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Guided Learning Activity Kit

Indicators of Air and Water Quality
Quarter 2- Week 3

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Environmental Science – Grade 7
Guided Learning Activity Kit
Indicators of Air and Water Quality
Quarter 2- Week 3

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Guided Learning Activity Kit Development Team

Writer: Ma. Salve B. San Esteban
Editor: Roan L. Rodriguez
Reviewer: Roan L. Rodriguez
Layout Artist: John Paul C. Paje EdD

Management Team: Leonardo D. Zapanta EdD, CESO V

Michelle Ablian-Mejica EdD
Manolito B. Basilio EdD
Evelyn D. Tarrayo EdD
Garry M. Achacoso
Rachelle C. Diviva

Printed in the Philippines by Department of Education

Region III
Schools Division of Zambales
Zone 6, Iba, Zambales
Tel./Fax No. (047) 602 1391
E-mail Address: zambales@deped.gov.ph
Website: www.depedzambales.ph
 INDICATORS OF AIR AND WATER QUALITY

Introduction

The Earth provides us with all the resources necessary to survive. It is

the only planet that supports and can maintain life. The living components
(biotic factors) of the ecosystem interact with its non-living components
(abiotic factor) such as air, water, and soil. This interaction creates a
balance between the biotic and the abiotic components and sustains both of
them. The air that we breathe, the water that we drink, and the land (soil)
we live in are the three most important natural resources for us. Living
things cannot exist without these resources.

In this lesson, we will study the indicators of water and air quality.
We will also discuss how these indicators or parameters affect living things.
We will also discuss how humans can affect the quality of air and water.

Learning Competency

Explain the indicators of air, water, and soil quality.

Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

1. identify the parameters/indicators in assessing quality of air and
water;
2. describe how air and water quality affect living things at certain
conditions; and
3. cite situations on how humans can affect the quality of air and water.

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 Review

In the previous lessons, we have studied the Earth’s atmosphere, the

distribution of water in the world, and the different properties of water. The
importance of air and water to all living things on Earth was also discussed.
Let us try to recall at least two uses of air and water in your everyday
life. Complete the bubble map below. Write your answer on a separate sheet
of paper.

importance of
air and water
in my everyday
life

On our review part, you have recalled the uses of air and water
in your everyday life. You would have realized how essential these
components of the ecosystem are to the survival of all living things on
Earth. Living things should be able to get the best quality of air and water to
support their growth, development, reproduction, metabolic activities, and
other activities needed for their survival. Scientists have set some
parameters or indicators in assessing the quality of air and water.
PART A: INDICATORS OF AIR QUALITY

Air quality measures how clean or polluted the air is. ("How Is Air
Quality Measured? | NOAA Scijinks – All About Weather" 2020) Polluted air
can be hazardous to our health as well as to our environment, therefore it
should be measured. It is measured through the Air Quality Index or AQI.
The AQI tells how clean or polluted that air is in a certain area at a certain
time. It ranges from 0 to 500 degrees. The lower its value, the better the
quality of the air is, and the lesser risk it can pose to someone’s health.
Below is a chart that shows the AQI values and their corresponding effect to
one’s health.

Table 1: Air Quality Index Values and Their Meaning

Source: Airnow.gov

Air Pollution

Since Air Quality Index is affected by the amount of pollution in the

air, it is necessary to discuss about air pollution. Air pollution according to
the New Standard Encyclopedia (1992) is the contamination of the air by the
addition of impurities called pollutants. Pollutants can be of natural or
man-made origin. Natural pollutants include dust, pollen, salt particles,
smoke from forest fires, and gases from decaying organisms. Most man-
made pollution is directly or directly caused by the burning of fuels in
furnaces or engines.

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 Its effect on human health is the most severe consequence of air
pollution. Air pollution can contribute to respiratory diseases such as
chronic bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, lung cancer. Air pollution also
harms or destroys plant and animal life, and damages property. ("Yahoo Is
Now A Part of Verizon Media" 2020)

Types of Air Pollutants

The most significant man-made pollutants include oxides of carbon,
sulfur, and nitrogen; hydrocarbons; particulate matter, and photochemical
substances, which are among the principal ingredients in the irritating
mixture called smog”

By the mid-1980s, scientific studies had shown that the air inside
homes and office buildings is often more polluted than the air outdoors. Air
pollutants originating indoors include oxides of carbon and nitrogen,
particulate matter, radon, and such household chemicals as insecticides
and paint strippers. The construction of well-sealed buildings to lower
heating and cooling costs by reducing ventilation has contributed to the
problem of indoor air pollution.

Carbon oxides. It makes up the largest group of pollutants. Carbon

monoxide, a colorless and odorless poison, is a gas produced when fuel is
burned incompletely in engines, furnaces, and space heaters. Automobiles
and other vehicles are the major sources of this pollutant. Another gas,
carbon dioxide, is a product of all normal combustion (burning). Although
carbon dioxide is not a serious pollutant itself, some scientists believe that a
long-term build-up of this gas in the atmosphere could cause a “greenhouse
effect” by reducing the flow of heat from the Earth back into space. As a
result, it caused dangerous warming of the Earth known as “global
warming.” ("Air" 1992).

Sulfur oxides. Sulfur dioxide is among the most hazardous and

exasperating of all air pollutants. Factories and electric power plants that
use sulfur-containing coal or oil as fuel are the main products of sulfur
oxides. In the air, some sulfur dioxide is transformed into sulfuric acid,
which is then dropped on the Earth’s surface, usually by rain. Acid rain has
caused severe damage to the environment in many parts of the world.
Nitrogen oxides. They are produced in automobile engines and other
devices where combustion takes place. Indoor gas ranges are a major source
of nitrogen oxides. Chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides and
hydrocarbon pollutants in sunlight produce ozone, a major constituent of
smog. Some nitrogen oxides in the air are transformed into nitric acid,
which helps to the formation of acid rain.

Hydrocarbon. These are pollutants which are products of unburned fuel,

and are largely emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles. Like nitrogen oxides,
hydrocarbons contribute to smog.

Particulate matter. It refers to a minute liquid or solid particles in the air.

These include smoke, dust, and soot, which may contain such toxic
substances as asbestos, fluorides, lead, and mercury. Inside a building,
tobacco smoke is a major source of particulate matter.

Photochemical substances. These are formed when certain other

pollutants undergo complex chemical reactions upon exposure to sunlight.
One of which is ozone. These materials, together with fog and smoke, form
smog.

Radon. It is a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in varying

concentrations in the ground. The decay products of radon are also
radioactive; they can cause cancer if they are breathed in and become
attached to the lining of the lungs. Radon enters buildings from the ground;
in areas where the soil has high concentrations of radon, dangerous levels
of the gas may accumulate in a building.

PART II: INDICATORS OF WATER QUALITY

Below are some of the parameters or indicators that measure the

quality of life within aquatic systems ("Water Quality Parameters" 2020).
Significant changes to these parameters can affect the flora and fauna in a
given body of water.

Dissolved Oxygen

It refers to the amount of oxygen dissolved in water. Dissolved oxygen

is essential to various forms of life including fish, invertebrates, bacteria,
and plants. These organisms use oxygen in respiration, similar to organisms
on land ("Dissolved Oxygen - Environmental Measurement Systems" 2020).

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 According to the data from the National Water Status Report in 2005
given by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
under the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), at least 5 milligrams
per liter (mg/L) of dissolved oxygen is required for fish and other aquatic
organisms to live. Below that value, it cannot sustain the growth and
productivity of aquatic life. Some species have various DO requirement
("Dissolved Oxygen - Environmental Measurement Systems" 2020), for
example, bottom feeders, crabs, oysters, and worms need minimal amounts
of oxygen (1-6 mg/L), while shallow water fish need higher levels (4-15
mg/L) Microbes such as bacteria and fungi also require dissolved oxygen
which they use to decompose organic material at the bottom of a body of
water.) What would happen if there is not enough oxygen in the water?
There will be the death of adults and juveniles, reduction in growth, failure
of eggs/larvae to survive, and change of species present in a given water
body. ("Water Quality Parameters" 2020)

Temperature

Temperature is a measure of the average energy (kinetic) of water

molecules. It is measured on a linear scale of degrees Celsius or degrees
Fahrenheit. It is one of the most significant water quality parameters.
Temperature affects water chemistry and the functions of aquatic
organisms. It affects the amount of oxygen that can be dissolved in water,
rate of photosynthesis by algae and other aquatic plants, metabolic rates of
organisms, the sensitivity of organisms to toxic wastes, parasites, and
diseases, and timing of reproduction, migration, and aestivation of aquatic
organisms. ("Water Quality Parameters" 2020)

Electrical Conductivity/Salinity

Solids can be found in nature in a dissolved form. Salts that dissolve

in water break into positively and negatively charged ions. Conductivity is
the ability of water to conduct an electrical current, and the dissolved ions
are the conductors. The major positively charged ions are sodium, (Na+)
calcium (Ca+2), potassium (K+), and magnesium (Mg+2). The major
negatively charged ions are chloride (Cl-), sulfate (SO4-2), carbonate (CO3-
2), and bicarbonate (HCO3-). Nitrates (NO3-2) and phosphates (PO4-3) are
minor contributors to conductivity, although they are very important
biologically. ("What Is Electrical Conductivity Health" 2020).
 Salinity is a measure of the amount of salts in the water. Because
dissolved ions increase salinity as well as conductivity, the two measures
are related. The salts in seawater are primarily sodium chloride (NaCl).
However, other saline waters, such as Mono Lake, owe their high salinity to
a combination of dissolved ions including sodium, chloride, carbonate, and
sulfate. ("Electrical Conductivity/Salinity Fact Sheet" 2004)

Salts and other substances affect the quality of water used for
irrigation or drinking. They also have a critical influence on aquatic biota,
and every kind of organism has a typical salinity range that it can tolerate.
Moreover, the ionic composition of the water can be critical. For example,
water fleas are far more sensitive to potassium chloride than sodium
chloride at the same concentration. Conductivity will vary with water
source: groundwater, water drained from agricultural fields, municipal
wastewater, and rainfall. Therefore, conductivity can indicate groundwater
seepage or a sewage leak. ("Water Quality Parameters" 2020)

pH

pH is a measure of how acidic or basic (alkaline) the water is (the term

pH comes from the French: "puissance d'Hydrogène" which means the
strength of the hydrogen). It is defined as the negative log of the hydrogen
ion concentration. The pH scale is logarithmic and goes from 0 to 14. For
each whole-number increase (i.e. 1 to 2) the hydrogen ion concentration
decreases tenfold and the water becomes less acidic.As the pH decreases,
water becomes more acidic. As water becomes more basic, the pH increases.
Many chemical reactions inside aquatic organisms (cellular metabolism)
that are necessary for the survival and growth of organisms require a
narrow pH range. At the extreme ends of the pH scale, (2 or 13) physical
damage to gills, exoskeleton, fins, occurs. Changes in pH may alter the
concentrations of other substances in the water to a more toxic form. For
example: A decrease in pH (below 6) may increase the amount of mercury
soluble in water. An increase in pH (above 8.5) enhances the conversion of
nontoxic ammonia (ammonium ion) to a toxic form of ammonia (un-ionized
ammonia). ("Water Quality Parameters" 2020)

Turbidity

Turbidity is a measure of the amount of suspended particles in the

water. Algae, suspended sediment, and organic matter particles can cloud
the water making it more turbid.

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 Suspended particles diffuse sunlight and absorb heat. This can
upsurge temperature and decrease light available for algal photosynthesis. If
the turbidity is triggered by suspended sediment, it can serve as an
indicator of erosion, either natural or man-made. Suspended sediments can
block the gills of fish. Once the sediment settles down, it can foul gravel
beds and smother fish eggs and benthic insects. The sediment can also
carry pathogens, pollutants, and nutrients ("Water Quality Parameters"
2020).

Other Constituents of Concern

Nitrogen

Nitrogen is a nutrient that occurs naturally in both fresh and

saltwater. It is essential for plant growth in an aquatic ecosystem. Problems
occur when large amounts of nitrogen are introduced into the stream
ecosystem. As a result, there can be excessive algal growth depleting the
available oxygen in the stream that fish and other aquatic organisms
depend upon. ("Water Quality Parameters" 2020)

Total Coliform

Total coliform bacteria, fecal coliform bacteria, and E. coli are all
considered indicators of water contaminated with fecal matter.
Contaminated water may contain other pathogens (micro-organisms that
cause illness) that are more difficult to test for. Therefore, these indicator
bacteria are useful in giving us a measure of contamination levels.
("Physical, Chemical and Biological Characteristics of Water (E Content
Module)" 2017)

E-Coli

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacterial species found in the fecal

matter of warm-blooded animals (humans, other mammals, and birds).
Total coliform bacteria are a whole group of bacteria species that are
generally alike to and include the species E. coli. Certain forms of coliform
bacteria do not live in the fecal matter but instead live in soils. Fecal
coliform bacteria are coliform bacteria that do live in fecal matter, including,
but not limited to, the species E. coli. Most of the fecal coliform cells found
in the fecal matter are E. coli. Therefore, all E. coli belong to the fecal
coliform group, and all fecal coliform belong to the total coliform group.
("Water Quality Parameters" 2020).
 Activities

Guided Practice 1:
Part A: Air Quality
Directions: Complete the crossword puzzle by identifying the air pollutants
described in each item.

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Part B: Water Quality Indicators
Directions: Complete the crossword puzzle by identifying the indicators of
water quality described in each item.
Guided Practice 2:
Part A: “Air Quality and Health Matter”
Directions: Complete the table below by describing the air quality given the
Air Quality Index (AQI) values in each item. In the 3rd column, cite the effect
on one’s health based on the air quality description. Write your answer on a
separate sheet of paper following the template below.
Air Quality Air Quality Air Quality Description Effect on One’s
Index Levels Index (AQI) Health
of Health Values
Concern
Good 0 to 50 (1) (7)

Moderate 51 to 100 (2) (8)

Unhealthy for
Sensitive 101 to 150 (3) (9)
Groups
Unhealthy 151 to 200 (4) (10)
Very
Unhealthy 201 to 300 (5) (11)
Hazardous 301 to 500 (6) (12)

Part B: “Water Quality and its Effect to Living Things”

Directions: Complete the Fishbone Diagram below by citing the beneficial or
harmful effects of the various water indicators at normal or abnormal
conditions.

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Independent Practice: Human – Impacts the Air and Water Quality
Directions: Make a poster that shows how human activities can positively
and negatively affect the quality of air and water in their
environment.(Materials: Long bond paper, various coloring materials, other
art materials)

Rubric for Scoring

3 2 1 SCORE
CATEGORY
The poster is The poster is The poster is
Craftsmanship attractive in acceptably distractingly
terms of attractive though messy.
neatness. it may be a bit
Good messy.
construction
and not very
messy
The poster is Poster is creative The poster does
Creativity creative and a and some not reflect any
good amount thought was put degree of
of thought was into decorating it creativity
put into
decorating it.
Good use of Average use of New use of new
Originality new ideas and ideas and ideas and
originality to originality to originality to
create poster create poster create poster
Various Few negative and Human activities
Content negative and positive human presented are
positive activities were not relevant to
human presented the topic.
activities were
presented

All the
Presentation important Few important
contents/ Some important contents/aspects
aspects were contents/aspects were presented
presented with were presented with clarity
clarity with clarity
 Assessment

Directions: Identify what is being described in each item.

____________1. It describes the quality of air in an area at a certain time.

____________2. Largest group of air pollutants.

____________3. A colorless and odorless poisonous gas produced when fuel is

incompletely burned in engines, furnaces, and space heaters.

____________4. Bacterial species found in the fecal matter of warm blooded

animals.

____________5. Large amounts of this can cause excessive algal growth in a

body of water.

____________6. A long-term build-up of this gas in the atmosphere could

cause “greenhouse effect”.

____________7. Is a measure of the amount of suspended particles in the

water.

____________8. It is a measure of how acidic or basic the water is.

____________9. Is the ability of water to conduct an electrical current.

____________10. Is a measure of the average kinetic energy of an object.

____________11. Refers to tiny liquid or solid particles in the air.

____________12. Is a measure of the amount of salts in the water.

____________13. The most dangerous and irritating of all air pollutants.

____________14. A naturally occurring radioactive gas which if inhaled and

become attached to the lining of the lungs, can cause
cancer.

____________15. Formed when certain other pollutants undergo complex

chemical reactions upon exposure to sunlight.

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 Reflection

I have learned that air quality can be measured by

___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________.

I have learned that water quality can be measured by

___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________.

Humans can positively and negative affect the air and water quality by
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________.
 References

"Air". 1992. New Standard Ecyclopedia. United States of America: Von Hoffman
Press, Inc.

"Air Pollution". 2020. Prezi.Com. Accessed December 29. https://prezi.com/udn-

zd3ro_pu/air-pollution/.

"Electrical Conductivity/Salinity Fact Sheet". 2004. Www.Waterboards.Ca.Gov.

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs
/cwt/guidance/3130en.pdf.

Fondriest Environmental, Inc. “Dissolved Oxygen.” Fundamentals of Environmental

Measurements. 19 Nov. 2013. Web. <
https://www.fondriest.com/environmental-
measurements/parameters/water-quality/dissolved-oxygen/ >.

"How Is Air Quality Measured? | NOAA Scijinks – All About Weather".

2020. Scijinks.Gov. https://scijinks.gov/air-
quality/#:~:text=Air%20quality%20is%20measured%20with,of%20pollu
tion%20in%20the%20air.

"Physical, Chemical and Biological Characteristics Of Water (E Content Module)".

2017. Https://Www.Researchgate.Net.

"Water Quality Parameters". 2020. Arroyoseco.Org.

https://www.arroyoseco.org/wqparameters.htm?fbclid=IwAR2VnZuoX
CFwuazsJuWeBGFSTLhu8xhTwNxfINVcP0aYA0O2ox4i9NtgMME.

"Water". 1992. New Standard Encyclopedia. United States of America: Von Hoffman
Press, Inc.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322419790_Physical_Chem
ical_and_Biological_Characteristics_of_Water_e_Content_Module.
"What Is Electrical Conductivity Health". 2020. Healthgolds.Com. Accessed
December 29. https://www.healthgolds.com/what-is-electrical-
conductivity/.

"Yahoo Is Now A Part of Verizon Media". 2020. Answers.Yahoo.Com. Accessed

December 29.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091101054735AA
h6n0N&guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZHVwbGlja
GVja2VyLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGs3PBokO0_Bt5_RKlbAJ.

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Guided Practice 2-B Review:
1.There will be death of adults and juveniles, Answers may vary.
reduction in growth, failure of eggs/larvae to
survive, and change of species present in a given
Guided Practice 1
water body.
2.Affects the amount of oxygen that can be Part A
dissolved in water, rate of photosynthesis, 1. CARBON MONOXIDE
metabolic rates of organisms, sensitivity of 2. CARBON DIOXIDE
organisms to toxic wastes, parasites and diseases, 3. SULFUR OXIDE
and timing of reproduction, migration, and 4. NITROGEN OXIDE
aestivation of aquatic organisms. 5. PARTICULATE MATTER
3.It affects the quality of water used for irrigation 6. UNHEALTHY
or drinking. It also has a critical influence on
7. RADON
aquatic biota, and every kind of organism has a
typical salinity range that it can tolerate. 8. AIR QUALITY INDEX
4.Many chemical reactions inside aquatic 9. GOOD
organisms (cellular metabolism) that are necessary 10. HAZARDOUS
for survival and growth of organisms require a
narrow pH range. At the extreme ends of the pH Part B
scale, (2 or 13) physical damage to gills,
exoskeleton, fins, occurs. Changes in pH may alter 1. CONDUCTIVITY
the concentrations of other substances in water to
2. TEMPERATURE
a more toxic form.
5.Higher level of turbidity can upsurge 3. DISSOLVED OXYGEN
temperature and decrease light available for algal 4. E. COLI
photosynthesis. If the turbidity is triggered by 5. SALINITY
suspended sediment, it can be serve as an 6. pH
indicator of erosion, either natural or man-made. 7. NITROGEN
Suspended sediments can block the gills of fish, 8. TURBIDITY
foul gravel beds and smother fish eggs and benthic Guided Practice 2 - A
insects and carry pollutants and pathogens.
1. Good
6.Essential for plant growth at normal level.When
present in large amounts can cause excessive algal
2. Moderate
growth. 3. Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
7.Useful in giving us a measure of contamination 4. Unhealthy
levels 5. Very Unhealthy
* Assessment 6. Hazardous
7. Poses little risk or no risk
1. AQI 8. For some pollutants there may be a
2. carbon oxide moderate health concern for a very
3. carbon monoxide small number of people who are
4. E. coli unusually sensitive to air pollution
5. Nitrogen 9. Members of sensitive groups may
6. Carbon dioxide experience health effects. Th general
7. Turbidity public is not likely to be affected.
8. pH 10. Everyone may begin to experience
9. electrical conductivity health effects; members of sensitive
10. temperature groups may experience more serious
11. particulate matter health effects.
12. salinity 11. Health alert: everyone may
13. sulfur oxide experience more serious health
14. radon effects
15. photochemical substances 12. Health warnings of emergency
Reflection: Answers may vary. conditions. The entire population is
more likely to be affected.
Key to Corrections
 Acknowledgement

The Schools Division of Zambales would like to express its heartfelt

gratitude to the following, who in one way or the other, have contributed to the
successful preparation, development, quality assurance, printing, and distribution
of the Quarter 2 Guided Learning Activity Kits (GLAKs) in all learning areas across
grade levels as a response to providing the learners with developmentally-
appropriate, contextualized and simplified learning resources with most essential
learning competencies (MELCs)-based activities anchored on the principles of
guided learning and explicit instruction:

First, the Learning Resources (LR) Development Team composed of the

writers and graphic artists for devoting much of their time and exhausting their
best efforts to produce these indispensable learning kits used for the
implementation of learning delivery modalities.

Second, the content editors, language reviewers, and layout evaluators

making up the Division Quality Assurance Team (DQAT) for having carefully
evaluated all GLAKs to ensure quality and compliance to DepEd standards;

Third, the Provincial Government of Zambales, for unceasingly extending its

financial assistance to augment the funds for the printing of these learning
resources for use by learners and parents at home;

Fourth, the teacher-advisers and subject teachers, in close coordination

with the school heads, for their weekly distribution and retrieval of the GLAKs and
for their frequent monitoring of the learners’ progress through various means; and

Finally, the parents and other home learning facilitators for giving the
learners the needed guidance and support for them to possibly accomplish the
tasks and for gradually helping them become independent learners.

To deliver learning continuity in this challenging circumstance would not be

possible without your collective effort and strong commitment to serving our
Zambaleño learners.

Again, our sincerest thanks!

The Management Team

 For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education – Region III - Schools Division of Zambales

Learning Resources Management Section (LRMS)
Zone 6, Iba, Zambales
Tel./Fax No. (047) 602 1391