how do diseas-causing bacteria affect the health of the river
Question
how do diseas-causing bacteria affect the health of the river
Solution
Disease-causing bacteria, also known as pathogens, can significantly affect the health of a river in several ways:
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Water Quality Deterioration: The presence of bacteria can degrade the water quality, making it unsafe for human consumption and aquatic life. Bacteria can increase the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), reducing the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water which is essential for the survival of aquatic organisms.
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Spread of Diseases: These bacteria can cause diseases in humans and animals. If the contaminated water is consumed, it can lead to diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery.
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Disruption of Aquatic Ecosystems: High levels of bacteria can disrupt the balance of the aquatic ecosystem. It can lead to the death of certain species, promoting the overgrowth of others, and potentially leading to harmful algal blooms.
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Economic Impact: The presence of bacteria can impact the economic value of the river. It can affect industries that rely on clean water, such as fishing and tourism.
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Bioaccumulation: Some bacteria can accumulate in the tissues of aquatic organisms, which can then be transferred up the food chain, affecting a wide range of species, including humans.
To maintain the health of rivers, it's important to monitor and manage bacterial levels, which can be achieved through regular testing, wastewater treatment, and public education about the importance of not disposing of harmful substances in waterways.
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Chapter 6: Water Hazards General information Safe drinking-water, sanitation, and hygiene are crucial to human health and well-being.” Drinking unsafe water harms health through illness such as diarrhea. Untreated diarrhea can contaminate groundwater and surface waters used for drinking water, which can make drinking water even more unsafe (WHO, b). Some 829,000 people are estimated to die each year from diarrhea as a result of unsafe drinking-water, sanitation, and hand hygiene. Yet diarrhea is largely preventable, and the deaths of 297,000 children aged under five years could be avoided each year if these risk factors were addressed. Where water is not readily available people may decide handwashing is not a priority, thereby adding to the likelihood of diarrhea and other diseases.” Safe and readily available water is important for public health, whether it is used for drinking, domestic use, food production, or recreational purposes (WHO, 2022b). A variety of pathogenic and toxic substances can be found in drinking-water, wastewater, recreational water, and during flooding. This unit discusses many of these substances; however, several are not exclusive to one type of water but can be found in various types. For example, Cryptosporidium is discussed under recreational waters, yet it is also found in contaminated drinking-water, wastewater, and flood water. Additionally, some pathogens are present in both water and food. How many people die each year from diarrhea due to unsafe drinking water, sanitation, hand hygiene? Drinking water Globally, at least two billion people use a drinking water source contaminated with human waste. Microbial contamination of drinking-water as a result of contamination with feces causes the greatest risk to drinking-water safety(WHO, 2022b). In addition to fecal contamination, chemical contamination of water continues to cause a health burden, whether natural in origin such as arsenic and fluoride, or anthropogenic such as nitrate (WHO, b). Although not only found in drinking water, the following contaminants are of major concern: cholera, typhoid, arsenic, and nitrates. Cholera Basic Information Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae and remains a global threat to public health. Cholera transmission is closely linked to inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities. Researchers have estimated that each year there are 1.3–4.0 million cases of cholera, and 21,000 to 143,000 deaths worldwide due to cholera. The cholera bacterium is usually found in water or in foods that have been contaminated by human waste from a person infected with cholera bacteria. Cholera is most likely to occur and spread in places with inadequate water treatment, poor sanitation, and inadequate hygiene (CDC, 2022b). In cholera endemic countries, an outbreak can be seasonal or irregular and represents a greater than expected number of cases.
Several waterborne pathogens proliferate in wastewater and produce toxins, affecting the earth's ecosystem and human health. The toxins in industrial wastewater cause acute poisoning, immune system suppression and reproductive failure. According to the WHO, around 80% of diseases are waterborne.Nov 18, 2021
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