Investigating+Pollution UNESCO

8/8/2019 Investigating+Pollution UNESCO

1/10

UJYESCOModule 16; Investigating pollution

In 1920,a Norwegian archaeologist called Thor Heyerdahl sailed across hePacific Ocean. He described how he spent weeks at sea without seeing anythingwhich could suggest that there were other people in the world. However, whilesailing in the Atlantic in 1970,he reported that not a day passed without someform of plastic container, beer can or other rubbish drifting close by, suggestingthat other men were around.Pollution is an ever-increasing problem. It takes many different forms,including: Air pollution Water pollution Soil pollutionYou can fir\d out more about these on the information sheets

Study the information sheetswhich give some ideas about the different types ofpollution.1 What examples of pollution have you noticed in your own locality? Listthem under the headings: Air pollution Water pollution Soil pollution2 What sources of pollution can you identify in your own locality? (Are youresponsible for any pollution yourself?)3 What effects of pollution can you identify? Think about:

..

.problems for people's health;problems for other living organisms -animals, plants;general damage to the environment -land, sea and atmosphere.

4 Do you know of any measures which are taken to reduce the amount ofpollution?

Page 1


2/10


3/10

UlYESCOModule 16: Investigating pollution

2% in ice caps" gladersI

l%fresh water

d/I

~Sources of water"

~ources of groundwatercontamination:

97% sea waterGroundwater is usually thebest source of drinking water.

~~..;~-'::;:i" ;;~,:.~


4/10

U1YESCOodule 16: Investigating pollution

The instruction sheets show simple methods for measuring air pollution andwater pollution.

Decide whether you are going to measure air or water pollution,If you choose air pollution: Set up a testing station in a secure place, at schoolor at home. After a month, report your results to the rest of the class.

.

If you choose water pollution: Your teacher will provide you with a sample ofwater to test. Report your results to the rest of the class.

.

Now that you know how these techniques work, you can use them to investigatesources of air and water pollution in your locality. fc~

Prepare a map of your area showing important industries, busy traffic zones,railways, residential areas, green belt areas, arms.Find out which way the prevailing wind blows, and mark this on your map,Decide on some sensible places to sample the air for dust. Check with yourteacher that it is practical to set up testing stations in these places.Set up dust sampling stations at the places you have chosen. After a month,prepare a report to show your results. Try to identify the likely sources of anypollution you have detected.

a

Prepare a map of your area showing important industries, busy traffic zones,railways, residential areas, green belt areas, arms.Find out where drinking water comes from in your area, and mark this onyour map. (There may be many different sources, or people, farm animals, wildanimals.)Are there any other places where people come into contact with water, forexample, when swimming or washing?Collect samples of water from different sources. Check with your teacher that itis safe to do so.Test your samples. Prepare a report to show your results.likely sources of any pollution you have detected. Try to identify the

Fage 4


5/10

UffESCOModule 16: Investigating pollution

instruction sheetMaterials required. plastic bottle

(1 litre capacity);stand;

.

.

.

.

.

wire mesh;distilled water;filter paper and funnel;balance',hotplate;evaporating basin.

MethodMake your dust collector asfollows:

Cut the plastic bottle to makea wide-mouthed container..

. Fit wire mesh across he top,to prevent large objects fromgetting in.Fix the bottle on a stand.Half fill with distilled water.

Place the dust collector where you want to collect dust, about 2 m abQve heground. (Make sure it is somewhere where it will not be disturbed by people,animals or birds.)Check from time to time, adding distilled water to maintain the level. After1 month, bring your collector into the lab.Filter the liquid; weigh the filter paper before and after to determine the mass ofinsoluble dust.Collect the filtrate in an evaporating basin and evaporate; weigh before and afterto determine the mass of soluble dust.Compare your results with those of others in the class. Does this method seem togive reliable results? (If you used bottles of different sizes, you will have totake account of their different areas.)

Fage S


6/10

U/YESCO odule 16: Investigating pollution

Materials required

sione5

gravel

coarse sandlinesand

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

vessels or collecting water;measuring cylinder (2 I);pots with stands;filter funnels;coarse sieve;fine sieve;filter materials (coarse sand, fine sand, gravel, stones);pH paper;water testing kit (optional).

MethodCollect water samples. Wear protective rubber gloves if necessary.Set up three filters as shown above.Pour one sample through pot 1. Collect the filtrate and pass it through pot 2,then pot 3.Test the water before and after filtering. You could test

acidity (pH);oxygen content;smell;colour .

.

.

.

.

Page 6


7/10

UlYESCOModule 16: Investigating pollution

Pollution in the house

~caItJon

ma1Oxide

fibreboardpaintashes!r:s

fireplaa'~I~ulr~1i gasrange

';~;.:'.:;.~?;1~It~t",,( f!;',::,::.:.::~-~:,:..:...'~i.;.;.,Indoor pollution levels are often higher than levels outdoors..

.

.

.

.

Polluted air may be the cause of sick building syndrome (eyes, nose andthroat congestion, lethargy, nausea).Smoke, including tobacco smoke, is an important indoor pollutant. It cancause ung cancer.A badly-adjusted gas cooker or fire may produce poisonous carbon monoxidegas. So maya car's exhaust.Some building materials, such as asbestos,produce hazardous dust.A well-ventilated building is less hazardous.

Make a list of possible sources of air pollution in your own home. The pictureabove may give you some ideas. Can you say how these might affect you?Suggest ways in which you might reduce air pollution in your home.How well-ventilated is your home? Sometimes people reduce the ventilation oftheir home, by using draught excluders, keeping windows shut, and so on. Whatreasonsmight they have for doing this?Some people use air-fresheners or incense sticks to perfume the air. Does thishelp to reduce air pollution? Page 7


8/10

U1YESCO'1odule16: Investigating pollution

Many human activities pollute the environment -industry, transport, agriculture,homes" tourism and leisure. As the economy develops, it is important to controlany possible increase n levels of pollution. Sometimes a modernised industry isless polluting than a traditional one, but sometimes it is more polluting.Economic development is important, because t can bring jobs and a higherstandard of living. But it may also bring more pollution, which damages theenvironment and reduces the quality of life for local people -and for the rest ofthe world.In this activity, you can think about how to reduce the effects of pollution in yourown locality.

In this debate, you will be working in groups representing various local people.Here are the groups:........

industrialowners;industrial workers;farmers;fishermen;tourists;government officials;local children;local villagers / townspeop e

Working in groups, identify local sources of pollution which are important to thepeople you represent. Try to decide how seriously they affect people. Put themin order, from most serious to least serious. Think about how each source ofpollution might be reduced.Now present your thoughts to the other groups. Remember that their ideas maybe different from yours, because different things may be important in their lives.Try to draw up an agreed list of priorities. Which sources of pollution have themost effect on people? Can you agree about how they might be reduced?If your ideas are put into practice, there will be winners and losers. Who willbenefit? Who will have to pay the price of reducing pollution?

Page 8


9/10

UNESCOModule 16: Investigating pollution -Teacher's Notes

AcknowledgementsThis module is based on a series of activities developed by Dr Neelima Jerathand colleagues of the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, India.

IntroductionIn this module, students are asked to:.think about local sources of pollution (air, water and soil);.learn how to measure air and water pollution;.survey air and water pollution locally;.identify sources of air pollution in their own homes;.establish priorities in the reduction of local pollution, with reference oeconomic development and a variety of interest groups.

Scientific ~ technological concepts.pollution (of air, water, soil);.greenhouse effect;.ozone layer;.groundwater;.air and water purity;.acid rain;.food chains;.economic development and inter-dependence.

Teaching approachesPollution is a very broad topic, with many aspects -local, national andinternational; chemical, physical and biological. This module focuses on localsources of air, soil and water pollution and their effects. It only touches on moreglobal aspectsof pollution, such as the enhanced greenhouse effect and damageto the ozone layer; also, it does not consider in depth ways of reducing pollution.

Notes on the activitiesPage 1: This page introduces the idea that pollution has been increasing overthe years, as has our awareness of pollution. The discussion questions givestudents an opportunity to review their existing knowledge. The informationsheets (pages 2 and 3) can be used to stimulate and develop their awareness.Pages 2,3: These pages take the form of information sheets about air, waterand soil pollution. The information they contain is presented in the form ofdiagrams, tables and lists, since this will allow students to extract informationrelevant to their own level of knowledge and understanding.Page 4: Students can make simple measurements of air and water pollution.Firstly, they should make a single measurement in order to learn the technique.Then they should plan a series of measurements n their locality. They shouldexplain their choices of locations, predict what they will find, and then carry outtheir measurements. 1age


10/10

Investigating pollution -Teachers Notes1YESCOModule 16;

Air pollution measurements: Note that these will require to be carried outover a period of weeks.Water pollution measurements: For preliminary measurements, you mightwish to provide a sample of ready-made 'polluted water' , prepared by mixingwater with, for example, soil and dye. If students are to investigate watersamples from polluted sites, you will clearly have to be aware of any safetyimplications.After these measurements, you and your students might visit a local pollutioncontrol laboratory, or you could invite a local official to speak to the class andanswer their questions.Pages 5,6: These pages give instructions for simple techniques for studyingair and water pollution.Pages 7: This page brings home to students the idea that there are sources ofair pollution in their own homes. Some are clearly more significant than others,and this will vary from house to house, and from country to country.Ventilation is essential to reduce domestic air pollution, but people may reduceventilation to stop draughts, keep warm air in or noise and smells out.

Pages 8: Finally, students are asked to think about competing priorities interms of pollution and economic development. They are asked to work ingroups representing different groups in society; you may wish to choose differentgroupings, according to local circumstances. Through the discussion, you shouldtry to point out that any pollution control measure has its costs as well as tsbenefits, and society must decide to set some priorities. Although the debate isset in a local situation, it is inevitably the case hat local sources of pollution havea wider impact, and that local people may suffer from pollution which has adistant source. This is another aspect which you should seek to draw out in thediscussion.

Page2

Documents

Investigating+Pollution UNESCO