IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS) SL: 1.5 Humans & Pollution
IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS) SL: 1.5 Humans & Pollution
IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS) SL: 1.5 Humans & Pollution
YOUR NOTES
IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS) SL
CONTENTS
1.5.1 The Nature of Pollution
1.5.2 Different Types of Pollution
1.5.3 Effects of DDT on Animals
1.5.4 Pollution Management
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YOUR NOTES
Spraying crops with
Bioaccumulation,
Pesticides, fertilisers, pesticides, spreading
Agriculture biomagnification,
animal waste fertilisers on fields, runoff
eutrophication
from manure and silage
Release of toxic
substances into the
Industrial accidents e.g.
Industry Toxic spills and leaks environment e.g.
chemical factories
Minamata, Japan and
Bhopal, India
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YOUR NOTES
Worked Example
Construct a systems diagram to show the impacts of air pollution from the
pollutants nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, focussing on the formation of acid
rain and its effects.
Answer
Exam Tip
Although natural pollution can exist (e.g. in the form of ash from volcanic eruptions or
dust from dust storms) the syllabus refers to pollution as the introduction of
pollutants to the environment through human activity, so you should focus on
revising human sources of pollution for your exams.
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Point source pollution comes from a single Non-point source pollution comes from
identifiable source, such as a factory or a dispersed sources, such as runoff from
sewage treatment plant agricultural fields or urban areas
Persistent Biodegradable
Acute effects of pollution occur in a high Chronic effects of pollution occur over a long
concentration for a short period of time, such period of time in lower concentrations, such as
as an oil spill air pollution from vehicle emissions
Primary Secondary
Secondary pollutants form when primary
Primary pollutants are directly emitted into the pollutants undergo physical or chemical
environment, such as carbon monoxide or reactions in the atmosphere, such as the
particulate matter from burning fossil fuels formation of ozone from nitrogen oxides and
volatile organic compounds
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Through the process of biomagnification, the concentration of DDT in the tissues of YOUR NOTES
organisms increases at successively higher trophic levels in a food chain
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YOUR NOTES
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