Groundwater

plutonium and uranium was simply dumped onto the soil. Other waste was put into confinement chambers, many of which have since started to leak. Pollutants such as iodine-131, manganese, and other heavy metals were released into the atmosphere and groundwater. Research was also done to assess the risk plutonium production posed to the aquatic life of the Columbia river, especially salmon. Research was first conducted at the University of Washington in 1943 using x-rays as a way to maintain…

There are certain animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, and viruses that tolerate and actually thrive in extreme conditions. These organisms are called extremophiles. The word extremophile breaks up into “extreme” and the suffix “phile” literally means “one who loves.” These organisms flourish in the uninhabitable places that vary from extremely high and low temperatures, high pressures, high salinity, the absence of water, and extreme amounts of radiation just to name a few. Many of these…

manufacturing, wood preservation, photography & photoengraving and cooling systems. They release relatively large amounts of chromium in surface waters. Additionally, their solid wastes if disposed improperly in landfills may be sources for groundwater contamination. However, leaching from topsoil and rocks is the most important natural source of chromium entry into bodies of water (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 2000; Blacksmith Institute, 2007; National Toxicology…

major players is an organization called The Council of Canadians. The Council of Canadians are against fracking because of the high use of freshwater, high carbon emissions, health impacts on humans and wildlife, and the danger fracking poses to groundwater and local tap water 11. Their movement and arguments have made significant contribution in the Canadian public opinion concerning fracking and its risks. An example for such success has to be the revealed poll that has…

Water is crucial to life. It is the “the essential elixir” to life as Cynthia Barnett states in “Our Water Ethic for Florida”. People are told this in elementary school and onwards yet few people truly grasp the truth behind this seemingly simple statement. “We are bound in the memory and mystery of exhilarating, confounding, life-giving rain”, Cynthia Barnett states as she ends the prologue for her book Rain. Water is fundamental to cooking, washing, agriculture, manufacturing, mining, energy…

starts out with a physical demonstration using an enclosed fish tank and a truck with a bunch of waste. The fish tank represents the earth being closed and not allowing for Pollution to get out. The chemicals then mix with rain, carrying it through groundwater to rivers, lakes, and streams. Lawn Mowers, wood stoves, motorcycles, cars, trucks, and cigarette smoke are all examples of little pollutions, but when each person does the same thing they add up. Bill goes on to explain that water that…

to send to places like Russia, but most of the crops that California grows don’t even go to California Grocery Stores. This is a problem that California deals with of Farmers using so much water to grow crops like corn, almonds, and walnuts. “Groundwater is like a bank account. You can’t take out more than you put in one an ongoing basis” (“Source #3”). I think California should put laws on Farmers use of water because they grow plants that Californians don’t even keep we just send them to…

Why You Should Not Be Drinking Bottled Water? More than $100 billion is spent on bottled water all over the world.This is not surprising when we consider the ease of carrying them around and their wide availability. But environment and health activists are seriously concerned with their excessive use. Let us know why: The Bottles Are Harming The Environment 72 billion gallons of water is used annually to produce empty bottle containers which are consequently used to sell bottled water. In…

Noroviruses (NoV) are important human pathogens and a major public health threat. Noroviruses are non-enveloped, single-stranded, positive sense RNA viruses that cause acute gastroenteritis in humans (1-4). Noroviruses have been referred to as ‘cruise ship viruses’ from well-publicized cruise ship outbreaks although these outbreaks account for less than 1% of all outbreaks worldwide (5). The symptoms and illness associated with Norovirus infections is often referred to as ‘stomach flu’, despite…

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) still had to come back and clean, and they have been since 2004, according the attorney May. Since FMC hid the true problems within the Site, toxic and hazardous waste has contaminated the soil, air and groundwater at the Site since 1965. It was not until 2010 that the plaintiffs were told that their residences and properties were contaminated, according to the lawsuit. “What was done to these people was unconscionable,” attorney May said. “FMC is…