Water Borne Diseases and Their Effects

There are four basic kinds of water borne diseases; they are protozoan infections, viral infections, parasitic infections, and bacterial infections. Protozoan infections are caused by parasitic organisms in the protozoa family. These include amoebiasis, cryptosporidiosis, and microsporidiosis and they are usually caused by not drinking treated water. Animal manure, seasonal runoff, disinfectants, sewage and flies all can cause these infections. Side effects include fatigue, diarrhea, fever, bloating, cramps, and vomiting.

Parasitic infections are caused by drinking water with eggs or fecal parasites in it. These diseases include schistosomiasis, dracunculiasis, taeniasis, enterbiasis, and coenurisis and can involve worms or other parasites living inside you. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, cysts, liver enlargement, and possible rashes.


"Schistosomiasis haematobium is affects over 50 countries in Africa and the Middle East. It is also occasionally seen in Western Asia. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers it a significant public health problem in much of Africa.

WHO estimates that worldwide, 180 million people live in endemic areas and 90 million are infected with the parasites.

In many places, there is a higher incidence of infection in young boys and women. This occurs because of increased contact with water compared to other population groups in cultures where women typically fetch water for household use and young boys often play in or near water. In some regions where men are primarily freshwater fishermen or farmers using irrigation, they have higher rates of schistosomiasis. These differential rates of transmission depend on cultural practices. It is important to consider them when planning treatment, prevention, and control strategies." -


Bacterial infections are cause by drinking water infected with bacteria or water containing feces.
These include many well know diseases such as typhoid fever, salmonella, E. coli, and cholera. It also includes lesser known illnesses such as botulism, dysentery, and vibrio. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, blood in stool, cramps, sweating and possible rashes. Some cause death but mostly in immune compromised people.


Viral infections include gastroenteritis, SARS, hepatitis A, Polio, and polyomavirus which all can manifest in improperly treated water. Symptoms include cold and flu like symptom, vomiting, diarrhea, myalgia, lethargy, fatigue and possible paralysis seizures or death in the case of polio.

A man with polio.

SARS

Works Cited
" Water Borne diseases - Lenntech." Water Treatment and Purification - Lenntech. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 June 2010. .
"Stanford University." Stanford University. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 June 2010. .
"The Effects of Water Pollution on Health: The Health Risks of Water Pollution and Protecting Against Them." Pollution Control. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 June 2010. .

Categories of Water Pollutants

The four categories of water pollutants are biological, chemical, physical, and thermal. They each reduce the quality of water by different means, having different affects on its outcome and potability.
Thermal pollution is the degradation of water by any process that changes water temperature. It is usually associated with increases in water temperature as a result of the discharge of heated water from industrial processes. Increases in water temperature also tend to occur in water bodies where shading vegetation along the banks is scarce or where sediments have made the water more turbid; both allow more energy from the sun to be absorbed by the water, therefore increasing its temperature.

Examples of thermal pollution come from both point and non-point sources. Point source examples of thermal heat are the burning of wood in a fire place or the conversion of heat energy to mechanical energy by use of a heat engine (steam engine, turbine, internal combustion engine).


Internal combustion engine.
A non-point example of thermal pollution is when the waste heat from electrical generating stations is transferred to cooling water obtained from local bodies of water, like at The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, where they use 2,400 million gallons per day of ocean water, and after the process a rise of approximately 2 degrees Fahrenheit is noted in the water.

To detect this category of pollution, thermometers are used to test the expected rise in temperature of the water. Also, thermal infrared imaging is utilized by means of satellite or overhead imaging systems.

The effects of thermal pollution are primarily thermal shock, changes in dissolved oxygen, and the redistribution of organisms in the local community. Since water can absorb thermal energy with only small changes in temperature, most organisms that live in the water have developed systems that only operate in a specific range of temperature (stenothermic organisms). These organisms can be killed with any sudden increase in temperature. Also, cold water carries more oxygen than warm water and therefore with the increase of temperature comes a decrease of oxygen in the water.

To remedy this type of pollution in lakes and the ocean, cool water must be diluted through diffuser systems. For smaller rivers, cooling towers have been proven effective to reduce the temperature of water.

Thermal pollution doesn't always affect humans.

Physical pollution is the introduction of harmful substances or forces in the environment through, for example, vibration, thermal alteration or electromagnetic radiation. Some examples are point source: dust, fires, humidity, whereas some are non-point source: radiation, mechanical stress, sound pollution, and electrical storms.


Chemical pollution occurs when compounds are left or disposed of in the environment. All chemical pollution is caused by humans- from either attempting to carry large amounts of oil across the ocean which may result in a leak or by purposely dumping chemicals such as Yanohydrin, Carbon Disulphide, Cresols, Naphthalene, Tetraethyl lead, Acrylonitrile, Carbon Tetrachloride, Ethylene Dichloride and Phenolbenzene, Styrene, Toluene, Xylene, Acetone, Phhosphoric acid and Tallow into the water. Said examples are point source methods of pollution. Non point source methods of chemical pollution are when pesticides from farms or oil from automobiles runs off and seeps into the groundwater.
The effects of chemical pollution are widespread and generally very harmful. If severely dangerous chemicals are introduced to the water, they have an immediate effect, generally rendering fish and similar organisms dead. In lower-level contamination, chemical pollution has subtler effects that are harder to notice.

Naturally, different chemicals have different effects on the ecosystem. For example, pesticides like DDT have been known to affect eagles by deteriorating the sufficient amount of calcium that a mother needs to produce strong egg shells. For humans, pesticides have many health risks. They can affect and damage the nervous system, cause liver damage, damage DNA and cause cancer, and cause reproductive and endocrine damage.

Another example of chemical pollution is that by oil and petroleum. When introduced to the water, some components of oil are degraded and dispersed, but some persist for years in shallow waters. Oil can adversely affect the ecology of an aquatic habitat and the physiology of marine animals, as well as be generally toxic to marine organisms at concentrations in the low parts-per-billion range. "Chronic exposure to PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) can affect development of marine organisms, increase susceptibility to disease, and jeopardize normal reproductive cycles in many marine species." For humans,
some components of oil can cause gastrointestinal problems, kidney and liver damage, and adverse nervous system effects.

An especially detrimental chemical pollutant is mercury. Mercury gets into the water mainly by air pollution from coal-fired plants where it is then converted from elemental mercury to methylmercury by certain bacteria which are then eaten by small fish which are in turn eaten by bigger fish which are finally eaten by humans. Some health risks of mercury ingestion are central nervous system effects like Parkinson's disease, MS, and Alzheimer's disease; heart disease; and death or irreversible damage to the brain.

To avoid chemical pollution, carelessness must be ceased. Also, more precautions regarding the transfer of chemicals must be taken. Chemical pollution can be reduced or eliminated by legislation requiring that industries take heed to prevent chemicals from entering the water.
Chemical pollution affects environmental factors by disrupting ecosystems. In American culture, most people feel that corporations such as BP are essentially evil for their recent oil spill and subsequent harm of plant and animal life. Chemical pollution has therefore increased the awareness of people regarding pollution in general.

Biological pollution is the disturbance of an ecosystem by the accidental or deliberate introduction of a foreign organism, plant, or animal species into the environment. Generally, biological pollution refers to the entrance of alien species into the water. Invasive species occur for a number of reasons. Namely, invasive species possess specific traits that allow them to outcompete native species (the ability to reproduce both asexually as well as sexually, fast growth, rapid reproduction, high dispersal ability, phenotypic plasticity, tolerance of a wide range of environmental conditions, ability to live off a wide range of food types, association with humans).

Some examples of biological pollution are Bacopa mannien, amethyst gem clam, and the European green crab.

The introduction of the above stated, and other, species comes about by human activity. When land clearing and human habitation put pressure on local species, invasive species take the opportunity to move in. This severely disrupts the ecosystem in a number of ways. For example, the Bacopa mannien plant quickly covers surface mud, making it unsuitable for feeding birds in refuges.
Genetic pollution is uncontrolled hybridization and introgression which leads to homogenization or replacement of local genotypes as a result of either a numerical or fitness advantage of the introduced species. It can result in extinction by introducing rare species to abundant ones and having the abundant ones take over the rare ones.
To prevent biological pollution, species must not be carelessly introduced to ecosystems.
Biological pollution doesn't have an adverse affect on human health and therefore it doesn't affect cultural beliefs or socioeconomics.

Works Cited
" Google Image Result for http://www.scienceclarified.com/images/uesc_04_img0177.jpg." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 June 2010. .
"Biological Pollution: An Emerging Global Menace." CPL Press Online Bookshop. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 June 2010. .
"Pollution Effects." Rainforests, Rainforest Animals, Other Environmental Issues And Practical Environmental Solutions . N.p., n.d. Web. 8 June 2010. .
"Thermal Pollution - water, effects, environmental, United States, types, impact, industrial, wells, power, sources, use, Sources, Environmental Effects, Abatement." Pollution Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 June 2010. .
email. "Water Pollution Effects." Clean Funny Cartoons / Environmental Issues ... on Grinning Planet. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 June 2010. .

Water Pollution Sources

The three main sources of water pollution are agricultural waste, domestic waste, and industrial waste. Agricultural waste can be composed of garden waste such as grass or flower cuttings as well as poultry and livestock manure and what's left of grain, fruit, and vegetable harvests. Generally speaking, it's waste from farming and livestock operations. Domestic waste is solid waste, composed of garbage and sewage. Finally, industrial waste is any waste that comes from a mean of production, such as that from factories and mines. It may include liquid, sludge, solid, or hazardous waste.

Examples of agricultural waste are plastic containers, animal waste, and pesticides.

Examples of industrial waste are leftover solid materials such as textiles, packaging materials, and ashes.

Examples of domestic waste are disinfectants, automotive oil, and batteries.


Methods of Detection and Cause and Effect of Each Method of Pollution
There are several methods of detecting water quality depending on the use of the water. The three most general methods of determining the quality of water are by determining;
• Chemical Content: Hardness (calcium + magnesium), Metals (iron etc), nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), chloride, sodium, organic compounds, etc.
• Physical Content: Turbidity, colour, odour, etc.
• Biological Content: Fecal coliform, total coliform, viruses, etc.

Non-Point Source Pollution
Caused by pollutants which spread out over a large area and have no specific outlet or discharge point.
Causes of non-point source water pollution are divided into 4 main categories:
Agriculture
• Fertilizers - Nitrate pollution, Ammonia pollution phosphate pollution
• Pesticides
o Weedicides
o Insecticides
o Fungicides
o Manures
Sanitary wastes
• Human and animal
Solid wastes
• City droppings - carbaneaceous paper / cloth / wooden materials
• Animal droppings and slaughter house wastes
• Domestic wastes
• Industrial solid wastes - paper wastes, iron filings, metal chips
• Market Wastes - vegetable / fruit rottings
Natural Resources
• Death of animals, birds Reasons - Ammonia released by carcasses of animals, birds.
• Water collection from forest areas - Nitrates and ammonia compounds from rich forest soils
• Natural mineral deposits

Point Source Pollution
Caused by pollutants entering the environment through any discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance, such as a smokestack, pipe, ditch, tunnel, or conduit.
The main cause of Point Source water pollution is Industry:
Industries
• Paper industries - chlorinated effluents
• Textile industries - Ammoniated effluents
• Thermal plants - Hot water
• Fertilizer, food and chemical industries - acidic / corrosive effluents
• Petroleum industries - oily effluents
• Leather industries - sulphur - based effluents



Effects
Nutrients such as phosphorus that are not removed during water treatment and dumped into surface water can cause overgrowth of algae and other organisms, also leading to lower dissolved oxygen.
Industrial processes produce toxic waste containing heavy metals. When heavy metals filter into water, they are fatal to marine life. Shellfish and fresh fish are staple menu items for people around the world. Humans are affected by the heavy metals ingested by the fish and shellfish, causing health problems and sometimes death. The heavy metals in water have also been linked to severe birth defects, a damaged or suppressed immune system, cancer, fertility problems, and developmental problems in children.

Results in water pollution and unsafe drinking water, and can restrict activities like fishing and swimming.

Ground water is often a resource for our drinking water. If it isn’t treated properly, those harmful elements can cause serious health issues for human beings and domestic animals.

Some proactive measures to follow to avoid contributing domestic waste are to keep littler, pet wastes, leaves and debris out of street gutters and storm drains, to apply lawn and garden chemicals sparingly, to dispose of used oil, paints, and antifreeze properly (usually communities have programs for collecting household hazardous wastes), to control soil erosion on your property by planting ground cover, to have your septic system inspected and pumped every 3 to 5 years, and to purchase household detergents and general cleanerst aht are low in phosphorous.


To lessen agricultural waste, farmers should invest in, for example, Agricultural Solution Waste, Inc.'s products. Use of such products (a Solids Recovery Module (see below picture) and a Gas Production Module) work to remove and reuse as much waste as possible while severely reducing the amount of nutrients that enter the water (Phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium by 90%, 65%, and 40% respectively).

To proactively avoid industrial waste pollution, waste should be reused as much as possible rather than deposited. Also, corporations should buy products to break down organic waste so it doesn't enter the water, or utilize water treatment facilities to extract their pollutants out of it before it reenters the water cycle.


The repercussions of water pollution are far reaching for the environment, wildlife, and humans. Most notably, the food chain is damaged, as animals consume pollutants and then said pollutions are transferred to humans that eat the animals. Also, diseases can spread through polluted water. The effects of water pollution are said to be the leading cause of death for humans worldwide. Another problem is acid rain, and yet another is that pollutants in the water adversely alter the overall chemistry of the water, which causes changes in acidity, temperature, and conductivity. All of these factors affect marine life, which is in turn contaminated and at times eliminated.


As clean water is essential to healthy living, the introduction of pollution into water naturally has adverse affects on the health of its consumers. Agricultural pollution releases pesticides into the water which in turn harms endocrine and reproductive ability in wildlife. Sewage from domestic waste carries microbial pathogens which spread diseases. POPs or persistent organic pollutants are released through industrial pollution which then accumulate in fish and subsequently cause harm to human health. Specifically, diseases such as Typhoid fever, Cholera, Paratyphoid fever, Bacillary dysentery, Infection Hepatitis (jaundice), Poliomyelitis, and Amoebic dysentery can arise.



Preventive measures need to be taken to avoid diseases arising from water pollution, and as the main reason for these diseases to arise is water mismanagement, simple precautions can be taken to improve the quality of water and therefore decrease the amount of pathogens in the water. City water should be disinfected and at home, water should be boiled or filtered to ensure protection.

Works Cited
"Water pollution FAQ." Water Treatment and Purification - Lenntech. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 June 2010. .
Agency, the Environmental Protection. "Water Health Connection." Water Health Connection. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 June 2010. .
"Effects of Water Pollution." News & Articles On Air, Land And Water Pollution Causes, Effects And Solutions. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 June 2010. .
"Guide to water pollution." Guide to water pollution. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 June 2010. .
"Preventive measures to be adopted for curbing water pollution." Healthepic - your gateway to a healthy universe.... N.p., n.d. Web. 7 June 2010. .

Two Classifications of Water Pollution Sources

The two classifications of water pollution sources are point and nonpoint; both yield detrimental results for the environment. Point source pollution refers to pollutants that are introduced to a waterway through a direct mean, such as a factory. As seen below, shipyards add pollutants to the water. Other examples of point source pollution are discharges from sewage plants, factories, and storm drains.

Nonpoint source pollution refers to pollutants that have been diffused and are introduced to water indirectly. Some examples of nonpoint source pollution are oil, grease, sediment from improperly managed construction sites, crop and forest lands; salt from irrigation practices, bacteria and nutrients from livestock, atmospheric deposition, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production.




The causes of water pollutants are described in the examples previously mentioned. The effects vary but usually include poison seeping into drinking water and animals that are used for food, unbalanced river and lake ecosystems, and deforestation to name a few.
Pollution is generally detected by means of physical tests such as temperature based tests, solid concentration tests, and turbidity evaluations; biological tests that use animals and plants as indicators; and chemical tests that look for metals, nutrients, and pollutants in the water. (http://www.lenntech.com/water-pollution-faq.htm) (http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/Ag_Runoff_Fact_Sheet.pdf)

Outside of the realm of treating already polluted water by killing bacteria or sorting chemicals out of the water, the best way to avoid water pollution is to utilize preventative measures. For example, farmers should take note to not overuse fertilizer and perhaps even begin a regimen of biodynamic farming. In addition, settling ponds and buffer zones can be used to help prevent pollutants from entering streams. Similarly, fertilizers in residential lawns should be eliminated in a collective effort to reduce water pollution and chemicals like paint, oil, and antifreeze should be disposed of properly. Also, wetlands should be preserved, as they act as natural buffer zones to prevent pollution from entering main water sources. (http://www.grinningplanet.com/2008/01-08/water-pollution-solutions-article.htm)

Some health effects of water pollution are birth defects, cancer, immune system suppression, reproductive failure, acute poisoning, typhoid fever, kidney damage, general organ failure, and Cholera. (http://pollution-control.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_effects_of_water_pollution_on_health) (www.waterpollution.org.uk/health)

Developed countries are less at risk for water pollution because of their treatment facilities. In third world countries where the population is abundant and the area is small, the chances for pollution are exemplified and specifically, water achieves high levels of pollution much more quickly. In addition, poor nations suffer from environmental hardship because oftentimes production is high and pollution is unrestricted. Unfortunately, Western nations also tend to drop their waste into third world countries' rivers. (http://pollution-control.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_effects_of_water_pollution_on_health)


Photo Credit:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jacuecanga_Angra_dos_Reis_Rio_de_Janeiro_Brazil_Brasfels.JPG
2. http://www.ewg.org/project/2009tapwater/graph/G6.jpg
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