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past research papers on phytoremediation
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Contaminated soil excavation- The application of contaminated soil excavation by Atma environmental consultants at a site in Donvale, Victoria, Australia is well justified because, the soil at site was contaminated with Arsenic which is a toxic chemical; so as to allow a residential development. Phytoremediation-The use of willow and poplar trees to clean up subsurface hydrocarbon contamination in Manitoba and Seskatchwan petroleum sites by Federated cooperatives, is well justified as the site was remediated successfully through Phytoremediation. Furthermore, instead of excavating and transferring the contaminated soil to another site, this process proved successful as it was done on site- saving time and energy. Bioremediation- According to Prof. Shaily Mohindra of UCLA, conventional technologies for cleaning ground water are not always effective. Moreover, these methods usually move pollutants from one point to another. For that reason, Mohindra endorses Bioremediation using Pseudonocardia dioxanivorans bacteria for the mitigation of next generation pollutants e.g. Perfluorinated compounds, nano materials, and dioxane. The progress of remediation will be monitored usin stable isotopes. Pump and treat- The application of pump and treat technology in Hanford has been successful in soil and ground water remediation. By 2011, 24.7 billion gallons of ground water had been treated, although the whole process of remediation will be completed in the next 25 years. At the end of the remediation process Contaminants such as plutonium and its derivatives e.g. Carbon tetrachloride will be successfully removed from the soil and ground water. In situ thermal remediation- pump and treat technology had been used for more than 17years to clean ...
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...trated by aquatic organisms e.g. fish in water, enter the food web e.g. bald eagles feed on fish, and are bioaccumulated by organisms e.g. bald eagles at higher trophic levels (EPA B-1). Since the ban, the use of DDT in the U.S. has been effectively discontinued (EPA A-1). Long-lived pesticides like DDT were used to control target organisms over extended periods of time and reduce the need for reapplication, but may also affect non-target flora and fauna e.g. bald eagles for long periods of time (EPA B-1).
Works Cited
United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2012. A Citizens Guide. www.epa.gov/superfund/sites
The American Land: Episode 210. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp4CQhC_uPs
United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2001. Water. http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/standards/criteria/current/upload/2001_10_12_criteria_ambientwqc_ddt80.pdf
Amalin, D.M., Peña, J.E., Duncan, R., Leavengood, J., Koptur, S. (2009): Effects of Pesticides on the Arthropod Community in the Agricultural Areas near the Everglades
Rachel Carson’s seminal 1962 book, Silent Spring, told the real-life story of how bird populations across the country were suffering as a result of the widespread application of the synthetic pesticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), which was being used widely to control mosquitoes and others insects. Carson reported that birds ingesting DDT tended to lay thin-shelled eggs which would in turn break prematurely in the nest, resulting in marked population declines. The problem drove bald eagles, our national symbol, not to mention peregrine falcons and other bird populations, to the brink of extinction, with populations plummeting more than 80 percent (Mildred, 2012).
The main downfall of the bald eagle was the pesticide DDT. DDT otherwise known andichlorodiphenyltrichoorethane, would not dissolve in water or break down in the environment. This cause it to be absorbed by small animals or aquatic plants. The contaminated plants or small animals were thereatfter eaten by fist. These subsequent fish were then scooped and and eaten by bald eagles. Now, the higher up in the food chain DDT travelled, the more embedded it became in the animal’s fate. This caused the eagles to lay eggs with weak shells which, in turn caused the population to diminish. After the government found tra...
Bioremediation has basically no effect afterward on the earth material. When the hazardous material is gone, so are the organisms. The microorganisms won’t survive after all the contaminate is broken down, just like a snail in a fish tank without algae. This makes it so there aren't any negative side effects to the treatment. A big plus to bioremediation is the cost. Bioremediation is only $200 - 400 thousand, an easily payable plan when compared to some of the others. Even with these big pros, there is still some negatives to
By the name of “superspecies” we try to change the world feature and control the nature with science. With science, a lot of technology has been invented to support people demand for products. Without anticipation about the bad consequences, sometime the invention is causing more damaged than it provide in later on. In 1930, DDT that use for killing insect was discovered by Paul Mueller, working for the chemical company Geigy in Switzerland. For this reason, the benefits of using DDT became immediately obvious (65). Years letter, the unbelievable side effect of using DDT was found. While Biologists investigated the decline of eagles and hawks, they discovered the hitherto phenomenon of “biomagnification”, which compounds gather as they are ingested up the food chain (67). DDT phenomenon proves that thinking like science is only to understand the world in separate pieces. It is lack of understanding the rhythms, patterns and cycles of the nature. Therefore, we need to think beyond the science to see the connections between us and nature because in the reality this world is the world of
The pesticide DDT banned in 1987 was a detrimental to the environment leading to it to be banned in 1987. DDT remains in the soils for a long period of time. The chemicals affect the ecology of the soil and water run off causing contamination of livestock and native animals and aquatic species. Studies indicated a range of human health impacts from DDT including cancers, infertility, miscarriage and nervous system impairment. The social and economic impact of DDT use in viticulture was significant.
Unfortunately, people and wildlife sprayed with DDT along with other chemicals had no warnings and no way to protect themselves. The government, without consent of those affected, risked the health of those exposed to the pesticides and the quality of the environment. Nearly everyone was exposed to the risks, in a direct or indirect way, from the extensive aerial spraying.
This research method is called pump and treat. It is a very popular method for cleaning up contaminated groundwater. By proceeding with pump and treat, adding cleaning wells will be necessary. Groundwater is then pumped through these wells and will go into a holding tank so the process can begin. The pumping process helps so that no contaminant can reach drinking wells and public water use. This treatment may require several different cleanup methods if groundwater contaminants are
The purpose of this experiment is to show how dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, a synthetic pesticide, moves through the food chain. The special focus of this experiment is how dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) bioaccumulates and energy moves through the trophic levels of a food chain. To illustrate biomagnification, M&M chocolates were used to exemplify phytoplankton with the opacity of the M mark on the chocolate serving as the amount of DDT within the phytoplankton. For example, an M&M with a perfect M mark on it was said to be a phytoplankton that ingested one hundred percent of the DDT while an M&M with an absent M mark on it was said to be a phytoplankton with zero percent DDT ingestion. Amount of DDT, measured in ppm, and kilocalories
Not mentioned in the report is a technique called bioremediation, which uses microbes to clean up the hazardous waste. Some small natural organisms, such as bacteria, can eat, digest and gain energy from contaminants, converting them into small amounts of water or innocuous gases. Specific conditions must be present for bioremediation to be successful. Natural amendments can be added if ideal conditions are not present, or contaminated soil can be treated ex situ. Traditionally, it takes anywhere between a few months and several years for bioremediation to fully clean a Superfund site, depending on the size of the site and extent of contamination. Bioremediation is currently being used to clean up contaminated groundwater at the Iceland Coin Laundry Superfund Site in New Jersey (EPA, n.d.). Additionally, experiments are currently underway to determine if fungi can help remediate some of the contamination at the Newtown Creek Superfund Site in New York City (Parry, 2012). As an all-natural alternative, bioremediation is a particularly appealing clean up method. If ideal conditions for microbial growth are not present at the Portland Harbor Superfund site, bioremediation could be a good ex situ treatment
Peregrine Falcon status is special concern as this species was affected mainly by DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) and PCBs (poly chlorinated biphenyls). DDT was used in 1950s and 1960s to control populations of insects. PCBs were previously used by industries. The adult Peregrine Falcon had high amount of DDT and PCBs by the process of bioaccumulation (when they eat more and more prey DDT was build up over time) and biomagnification (as falcon is the apex predator /top predator – The concentration of DDT progressively increases in food chains from bottom to top tropic level). Affected birds produced thin shell eggs that usually broke in the nest. This led the Falcons to produce lesser number of young birds than usual.
Early in history DDT was a very effective chemical that killed many parasites and stopped the mass spread of malaria. But the reward is not worth the damage that it does to the environment, especially in modern day where we have other ways to prevent parasite and diseases from getting to us. "Top of the Food Chain" by T. Coraghessan Boyle, is a story about the absolute absurdity of things that human beings do to their world and to their fellow living beings. Set during a Senate hearing by a chemical company executive on the defensive about the effects of DDT in Borneo. Basically, poison was used to get rid of mosquitoes. Didn't work. So they brought in geckos, that died from the poison. Cats ate dead geckos, and cats died. This brought on rat infestation. So they brought in more cats and cycle started over again. He is arguing that humans are wrong for destroying their planet with pesticides and other harmful things; this satirical piece effectively supports his argument.
(Dyson, J) DDT is toxic to birds when ingested. (NPIC) I would rather for the insects to be killed instead of malaria getting out of hand and killing humans. The World Health Organization estimates that there are 300 to 500 million cases of malaria each year and around one million deaths. (Dyson, J) These numbers are going up to 20 percent a year in some areas. (Dyson, J) Its been proven that when countries quit using DDT malaria gets out of hand. (Dyson, J)
Albert Schweitzer once stated, “Man can hardly even recognize the devils of his own creation” (Tbach) In the 1900’s, technology has discovered chemical substances that can easily terminate parasites and other disease transmitting insects. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, known as DDT, and other pesticides usage sored as corporate made huge profit out of them. What public did not acknowledge, however, was malignant effects caused by these chemically mortified substances. As DDT usage increased, insidious dangers destroyed both ecosystem and human health; with her book, Silent Spring, Rachel Carson drew attention to the hazards of pesticides, especially DDT, and triggered a movement that would eventually succeed in banning DDT.
DDT was first discovered as an insecticide by a Swiss scientist named Paul Hermann Muller. The DDT compound saved many lives after helping one billion people live malaria free by killing disease-carrying insects for thirty years after its discovery. However, the miraculous benefits of DDT resulted in negative side effects such as, DDT persistence in the environment, DDT accumulation in fatty tissues, and the compound’s ability to travel long distances in the upper atmosphere, which posed a risk to both humans and the ecosystem. The book, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson exposed the toxicity of DDT to birds, which resulted in the ban of DDT in 1972 in the United States.