CHAPTER NO 5
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Pollution is driven from Latin word “polluere” which means to
contaminate any feature of environment. Environmental pollution may
be defined as the “unfavourable alteration of our surroundings.”. It changes
the quality of our air, water and land thus interferes with the health of
human beings and other life on earth. The agents which cause
environmental pollution are called pollutants. Pollutants are materials or
factors, which cause adverse effect on natural quality of any component of
environment.
TYPES OF POLLUTANTS
• Pollutants are classified on basis of different forms i.e.
1. According to the form in which they persist after release into the
environment e.g.
• Primary pollutants: These persist in the form in which they are added to
the environment e.g. CO, CO2, SO2 etc.
• Secondary pollutants: These are formed by interaction among the
primary pollutants. For example, Oxides of Nitrogen react with moisture
in the atmosphere to form nitric acid a secondary pollutant. Other
examples include O3, H2SO4.
2. According to their existence in nature
• Quantitative pollutants: They occur in nature and become pollutant when
their concentration reaches beyond a threshold level e.g. carbon dioxide,
nitrogen oxide.
• Qualitative pollutants: These do not occur in nature and are man-made
e.g. fungicides, herbicides, DDT etc
3. According to their nature of disposal
• Biodegradable pollutants: Waste products which are degraded by
microbial action e.g. sewage.
• Non-biodegradable pollutants: Pollutants which are not decomposed by
microbial actions e.g. plastics, glass, DDT, salts of heavy metals,
radioactive substances etc
4. According to their origin
• Natural: Occurring in nature
• Anthropogenic: Anthropogenic pollutants are caused by humans or
human induced activities.
1. AIR POLLUTION:
Air pollution may be defined as the presence of one or more contaminants
like dust, mist, smoke and colour in the atmosphere that are injurious to
human beings, plants and animals. The World Health Organization defines
air pollution as “the presence of materials in the air in such concentration
which are harmful to man and his environment.”
CAUSES OF AIR POLLUTION
The various causes of air pollution are;
• Combustion of natural gas, petroleum, coal and wood in industries,
automobiles, aircraft, railways, thermal plants, agricultural burning,
kitchen etc.
• Exhaust from factories and industries: Manufacturing industries
release large amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic
compounds, and chemicals into the air thereby depleting the quality of
air.
• Mining operations: During the process dust and chemicals are released
in the air causing massive air pollution.
• Indoor air pollution: Household cleaning products, painting supplies
emit toxic chemicals in the air and cause air pollution.
• The major cause of air pollution in urban areas is automobiles which
inefficiently burn petroleum, release 75% of noise and 80% of air
pollutants. Concentration of industries in one area is another major
cause of air pollution.
SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION
Sources of air pollution are of two types:
• Natural sources of pollution are those that are caused due to natural
phenomena. Examples include volcanic eruptions; smoke and carbon
monoxide from wildfires; methane emitted by the digestion of food by
animals.
• Anthropogenic sources are those which are caused by man. Examples
include “Stationary Sources” Including smoke stacks of power plants,
manufacturing facilities (factories) and waste incinerators, as well as
furnaces and other types of fuel burning devices. “Mobile sources”
include motor vehicles, air crafts etc.
SOURCES AND EFFECTS OF COMMON AIR POLLUTANTS
Pollutants Sources Health Effects
Nitrogen Oxides • Automobile Formation of smog
emissions and acid rain causes
• Fossil fuel respiratory ailments
power plants such as
• Oil refineries inflammation,
and fuel pneumonia, lung
burning cancer etc
Ozone (O3) • Automobile Breathing
emissions difficulties, lung
• Ozone damage and
generators inflammation,
• Aircraft cabins asthma, eye
• Chemical irritations, stuffy
reaction of nose, reduced
pollutants such resistance to colds
as and other respiratory
hydrocarbons, infections.
and nitrogen
oxides released
in the sunlight
from fuel
burning, motor
vehicles and
industries.
Arsenic • Copper Lung cancer
smelters
• Cigarette
smoke
Allergens • Pollen Asthma, rhinitis
• Animal dander
• House dust
Sulphur Dioxide • Burning fuel Breathing difficulties
(SO2) • Motor vehicles Respiratory illness
• Home heaters Heart diseases
and stoves
• Power plants,
burning coal
and oil
• Metal smelters
Carbon Monoxide • Natural gas Fuzzy vision,
(CO) • kerosene oil Headache,
• Coal burning Drowsiness and
• Gasoline finally death due to
burning lack of oxygen.
• Vehicles
• Cleaning
solvents
Particulate Matter • Carbon based Lung damage,
(PM) particles Respiratory disease
• Dust Nose and throat
• Diesel motor irritation,
vehicles Asthma,
• Fireplaces Harmful to people
• Wood stoves with heart disease
• Unpaved roads
• Burning and
ploughing of
farm lands
Lead • Vehicles Brain and nervous
(burning leaded system problems,
gasoline) especially for
children, lung
• lead-based damage, digestive
paint problems
• Metal refineries
• Battery
manufacturing
Volatile Organic • Vehicles Eye and skin
Compounds( VOCs) • Industrial irritation, nausea,
processes headaches,
carcinogenic
Chlorofluorocarbons Refrigerators and AC These move to
(CFCs) Shaving foam & stratosphere and
Sprays destroy ozone layer.
cleaning solvent
CONTROL MEASURES
The atmosphere has several built in self-cleaning processes such as dispersion,
gravitational settling, flocculation, absorption and rain washout etc to cleanse the
atmosphere. However control of contaminants at their source level through
preventive technologies is desirable and effective method in this regard.
• If the use of raw material results in air pollution then it should be
substituted by another purer grade raw material which reduces the
formation of pollutants.
• The existing process may be changed by using modified techniques to
control emissions at source. For example, if coal is washed before
pulverization, then fly ash emissions are consider ably reduced.
• Air pollution can be considerably minimised by making suitable
modifications in the existing equipment.
• Using unleaded petrol.
• Encouraging people to use public transport, to walk or use a cycle as
opposed to private vehicles.
• Plant trees along busy streets as they remove particulates, carbon dioxide,
and absorb noise.
• Industries and waste disposal sites should be situated outside the city
preferably on the downtown of the city.
• Catalytic converters ( a device to reduce the toxicity of effluent gases that
are produced by internal ignition engines) should be used to help control
emissions of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons.
• Discarding of old vehicles.
2. WATER POLLUTION
Water pollution is defined as the addition of some substances ( organic, inorganic,
biological and radiological) or factor (e.g. heat) which degrades the quality of
water so that it either becomes health hazard or unfit for use. These pollutants are
very detrimental to the environment. Water pollution has been increasing over
the last few years. Agricultural pollution is a very big contributor to water
pollution.
SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION
There are many causes for water pollution but two general categories exist
• Discharge of untreated Raw Sewage from households and factories
• Chemicals dumped from Factories
• Agricultural run-offs that make their way into our rivers and streams and
groundwater sources
• Urbanization
• The rising use of synthetic organic substances
• Oil Spills
• Acid Rain caused by the burning of Fossil Fuels
• Human littering in rivers, oceans, lakes and other bodies of water. Harmful
litter includes plastics, aluminium, glass and Styrofoam.
EFFECTS OF WATER POLLUTION
Try drinking untreated water nowadays and your body will immediately react to
it. You will get a stomach ache at the least. Water-borne diseases account for the
deaths of 3,575,000 people a year! That’s equivalent to a jumbo jet crashing every
hour, and the majority of these are children.
Infectious diseases can be spread through contaminated water. Some of these
water-borne diseases are Typhoid, Cholera, Paratyphoid Fever, Dysentery,
Jaundice, Amoebiasis and Malaria.
Chemicals in the water also have negative effects on our health.
Pesticides – can damage the nervous system and cause cancer because of the
carbonates and organophosphates that they contain. Chlorides can cause
reproductive and endocrinal damage.
Nitrates – are especially dangerous to babies that drink formula milk. It restricts
the amount of oxygen in the brain and cause the “blue baby” syndrome.
Lead – can accumulate in the body and damage the central nervous system.
Arsenic – causes liver damage, skin cancer and vascular diseases
Fluoride - in excessive amounts can make your teeth yellow and cause damage
to the spinal cord.
Petrochemicals – even with very low exposure, can cause cancer.
CONTROL MEASURES
Water pollution is a known threat to humans and we can do our part to help keep
our waters clean.
• Don’t throw litter in the ocean.
• Don’t dispose of chemicals, paint, in water supplies and drains.
• Keep out oils, fat, or grease from the sink.
• Abstain from flushing contaminated liquids, pills, drugs, or medications
down the drain.
• Avoid using the toilet as a bin.
• Ensure minimal use of bleach or detergents.
• Reduce the use of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers.
• Proper sewage treatment and management
• Avoid direct dumping into water systems.
• Insist on using environmentally safe products.
• Practice tree planting.
• Help increase awareness by educating your children and increasing
awareness within your community.
3. SOIL POLLUTION
Soil pollution can be defined as the contamination of soil bringing adverse
effects on the organisms in it. It can also be defined as addition of unwanted
substances in odd proportion. Soil pollution is also called land pollution
which, in other words, means degradation or destruction of earth’s surface
and soil, directly or indirectly as a result of human activities.
CAUSES OF SOIL POLLUTION
Below are few causes of soil pollution
• Construction and mining activities often release harmful chemicals into the
soil.
• Chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural activities often
result in contamination of soil.
• Accidental spills and leaks are common when chemicals are stored,
transported, and used. The chemicals released into the ground during such
accidents are harmful and pollute the soil.
• Leaks in sewage lines can lead to the contamination of soil.
• Improper and irresponsible disposal of waste pollutes the soil.
EFFECTS OF SOIL POLLUTION
• The contamination or degradation of soils impacts heavily on the health of
plants. Soil pollution can as well change plant metabolism and lower crop
productivity.
• Humans are also affected in numerous ways either directly or indirectly.
Polluted soil can harm humans by making contact with the soil or
consuming vegetation produce from contaminated soils.
• Soil pollutants can also cause skin diseases, muscular blockage, and central
nervous system disorders.
• Polluted soil by natural means contributes to air contamination by
discharging volatile compounds into the atmosphere.
CONTROL MEASURES
• Proper dumping of unwanted waste.
• Proper disposal of industrial and agricultural wastes.
• Minimize the manufacture and use of chemical fertilizers.
• Reduce the use of pesticides.
• People should be trained regarding sanitary habits and proper hygienic
condition.
• Informal and formal public awareness programmes should be imparted to
educate people on health hazards by environmental pollution.
• Recycling and reuse of wastes.
• Planting of trees must be encouraged.
4. NOISE POLLUTION
The word ‘noise’ is derived from the Latin word ‘nausea’ which means feeling
of sickness. The term noise may be defined as
Noise is defined as unwanted, unpleasant and annoying sound. Noise pollution is
caused when the loudness of sound becomes irritating or unbearable.
The unit of sound intensity is decibel (dB). The sound intensity from 0 to 100 dB
is pleasant but when the sound intensity exceeds 120 dB, it causes noise. Noise
may not seem as harmful as the contamination of air or water, but it is a pollution
problem that effect human health and can contribute to general deterioration of
environmental quality.
WHO (World Health Organization) has prescribed optimum noise level as 45 dB
by day and 35 dB by night. Anything above 80 dB is hazardous.
Sr Areas Day Night
1. Industrial area 75 dB 65 dB
2. Commercial area 65 dB 55 dB
3. Residential area 50 dB 45 dB
4. Sensitive areas up 50 dB 40 dB
to 100 metre
around hospitals,
educational,
institutions,
courts, etc.
SOURCES OF NOISE POLLUTION
Noise may originate either from natural sources or from anthropogenic
activities. The natural sources of noise include thunder, cyclone, roaring of sea,
etc. The manmade noises are mechanized automobiles, industries, trains,
aeroplanes, social functions, etc. It may be noted that manmade noise is now
doubling after every decade. There are numerous sources but those may be
broadly classified into two classes:
OUTDOOR
Outdoor noise means noise produced by factories, vehicular movements such as
car, truck, train, motorcycle, aircraft etc. It also includes noise produced by
construction work, testing of defence equipment, explosions, playing of
loudspeakers during various festivals, etc.
INDOOR
It is noise produced by loudly- played radio or music systems, and other electronic
gadgets within the homes.
EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION
The various effects of noise pollution on human beings may classified into two
categories:
AUDITORY EFFECTS
The impairing of hearing which may cause immediate auditory fatigue finally
leading to deafness is known as auditory effects.
NON- AUDITORY EFFECTS
These effects include interference with speech communication, annoyance
leading to ill- temper, , mental disorientation, violent behaviour and a series of
health hazards.
Noise pollution lead to several brain and nervous system disorders.
Exposure to noise pollution also leads to heart diseases, variations in blood
pressure and breathing difficulties.
Children exposed to noise show signs of behavioural disorders.
CONTROL MEASURES
• We can turn off home and office appliances when not in use such as TV,
games, computers etc. it can create unnecessary stress on ears. We can save
electricity also when we turn them off.
• We can shut the door after we turn on dishwashers or washing machines
for rooms where it is kept or we can turn them on before leaving house so
that overlapping of exposure to loud noises can be reduced
• Use of earplugs or earmuffs can bring down loud noises to manageable
level.
• We can listen songs, radios, TVs in lower volume when listening from
headphones or speakers.
• Noise producing industries, airports, vehicles should be far from residential
areas as it very dangerous for infants and senior citizens.
• Community law should check use of loudspeakers, outdoor parties as well
as political public announcements.
• There should be control on noise level (Silent zones) near schools,
hospitals. Place noise limits boards near sensitive areas.
• We can plant more trees as they are good noise absorbents. According to
studies it can reduce noise by 5 to 10 decibels dB around them.
• We can check for machineries which are creating noise due to vibrations
and put some noise absorbents to reduce noise.
• Regularly checking noise level in industrial complex and indoor to keep
noise level within limit..