Fishing in the Hebrides

 The Hebrides on the west coast of Scotland comprises of a number of islands over a widespread area with a lot of potential for both fresh and sea water fishing. They have flat sandy surf beaches where different species of fish hunt for food especially worms and crabs. The fish such as the native brown trout can easily be found in both still and running water. This makes it a perfect place for a fishing trip because it is a guarantee that one will not leave it without at least several fish biting his hook. The serene nature of the environment of the Hebrides offers a great location for the perfect fishing experience. The specific location for fishing is very wide and varied and the person wishing to fish would be spoiled for choice. With over six thousand lochs to choose from, it is truly a fishing paradise.

Fishing in the Hebrides is essentially private because there are very few people around to disturb a peaceful fishing and one can spend a whole day without seeing anyone. This gives the person an opportunity to concentrate on his fishing and fully enjoy the wildlife and the stunning scenery that can be found only in these islands. There are many opportunities to fish but in most cases, one requires a fishing permit in order to get to catch some protected fish species. Such permits can be easily acquired and if one is a stranger in the region, he can get all the information on how to get the permit from the local hotel or inn in which he is staying. The large number of lochs to choose from also encourages one to go out and explore the various environments in which he can fish making it a trip full of discovery and adventure.

The water in the islands is so clear that the smaller fish and occasional large fish can be seen swimming in the depths. These islands are reputed to have some of the best salmon and trout fishing in the whole of Europe and quite possibly in the world. There is an abundance of freshwater fishes such as brown and sea trout, salmon, and Arctic char. Some species of these fishes such as brown trout and Atlantic salmon, whose populations have dwindled elsewhere, can still be found in large numbers in the Hebrides. The lack of fish farms in the area has kept the gene pool of the local fishes pure and as a consequence their populations have been maintained or increased in some cases. This is a wonderful opportunity for those seasoned fishermen who have specific conditions for the fish they would like to bait.

The Hebrides are some of the best places for fishing in the world and it is one of those places where a serious fish fanatic would love to visit. It not only provides the fishing experience but also offers wonderful scenery which would be a loss it not fully explored by the person on a fishing trip.

Industrial air and water emissions and control measures in Canada

Introduction

Throughout the contemporary world, industries play an important role in bringing about the sustenance of economies. Almost every country in the world has become dependent on industries to sustain themselves to such an extent that they cannot do without them. However, while these industries are useful, they are also harmful to the environment as a result of emissions which have an adverse effect on air and water quality.  In the past decade, many firms produced a significant amount of emissions that adversely affected the environment. The emissions into the atmosphere have an effect on soil, water, power use, and waste management. In many economies, the detrimental effect of emissions on the environment has resulted in legislation being enacted to control the emissions. In Canada, the government has acknowledged the impact of emissions, and has committed itself to reducing the degree of emissions in order to enhance the quality of air and while at the same time improving water quality (Boyd, 2010). The emissions have adversely affected the air and water quality in Canada and as a result, it has aimed at making sure that it promotes sustainable practices. Additionally, ecosystems have been destroyed through acidification when the emissions, especially those containing sulphur, are exposed to the rain or ground water. Environmental pollution has many manifestations and the resultant health risks tend to have an adverse effect on the bodies of those individuals affected (Bell & Davis, 2001). Canada has sought to take tangible steps towards ensuring that there is a high level of control measures aimed at not only reducing emissions, but also bringing about a situation where there is a reduction in public health risks as a result of bad air and water quality.

Reasons for control measures

Canada is one of the countries in the world which has a wide diversity of natural resources that have yet to be exploited. However, it is essential that these resources are used sustainably; meaning that as much as possible has to be done to ensure that during the exploitation process, there is limited destruction of the natural environment. Industrial activities in Canada often have an adverse effect on air and water quality and this is to such an extent that it has led to a significant threat both towards the human, animal, and plant populations. The risk of damaging entire ecosystems through the unsustainable industrial processes has made the implementation of control measures extremely important. Moreover, the health of Canadians is highly dependent on the quality of air and water in their environment to such an extent that without control measures, it is likely that the country might end up getting into a public health crisis in future (El-Fadel & Massoud, 2000). Having absolute control over the monitoring and control processes involved in keeping greenhouse emissions at a minimum are important in not only securing air and water quality, but also bringing about a situation where it is possible to effectively fight global warming and the climate change that comes about as a result. Therefore, the overall wellbeing of Canadians is dependent on putting control measures over industrial emissions into place to ensure that the air and water quality all over the country is improved.

Examples and explanation of air and water pollutants

The main air pollutants are in the form of gaseous pollutants, which include organic compounds, sulfur compounds, nitrogen compounds, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matters. Particulate matters are exhausts from diesel engines that include the wood smoke, coal ash, pesticide mist, mineral dust, and acid mists. Radioactive pollution is also a form of air pollution that occurs when radioactive isotopes from burning reactors leak into the atmosphere (WHO, 1996). Water emissions from industries occur when toxic chemicals such as fluoride and arsenic leak from industries and end up contaminating underground water (Frost, Tollestrup, Craun, Raucher, Chwirka, & Stomp, 2002). Water is also contaminated directly when wastes from industries find their way into water bodies. All of these pollutants have the potential of bringing about serious health and environmental problems. As a result, there is need for constant awareness concerning the potential problems that these pollutants might bring about while at the same time promoting initiatives for the provision of more information concerning how best to handle their effects when they occur. It is estimated that a significant proportion of diseases in the world today are associated with the effects of pollution hazards in the environment (Smith, Corvalan, & Kjellstrom, 1999). Thus, Canada’s attempts to bring about control measures on air and water emissions is an important step towards the development of sustainable measures aimed at not only maintaining the environment at its best state, but also preventing those diseases that come about as a result of pollution; averting a public health crisis.

Sources of Industrial Emissions

Operations in industries are the major sources of industrial emissions and these can be attributed to the irresponsible actions of industries which seek to make a quick profit at the expense of the environment (McMichael, Kjellstrom & Smith, 2001). The industries that have been found to be the most responsible for the emissions mainly include the energy, transport, building and construction sectors, which, despite the large amounts of emissions they produce, are also essential for the development of the economy. The extensive use of fossil fuels in Canada has also had an impact on air quality. This is because most industries as well as vehicles in the country run on these types of fuels although there are attempts to bring about the use of cleaner energy sources. In line with these, the oil industry, which is depended upon for fossil fuels, is one of the biggest polluters in the country leading to a situation where it has surpassed emissions that were produced by the transport sector. While this may be the case, as a result of its efforts, Canada has been able to ensure that its emission levels remain slightly lower than those of other countries, especially in the developing world and the emerging economies (McGranahan & Murray, 2003). A major setback that has been encountered by Canada in recent years is when in 2007, the Suncor spilled some 9.8 million liters into Athabasca River; a situation that might have brought about significant risks to the human and wildlife living in the area affected. However, despite this incident, Canada has been able to ensure that it takes on action towards the establishment of environmental sustainability.

Even though large amounts of emissions are from the industrial operations, other factors have played key roles in determining the level of emissions in Canada. These factors entail the demographic changes, the physical geography, and economic development. When compared to the other developed economies, the Canada’s climate is very variable; therefore, much energy resources are used for heating and cooling spaces. In regards to demographics, Canada is sparsely populated; therefore, there are long travel periods and the demand for transportation as individuals travel from one region to another is high compared to the densely populated economies (National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, 1999). More so, Canada's economic growth and population growth is greater than other developed economies and the growth demands for more use of natural resources that include gas and oil. Irrespective of the challenges faced by this country, the economy has been de-coupling between reduction in emissions and economic growth. That has called for technologically efficient methods of production and adoption of clean energy rather than over-relying on oil. Technology has also been adopted in all sectors of the economy especially in electricity production in efforts to reduce the greenhouse gasses emissions. The industries are required to be in the forefront of use of efficient applications and thus, lead the household by example. More so, most of the consumers in Canada have knowledge about the consequences of emissions; hence, they have also adopted ways of reducing the emissions such as walking to workplaces.

Effects of emissions on Environment and Human Health

For the most part, the effect of emissions can be categorized into three classes, environmental impacts, economic impacts, and human health effects (Hobbs & Meier, 2000). Environmental effects entail the increase in temperatures that result in the melting of the ice, glaciers, and snow, with the melting results in flooding of the coastal regions due rising in the sea levels.  This is especially the case in the Arctic where the permafrost is likely to thaw, bringing with it potential environmental hazards to which it might be difficult to adjust. In Canada, there is the potential that there will be changes in climatic conditions characterized by increased precipitation in all regions except in the Southern Canada. The increased rainfall will increase the chances of flooding that might lead to some serious disruption in the lives of people affected as well as the economy. Another environmental effect, in this case caused by air pollution which has adverse consequences on the ozone layer, which is increasingly being depleted, will be increased frequency of heat waves; having both direct and indirect effects on the ecosystem. For instance, many species of wildlife will find it hard to adapt to the high temperatures hence suffer from stress. Additionally, massive destruction of the natural environment will also occur; making it extremely difficult for ecosystems which have been established for thousands of years to survive.

One of the most serious effects of climate change is that it might lead to the extinction of those species that are not able to adapt to the new environment; a significant loss to the highly diversified natural environment that can be found in Canada today. Sustaining the natural environment through seeking to control and maintain the air and water quality is an important step towards the achievement of a greater balance between the natural and human environments (Gwilliam, Kojima, & Johnson, 2004). Industrial activity, especially concerning the emission of harmful chemicals into the atmosphere and water bodies has the potential of bringing about instability in the natural environment. Threats, not only to wildlife, but also to the human community are also prevalent and these have to be stopped in order to bring about a situation where individuals are concerned about their environment enough to help sustain it. In this way, it becomes possible to avoid those problems associated with destruction of ecosystems as well as medical conditions that reduce the quality of life of those affected by exposure to air and water pollutants.

In regards to human health, the high temperature has the potential of exposing human beings to a significant number of diseases such as stroke and deaths related to dehydration. According to Health Canada (2010), changes in the local weather patterns increase the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases along with cancer due to exposure to carcinogenic volatile organic compounds. More so, people will be more vulnerable to vector, water, rodent, and food-borne diseases. The populations living in the northern regions are more vulnerable than those living in the southern regions of Canada and children, the elderly and women are most susceptible to problems that might be brought about by climate change. Moreover, greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere can have the potential of leading to instances of mortality as a result of respiratory infections. Air pollution also increases the risk of having an adverse effect on the manner that children’s lungs function in such a way that it brings about post-neonatal mortality (Brunekreef & Holgate, 2002); a situation that would have a severe impact on the demographics of the country. An increase in cardiovascular diseases and respiratory infections for the elderly could also result from acute air pollution, which exposes members of society to a number of harmful airborne pollutants (WHO 2000). Not only would this situation have an adverse effect on the health of members of society, it would also lead to an increase in the burden of healthcare on Canada; making it more expensive to cater for the needs of all of its citizens that are affected by air pollution.

The most direct route of exposure to harmful industrial chemicals in water it through the consumption of contaminated water from the affected bodies. The level of exposure depends on the amount of water that has been consumed meaning that those who consume more of this water are at a greater risk of being affected by the chemical compounds within it (Fewthrell, Kaufmann, & Preuss, 2003). There is also a risk that when this contaminated water is used in the preparation of food, the food also ends up being contaminated because despite high cooking temperatures, the level of toxicity is not easily affected. Another route of exposure in water is through inhalation of volatile compounds when individuals are having hot showers or skin exposure when bathing or making use of water for recreational purposes. These chemical compounds are extremely harmful especially considering that they might bring about the exposure of unborn or young children through crossing the placenta, or when infants take it in through breast milk. These forms of exposure are can bring about numerous adverse health and developmental effects on those individuals who are exposed to contaminated water; making it essential to make sure that pertinent steps are taken to ensure that water is free from industrial chemicals.

Also, acute exposure to industrial contaminants to drinking water can lead to diverse medical conditions, ranging from minor to major conditions. Among these is irritation in the eyes, nose, or skin and in some extreme instances, the gastrointestinal system. There are also instances where there is the possibility of chronic exposure such as liver toxicity that comes about as a result of the presence of copper, arsenic, or chromium in drinking water. When chemicals pass through the kidney of victims, it leads to toxic effects, which can cause serious problems for the individuals affected, with the most prominent elements in water that can cause kidney problems being cadmium, copper, mercury, and chlorobenzene (WHO 2003). The use of pesticides also brings about a lot of risk for those people living within areas close to water bodies that are used for everyday purposes. This is especially the case in agricultural or industrial settings where it is common for the chemicals used to persist in the environment for a long time and end up being carried into water bodies. The result of the ingestion of these chemicals through the consumption of water is that it leads to the disruption of the endocrine system that ends up leading to behavioral, developmental, and reproductive problems for the individuals affected. Furthermore, these chemicals, which disrupt the endocrine system, can lead to the reduction of fertility and increase the occurrence of birth defects and cancers that are hormonally dependent such as breast and prostate cancers (WHO & International Programme on Chemical Safety 2002). It is, therefore, important that control measures are taken to make sure that natural resources, especially air and water, are protected because without action from both government and communities, it is possible that industrial emissions into these resources could lead to some serious health and environmental problems.

Conclusion and Future Recommendations

Although industries play a significant role in economic development, studies have revealed that they have an adverse effect on human health and the environment through the emissions that these industries produce. The emissions are mainly in the form of gases, water, and particles, which, once they enter the atmosphere and water bodies, bring about a situation where there is risk of human exposure to these elements, or the environment being adversely affected through the destruction of natural ecosystems. In efforts to reduce the adverse effect of the emissions, the government of Canada should focus itself on reducing the level of emissions and improve the quality of air, improve visibility while at the same time monitoring the level of emissions. The Canadian government should take on leadership in controlling the level of emissions to both air and water in order to uphold the integrity of the natural ecosystem. The discussion above has shown that it is industries that produce the greenhouse gases and chemicals that are responsible for global warming. Therefore, it is important for the government take on initiatives to control the emissions in order to reduce the rate of global warming and the subsequent climate change. The effect of the emissions in the discussion has been classified in terms of the environmental, and the human health effects.

The keeping clean areas clean (KCAC) principles are an integral part of universal Canada-Wide Standards that focus on the quality of air while also protecting visibility (Taylor & McMillan, 2014). Furthermore, the provincial and the federal governments carry out the environment assessment to ensure that the quality of water and air does not injure the ecosystem. At all the new points of the source of water or air, the quality needs to be assessed to guarantee the Canada's efforts to protect the environment are upheld. More so, any modification of the air or water from the industries must be evaluated to ensure that it does not pollute the environment or cause harm to the human health. Among the most pertinent interventions that can be taken in future in order to ensure that the air and water quality is maintained at a premium level is through limiting hazardous waste disposal. Instead, hazardous substances should be recycled at their site of use or in situation where it is impossible to recycle, these substances can be replaced with those that are less harmful. Interventions There should be constant air monitoring which involves the cooperation between government institutions and communities aimed at reducing air pollution. Moreover, it is important for these monitoring activities to be tied to concrete actions such as the promotion of such actions as banning vehicle use when pollution levels become too high and go past predetermined thresholds. At the exposure level, it is important for individuals in the community to be conscious of the threat towards them and take necessary actions to protect themselves. Among these is the use of household filters to reduce the amount of chemicals such as arsenic from their drinking water. Finally, it is also essential for health services in the country to remain vigilant and seek to protect and bring about the restoration of the health of people showing signs of adverse effects in communities that are at the highest risk as a result of water and air pollution.

References

Bell, M.L. & Davis, D. I. (2001). Reassessment of the Lethal London Fog of 1952: Novel Indicators of Acute and Chronic Consequences of Acute Exposure to Air Pollution. Environmental Health Perspectives, 109(3), 389–94.

Boyd, D. R. (2004). Unnatural law: Rethinking Canadian environmental law and policy. Vancouver: Univ. of British Columbia.

Brunekreef, B. & Holgate, S. T. (2002). Air Pollution and Health. Lancet, 360, 1233–42.

El-Fadel, M. & Massoud, M. (2000). Particulate Matter in Urban Areas: Health-Based Economic Assessment. Science of the Total Environment, 257, 133–46.

Fewthrell, L., Kaufmann, R. B. & Preuss, A. (2003). Assessing the Environmental Burden of Disease at the National and Local Level: Lead. Geneva: World Health Organization.

Frost, F. J., Tollestrup, K., Craun, G. F., Raucher, R., Chwirka, J., & Stomp, J. (2002). Evaluation of Costs and Benefits of a Lower Arsenic MCL. Journal of American Water Works Association, 94(3), 71–82.

Gwilliam, K., Kojima, M. & Johnson, T. (2004). Reducing Air Pollution from Transport. Washington, DC: World Bank.

Health Canada (2010). Human health in a changing climate: A Canadian assessment of vulnerabilities and adaptive capacity. Health Canada. Retrieved from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/climat/eval/index-eng.php

Hobbs, B. F., & Meier, P. (2000). Energy decisions and the environment: A guide to the use of multicriteria methods. Boston, MA: Springer US.

McGranahan, G. & Murray, F. (2003). Air Pollution and Health in Rapidly Developing Countries. London: Earthscan.

McMichael, A. J., Kjellstrom, T. & Smith, K. (2001). Environmental Health. In International Public Health, ed. M. H. Merson, R. E. Black, and A. J. Mills, 379–438. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen.

National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. (1999). Canada's options for a domestic greenhouse gas emissions trading program. Ottawa: Renouf.

Smith K. R., Corvalan C., & Kjellstrom T. (1999). How Much Global Ill Health Is Attributable to Environmental Factors? Epidemiology, 10, 573–84.

Taylor, E., & McMillan, A. (2014). Air quality management: Canadian perspectives on a global issue. Dordrecht: Springer.

WHO. (2003). Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. 3rd ed. Geneva: WHO.

WHO. (2000). Air Quality Guidelines for Europe. 2nd ed. Copenhagen: WHO.

WHO. (1996). Health Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident: Scientific Report. Geneva: WHO.

WHO and International Programme on Chemical Safety. 2002. Global Assessment of the State of Science of Endocrine Disruptors. Geneva: WHO and the International Programme on Chemical Safety.

A Global Environmental Curriculum

The need to develop a proper global curriculum to ensure that students are from an early age able to learn about sustaining the environment and taking active steps to achieve it has become important in the twenty first century. This is because it allows for the development of environmental consciousness among students from an early stage of their education so that they can be more proactive in their seeking to ensure environmental sustainability. A lot of literature has been written concerning this subject and it has been highly revealing concerning the diverse issues that have come about as a result of the need for the creation of an adequate curriculum which can be used for the purpose of making sure that environmental sustainability is secured.

The concept of child-centered play has not been adequately used for the purpose of making sure that there is an increase in knowledge concerning the environment in children. They suggest that it is essential for environmental education to be put in the early childhood curriculum because it is the best way through which children can learn about the environment from an early age. Furthermore, it is a means of promoting environmental sustainability through the creation of play-based learning experiences which are designed to make sure that children are provided with knowledge through a pedagogical approach. Such an approach would make it possible for children to learn and develop knowledge concerning environmental conservation early enough to ensure that they grow up knowing the different problems affecting their environment and how best to sustain it for future generations. Edwards and Carter-Mackenzie, in line with Ritchie (2013), are extremely incisive concerning the manner through which environmental education should be conducted because it promotes environmental awareness from early on in the lives of individuals. The ideas presented within this article can also be considered to be the best means through which the global environmental education curriculum can be developed in such a way that it becomes possible for children to acquire environmental knowledge in their formative years. It is also a means, through the use of play, that teachers can be able to impart the knowledge that they have concerning the environment on children while at the same time keeping the latter interested in the issues involved. Furthermore, it would lead to the promotion of greater efforts through which children would be more capable of recognizing the different methods of environmental sustainability that can be applied to achieve greater awareness for the environment and the need to protect it. However, despite the numerous advantages that can be brought about through the introduction of environmental conservation in early childhood education, the means through which it can be effectively achieved are not discussed in the article. The effective implementation of this method into the curriculum would entail making sure that the subject is introduced into play in such a way that children become active participants in the process; meaning that they have to be helped through acquiring the knowledge that they need while at play so that their full attention is given to the subject.

Kennely, Taylor, and Serow (2011) state that the national curriculum that is being developed in Australia is one which puts a lot of stock on the need for teachers to ensure that they teach their students about sustainability. This is especially the case where this curriculum claims to support teachers in every way to ensure that they have the necessary experience to effectively teach sustainability to their students. However, the study conducted by these authors suggests that sustainability is not adequately represented in the curriculum to such an extent that there is a serious possibility that it could eventually be omitted from the teacher education and qualification system at all levels. The lack of proper education concerning sustainability in the educational curriculum in Australia, despite the many comments in support of it, can be considered to be extremely dangerous because students lack the necessary knowledge to ensure that they are sufficiently aware of the environment to take active action to protect it. Furthermore, the lack of emphasis concerning the best way through which sustainability can be included in the curriculum can be considered to be a serious discrepancy because it might lead to a situation where teachers are no longer required to provide environmental education; meaning that students in future will lack the necessary guidance concerning how best to conserve their environment.

This study is extremely relevant because it provides a glimpse of the possible problems that are involved in the Australian curriculum especially when it involves sustainability. Without the active role of the education system, environmental sustainability will not be as important a subject as it should be because it will no longer form an essential part of the curriculum. It is noted that within the Australian education system, teachers are increasingly no longer required to have knowledge concerning sustainability in order to qualify to teach and this is a matter of concern because sustainability is one of the most important issues of concern in the world today. The need to promote sustainability in the education of teachers, especially at a primary level should be considered an essential part of making sure that it remains a significant part of the Australian curriculum. Such knowledge among teachers would go a long way in making sure that students are also taught to have a respect for the environment in such a way that helps in their taking an active part in conservation efforts. Moreover, the addition of sustainability subjects in the development of national curriculum proposals would go a long way in making sure that teachers remain consistent in helping students know more about the environment because it will be an essential part of the education system rather than an afterthought as the current situation is. Sustainability should not only be proposed, but should also be enforced in the Australian curriculum because it will allow for a more focused approach when it comes to the cultivation of a more knowledgeable generation of students concerning the environment.

References

Edwards, S. & Cutter-Mackenzie, A. (2011). Environmentalising Early Childhood Education Curriculum through Pedagogies of Play. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 36(1), 51 – 61.

Kennelly, J., Taylor, N., & Serow, P. (2011). Education for sustainability and the Australian curriculum. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 27(2), 209–218.

Ritchie, J. (2013). Sustainability and relationality within early childhood care and education settings in aotearoa New Zealand. International Journal of Early Childhood, 45(3), 307-326.

Disinfection of Drinking Water

It is a fact that although the protection of water against microbial contamination is extremely important, it is also important to ensure that water systems are also protected against disinfection byproducts. These are normally chemical elements which are produced when chlorine and other decontaminators respond with natural organic substances in water. Scientists have come to determine the fact that the chlorination of water for consumption, for example, has a high possibility of forming a set of derivatives known as trihalomethanes (THMs). Among these said byproducts of the chlorination process include what has been identified as chloroform. While regulations against these byproducts have been put in place by the European Union government, it has also been recognized that a large quantity of the said products have no direct effect on the health of human beings. However, it has been determined that the presence of these byproducts in drinking water in large amounts is not desirable. It has been recognized that cost effective methods in the reduction of disinfection byproducts have to be applied within the EU to ensure that the risk to human health is reduced to insignificant proportions. It has been found that while these byproducts may be harmful, the health risks associated to them are significantly smaller when compared to those that occur if water is not disinfected. Thus, it is important to ensure that disinfection of water is not compromised during attempts to ensure that such byproducts are brought under control. It has now become a reality within the EU that water systems are meeting the standards that have been put in place for the prevention of byproducts through controlling the amount of natural organic material preceding disinfection.

One of the most used water disinfection methods in the European Union is the ozone water disinfection method which utilizes the use of Ozone. Because of its unstable quality, it has been found to be ideal as a purifier since it is a powerful oxidant that is toxic for those harmful organisms living in water. Ozone has been found to offer a wide spectrum sterilization ability since it can only be produced at the site of the purification and its production can be done using oxygen as well as ultra violet light. Because of the unique qualities that it has, ozone has been found to produce byproducts that are less harmful to humans than those produced in other treatment processes such as chlorination. As a result, this process has come to be widely adopted by the European Union within many water treatment plants, thus guaranteeing that those who consume the water are protected from any harmful byproducts that are prevalent in other methods of water purification.

It has been found that the use of ultraviolet light is also a highly effective means of water purification as it has the ability to deactivate cysts as well as other harmful contaminants that might be found in drinking water. Ultraviolet light, when used for the purpose of water purification is non residual and this means that whenever it is used, it does not leave behind and disinfectants or harmful byproducts in the water. While this might be considered to be an advantage, in some cases, it can also be considered to be a disadvantage because of the fact that it also does not leave behind any of the minerals that are useful to the human body. It can therefore be said that while the use of ultraviolet light for water disinfection has an important advantage over chlorination and the use of ozone, because of its non residual nature, it makes the water less useful to the human body.

In conclusion, it is suggested that the best means of water purification that can be employed in Edinburgh is the use of the ozone treatment method. This is because of its extreme effectiveness in the destruction of those harmful microbes while at the same time not leaving behind any byproducts that may be detrimental to human health. The use of this method is likely to result in the effective purification of water while at the same time retaining those mineral elements which are useful for the human body. When compared to chlorination as well as the use of the ultraviolet method, one will find that ozone treatment is the most effective because unlike the former, it does not leave behind any harmful byproducts while unlike the latter, it leaves behind those minerals which are of use in the human body.