AQA · GCSE · Biology
Course version: 8461 · Version from Sept 2018
Pollution can occur: • in water, from sewage, fertiliser or toxic…
Full specification wording
Waste management: Pollution can occur: • in water, from sewage, fertiliser or toxic chemicals • in air, from smoke and acidic gases • on land, from landfill and from toxic chemicals.
Pollution can happen in three main places.
Checked against the AQA 8461 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 4
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Pollution can happen in three main places. In water, sewage, fertiliser and toxic chemicals cause harm. Sewage and fertiliser add nutrients that lead to algal blooms and oxygen depletion, while toxic chemicals poison organisms directly. In air, smoke and acidic gases from burning fuels cause harm. Smoke particles damage lungs and reduce light for plants, and acidic gases can dissolve in rain to form acid rain, which damages trees and lakes. On land, landfill and toxic chemicals cause harm. Landfill sites can leak harmful substances into soil and groundwater, and toxic chemicals can poison plants, animals and soil organisms. Recognising where pollution occurs and what causes it helps in choosing the right control measures, such as sewage treatment, filters and safe disposal.
What earns the marks
- Water pollution is caused by sewage, fertiliser and toxic chemicals.
- Sewage and fertiliser cause algal blooms and oxygen depletion in water.
- Air pollution is caused by smoke and acidic gases, which can harm lungs and cause acid rain.
- Land pollution is caused by landfill and toxic chemicals, which can leak into soil and groundwater.
- Each type of pollution harms organisms and ecosystems, so control measures must match the source.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Thinking pollution only affects the place where waste is released.
Put it right: Pollution can spread, for example acidic gases in air can fall as acid rain onto land and water.
Confusing the three categories.
Put it right: Link each pollutant to its correct location: sewage to water, smoke to air, landfill to land.
Assuming landfill is harmless once covered.
Put it right: Harmful substances can still leak into groundwater over time.
Exam tips
- Learn one named pollutant for each location: water, air and land.
- For each pollutant, state one effect on organisms or the environment.
- Use the bullet points in the statement as a checklist when revising this topic.
Try the lesson
The start of the Waste management: Pollution can occur: • in water, from sewage, fertiliser or toxic chemicals • in air, from smoke and acidic gases • on land, from landfill and from toxic chemicals. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of these is a source of water pollution?
Listen
Pollution can happen in three main places. In water, sewage, fertiliser and toxic chemicals cause harm. Sewage and fertiliser add nutrients that lead to algal blooms and oxygen depletion, while toxic chemicals poison organisms directly. In air, smoke and acidic gases from burning fuels cause harm. Smoke particles damage lungs and reduce light for plants, and acidic gases can dissolve in rain to form acid rain, which damages trees and lakes. On land, landfill and toxic chemicals cause harm. Landfill sites can leak harmful substances into soil and groundwater, and toxic chemicals can poison plants, animals and soil organisms. Recognising where pollution occurs and what causes it helps in choosing the right control measures, such as sewage treatment, filters and safe disposal. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Water pollution is caused by sewage, fertiliser and toxic chemicals. Sewage and fertiliser cause algal blooms and oxygen depletion in water. Air pollution is caused by smoke and acidic gases, which can harm lungs and cause acid rain. Land pollution is caused by landfill and toxic chemicals, which can leak into soil and groundwater. A common slip: Thinking pollution only affects the place where waste is released. Instead, pollution can spread, for example acidic gases in air can fall as acid rain onto land and water. Exam tip: Learn one named pollutant for each location: water, air and land.
See it
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Water pollution
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Air pollution
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Land pollution
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Control measures
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See every definition
- Water pollution
- Pollution that can occur in water, from sewage, fertiliser or toxic chemicals.
- Air pollution
- Pollution that can occur in air, from smoke and acidic gases.
- Land pollution
- Pollution that can occur on land, from landfill and from toxic chemicals.
- Control measures
- Measures such as sewage treatment, filters and safe disposal, chosen to match the source of the pollution.
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