The importance of water for living organisms is brief. What is water, the importance of water in human life

Lakes Irtyash, Bolshaya Nanoga and Malaya Nanoga, located on the territory of the ZATO city of Ozersk, are part of the Irtyash-Kasli system of lakes. The only drinking source of Ozersk is Lake Irtyash, directly connected to Lake Bolshaya Nanoga. It is lower in the chain of lakes of the Irtyash-Kasli system, which significantly affects the chemical composition of the water. The influence of Lake B. Nanoga is especially noticeable. Changes in lake water quality. B. Nanoga entails a change in the water of Lake Irtyash.

The chemical composition of lakes Bolshaya Nanoga and Irtyash has deteriorated over the past 30 years, while lakes Malaya Nanoga has remained unchanged. Even 30 years ago, the chemical composition of lakes B. Nanoga and M. Nanoga was almost identical, now it is clear that in the water of Lake B. Nanoga the concentrations are: phosphate ions 48.5 times, sulfate ions 33.4 times, chloride ions 2.9 times, ammonium nitrogen is 3.47 times higher than in the water of Lake M. Nanoga. And when the amount of foreign substances it contains, especially those that have an adverse effect on humans, animals and plants, reaches critical values, water turns from good to evil. Currently, Lake B. Nanoga has lost its significance as a fishing and drinking reservoir. The quality of the water in it does not meet the requirements even for reservoirs for cultural and domestic purposes.

The deterioration of water quality is associated with anthropogenic factors. The number of gardens in the water protection zone of the lake increases every year. With storm and melt runoff, nutrients, phosphates, and nitrogen-containing substances enter the lake. As a result, there is a massive proliferation of phytoplankton, primarily blue-green, green and red algae, as well as the intensive development of higher algae, which leads to a decrease in the oxygen content in the water.

Water, hydrogen oxide, H20, the simplest chemical compound of hydrogen and oxygen that is stable under normal conditions (11.19% hydrogen and 88.81% oxygen by weight), molecular weight 18.0160; colorless liquid, odorless and tasteless (in thick layers it has a bluish color). Water plays a vital role in the geological history of the Earth and the emergence of life, in the formation of the physical and chemical environment, climate and weather on our planet. Without water, living organisms cannot exist. Water is an essential component of almost all technological processes - both agricultural and industrial production.

Water is the most important component of all ecosystems, not only aquatic, but also terrestrial, therefore the presence of water is an indispensable condition for maintaining ecological balance and biodiversity both in water bodies and on land.

Water is an important component of living matter. In the body of an adult animal its content is approximately 55-65%, and in newborns - 70-80%. Water, as a universal solvent, forms dispersed, molecularly dispersed and colloidal dispersed solutions (sols and gels in tissues). These properties of water are explained by the dipole structure of its molecule, and therefore, the high value of the dielectric constant. Water is not only a medium for the occurrence of various chemical reactions, but also participates in the reactions of hydrolysis, hydration and dehydration, oxidation and in some synthetic processes. The rate of hydrolytic reactions in them depends on the water content in tissues.

Water has high heat capacity and thermal conductivity, due to which it is active in the thermoregulation of the animal body. Water, having good fluidity, is able to move quickly in the body; By wetting the rubbing surfaces in the tissues, it helps improve gliding in joints and other moving areas of the body.

The uniqueness and value of water is constantly being tested. Humanity brutally attacks water and it, showing its mood, changes everything on earth, in the form of cyclones, hail, fogs, storms, hurricanes, typhoons. The number of natural disasters increases every year. Over the past 30 years, 4 million people have died due to them, and about 4 billion have been affected.

Biogeochemical properties of heavy metals

Heavy metals are elements of the periodic table with a relative molecular weight greater than 40. It so happens that the terms “heavy metals” and “toxic metals” have become synonymous. Today, cadmium, mercury, lead, and antimony are unconditionally classified as toxic. The activity of a significant part of the rest in living organisms can only be assessed as “excellent”. Indeed, metals in ionic form are part of vitamins, hormones, and regulate the activity of enzymes. It has been established that Mo, Fe, V, Co, W, B, Mn, Zn are necessary for protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism; Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Co are involved in protein synthesis; in hematopoiesis - Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn; in breath - Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Co. It is true that there are no harmful substances, only harmful concentrations. Therefore, ions of copper, cobalt or even chromium, if their content in a living organism does not exceed the natural one, can be called microelements, but if they are genealogically related to a factory chimney, then these are already heavy metals. Heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, arsenic) are common and highly toxic pollutants. They are widely used in various industrial processes, therefore, despite treatment measures, the content of heavy metal compounds in industrial wastewater is quite high. Large masses of these compounds enter the ocean through the atmosphere. For marine biocenoses, the most dangerous are mercury, lead and cadmium. Mercury is transported to the ocean by continental runoff and through the atmosphere.

According to one classification, the group of heavy metals includes more than 40 elements with a high relative atomic mass and a relative density greater than 6. According to another classification, this group includes non-ferrous metals with a density greater than that of iron (lead, copper, zinc, nickel, cadmium , cobalt, tin, antimony, bismuth, mercury).

According to the information presented in the "Handbook of Elementary Chemistry" ed. A. T. Pilipenko (1977), heavy metals include elements whose density is more than 5 g/cm3. Based on this indicator, 43 of the 84 metals in the Periodic Table of Elements should be considered heavy. Among these 43 metals, 10 have, along with metallic properties, characteristics of non-metals (representatives of the main subgroups VI, V, IV, III of groups of the Periodic Table, which are p-elements), therefore the term “heavy elements” would be more strict, but in this publication we will use the term “heavy metals” generally accepted in the literature.

Thus, heavy metals include more than 40 chemical elements with a relative density of more than 6. The number of dangerous pollutants, taking into account the toxicity, persistence and ability to accumulate in the external environment, as well as the scale of distribution of these metals, is much smaller.

First of all, those metals of interest are those that are most widely and in significant volumes used in industrial activities and, as a result of accumulation in the external environment, pose a serious danger in terms of their biological activity and toxic properties. These include lead, cadmium, zinc, cobalt, nickel, copper, manganese.

In aquatic environments, metals are present in three forms: suspended particles, colloidal particles and dissolved compounds. The latter are represented by free ions and soluble complex compounds with organic (humic and fulvic acids) and inorganic (halides, sulfates, phosphates, carbonates) ligands. Hydrolysis has a great influence on the content of these elements in water, which largely determines the form of occurrence of the element in aquatic environments. A significant portion of heavy metals is transported by surface waters in a suspended state.

The sorption of heavy metals by bottom sediments depends on the composition of the latter and the content of organic substances. Ultimately, heavy metals in aquatic ecosystems become concentrated in sediments and biota.

Material and methodology

Samples of the lake's water and two species of fish living in it were tested for the content of heavy metals: perch and whitefish. In the laboratory of the UGAVM the contents of copper, iron, cobalt, nickel, lead, zinc, cadmium, manganese, and magnesium were determined.

It turned out that the lake water for a number of elements exceeded the MPC: copper by 56 times, zinc by 16 times, nickel by 4 times and manganese by 2 times, the iron content was at the upper level of the MPC.

The results of a study of nine heavy metals in the tissues of fish living in Lake Big Nanaga indicate that their levels for the most part do not exceed the maximum permissible concentration.

With a systematic approach to these results, it was established that the fish organism forms a two-echelon pyramid.

At its first level there are two subsystems, the first of which contained three elements. Its activation is caused by a change in the iron content in fish tissues; the result of the subsystem’s activity was a significant decrease in cobalt.

The second-order subsystem contained three elements. The activation occurred as a result of changes in the content of zinc in fish tissues; the result of the activity was the desire to reduce cadmium.

At the second echelon, the fish organism formed one subsystem. The element of its activation was iron, the result of its activity was a significant decrease in zinc.

Cadmium ended up outside the subsystem due to the lack of control mechanisms.

Thus, if the state of the water indicates a significant excess of the maximum permissible concentration of four elements out of nine (copper, zinc, nickel and manganese), in the body of fish there are also four, but slightly different ones (cadmium, lead, nickel manganese), although the maximum permissible concentration for fish tissues is not exceeded the norm.

Water is the source of life on Earth, a great natural value, covering 71% of the surface of our planet, the most common chemical compound and a necessary basis for the existence of all life on the planet. The high content in plants (up to 90%) and in the human body (about 70%) only confirms the importance of this component, which is tasteless, odorless and colorless.

Water is life!

The role of water in human life is invaluable: it is used for drinking, food, washing, and various household and industrial needs. Water is life!

The role of water in human life can be determined by the share it occupies in the body and organs, each cell of which is rich in an aqueous solution of essential nutrients. Water is one of the effective means of physical education, widely used for personal hygiene, recreational physical education, hardening, and water sports.

Biochemical properties of water

Preserving the elasticity and volume of a living cell would be impossible without water, as well as a significant part of the body’s chemical reactions that take place in aqueous solutions. What makes such a valuable liquid irreplaceable is its thermal conductivity and heat capacity, which provides thermoregulation and protects against temperature changes.

Water in human life is capable of dissolving some acids, bases and salts, which are ionic compounds and some polar nonionic formations (simple alcohols, amino acids, sugars), called hydrophilic (from Greek literally - a tendency to moisture). Liquids cannot handle nucleic acids, fats, proteins and some polysaccharides - hydrophobic substances (from Greek - fear of moisture).

The biological significance of water is quite great, since this invaluable liquid is the main medium for internal processes occurring in the body. In percentage terms, the presence of water in the body is as follows:

An interesting statement about this by the science fiction writer V. Savchenko, who in one phrase revealed the meaning of water: a person has much more motives to consider himself a liquid, in contrast to, for example, a 40% sodium solution. And there is a popular joke among biologists that water “invented” man as a means of transportation, the main component of whose body it is. 2/3 of its total amount is contained inside cells and is called “intracellular” or “structured” fluid, which is capable of ensuring the body’s resistance to the influence of negative environmental factors. The third part of the water is outside the cells, and 20% of this amount is the intercellular fluid itself, 2% and 8% - respectively, the water of lymph and blood plasma.

The importance of water in human life

The importance of the natural component in life and everyday life is simply invaluable, since without it it is impossible to exist in principle.

Water is necessary for life because:

• humidifies inhaled oxygen;
• helps the body in high-quality absorption of nutrients;
• promotes the conversion of food into energy and normal digestion;
• participates in ongoing metabolism and chemical reactions;
• removes excess salts, waste and toxins;
• regulates body temperature;
• provides skin elasticity;
• regulates blood pressure;
• prevents the formation of kidney stones;
• is a kind of “lubricant” for joints and a shock absorber for the spinal cord;
• protects vital organs.

Water cycle in the body

One of the conditions for the existence of all living things is a constant content of water, the amount of which enters the body depends on a person’s lifestyle, his age, physical health, and environmental factors. During the day, up to 6% of the water available in the body is exchanged; Within 10 days, half of its total quantity is renewed. So, per day the body loses about 150 ml of water with feces, about 500 ml with exhaled air and the same amount with sweat, and 1.5 liters are excreted in the urine. A person receives approximately the same amount of water (about 3 liters per day) back. Of this, a third of a liter is formed in the body itself during biochemical processes, and about 2 liters are consumed with food and drinks, and the daily need for exclusively drinking water is about 1.5 liters.

Recently, experts have calculated that a person should still drink about 2 liters of pure water per day in order to prevent even the slightest dehydration of the body. The same amount is recommended to be consumed by yogis who know the true meaning of air and water. An absolutely healthy human body should ideally have a state of water balance, otherwise called water balance.

By the way, German scientists, after a series of experiments conducted on students, found that those who drink water and drinks more than others show greater restraint and a penchant for creativity. Water plays a stimulating role in human life, filling it with energy and vitality.

According to some estimates, over the course of 60 years of life, an average person drinks about 50 tons of water, which is comparable to almost an entire tank. It is interesting to know that half of ordinary food consists of water: in meat it is up to 67%, in cereals - 80%, vegetables and fruits contain up to 90%, bread - about 50%.

Situations of increased water consumption

Usually a person receives about 2-3 liters of water per day, but there are situations in which the need for it increases. This:

• Increased body temperature (more than 37 ° C). With each increasing degree of water, 10% more of the total quantity is required .
• Heavy physical work in the fresh air, during which you need to drink 5 - 6 liters of fluid.
• Work in hot shops - up to 15 liters.

A deficiency of valuable fluid is the cause of many diseases: allergies, asthma, excess weight, high blood pressure, emotional problems (including depression), and its absence leads to disruption of all body functions, undermining health and making you vulnerable to disease.

Loss of water up to 2% of total body weight (1 - 1.5 liters) will make a person feel thirsty; loss of 6 - 8% will lead to semi-fainting; 10% will cause hallucinations and impaired swallowing function. Deprivation of 12% of water from the total body weight will lead to death. If a person can survive without food for about 50 days, provided he consumes drinking water, then without it - a maximum of 5 days.

In fact, most people drink less than the recommended amount of water: only a third, and the resulting ailments are in no way associated with a lack of fluid.

Signs of lack of water in the body

The first signs of dehydration:

A stable supply of water to the body in the required quantity helps ensure vitality, get rid of ailments and many serious diseases, improve thinking and coordination of the brain. Therefore, you should always try to quench your emerging thirst. It is better to drink often and little by little, since a large amount of liquid for the purpose of one-time replenishment of the daily norm will be completely absorbed into the blood, which will put a noticeable load on the heart until the water is removed from the body by the kidneys.

Water balance in the body is a direct path to health

In other words, water in a person’s life, with a properly organized drinking regime, can create acceptable conditions for maintaining the necessary water balance. It is important that the liquid is of high quality, with the presence of the necessary minerals. The situation in the modern world is paradoxical: water, the source of life on Earth, can be dangerous to life itself, carrying various infections with almost every drop. That is, only clean water can be beneficial for the body, the problem of the quality of which is very relevant in the modern world.

Water shortage is a terrible future for the planet

Or rather, the very problem of the availability of drinking water, which is turning into an increasingly scarce product every day, is becoming vitally important. Moreover, the importance of water on Earth and its lack in international relations are discussed at the highest level and often in a conflicting manner.

Currently, more than 40 countries are experiencing water shortages due to the aridity of many regions. In 15 - 20 years, even according to the most optimistic forecasts, every person will understand the importance of water on Earth, since the problem of its shortage will affect 60 - 70% of the planet's population. In developing countries, water deficit will increase by 50%, in developed countries - by 18%. As a result, international tension around the topic of water shortage will increase.

Contaminated water as a result of human activity

This is due to geophysical conditions and human economic activities, often ill-considered and irresponsible, which significantly increases the load on water resources and leads to their pollution. A huge amount of water is spent on the needs of cities and industry, which not only consume, but also pollute water, dumping about 2 million tons of waste into water bodies every day. The same goes for agriculture, where millions of tons of waste products and fertilizers flow into water bodies from farms and fields. In Europe, out of 55 rivers, only 5 are considered clean, while in Asia, all rivers are extremely polluted with agricultural waste and metals. In China, 550 out of 600 cities experience water shortages; Due to severe pollution, fish cannot survive in reservoirs, and some rivers flowing into the ocean simply do not reach it.

What flows from the taps

And why go far if the water quality, which leaves much to be desired, affects almost every person. The importance of water in human life is great, this is especially true when consuming it, when sanitary standards go against the quality of the liquid consumed, which contains pesticides, nitrites, petroleum products, and heavy metal salts that are harmful to health. Half the population receives water that is hazardous to health, causing about 80% of all known diseases.

Chlorine is dangerous!

To avoid possible infection with any infection, the water is chlorinated, which does not in any way diminish the danger. On the contrary, chlorine, which destroys many dangerous microbes, forms chemical compounds harmful to health and provokes diseases such as gastritis, pneumonia, and oncology. When boiling, it does not have time to dissolve completely and combines with organic substances that are always present in the water. In this case, dioxins are formed - very dangerous poisons, surpassing in their strength even potassium cyanide.

Water poisoning is much worse than food poisoning, because water in human life, unlike food, takes part in all biochemical processes of the body. Dioxins accumulated in the body decompose very slowly, taking almost decades. Causing disruption of the endocrine system and reproductive functions, they destroy the immune system, causing cancer and genetic abnormalities. Chlorine is the most dangerous killer of our time: by killing one disease, it gives rise to another, even worse one. After global chlorination of water began in 1944, epidemics of heart disease, dementia and cancer began to appear en masse. The risk of cancer is 93% greater than that of those who drink non-chlorinated water. There is only one conclusion: you should never drink tap water. The ecological importance of water is problem No. 1 in the world, since if there is no water, there will be no life on Earth. Therefore, an indispensable condition for maintaining health is its cleaning and compliance with sanitary and epidemiological standards.

Water makes up 70-80% of the mass of living organisms.

The structure of the molecule: the electron density is shifted towards oxygen, it has a partial negative charge, and hydrogen has a partial positive charge, the molecule is a dipole. Hydrogen bonds can form between + and -.

Functions of water

1. Small dipole molecules make water the best solvent for polar (hydrophilic) substances. In a dissolved state, substances react very quickly with each other.

2. Transport function: in a dissolved state, substances move throughout the body.

3. Substances on the surface of which there are no full or partial charges (hydrophobic) cannot interact with water molecules; water pushes them out (fat, gasoline). The structure and work are based on this biological membranes.

4. Water has an abnormally high heat capacity(can absorb a lot of heat and still not get very hot). Due to this, it protects the cell from sudden temperature changes.

5. Water, like all liquids, incompressible, provides support for cells (turgor) and entire organisms (hydroskeleton).

6. Water itself can participate in chemical reactions like reagent(reactions of hydrolysis, photosynthesis, etc.).

Four elements of nature, four elements gave birth to life on Earth - fire, air, earth and water. Moreover, water appeared on our planet several million years earlier than the same soil or air.

It would seem that water has already been studied by man, but scientists are still finding the most amazing facts about this natural element.

Water stands apart in the history of our planet.
There is no natural body that could
compare with it in terms of influence on the course of the main
the most ambitious geological processes.
IN AND. Vernadsky

Water is the most abundant inorganic compound on earth. And the first exceptional property of water is that it consists of compounds of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. It would seem that such a compound, according to chemical laws, should be gaseous. And water is liquid!

For example, everyone knows that water exists in nature in three states: solid, liquid and vapor. But now there are more than 20 states of water, of which only 14 are water in a frozen state.

Surprisingly, water is the only substance on Earth whose density in the solid state is less than in the liquid state. This is why ice does not sink and water bodies do not freeze to the very bottom. Except at extremely cold temperatures.

Another fact: water is a universal solvent. Based on the quantity and quality of elements and minerals dissolved in water, scientists distinguish approximately 1,330 types of water: mineral and melt water, rain and dew, glacial and artesian...

Water in nature

In nature, water plays a vital role. At the same time, it turns out to be involved in a variety of mechanisms and life cycles on earth. Here are just a few facts that clearly demonstrate its importance for our planet:

• The importance of the water cycle in nature is simply enormous. It is this process that allows animals and plants to receive the moisture so necessary for their life and existence.
• Seas and oceans, rivers and lakes - all bodies of water play a vital role in creating the climate of a particular area. And the high heat capacity of water ensures a comfortable temperature regime on our planet.
• Water plays a key role in the process of photosynthesis. Without water, plants would not be able to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, which means the air would be unsuitable for breathing.

Water in human life

The main consumer of water on Earth is man. It is no coincidence that all world civilizations were formed and developed exclusively near bodies of water. The importance of water in human life is simply enormous.

• The human body also consists of water. In the body of a newborn - up to 75% water, in the body of an elderly person - more than 50%. It is known that without water a person cannot survive. So, when at least 2% of water disappears from our body, painful thirst begins. If more than 12% of water is lost, a person will no longer recover without the help of doctors. And having lost 20% of water from the body, a person dies.
• Water is an extremely important source of nutrition for humans. According to statistics, a person normally consumes 60 liters of water per month (2 liters per day).
• It is water that delivers oxygen and nutrients to every cell of our body.
• Thanks to the presence of water, our body can regulate body temperature.
• Water also allows you to convert food into energy and helps cells absorb nutrients. Water also removes toxins and waste from our body.
• People everywhere use water for their needs: for food, in agriculture, for various production, for generating electricity. It is not surprising that the struggle for water resources is serious. Here are just a few facts:

More than 70% of our planet is covered with water. But at the same time, only 3% of all water can be classified as drinking water. And access to this resource becomes more and more difficult every year. Thus, according to RIA Novosti, over the past 50 years, more than 500 conflicts related to the struggle for water resources have occurred on our planet. Of these, more than 20 conflicts escalated into armed clashes. This is just one of the numbers that clearly demonstrates how important the role of water is in human life.

Water pollution

Water pollution is the process of saturating water bodies with harmful substances, industrial waste and household waste, as a result of which water loses most of its functions and becomes unsuitable for further consumption.

Main sources of pollution:

1. Oil refineries
2. Heavy metals
3. Radioactive elements
4. Pesticide
5. Effluent from city sewers and livestock farms.

Scientists have long been sounding the alarm that the world's oceans annually receive over 13 million tons of waste oil products. At the same time, the Pacific Ocean receives up to 9 million tons, and the Atlantic - more than 30 million tons.

According to the World Health Organization, there are no longer any sources on our planet that contain pure natural water. There are only bodies of water that are less polluted than others. And this threatens the catastrophe of our civilization, since humanity simply cannot survive without water. And there is nothing to replace it with.

Water is physiologically necessary for the cytoplasm of any cell, therefore it is limiting factor both for land organisms and for those living in water, if in the latter case its quantity is subject to sudden changes (ebbs and flows) or it is lost by the body in very salty water by osmosis.

In the land-air environment, this abiotic factor is characterized by the amount of precipitation, humidity, drying properties of the air and the available area of ​​water reserves.

Amount of precipitation depends on physical and geographical conditions and is distributed unevenly around the globe. For organisms, the most important limiting factor is the distribution of precipitation by season. In temperate latitudes, even with a sufficient amount of total annual precipitation, its uneven distribution can lead to the death of plants from drought or, conversely, from waterlogging. In the tropical zone, organisms have to experience wet and dry seasons, which regulate their seasonal activity at almost constant temperatures throughout the year.

Air humidity usually measured in terms of relative humidity (the percentage of real water vapor pressure to saturated vapor pressure at the same temperature). The amount of humidity influences temperature effects: a decrease in humidity below a certain limit at a given temperature leads to a drying effect of the air.

The drying effect of air is most important for plants. The vast majority of plants absorb water from the soil through their root system. Drying soil makes absorption difficult. Plants adapt to soil drying by increasing the suction force and active surface of the root system.

Water is spent on photosynthesis, about 0.5% of water is absorbed by cells, and 97 - 99% of it is spent on transpiration - evaporation of water through the leaves. When there is sufficient water and nutrients, plant growth is proportional to transpiration. The main form of plant adaptation to soil drying is not a decrease in transpiration, but a cessation of growth during drought.

Depending on how plants adapt to humidity, there are several environmental groups, For example: hygrophytes– terrestrial plants living in very moist soils and in conditions of high humidity (rice), mesophytes– plants that can tolerate minor drought (woody plants of various climatic zones, herbaceous plants of oak forests, etc.), xerophytes– plants of dry steppes and deserts. Xerophytes, in turn, are divided into succulents– plants that can accumulate moisture in fleshy leaves and stems (aloe, cacti), and sclerophytes- plants that have a high absorptive capacity of the root system and are able to reduce transpiration due to narrow, small leaves.

Among succulents there is a phenomenon convergence– plants belonging to different species have almost the same shape: African spurge and cactus have a spherical shape, providing a minimal evaporation surface.

Among animals, in relation to water, they distinguish their environmental groups: hygrophiles(moisture-loving), mesophiles– intermediate group and xerophiles(dry-loving). Methods for regulating water balance in animals are divided into behavioral, morphological and physiological.

TO behavioral methods include migration to wetter places, periodic visits to watering places, transition to a nocturnal lifestyle, etc. morphological methods of adaptation– devices that retain water in the body: shells of land snails, horny integument in reptiles, etc. Physiological adaptations provide education metabolic water, which is the result of metabolism and allows the body to do without drinking water. The last method of adaptation is used by animals such as camels, sheep, dogs, which can withstand water loss in significant quantities (camels - up to 27%). A person dies even with a 10% loss of water. Poikilothermic animals tolerate water loss better because they do not have to use water to cool their bodies like homeothermic animals.