Question

Pollutant

Toxic metals and
heat released during
coal burning
Fertilizer
Algae formed from
fertilizer runoff
Primary or secondary?
Primary
4
Primary
Secondary
Physical, chemical, biological, radiological,
or thermal?

Answer 1

Underground mines (also known as strip mines) produced approximately 62% of the coal extracted in the United States in 2021. The soil and rock above coal reserves, or seams, are removed in these mining activities. The biggest surface mines in the United States are located in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming, where coal reserves are near to the surface.

Coal burning produces several major emissions: 1. SO2, which adds to acid rain and respiratory diseases. Nitrogen oxides (NOx), which cause pollution and respiratory ailments 3. Particulates, which cause pollution, haze, respiratory diseases, and pulmonary disease 4. The Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Act all require businesses to decrease pollutants discharged into the air and water. TheThe coal business has developed several methods for reducing sulfur and other contaminants in coal. In addition, the industry has discovered more efficient methods of cleaning coal after it has been mined, and some coal users use low sulfur coal.

Answer 2

1. Toxic metals and heat released during coal burning are marked as a Primary pollutant can e considered as thermal pollution.

2. Fertilizer is listed as a Primary pollutant, falls under chemical pollution

3. Algae formed from fertilizer runoff is listed as a Secondary pollutant is a type of biological pollution.

What more can be said about these forms of pollution?

1. Thermal pollution is caused by the release of heated water into water bodies, such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. This can occur from power plants, industrial facilities, and other sources that use large amounts of water for cooling purposes.

2. Fertilizers can be considered chemical pollutants. They are often made from synthetic chemicals that contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These nutrients are essential for plant growth, but when they are applied in excess, they can run off into waterways and cause a number of problems

3. "Algae formed from fertilizer runoff" would be classified as a biological pollutant.

When nutrients from fertilizers enter bodies of water and cause excessive algae growth, it can lead to a condition known as eutrophication, which depletes the oxygen in the water and can kill aquatic life.