Environmental pollution
May be defined as any undesirable change in the physical, chemical or
biological characteristics environment which can cause undesirable effects
on various forms of life or property. Biodegradable pollutants: That degrades
or decomposes rapidly by natural processes.
Environmental Pollution refers to the introduction of harmful materials into
the environment.
In other words, environmental pollution is the contamination of the physical
and biological components of the environment to such an extent that normal
environmental processes are adversely affected.
Pollutant
• Any harmful material that, by getting introduced into the environment,
causes environmental pollution is called a pollutant.
•In other words, a pollutant is any substance that contaminates air, water,
soil, etc, and damages their quality.
•Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash, or created by human
activity, such as trash or factory runoff.
Types of Pollution
As stated before, there are different types of pollution, which are either
caused by natural events (like forest fires) or by man-made activities (like
cars, factories, nuclear wastes, etc.) These are further classified into the
following types of pollution:
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
Soil Pollution
Noise Pollution
Besides these 4 types of pollution, other types exist such as light pollution,
thermal pollution and radioactive pollution. The latter is much rarer than
other types, but it is the deadliest.
Air Pollution
Air pollution refers to the release of harmful contaminants (chemicals, toxic
gases, particulates, biological molecules, etc.) into the earth’s atmosphere.
These contaminants are quite detrimental and in some cases, pose serious
health issues. Some causes that contribute to air pollution are:
Burning fossil fuels
Mining operations
Exhaust gases from industries and factories
The effects of air pollution vary based on the kind of pollutant. But
generally,
the impact of air pollution ranges from:
Increased risk of respiratory illness and cardiovascular problems
Increased risk of skin diseases
May increase the risk of cancer
Global warming
Acid rain
Ozone depletion
Hazards to wildlife
Among the other types of pollution, air pollution is theorized to have a
planet-wide implication. Scientists have even speculated an apocalypse-like
scenario where air pollution if left unchecked, can bring about an extreme
form of global warming called the runaway greenhouse effect. Though this is
purely speculative, it is a phenomenon that has already occurred on Venus
Water Pollution
Water pollution is said to occur when toxic pollutants and particulate matter
are introduced into water bodies such as lakes, rivers and seas. These
contaminants are generally introduced by human activities like improper
sewage treatment and oil spills. However, even natural processes such as
eutrophication can cause water pollution.
Other significant causes of water pollution include:
1. Dumping solid wastes in water bodies
2. Disposing untreated industrial sewage into water bodies
3. Human and animal wastes
4. Agricultural runoff containing pesticides and fertilisers
The effects of water pollution are very pronounced in our environment.
Furthermore, toxic chemicals can bioaccumulate in living beings, and these
chemicals can travel their way up the food chain, ultimately reaching
humans.
Among the other types of pollution, water pollution has severe consequences
on humans. For instance, in 1932, a grave case of water pollution
incapacitated the inhabitants of an entire city in Japan with neurological
diseases and mental illness for many decades. However, the immediate
cause was not apparent but was eventually attributed to acute mercury
poisoning. Methylmercury was dumped into the surrounding bay and had
ultimately bioaccumulated inside the fish. The local population then
consumed these fish, and this resulted in the manifestation of ill effects and
neurological diseases.
Soil Pollution
Soil pollution, also called soil contamination, refers to the degradation of land
due to the presence of chemicals or other man-made substances in the soil.
The xenobiotic substances alter the natural composition of soil and affect it
negatively. These can drastically impact life directly or indirectly. For
instance, any toxic chemicals present in the soil will get absorbed by the
plants. Since plants are producers in an environment, it gets passed up
through the food chain. Compared to the other types of pollution, the effects
of soil pollution are a little more obscured, but their implications are very
noticeable.
Some of the common causes of soil pollution are:
Improper industrial waste disposal
Oil Spills
Acid rain which is caused by air pollution
Mining activities
Intensive farming and agrochemicals (like fertilisers and pesticides)
Industrial accidents
The effects of soil pollution are numerous. Specific wastes, such as
radioactive waste become particularly hazardous when they are not well-
contained. A well-documented example is a nuclear accident in Chernobyl,
which has left an area of 2,600 km2 uninhabitable for several thousand
years.
Other effects of soil pollution include:
Loss of soil nutrients, which renders the soil unfit for agriculture
Impacts the natural flora and fauna residing in the soil
Degrades vegetation due to the increase of salinity of the soil
Toxic dust (such as silica dust) can cause respiratory problems or even
lung cancer
Noise Pollution
Noise pollution refers to the excessive amount of noise in the surrounding
that disrupts the natural balance. Usually, it is man-made, though certain
natural calamities like volcanoes can contribute to noise pollution.
In general, any sound which is over 85 decibels is considered to be
detrimental. Also, the duration an individual is exposed plays an impact on
their health. For perspective, a normal conversation is around 60 decibels,
and a jet taking off is around 15o decibels. Consequently, noise pollution is
more obvious than the other types of pollution.
Noise pollution has several contributors, which include:
Industry-oriented noises such as heavy machines, mills, factories, etc.
Transportation noises from vehicles, aeroplanes, etc.
Construction noises
Noise from social events (loudspeakers, firecrackers, etc.)
Household noises (such as mixers, TV, washing machines, etc.)
Noise pollution can bring about adverse effects such as :
Hearing loss
Tinnitus
Sleeping disorders
Hypertension (high BP)
Communication problems
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