Static Quiz 27 July 2024 (Environment)

Understanding Ocean Noise / Acoustics
The International Quiet Ocean Experiment (IQOE) has identified a network of over 200 non-military hydrophones (underwater microphones) in oceans across the world.
The three broad components of oceanic acoustics that are being studied are are:
1. Geophony: Sounds created by non-biological natural events like earthquakes, waves and bubbling.
2. Biophony: Sounds created by the ocean’s living creatures.
3. Anthrophony: Sounds created by human beings (a large portion of which is shipping noise).

Control Devices for Particulate Contaminants:
1. Gravitational Settling Chamber: For removal of particles exceeding 50 μm in size from polluted gas streams, gravitational settling chambers are put to use. The gas stream polluted with particulates is allowed to enter from one end. The particulates having higher density obey Stoke’s law and settle at the bottom of the chamber from where they are removed ultimately.
2. Cyclone Separators (Reverse flow Cyclone): Instead of gravitational force, centrifugal force is utilized by cyclone separators, to separate the particulate matter from the polluted gas.
3. Fabric Filters (Baghouse Filters): In a fabric filter system, a stream of the polluted gas is made to pass through a fabric that filters out the particulate pollutant and allows the clear gas to pass through.
4. Electrostatic Precipitators: Electrically charged particulates present in the polluted gas are separated from the gas stream under the influence of the electrical field.
Wet Collectors (Scrubbers): In wet collectors or scrubbers, the particulate contaminants are removed from the polluted gas stream by incorporating the particulates into liquid droplets.

Lagoons: A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by barrier islands or reefs.

Estuary: An estuary represents a boundary between rivers and the sea.

Gulf: The gulf is a large body of water that penetrates the land. It is generally larger than a bay and connects the land and sea.

Strait: A strait is a naturally formed, narrow, typically passable waterway that connects two larger bodies of water.

Hazardous Chemicals
• A hazardous chemical is a chemical that has properties with the potential to do harm to human or animal health, the environment, or capable of damaging property.
• Hazardous chemicals are categorized as follows:
• Flammable or explosive (e.g., petroleum, TNT, plastic explosives)
• Irritating or corrosive to skin, lungs, and eyes (e.g., acids, alkali, paints, fumes)
• Toxic chemicals (e.g., carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, cyanide, heavy metals).

Calcium sulfate (or calcium sulphate) is the inorganic compound with the formula CaSO4. Calcium sulfate is a “relatively non-toxic substance.”

For example: Calcium sulfate added directly to human food is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

There are five turtle species in Indian waters — Leatherback, Loggerhead, Hawksbill, Green and Olive Ridley.
• In India sea turtles are protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, under the Schedule I Part II.