Environmental Pollution in the State of Mississippi

Environmental Pollution in the State of Mississippi –
Mississippi River
Your name
September 7, 2016
Your Institution of Affiliation
Introduction
The problem of pollution in the Mississippi River is not new news anymore. Ever since the mid-1800s, the contamination of the river with heavy metals such as Mercury and Lead (and trash, human waste, chemical waste, etc.) has been the primary cause of the problem. However, the past decades (and today) prove to be promising since the number of efforts for clean-up and restoration continually rises. These efforts are those which are dedicated to addressing this problem and mitigate any others that might arise from it – such as environmental and health problems. In this paper, the author aims to address two things: (1) Describe the effects of this issue to human health and well-being, and the environment, and (2) Propose a plan to help the river’s restoration.
Effects on Human health and Environment
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (2016), river pollutions are not are not isolated with its environment. The water contamination of the Mississippi river can have effects that affect even the air that the organisms breathe and the productivity of the land. An example would be Nutrient exposure. Contaminated rivers contain both harmful organisms and substances. One of these organisms are the Algal blooms (Algae). These blooms can then release their toxins and when small organisms (that feed on these) ingest it, the toxins can move up in the food chain wound other organisms. River contamination can also create “Dead Zones” that affect the organisms by inducing Hypoxia (lack of oxygen). This then could result to death and unproductivity of these places (US Environmental Protection Agency, 2016). Aside from the organisms that live in it, river pollution can also affect those that live ‘around it’. This phenomenon most likely happens through ‘acid rain’ and ‘air pollution’. In terms of adverse health effects, the contamination of the Mississippi river has a direct effect on those that live near it. The most common types of these effects are due to Nit...