Different environmental harmful effects

1. Pollution :
Pollution is defined as an addition or excessive addition of certain
materials to the physical environment (water, air and land), making it less
fit or unfit for life.
As per Odum (1971), pollution is an undesirable change in the physical,
chemical or biological characteristics of our air, land and water that may
or will harmfully affect human life or that of desirable species, our
industrial processes, living conditions and cultural assets.
Pollutants :
Pollutants are materials or factors, which cause adverse effect on the
Pollutants are materials or factors, which cause adverse effect on the
natural quality of any component of the environment.
For example, smoke from industries and automobiles, chemicals from
factories, radioactive substances from nuclear plants, sewage of houses
and discarded household articles are the common pollutants.

2. Classification :
According to the form in which they persist after release into the environment
Primary pollutants
These persist in the form in which they added to the environment e.g. DDT, Plastic
Secondary Pollutants
These are formed by interaction among the primary pollutants.
For ex., peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) is formed by the interaction of nitrogen oxides
and hydrocarbons.
According to their existing in nature
According to their existing in nature
Quantitative Pollutants
These occur in nature and become pollutant where their concentration reaches
beyond threshold level. Eg. Carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide
Qualitative pollutants
These do not occur in nature and are man made. Ex. Fungicides, herbicides, DDT
etc.

3. According to their nature of disposal
Biodegradable pollutants
Waste products, which are degraded by microbial action. Ex. Sewage
Non-degradable pollutants
Pollutants, which are not decomposed by microbial action. Ex. Plastic, glass, DDT,
salts of heavy metals, radoactive substances etc.
According to origin
Natural
Anthropogenic-Man made or natural NOx, Sox
Causes of Pollution (General)
* Uncontrolled growth in human population
* Rapid industrialization
*Urbanization
* Uncontrolled exploitation of nature
* Forest fires, radioactivity, volcanic ruptions- aerosol goes to air, strong winds
etc.

4. Air pollution:
* Air pollution is aggravated because of four developments: Increasing traffic,
growing cities, rapid economic development, and industrialization
* The presence in the atmosphere of one or more contaminants in such quality
and for such durations as it is injurious, or tends to be injurious, to human health
or welfare, animal or plant life.
* It is the contamination of air by the discharge of harmful substances.
* Air pollution can cause health problems (skin, respiratory), damage the
environment, property and climate change.
Major air pollutants and their sources
Carbon monoxide (CO)
* It is a colorless, odorless gas that is produced by the incomplete burning
of carbon-based fuels including petrol, diesel, and wood.
C +O2 = CO2
C+ ½ O2= CO

5. * It is also produced from the combustion of natural and synthetic
products such as cigarettes.
* It lowers the amount of oxygen that enters our blood
(carboxyhaemoglobin) haemoglobin carry oxygen to our blood
* It can slow our reflexes and us confused and sleepy
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
It is the principle greenhouse gas emitted as a result of human activities
such as the burning of coal, oil, and natural gases.
CFC
* These are the gases that are released mainly from air-conditioning
* These are the gases that are released mainly from air-conditioning
systems and refrigeration.
* When released into the air, CFCs rise to the stratosphere , where they
come in contact to with few other gases, which lead to a reduction of the
ozone layer that protects the earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the
sun.
Lead :
* It is present in petrol, diesel, lead batteries, paints, hair dye products, etc.
Lead affects children in particular.
* It ca cause nervous system damage and digestive problems and, in some
cases, cause cancer

6. Ozone :
•It occurs naturally in the upper layers of the atmosphere.
•This important gas shields the earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays
of the sun
•However, at the ground level, it is pollutant with highly toxic effects.
•Vehicles and industries are the major source of ground level ozone
emissions
•Ozone makes our eyes itch, burn and water. It lowers our resistance
to cold and pneumonia.
Ultraviolet-UVA, UVB, UVC rays
UVC- Ozone and oxygen absorb all UVC rays and most UVB rays
UVC- Ozone and oxygen absorb all UVC rays and most UVB rays
UVB- UVB rays that reach the surface are the primary causes of
sunburn and skin cancer
UBA- UVA Rays are not absorved by the ozone layer. These rays
penetrate deep into the skin and contribute to premature ageing and
skin cancer. Year round damage.
Only Avobenzone, Zinc oxide, or Titanium Dioxide block UVA Rays
There are many UVB blockers available in Sunscreen lotion, sunscreen
cream (SPF)

7. SPF- X is general nuber
Sun Protection Factor
When we goes without sun cream or sun lotion then whole 100 photons if
comes from sun then enters in our skin
If SPF 15
1/X times reduced of photon to reach into our skin = 100x 1/15 =7%
If SPF 30 = 100x 1/30= 3%
SPF 50= 100x 1/50= 2% (98% protect to our health from photons)
Nitrogen oxide
Nitrogen oxide
*It causes smog and acid rain, It is produced from burning fuels including
petrol, diesel, and cool
•NO can make children susceptible to respiratory disease in winters.
Suspended particulate matter (SPM)
•It consist of solids in the air in the form of smoke, dust, and vapour that can
remain suspended for extended periods and is also the main source of haze
which reduces visibility.
•The finer of the particles, when breathed it can lodge in our lungs and cause
lung damage and respiratory problems.

8. SPM
Air Quality Index
Human Hair
50-70 µm (microns) in diameter
Fine Beach sand 90 µm (microns) in diameter
PM2.5
Comustion particles, organic compounds, metals, etc. <2.5 µm in
Comustion particles, organic compounds, metals, etc. <2.5 µm in
diameter
PM 10
Dust, pollen,mold etc. <10 µm

9. Sulphur dioxide
•It is a gas produced from burning coal, mainly in thermal power plants
•Some industrial processes, such as production of paper and smelting of
metals, produce sulphur dioxide.
•It is a major contributor to smog and acid rain, sulphur dioxide can lead
Smog-
The term smog was first used (1905) by Dr. HA Des Voeux
Smoke has been coined from a combination of the words fog and smoke
Smog is a condition of fog that had soot ( black powdery substances contain
carbon makes from incomplete burning of organic matter) or smoke in it.
The formation of smog
The formation of smog
•Photochemical smog (smog) is a term used to describe air pollution that is a
result of the interaction of sunlight with certain chemicals in the atmosphere.
•One of the primary components of photochemical smog is ozone
•While ozone in the stratosphere protects earth from harmful UV radiation,
ozone on the ground is hazardous to human health
•Ground –level ozone is formed when vehicle emission containing nitrogen
dioxide (primarily from vehicle exhaust) and volatile organic compounds
(from paints, solvents, printing inks, petroleum products, vehicles etc.)
interact in the presence of sunlight.

10. *Smog refers to the hazy air that causes difficult breathing conditions. It is a combination
of various gases with water vapour and dust.
•Its occurrences are often linked to heavy traffic, high temperature, and calm winds.
During the winter, wind speeds are low and cause the smoke and fog to stagnate near the
ground ; hence pollution levels can increase near ground level
•Smoke particles trapped in the fog gives it a yellow / black colour and this smog often
settled over cities for many days.
Photochemical smog The product of photochemical reactions are formaldehyde,
peroxybenzoylNitrate (PBzN), peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN), and acrolein.
Hydrocarbons + NOx + Sunlight -----------Photochemical smog
The NO-NO2-O3 photochemical reaction sequence
N2+O2-----2NO
2NO+O2--------2NO2
In presence of sunlight
NO2+ hv -----NO +O
O +O2+M---- O3+M
Where hvmeans photon (λ<0.38μm)Ozone then convert NO back to NO2

11. The effect of smog:
• It hampers visibility and bears the environment.
• Respiratory problems
• Deaths relating to bronchial disease
• Heavy smog greatly decrease ultraviolet radiation
• Heavy smog results in the decrease of natural vitamin D
production leading to a rise in the cases of rickets, Osteomalacia

12. Indoor air pollution
•It refers to the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of air in the indoor
environment within a home or an institution or commercial facility.
•Indoor-air pollution is a concern where energy efficiency improvements sometimes
make houses relatively airtight, reducing ventilation and raising pollutant levels.
•Indoor air problems can be subtle and do not always produce easily recognized impacts
on health.
•Different conditions are responsible for indoor air pollination in the rural areas and the
urban areas
Rural
•It is the rural areas that face the greatest threat from indoor pollination, where people
•It is the rural areas that face the greatest threat from indoor pollination, where people
rely on traditional fuels such as firewood, charcoal and cow dung for cooking and
heating.
•Burning such fuels produces large amount of smoke and other air pollutants in the
confined space of the home , resulting in high exposure. Women and children are the
groups most vulnerable as they spent more time indoors and are exposed to the smoke.
•Although many hundreds of separate chemical agents have been identified in the
smoke from biofuels, the four most serious pollutants are particulates, carbon
monoxide , polycyclic organic matter, and formaldehyde.
Urban
Construction of more tightly sealed buildings
Reduced ventilation
The use of synthetic materials for building and furnishing and the use of pesticide

13. Air Pollution Control:
Following are the measures one should adopt to control air pollution:
* Avoid Using Vehicles:
People should avoid using vehicles for shorter distances. Rather they should prefer public modes of
transport to travel from one place to another. This not only prevents pollution but also conserves energy.
*Energy Conservation:
A large number of fossil fuels are burnt to generate electricity. Therefore, do not forget to switch off the
electrical appliances when not in use. Thus, you can save the environment at the individual level. Use of
energy-efficient devices such CFLs also controls pollution to a greater level.
Use of Energy efficient appliances:
Whether at the domestic level or at the industrial level, we must push for appliances that use energy
efficiently, which result in complete combustion of fuel, as incomplete combustion causes air pollution.
3.Shifting industries:
3.Shifting industries:
Another possible solution to reduce the harmful effects of air pollution is to shift the manufacturing
plants, factories and industries to remote areas with a low level of population.
4. Using Modern Techniques:
With technology making great advancements, there are now technologies available that can help reduce
the release of pollutants in the air. Air filters, scrubbers, precipitators are just a few examples.
5.Shifting to Natural Gasses:
Instead of using and exhausting fossil fuels, shifting to greener options is a no-brainer. For example,
using CNG (compressed natural gas) instead of petrol or diesel is a great option.

14. WATER POLLUTION
The undesirable biological or chemical substance present in water which adversely affect
living organism is referred as water pollution.
Source of Water pollution
i) Point source pollution: if pollutants discharge from single identifiable source
then it is known as point source. For example, municipal sources, industrial
sources etc.
ii) Non-point source pollution: if pollutants discharge from random or scattered
source then it is known as non-point source. For example, construction site,
agricultural site, Acid rain, animal waste etc.
Cause & effects of Water pollution
a) Disease causing agents: the micro-organism including bacteria, virus, protozoa, if
present in drinking water causes disease. For example,
b) Oxygen depleting waste: organic matters present in water are degraded by
microorganism present in water which required oxygen. If large amount of organic
matter present in waste water then large amount of oxygen is required by the
microorganism to degrade the waste. Therefore oxygen content in water decrease. The
amount of oxygen consumed by microorganism is referred as Biological Oxygen
Demand (BOD). High level of BOC means large amount of waste present in water.

15. c) Water soluble inorganic chemicals: the elements like lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic
adversely affect the human being and animals. For example, cadmium causes Itai-Itai
disease, mercury causes Minamata disease.
d) Suspended solids: if suspended solid present in water bodies, then water become
turbid and therefore proper sunlight does not reach to the aquatic plant and animal which
disturb the life of aquatic ecosystem.
Control measure for preventing water pollution
i) Industrial effluent and domestic waste must be treated before disposal.
i) Industrial effluent and domestic waste must be treated before disposal.
ii) Recycling of waste water through waste water treatment.
iii) Public awareness program.
SOIL POLLUTION
Soil pollution can be defined as introduction of undesirable substance in soil which
adversely affects its physical, chemical and biological properties.
Source of Soil pollution

16. Cause of Soil pollution or degradation
a) Soil erosion: removal or movement of top soil from one place to another place is
known as soil erosion, it is a natural process. But the erosion enhances by human
activities like mining, construction, new land for agricultural practices,
deforestation, overgrazing etc. Due to erosion, soil become less fertile and erosion
also reduce the soil water holding capacity.
b) Excess use of fertilizers: Essential micronutrients like N, P, K are supplied by
chemical fertilizer to increase the crop yield or productivity. The microorganism
present in the soil converts nitrogen into nitrate ions; enter into food chain from
soil disturbing the biochemical process.
c) Acid Rain: acid rain increases the acidity of soil which reduces the crop yield.
c) Acid Rain: acid rain increases the acidity of soil which reduces the crop yield.
d) Salinity of water: Due to excessive irrigation, concentration of soluble salt
increase in soil, then productivity and quality of soil decrease. These salts deposit
on the surface then diffusion of oxygen and drainage of water in soil does not
occur therefore growth of plant is slow down
e) Industrial waste: various pollutants present in the environment from industrial
waste. Discharge from chemical industries, fertilizer and pharmaceutical
companies are highly polluting.

17. Effect of Soil pollution
i) Salinity and water logging reduce the fertility of soil and crop yield.
ii) Toxic chemical present in the soil also affect the plant growth and human life.
iii) Soil pollution contaminated the underground water.
Control measures for preventing soil pollution
i) Soil erosion must be prevented by proper tree plantation.
ii) Waste from industry and domestic must be treated before dumping.
iii) Replace synthetic fertilizers with organic fertilizers.
iv) Toxic and non degradable materials must be banned.
v) Recycling and reuse of waste materials.
v) Recycling and reuse of waste materials.
vi) Public awareness.