Environmental pollution In this topic we are going to deal about different types of pollution and due to these types of pollution how our environment is facing disasters and calamities. Introduction: Environmental pollution can be defined as “the unfavorable alteration of our surroundings” Types of pollutants: 1. Bio degradable pollutants decompose rapidly by natural processes. 2. Non-degradable pollutants- do not decompose or slowly decompose in the environment.
Pollutions are different kinds 1. Air Air pol pollu luti tion on 2. Wa Wate terr poll pollut utio ion n 3. Soil Soil pol pollu luti tion on 4. Mari Marine ne poll pollut utio ion n 5. Nois Noisee poll pollut utio ion n 6. Ther Therma mall pol pollu luti tion on and and 7. Nucl Nuclea earr haza hazard rdss I-Air pollution: It may be defined as “the presence of one or more contaminants like dust, smoke, mist and odour in the atmosphere which are injurious to human beings, plants and animals Sources of air pollution: a) Natural Natural pollution pollution - volcanic volcanic eruptions, eruptions, forest forest fires, fires, biological biological decay, decay, etc. etc. b) Man – made made activities activities – Thermal Thermal power power plants, plants, agricultu agricultural ral activities activities etc. Control Measures: 1. Sour Source ce cont contro rol: l: a) Use Use onl only y unl unlea eade ded d petr petrol ol b) Use petroleum petroleum products products and and other fuels fuels that have have low sulphur sulphur and ash ash content content c) Plant trees trees along busy busy streets streets because because they remove remove particulates particulates and carbon carbon monoxide monoxide and and absorb noise. d) Industries Industries and waste waste disposal disposal sites sites should should be situated situated outside outside the the city centre. e) Use catalytic catalytic converter converterss to help contro controll the emissions emissions of of carbon monoxide monoxide and hydrocarbons. 2. Control measures in Industrial centers : a) Emission Emission rates rates should should be restricted restricted to permiss permissible ible levels levels b) Incorporatio Incorporation n of air pollution pollution control control equipmen equipments ts in the design design of the plant plant lay out. II-Water pollution: It may be defined as “the alteration in physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water which may cause harmful effects on human and aquatic life”. Types, effects and sources of water pollution: 1. Infectious Infectious agents: agents: - Bacteria, Bacteria, viruses, viruses, protozo protozoaa and parasit parasitic ic worms. worms. Sources: - Human and animal wastes. Effects: Variety of diseases. 2. Oxygen Oxygen demanding demanding wastes: wastes: - Animal Animal manure and and plant debris debris that can be decomp decomposed osed by aerobic aerobic bacteria. Sources: - Sewage, paper mills, and food processing facilities Effects: Wastes can degrade quality by depleting water of dissolved oxygen. 3. In organic organic Chemica Chemicals: ls: - Water Water solubl solublee inorganic inorganic chemicals. chemicals. 1. Acids 2. Compound Compoundss of toxic toxic metals metals such such as lead lead , arsenic arsenic and and selenium selenium Effects: Genetic mutations, birth defects and certain cancers. Control measures of water pollution: 1. The administ administration ration of of water pollut pollution ion should should be in the the hands hands of state or or central central governmen government. t.
2. Industrial Industrial plants plants should should be based on on recycling recycling operations operations,, because because it will not only only stop the the discharge of industrial wastes into natural water sources but by products can be extracted from the wastes. 3. Plants, Plants, trees and forests forests control control pollutio pollution n and they acts acts as natural air conditi conditioners oners.. 4. Highly Highly qualified qualified and experienc experienced ed persons persons should should be consulted consulted from from time to time time for effective effective control of water pollution. 5. Basic and and applied applied research research in pubic pubic health health engineerin engineering g should should be encourag encouraged. ed. III-Soil Pollution: It may be defined as “the contamination of soul by human and natural activities which may cause harmful effects on living beings”. Types: 1. Indu Indust stri rial al wast wastes es Sources and effects: - pulp and paper mills, chemical industries, oil refineries, sugar factories etc., these pollutants affect and alter the chemical and biological properties of soil. As a result, hazardous chemicals can enter into human food chain from the soil; disturb the bio chemical process and finally lead to serious effects. 2. Urban wa wastes Sources and effects: - Plastics, Glasses, metallic cans, fibers, papers , rubbers , street sweepings, and other discarded manufactured products. These are also dangerous. 3. Agri Agricu cult ltur ural al prac practi tices ces Sources and effects: - Huge quantities of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides are added to increase the crop yield. Apart from these farm wastes, manure, slurry, are reported to cause soil pollution. 4. Radi Radioa oacti ctive ve poll pollut utan ants ts Sources and effects: These are resulting from explosions of nuclear dust and radio active wastes penetrate the soil and accumulate there by creating land pollution. 5. Biol Biolog ogic ical al agen agents ts.. Sources and effects: Soil gets large quantities of human, animal and birds excreta which constitute the major source of land pollution by biological agents. Control measures of soil pollution 1. fore forest stry ry an an d farm farm prac practi tices ces 2. Proper Proper dumpin dumping g of unwa unwante nted d mater materials ials 3. Produ Productio ction n of natura naturall fertil fertilizer izerss 4. Prop Proper er Hygi Hygien enic ic cond condit itio ion n 5. Publ Public ic awar awaren enes esss 6. Recy Recycl clin ing g and Reu Reuse se of of waste wastess 7. Ban Ban on on Tox Toxic ic chem chemica icals ls.. IV-Marine pollution: It may be defined as “the discharge of waste substances into the sea resulting in harm to living resources hazards to human health, hindrance to fishery and impairment of quality for use of sea water”. Source of marine pollution: The coastal zones contain rich heritage, coral reefs, wetlands, and sea grass beds. Effects of marine pollutants: 1. The presence presence of of heavy heavy metals metals and organic organic pollutant pollutantss cause more damage damage in birds as thinning of eggshell and tissue damage of egg. 2. Oil spilling spilling causes causes abnormal abnormally ly low body body temperature temperature in birds birds resultin resulting g in hypothermia. 3. Oil films are able to retard retard signific significantly antly the the rate of oxygen oxygen uptake uptake by water. Control measures of marine pollution 1. Plants for for conserving conserving marine marine biodivers biodiversity ity must be be taken into account account of of human needs. needs. 2. People People should be be educated educated about marine marine ecosystem ecosystemss and the benefits benefits offered offered by them. them. 3. Local communit communities ies must be involv involved ed in protecting protecting and managi managing ng their coastal coastal resources resources 4. Social and and economic economic incentives incentives must must be offered for for conserving conserving and and sustainab sustainable le use of marine marine resources.
5. Governments Governments must must manage manage their own water water while extendi extending ng cooperatio cooperation n to the neighborin neighboring g states. V-Noise pollution: It may be defined as “the unwanted, unpleasant or disagreeable sound that causes discomfort for all living beings” Types of noise: 1. Indu Indust stri rial al nois noisee 2. Tran Transp spor ortt nois noisee 3. Neig Neighb hbor orho hood od nois noisee Effects of Noise pollution 1. This affects human human health, health, comfort comfort and and efficien efficiency. cy. 2. It causes causes muscles muscles to contract contract leading leading to nervous nervous breakdow breakdown, n, tension tension 3. It affect affectss health health effic efficien iency cy and and behavi behavior. or. 4. In addition addition to serious loss loss of hearing hearing due to excessive excessive noise, noise, impulsive impulsive noise also also causes psycholo psychological gical and pathological disorders. 5. Brain is also also adversely adversely affected affected by loud and and sudden sudden noise noise as that of jet and aero aero plane noise noise etc. Control and preventing measures 1. Source contro controll – acoustic acoustic treatment treatment to machine machine surface surface , design design changes changes , limiting limiting the operati operational onal timings 2. Transmissi Transmission on path interventi interventionon- the source source inside a sound insulati insulating ng enclosure, enclosure, construct construction ion of a noise barrier or provision of sound absorbing materials 3. Oiling – Proper Proper oiling oiling will will reduce reduce the noise noise from from the the machines. machines. VI-Thermal pollution: It may be defined as the “addition of excess of undesirable heat to water that makes it harmful to man, animal or aquatic life or otherwise cause’s significant departures from the normal activities of aquatic communities in water” Sources of thermal pollution 1. Nucl Nuclea earr powe powerr plan plants ts 2. Coal Coal fire fired d pow power er plan plants ts 3. Indu Indust stri rial al effl efflue uent ntss 4. Dome Domest stic ic sewa sewage ge 5. Hydr Hydro o – elect electri ricc pow power. er. Effects of thermal pollution a) Reduct Reduction ion in dissol dissolved ved oxygen oxygen b) b) Incre Increas asee in Toxi Toxici city ty c) Interfe Interferen rence ce with with biolo biologic gical al activi activities ties d) Interfe Interferen rence ce with with reprod reproduct uction ion e) Dire Direct ct mort mortal alit ity y f) Food Food stor storag agee for for fish fish Control measures of thermal pollution: a) Cooling Cooling towers: towers: - This is used used as a coolant, coolant, i.e., wet cooling cooling tower, tower, Dry cooling cooling tower tower b) b) Cool Coolin ing g pon ponds ds c) Spray po ponds d) Artificial Artificial lakes – The heated heated effluents effluents can be be discharged discharged into the the lake at one end and and the water for for cooling purposes from the other end. VII-Nuclear Hazards: The radiation hazard in the environment comes from ultraviolet, visible, cosmic rays and micro wave radiation which produces genetic mutation in man. Sources of Nuclear Hazards: 1. Natural Natural Sources Sources – which is in space which emit cosmic cosmic rays 2. Man made sources sources ( Anthropogen Anthropogenic ic sources) sources) These are nuclear nuclear power plants, plants, X-rays , nuclear nuclear accidents, accidents, nuclear bombs, diagnostic kits etc Effects of Nuclear Hazards:
1. Exposure Exposure of the brain brain and central central nervous nervous system system ot high doses doses of radiatio radiation n causes delirium delirium,, convulsions and death within hours or days. 2. The use of eye eye is vulnerable vulnerable to radiation radiation.. As its cell die, die, they become become opaque forming forming cataracts cataracts that that impair sight. 3. Acute radiatio radiation n sickness sickness ios marked by by vomiting vomiting , bleedin bleeding g of gums gums and in severe severe cases cases mouth mouth ulcers. ulcers. 4. Nausea and and vomiting vomiting often begin begin a few hours hours after the gastroin gastrointestina testinall tract is exposed exposed . Infection Infection of the intestinal wall can kill weeks afterwards. 5. Unborn Unborn childre children n are are vulnerab vulnerable le to to brain brain damage damage or mental retardation retardation , especial especially ly if irradiation irradiation occurs during formation of the central nervous system in early pregnancy. Control measures: 1. Nuclea Nuclearr devices devices shoul should d never never be explo exploded ded in in air. 2. In nuclear nuclear reactors, closed closed cycle coolant coolant system system with gaseous gaseous coolant coolant may be used to prevent prevent extraneous extraneous activation products. 3. Containment Containmentss may also also be employed employed to decrease decrease the radio radio active emissio emissions. ns. 4. Extreme Extreme care should be exercis3ed exercis3ed in the disposa disposall of industrial industrial wastes contaminat contaminated ed with radio nuclides nuclides.. 5. Use of high high chimneys chimneys and ventilatio ventilations ns at the working working place place where radioactive radioactive contamin contamination ation is high. high. It seems to be an effective way for dispersing pollutants. Solid Waste Management: Management of solid waste is very important in order to minimize the adverse effects of solid wastes. Types of solid wastes: 1. Urban wa wastes Sources – a) Domestic wastes – Food waste, Cloth, Waste paper etc B) Commercial Commercial wastes wastes – Packing Packing material, material, cans, bottles bottles , polythen polythenee etc. C) Constructi Construction on Wastes Wastes – Wood, Wood, concrete concrete debris debris etc. D) Bio medical medical wastes – Anatomical Anatomical wastes , infectiou infectiouss wastes etc., etc.,
2. Indu Indust stri rial al wast wastes es Sources – a) nuclear power plants – generates radioactive wastes B Thermal power plants – produces fly ash in large quantities 3. Chemical industries Produces large quantities of hazardous and toxic materials Steps involved in solid waste management: 1. Reduce, Reduce, Reuse Reuse and Recycle Recycle of materials materials – raw raw materials materials re usage usage should should be reduced reduced , reuse reuse of waste materials should be reduced and recycling of the discarded materials into new useful products should also be reduced. 2. Disc Discar ardi ding ng wast wastes es a) Land fill fill : Solid wastes wastes are placed placed in sanitary sanitary landfill landfill system system in alternate alternate layers of 80 cm thick thick refuse, covered with selected earth fill of 20cm thickness b) Incineration Incineration:: It is a hygienic hygienic way of disposing disposing the the solid waste. waste. It is a thermal thermal process process and is very effective for detoxification of all combustible pathogens c) Compostin Composting: g: It is anoth another er popular popular method method practic practiced ed in many many cities cities in our our country. country. In this method , bulk organic waste is converted into a fertilizing manure by biological action. Role of an individual in prevention of pollution: 1. Plan Plantt mo more tre trees es 2. Help more more in pollution pollution prevent prevention ion than than pollut pollution ion control control 3. Use water, water, ener energy gy and othe otherr resourc resources es efficie efficientl ntly y 4. Purchase Purchase recyclabl recyclable, e, recycled recycled and and environm environmentally entally safe product productss 5. reduc reducee defo defores restat tatio ion n 6. Remove Remove NO from from moto motorr vehicu vehicular lar exhau exhaust st 7. Use Use of eco eco frien friendl dly y produ product cts. s.
