Weblinks. Suggested Readings. PAPER No.4: Environmental Chemistry MODULE No.6: Water Pollution: Introduction and Organic Water Pollutant

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1 Weblinks 1 Water Pollution Control - A Guide to the Use of Water Quality Management Principles Edited by RichardHelmer and IvanildoHespanhol. 2 Pesticide Threats to Endangered Species: Case Studieshttp://watoxics.org/files/pesticide-flyer.pdf 3 Ganga River Case Studyhttp://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/about_freshwater/rivers/irbm/cases/ganges_river_case_st udy/ 4 Criticisms and Frequent Misconceptions about Organic Agriculture Suggested Readings q A textbook of Environmental Chemistry by BalramPani

2 Environmental Chemistry by Manahan, Stanley E.: CRC Press Ltd. Boca Raton, 2000 Fundamental Concepts of Environmental Chemistry by G.S Sodhi, Alpha Science International, Environmental Chemistry by Ajay Kumar Bhagi and G.R. Chatwal: Himalaya Pub. House New Delhi, 2010.

3 Glossary B Bioaccumulation- refers to the accumulation of substances, such as pesticides, or other organic chemicals in an organism. BOD-Biochemical oxygen demand or B.O.D is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic biological organisms in a body of water to break down organic material present in a given water sample. C Coagulant- a substance that induces coagulation. Coagulation- a process of change from a fluid into a thickened mass. Coarse- composed of relatively large parts or particles. E Effluent-something that flows out F Floc- large size clusters Flocculation- a process wherein colloids come out of suspension in the form of floc or flake; either spontaneously or due to the addition of a clarifying agent. G Gravel- An unconsolidated mixture of rock fragments or pebbles. I Influent- something that flows in. P Pathogen- a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host.

4 Permeable- a material or membrane allowing liquids or gases to pass through it. S Sludge- the residual, semi-solid material left from industrial wastewater Did You Know? 1 15 million children under the age of five die each year because of diseases caused by drinking water. 2 The Ganga river of India is one the most polluted in the world. It contains sewage, trash, food, and animal remains. 3 According to the WHO (World Health Organization) and United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), around 2.5 billion people do not have access to improved sanitation. 4 According to UNICEF, more than 3000 children die everyday globally due to consumption of contaminated drinking water. 5 According to the survey done by Food & Water Watch cites that approximately 3.5 billion people in 2025 will face water shortage issues. This will be mainly due to water pollution. This is likely to happen because the world pollution is increasing tremendously with more water sources getting contaminated as a result of water pollution. 6 Asia has maximum numbers of polluted rivers than anywhere else in the world. Most of it contains bacteria created from human waste. Common Misconceptions 1 There is no consistent evidence of a nutritional difference between organic and nonorganic food. 2 Organic farming increases the risk of food poisoning: organic food potentially contains more dangerous bacteria (such as E. coli because organic farming uses animal manure) and mycotoxins due to the absence of fungicide use. 3 Some natural pesticides used in organic farming have been proven to have harmful effects on health. For instance, Pyrethrin sprayed on organic fruits is highly toxic and Rotenone, another natural pesticide, is a potent neurotoxin long used to kill fish and recently

5 linked to Parkinson s disease. So there is no reason to trust that organic products are safer. 4 Organic farming leads to significant nutrient losses. Organic farmers rely primarily on compost, animal manure, or green manure crops to supply soil fertility. The nutrients in these organic sources typically do not match crop demands