This presentation looks at how pollution is defined, different types and sources of pollution, and how it can be measured. News reports and case studies are provided as examples.

1. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Outcome 1: Describe the characteristics of pollutants, and evaluate
management options for reducing the risk of a pollutant affecting the health
of the environment and humans, with a focus on one selected pollutant.
Health, humans and
the environment.
This unit focuses on pollution and its relationship to the health of humans
and the environment. It advances further understanding of managing the
environment to ensure development meets human needs while maintaining
ecological integrity of the environment.
This area of study examines the concept of pollution, the source of
pollutants and the effects of pollution on the health of humans and the
environment. The significance of technology, government initiatives,
communities and individuals in redressing the impact of pollutants is analysed.
One pollutant (of local significance where possible) is to be studied in depth.
The general characteristics of mercury and sulfur dioxide as pollutants are to
be studied in less depth than the selected pollutant.
How would you
define pollution?

2. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
This area of study
Key knowledgegeneral characteristics of mercury and sulfur dioxide as
pollutants: environmental human health, health of the environment,
environmental hazards.point and diffuse sources of pollution and
pollutant sinks.transport mechanisms, including persistence, mobility,
bioaccumulation. exposure, dosage, chronic and acute toxicity,
allergies, specificity and synergistic action. characteristic of one
pollutant (excluding mercury and sulfur dioxide): strategies that reduce
the risk of pollutants affecting human health and the environment, with
reference to the one selected pollutant (of local significance where
possible).direct and indirect effects on the health of humans and the
environment of the one selected pollutant (of local significance where
possible).
This area of study
Key skillsdiscuss the characteristics of mercury and sulfur dioxide as
pollutants collect appropriate data safely from fieldwork and/or practical
work to describe the physical and chemical properties of the pollutant
establish appropriate techniques to measure the pollutant under health
and safety guidelines measure and analyse the presence of the pollutant
in the selected environment and report the findings of the collected data
assess the credibility of the collected primary data of the pollutant
compare the collected primary data of the pollutant with relevant
standards or guidelines examine the physiological effects of the pollutant
predict the probable environmental effects of the measured pollutant
identify the transport mechanisms and sources of the pollutant develop
and evaluate a protocol to overcome the problems caused by the
pollutant research and report on a pollutant associated with an emerging
health problem.

3. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
•Human health is interlinked with the state of the environmentdirectly:
pollutants cause development problems and illness (asthma, low birth weight).
indirectly: removal and disruption of ecosystems (absorb CO2, filter water, destress).
•Environment HealthHow did the National Environmental Health Strategy 2007 define
environmental health?
•Whenever you identify an Act of parliament, or a strategy it is important to identify the
organisation and year that developed it. Which level of government developed this strategy?
•Environment HazardsHow did
the
National Environmental Health Strategy 2007
define environmental hazards?
Types of environmental
hazards
Examples
Contaminated food and
water.
Chemical exposure.
Air pollution.
Polluted soil.
Vector borne disease.
Causual relationships: in order to determine whether
something is an environmental hazard it is necessary to
establish that the hazard contributes to the illness. This is
often difficult, as many conditions have many contributing
factors: including what?
Effecive management: of environmental
hazards (including their identification, assessment
and control) requires the cooperation of the the
health sector, environment protection authority
(EPA), and land management authorities (DePI).

5. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
Case Study:
Legionnaires diseaseFact
sheet VicHealth
•Environment HealthUsing Legionnaire’s disease as an example, explain the connection between
‘human health’, the ‘health of the environment’ (in this case the environment within a building), and
‘environmental hazards’ (legionella bacteria).
•Environment HazardsHow did
the
National Environmental Health Strategy 2007
define environmental hazards?
Summary:
Legionnaires' disease is a form of pneumonia that can be
fatal. Early treatment can prevent the disease becoming
severe. Legionella bacteria are found in natural water
bodies such as rivers, lakes, creeks and hot springs, as
well as in spas, potting mix, warm water systems and
artificial systems that use water for cooling, heating or
industrial processes, such as cooling towers. Early
symptoms are similar to flu symptoms. Better Health Vic
Effective management:
Regular maintenance of cooling systems, including
regular flushing and cleaning.
Control:
Buildings with legionella bacteria in their cooling systems
may be shut down whilst the bacteria is removed. This is
very costly for the organsiation involved.
•Environment HealthWhy does the legionella bacteria grow so well in air
conditioning systems? Hint: where does it grow naturally?

6. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
•Environmental IssuesLocally:
Campaspe Shire.
•Nationally: Australia (wikipedia)
Worldwide: persistent organic
pollutants in the food chain (EPA)
•Scale:Define the three levels of environmental issues: local, regional and global and give an example of
each which also affects quality of life where you live.
Plastics and the Murray:
What plastics end up in the Murray River, how do they get there and
what damage might they do to the environment?
Plastic rubbish in the Murray
river.
The great Pacific rubbish
patch’s. HowStuff Works,
Earth Magazine, TEDtalk
•Response:Identify strategies to minimise the damage caused by these environmental hazards for each
level.
•Why is it more difficult to minimise the harm done by global pollution?

7. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
Definition 1:
Water pollution is anything that
makes water noxious, or
poisonous, unhealthy or harmful
to human beings, domestic stock
and native plant and animal life
(Environment Protection Act
Vic.1970).
•PollutionThere are many definitions of pollution because each agency has a different
perspective. EPA may have an emphasis on physical measures, health departments may have an
emphasis on the frequency of certain medical conditions per 1000 people, land mangement
organisations may look at the number of plastic items per kilometre, councils also include factors
which affect quality of life in towns, such as light and noise pollution
Definition 2:
Water pollution is any action that
may change the properties of
water, making it less suitable for
living things, irrigation, recreation,
or enjoyment of those water.
(Protection of the Environment
Operations Act NSW 1997).
Contrast the two definitions Advantages Disadvantages
Definition 1 (narrow)
Definition 2 (broader)

8. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
Pollution
•Visit the links below to find examples of the measures used by these types of organisations and
describe their relevance to those organisations.
EPA Vic:
air pollution
Australian Maritime AuthoritiesVicHealth Shire of Campaspe
What might be
measured
Why?
Appropriate
environmental
indicators
• Can you suggest appropriate physical, chemical, biological environmental indicators for an
ecosystem or environmental issue; for example, turbidity in streams, pH, light intensity, b
iological oxygen demand in streams; salinity level in soils or water; presence /absence of
pollution intolerant species in streams; presence/absence of introduced species; public
urban green space per capita?
After investigating the different perspectives
that exist about pollution can you come up
with your own definition?
Why care about pH?Water with an extremely high
or low pH is deadly. Water with relatively low pH
(acidic) may reduce the hatching success of fish eggs
and irritate fish and aquatic macroinvertebrates
(water bugs) gills and damage membranes.
Amphibians are particularly vulnerable, probably
because their skin is so sensitive to pollutants.
Some scientists believe the recent drop in
amphibian numbers around the world is due to low
pH levels caused by acid rain.
http://www.marine.usf.edu/pjocean/packets/f00/nwq2.pdf

9. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
Dissolved Oxygen
A good indicator of healthy water quality,. Oxygen gets into the water
through the air. Wind and waves on the surface of lakes and rivers
help mix the air and water. These and other mixing processes will
increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. Aquatic plants
also add oxygen to the water through photosynthesis. Because plants
need sunlight for photosynthesis, dissolved oxygen tends to be highest
during the late afternoon. At night, when no sunlight is available for
photosynthesis, plants use oxygen for respiration so dissolved oxygen
levels are lowered and carbon dioxide is elevated.
Climate can also affect dissolved oxygen levels. When it rains the
water is mixed well with the surrounding air and contains high
dissolved oxygen. During the dry season there is less mixing and
dissolved oxygen decreases.The main human factor causing dissolved
oxygen levels to change in a negative way is the build up of organic
wastes. Organic material is anything living or once living. Examples of
organic wastes are grass clippings, leaves, dead plants and animals, and
sewage. Organic wastes are broken down by bacteria, which consume
oxygen. When organic wastes are dumped into rivers and lakes it
causes dissolved oxygen to decrease, which causes plants and animals
to die.
Black Water EventsOrganic pollution in the Murray
River.
http://www.marine.usf.edu/pjocean/packets/f00/nwq2.pdf
Thinking about the definition of pollutants a little more. Identify examples
of the following...
Natural pollutants
Pollutants caused by human action

10. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
•Pollutant sources and sinks:Some pollution sources are clear; when the Yangtze River in
China turned red it was because storms had stirred up toxic sediments on the river bottom.
These sediments stemmed from factories along the river. Years of non existent control
contributed to environmental disaster. Fish died for hundreds of kilometres along the Rhine
river in 1986 when a Swiss company Sandoz accidently spilled chemicals into the river. In
Papua New Guinea the BHP Ok Tedi mine tailings dam burst releasing 90 million tonnes of
untreated tailings waste into the Fly river destroying villages, fishing industries and wildlife for
1,000km. It was thought to be the worst environmental disaster in human history.
Sinks:
In these cases, not much can be done but wait for the
rivers to wash away the pollution, or cover it with clean
sediment. In the later case, any disturbance, either by
human or natural processes, or by living organisms can
expose the environmental hazard once more and
potentially introduce it into the food chain.

11. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
•Pollutant sources and sinks:In other cases, the source is not so clear. On the great
barrier Reef, increases in phosphate carbon and nitrogen levels can come from multiple
locations. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority refers to these as diffuse sources.
Their management plan calls for help for farmers to use better land management, use less
fertilisers, reduce run-off and control pesticide and gerbicide spray drift.
•Once the nitrogen, sulfur, carbon, or phosphate have entered the soil, rivers and oceans
they eventually get taken up by natural processes.
•Nitrogen becomes nitrates and nitrites and is absorbed by plants, algae and plankton.
•Phosphates are also a plant nutrient, but can bind to the soil as well. Both in excess can
cause algal blooms and eutrification.
•Carbon in excess, such as when flood waters sweep through River red Gum Forests can
cause bacterial growth which removes oxygen from the water, causing many fish to die, until
it too becomes part of the river sediment.
Defintions: define and give examples of pollutant sources and sinks.

12. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
•Emission sources:In order to control emissions,
the nature of their source needs to be determined:
is it from a point source (distinct location), or is it
diffuse (mobile, fugative, or multiple locations).
Emission source Definition, example (and means of reduction).
Point source
Diffuse mobile
fugative
multiple
What can be done to reduce the diffuse source pollution
that is damaging the Great Barrier Reef?

13. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
•Pathways and sources:A single pollutant may move through (or be present in) the environment in a
number of different ways.
•Exposure describes the amount of pollutant a person comes in contact with in a given amount of time.
•Dosage refers to the amount of chemical absorbed into the body (per body weight).
The dosage of a chemical that a person receives is related to... (explain)
Respiration rate:
Hazard
concentration:
Frequency of
exposure:
length of exposure:
properties of the
chemical
body size
allergies

14. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
•Pathways and sources:There are strong pressures for people in our
society to stop smoking. Smoking is an example where different government
departments have joined together, sharing their data and expertise, and
reducing the number of people whose health is affected by smoking.

15. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
Managing pollution:

16. Unit 4 Ecological sustainability
Area of study 1: pollution and health.
Health, humans and
the environment.
How would you define pollution now?