacteria

decomposing the decaying material consume more oxygen.

Procedure:

1. Open the kit over a grassy area. Carefully, take the

thermometer out of the backpack.

2. Take the air temperature first. (Celcius and Fahrenheit)

3. Take the water temperature.

 Select a place in the center of the creek where the

thermometers will not be disturbed. Use the same

location and depth of water each week to keep this

assessment consistent.

 Place the thermometers in the water one at a time. Be

gentle with these. They can break easily and we do not

want to cause any damage to the creek.

4. Wait 5 minutes for each.

5. Record your results.

Air Temperature: _____  F _____  C

Water Temperature _____  F _____  C © 2006 Dee Shore. Used with permission.

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1. What is thermal pollution?

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

2. How does soil erosion cause a change in temperature?