Thermal pollution occurs when hot or cold water is dumped into bodies of water, disrupting the natural temperature regulation. The largest cause is cooling water from industrial machinery and power plants. Thermal pollution damages ecosystems by causing migration of fish and amphibians, increased toxins as waste water is dumped, and loss of biodiversity as organisms are killed or driven away. Significant temperature changes can also lead to reproductive problems, increased metabolic rates that stress organisms, and damage to local aquatic ecosystems. Control of thermal pollution involves mechanisms like cooling ponds, towers, and lakes to regulate water temperature before discharge.
Thermal pollution occurs when hot or cold water is dumped into bodies of water, disrupting the natural temperature regulation. The largest cause is cooling water from industrial machinery and power plants. Thermal pollution damages ecosystems by causing migration of fish and amphibians, increased toxins as waste water is dumped, and loss of biodiversity as organisms are killed or driven away. Significant temperature changes can also lead to reproductive problems, increased metabolic rates that stress organisms, and damage to local aquatic ecosystems. Control of thermal pollution involves mechanisms like cooling ponds, towers, and lakes to regulate water temperature before discharge.
Thermal pollution occurs when hot or cold water is dumped into bodies of water, disrupting the natural temperature regulation. The largest cause is cooling water from industrial machinery and power plants. Thermal pollution damages ecosystems by causing migration of fish and amphibians, increased toxins as waste water is dumped, and loss of biodiversity as organisms are killed or driven away. Significant temperature changes can also lead to reproductive problems, increased metabolic rates that stress organisms, and damage to local aquatic ecosystems. Control of thermal pollution involves mechanisms like cooling ponds, towers, and lakes to regulate water temperature before discharge.
Thermal pollution occurs when hot or cold water is dumped into bodies of water, disrupting the natural temperature regulation. The largest cause is cooling water from industrial machinery and power plants. Thermal pollution damages ecosystems by causing migration of fish and amphibians, increased toxins as waste water is dumped, and loss of biodiversity as organisms are killed or driven away. Significant temperature changes can also lead to reproductive problems, increased metabolic rates that stress organisms, and damage to local aquatic ecosystems. Control of thermal pollution involves mechanisms like cooling ponds, towers, and lakes to regulate water temperature before discharge.
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THERMAL POLLUTION
By Nithiin What is Thermal Pollution? Thermal pollution comes from hot water or cold water being dumped into a body of water. Bodies of water naturally tend to dissipate the heat gained from warm currents, underwater hot springs,and from the sun. Thermal pollution is called that because it overwhelms the natural temperature control mechanisms that work in the water. The sudden temperature change poses a health risk to a wide range of aquatic and amphibious creatures. Causes of Thermal Pollution: Many human and natural factors contribute to the problem of thermal pollution. The single biggest cause of thermal pollution is probably cooling for industrial machinery and power plants. Water is an excellent, and free, cooling agent. This is why many industrial operations pull in relatively cool water to cool their machinery and let the relatively warm water flow back into the river or lake or sea.
Effects of Thermal Pollution:
The effects of thermal pollution are diverse, but in short, thermal pollution damages water ecosystems and reduces animal populations. Plant species, algae, bacteria, and multi- celled animals all respond differently to significant temperature changes. Organisms that cannot adapt can die of various causes or can be forced out of the area. Reproductive problems can further reduce the diversity of life in the polluted area. Migration: Fish and amphibians may move away from the warm water to a more-suitable location, disrupting the ecosystem for animals that remain. Birds may also be forced to leave in search of areas with more food. Plants and certain animals will be stuck in the area, which can lead to huge losses. Migration away from the polluted area contributes to a dramatic loss of biodiversity at sites where thermal pollution happens. Increased Toxins: Toxins in the water are more a side effect of dumping waste water than a direct effect of thermal pollution. Chemical pollution is an almost inevitable side effect of using water for cooling. Solvents, fuel oil, and dissolved heavy metals end up in the lake or river where the cooling water gets dumped. Nuclear power plants can also release slightly radioactive cooling water. The chemicals may have a range of toxic effects on plants and animals, from fatal poisoning to mutations and sterilization. Loss of Biodiversity: The sudden heating can kill off vulnerable organisms or drive them away. This is one of many serious issues for threatened and endangered animal species. This loss can come from organisms dying from the hot water, being unable to reproduce as effectively as before, or simply leaving the area. We usually think of animals as casualties of water pollution, but multi- celled aquatic plants are also at risk when thermal pollution changes the local aquatic ecosystem. Ecological Impacts: The local aquatic ecosystem can be damaged by thermal pollution, especially if it is dramatic, as in copious amounts of warm water being dumped into a chilly pond or bay or river. “Thermal shock” can kill off insects, fish, and amphibians. This sudden loss of life causes further issues with the ecosystem. Key food sources are no longer adequate. A threatened or endangered local population may be wiped out or put under even more pressure. Coral reef bleaching has also been observed when a power plant or factory is dumped into coastal water. Coral bleaching happens when the coral organisms die. Reproductive Effects: A significant temperature increase in the water can cause reproductive problems. Warmer water can reduce the fertility of some organisms. Other species may suffer birth defects or lay deformed eggs because of chemical changes in the body caused by warmer water. Defective eggs and birth defects hurt the overall reproductive fitness of the animal population and can reduce the population. Thermal pollution can change the biology of aquatic organisms in a variety of ways. Increased Metabolic Rate: Warmer water may be good for cold-blooded fish and amphibians, but only for a limited time. One of many real problems that warm water may cause is faster metabolism, which means animals need more food. The local ecosystem may not be able to support a significant increase in food consumption. Worse still, the warmer water gives an advantage to certain organisms while it puts stress on others. The more-adaptable organisms may unbalance the ecosystem simply by out- competing other organisms and by eating them or driving them to starvation.
Control of Thermal Pollution:
Control of thermal pollution is possible through Cooling Ponds and Cooling Towers and Artificial Lakes and taking preventive measures to control pollution.
