Chemistry of Persistent Organic Pollutants
Chemistry ⇒ Environmental Chemistry
Chemistry of Persistent Organic Pollutants starts at 11 and continues till grade 12.
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See sample questions for grade 11
A lake near an industrial area shows high levels of PCBs in fish. Explain how this could affect humans who consume these fish.
A study finds that birds of prey have higher concentrations of DDT than herbivorous birds in the same area. What process does this illustrate?
Describe how the chemical structure of POPs contributes to their persistence in the environment.
Describe one method used to detect POPs in environmental samples.
Describe one way in which POPs can enter aquatic ecosystems.
Describe the process of bioaccumulation in relation to POPs.
Explain the difference between bioaccumulation and biomagnification.
Explain the term 'lipophilicity' and its relevance to POPs.
Explain why POPs are difficult to remove from the environment once released.
Explain why POPs tend to accumulate in the fatty tissues of living organisms.
Name two examples of chemicals classified as POPs.
A river downstream from a pesticide manufacturing plant is found to have high concentrations of a certain POP. Over time, the concentration of this POP in predatory fish is much higher than in the water. Explain the chemical and biological processes responsible for this observation.
A scientist is studying the breakdown of a POP in soil and finds that it has a half-life of 15 years. If the initial concentration is 80 mg/kg, what will be the concentration after 30 years?
Describe the role of the octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) in predicting the environmental behavior of POPs.
Explain how the molecular structure of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) affects their environmental persistence and potential for long-range transport.
Explain why incineration of waste containing POPs must be carefully controlled and monitored.
