Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
40. C Mangrove forests are populated by trees that thrive in a saline environment and are partially sub-
merged by water through much of their lives. Some roots extend upward to access oxygen from the air,
and other roots extend down to act as support for the tree. This unique shape also offers protection for
fish eggs and young fish.
41. B Methane hydrate is a solid form of methane located deep on the ocean floor. In its molecular struc-
ture, the methane hydrate is surrounded by a crystal lattice of water molecules. Methane hydrates are
difficult to extract because the structure can destabilize and release methane gas, a greenhouse gas. The
release of gas can also cause instability in rock and sediment structures.
42. E Paper is the largest part of the waste stream in the United States. Despite the fact that paper can be
recycled, it is still used in many products that are not put into the recycle bin.
43. B Lead was an additive in gasoline but was phased out as an additive in the 1970s due to its ability to
bio-accumulate in organisms and act as a neurotoxin, particularly for younger humans. As lead use was
reduced, so were emissions and, ultimately, blood level concentrations in people.
44. A Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a federally run agency responsible for
worker safety on the job.
45. B CERCLA, the Comprehensive Response Compensation and Liability Act, also called "Superfund,"
provides a federal means to clean up, or remediate, soil and water contaminated with hazardous waste.
If possible, parties responsible for the contamination are made to pay for cleanup. If not, the cost of
cleanup comes from federal taxpayer monies.
46. D In an effort to reduce illegal dumping, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) man-
ages the creation, movement, and disposal of hazardous waste as well as nonhazardous solid waste.
47. C The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) mandates that the environment be taken into ac-
count prior to any development, including requiring preparation of an environmental impact statement
(EIS) prior to any federal action that will or could potentially disrupt the environment.
48. D A frog has high biotic potential because it reproduces many young at one time. High biotic potential
means that an organism has the ability to produce many offspring. Since a frog is considered to be an r-
selected species, it produces many eggs at once, with some surviving into adulthood but the majority
perishing at some point prior to reproductive age.
49. B Maximum sustainable yield requires harvesting a renewable resource for use while also maintaining
the resource at adequate levels for the futureā€”in this case, harvesting trees only at the pace at which
they grow back.
50. A Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) remain in the environment and can bio-accumulate in organisms
and potentially bio-magnify through the food chain. Substances classified as POPs do not break down
easily.
51. B Haiti is located on a fault line between the North American and Caribbean plates. The two plates
slide past each other at a transform boundary.
52. C BPA stands for bisphenol-A, which is a chemical used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy
resins. Polycarbonate plastic is used to make popular containers for many foods and drinks. Its advant-
age is that it is lightweight, has a high resistance to heat, is tough, and has excellent electrical resist-
ance. However, BPA is an endocrine disruptor and humans can unknowingly have daily exposure to
BPA that leaches out of plastic containers into foods and beverages.
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