Key Terms:
Abundance: A large amount of something.
Agriculture: The production/occupation of crops, livestock, or poultry
Aquaculture: The farming of aquatic organisms
Aquifer: A layer of permeable rock which contains or extracts ground water.
Bioaccumulation: the accumulation within living organisms of toxic substances occurring in the environment
Biodiversity: The amount of variety among species that live in a certain ecosystem.
Effluent: Liquid waste and/or sewage released into bodies of water.
Hydroponics: A technique used to grow plants without soil and in water, using mineral nutrient solutions.
Ion: an electrically charged atom or group of atoms formed by the loss or gain of one or more electrons
Land Fertility: This term refers to an areas ability to produce offspring and sustain life.
Membrane: any thin flexible sheet of material
Overdrafting: Overdrafting is the process of extracting groundwater beyond the safe yield or equilibrium yield of the aquifer.
Potable Water: Clean water that can be safely be consumed(water used for drinking purposes).
ppm: parts per million (unit of measure)
Recreation: An action performed for personal benefit/enjoyment
Runoff: Excess water that is washed away into our storm drains. This water usually contains waste and other pollutants.
Salinity: The amount of dissolved salt contained in water.
Thermal: pertaining to or caused by heat or temperature.
µm: micrometers (units of measure)
Water Crisis: A water crisis occurs when the a state's, country's, or nation's water supply does not meet the needs of its people. The water deficit will then create economic conflict, food shortages, damaged ecosystems, and many more problems that will all eventually lead to a raise in mortality rates and a decrease in population.
Water Filtration: A chemical or biological process which cleanses water by removing the impurities.
Water Shortage/Scarcity: when an area is lacking its normal amount of water.
Agriculture: The production/occupation of crops, livestock, or poultry
Aquaculture: The farming of aquatic organisms
Aquifer: A layer of permeable rock which contains or extracts ground water.
Bioaccumulation: the accumulation within living organisms of toxic substances occurring in the environment
Biodiversity: The amount of variety among species that live in a certain ecosystem.
Effluent: Liquid waste and/or sewage released into bodies of water.
Hydroponics: A technique used to grow plants without soil and in water, using mineral nutrient solutions.
Ion: an electrically charged atom or group of atoms formed by the loss or gain of one or more electrons
Land Fertility: This term refers to an areas ability to produce offspring and sustain life.
Membrane: any thin flexible sheet of material
Overdrafting: Overdrafting is the process of extracting groundwater beyond the safe yield or equilibrium yield of the aquifer.
Potable Water: Clean water that can be safely be consumed(water used for drinking purposes).
ppm: parts per million (unit of measure)
Recreation: An action performed for personal benefit/enjoyment
Runoff: Excess water that is washed away into our storm drains. This water usually contains waste and other pollutants.
Salinity: The amount of dissolved salt contained in water.
Thermal: pertaining to or caused by heat or temperature.
µm: micrometers (units of measure)
Water Crisis: A water crisis occurs when the a state's, country's, or nation's water supply does not meet the needs of its people. The water deficit will then create economic conflict, food shortages, damaged ecosystems, and many more problems that will all eventually lead to a raise in mortality rates and a decrease in population.
Water Filtration: A chemical or biological process which cleanses water by removing the impurities.
Water Shortage/Scarcity: when an area is lacking its normal amount of water.
Harmful Substances and Diseases:
"Blue Baby Syndrome": Also known as Methaemoglobinemia, it is characterized by reduced ability of the blood to carry oxygen because of reduced levels of normal hemoglobin. It is uncommon. Infants are most often affected, and may seem healthy, but show signs of blueness around the mouth, hands, and feet, hence the common name “blue baby syndrome”. These children may also have trouble breathing as well as vomiting and diarrhea. In extreme cases, there is marked lethargy, an increase in the production of saliva, loss of consciousness and seizures. Some cases may be fatal.
Dysentery: an intestinal inflammation, especially in the colon, that can lead to severe diarrhea with mucus or blood in the feces. Patients typically experience mild to severe abdominal pain or stomach cramps. In some cases, untreated dysentery can be life-threatening, especially if the infected person cannot replace lost fluids fast enough.
Gastroenteritis: Also known as "stomach flu", is an inflammation of the lining of the intestines caused by a virus, bacteria or parasites. It spreads through contaminated food or water, and contact with an infected person.
Giardiasis: an infection of the small intestine caused by Giardia lamblia (also known as G. intestinalis), a flagellate protozoan.
Hepatitis: a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ.
Pesticides: substances meant for preventing, destroying or mitigating any pest
Shigellosis: also known as bacillary dysentery or Marlow Syndrome, in its most severe manifestation, is a foodborne illness caused by infection by bacteria of the genus Shigella. Shigellosis rarely occurs in animals other than humans and other primates like monkeys and chimpanzees. The causative organism is frequently found in water polluted with human feces, and is transmitted via the fecal-oral route. The usual mode of transmission is directly person-to-person hand-to-mouth, in the setting of poor hygiene among children.
Trihalomthanes (THMs): chemical compounds in which three of the four hydrogen atoms of methane (CH4) are replaced by halogen atoms. Many trihalomethanes find uses in industry as solvents or refrigerants.
Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs): organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary, room-temperature conditions. Their high vapor pressure results from a low boiling point, which causes large numbers of molecules to evaporate or sublimate from the liquid or solid form of the compound and enter the surrounding air.
Dysentery: an intestinal inflammation, especially in the colon, that can lead to severe diarrhea with mucus or blood in the feces. Patients typically experience mild to severe abdominal pain or stomach cramps. In some cases, untreated dysentery can be life-threatening, especially if the infected person cannot replace lost fluids fast enough.
Gastroenteritis: Also known as "stomach flu", is an inflammation of the lining of the intestines caused by a virus, bacteria or parasites. It spreads through contaminated food or water, and contact with an infected person.
Giardiasis: an infection of the small intestine caused by Giardia lamblia (also known as G. intestinalis), a flagellate protozoan.
Hepatitis: a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ.
Pesticides: substances meant for preventing, destroying or mitigating any pest
- Herbicides: weedkillers, are pesticides used to kill unwanted plants
- Insecticides: a pesticide used against insects
- Fungicides:a pesticide that kills or inhibits fungi or fungal spores
Shigellosis: also known as bacillary dysentery or Marlow Syndrome, in its most severe manifestation, is a foodborne illness caused by infection by bacteria of the genus Shigella. Shigellosis rarely occurs in animals other than humans and other primates like monkeys and chimpanzees. The causative organism is frequently found in water polluted with human feces, and is transmitted via the fecal-oral route. The usual mode of transmission is directly person-to-person hand-to-mouth, in the setting of poor hygiene among children.
Trihalomthanes (THMs): chemical compounds in which three of the four hydrogen atoms of methane (CH4) are replaced by halogen atoms. Many trihalomethanes find uses in industry as solvents or refrigerants.
Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs): organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary, room-temperature conditions. Their high vapor pressure results from a low boiling point, which causes large numbers of molecules to evaporate or sublimate from the liquid or solid form of the compound and enter the surrounding air.