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    Environmental Pollution

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    Lalit Kapurani
    Environmental pollution occurs when contaminants are introduced into the environment and adversely affect natural processes. There are three main types of pollution: air, water, and soil. Major air pollutants include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. Water pollutants include chemicals from industry, agriculture, and livestock operations. Soil can become contaminated with hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Environmental pollution negatively impacts humans, animals, and plants. Air pollution is linked to respiratory illness in humans and damage to plant respiration. Water pollution spreads disease in humans and aquatic life. Pollution has pushed some animal species toward endangerment or extinction.

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    Environmental Pollution

    Uploaded by

    Lalit Kapurani
    318 views6 pages
    Environmental pollution occurs when contaminants are introduced into the environment and adversely affect natural processes. There are three main types of pollution: air, water, and soil. Major air pollutants include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. Water pollutants include chemicals from industry, agriculture, and livestock operations. Soil can become contaminated with hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Environmental pollution negatively impacts humans, animals, and plants. Air pollution is linked to respiratory illness in humans and damage to plant respiration. Water pollution spreads disease in humans and aquatic life. Pollution has pushed some animal species toward endangerment or extinction.

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    Environmental pollution occurs when contaminants are introduced into the environment and adversely affect natural processes. There are three main types of pollution: air, water, and soil. Major air pollutants include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. Water pollutants include chemicals from industry, agriculture, and livestock operations. Soil can become contaminated with hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Environmental pollution negatively impacts humans, animals, and plants. Air pollution is linked to respiratory illness in humans and damage to plant respiration. Water pollution spreads disease in humans and aquatic life. Pollution has pushed some animal species toward endangerment or extinction.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    318 views6 pages

    Environmental Pollution

    Uploaded by

    Lalit Kapurani
    Environmental pollution occurs when contaminants are introduced into the environment and adversely affect natural processes. There are three main types of pollution: air, water, and soil. Major air pollutants include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. Water pollutants include chemicals from industry, agriculture, and livestock operations. Soil can become contaminated with hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Environmental pollution negatively impacts humans, animals, and plants. Air pollution is linked to respiratory illness in humans and damage to plant respiration. Water pollution spreads disease in humans and aquatic life. Pollution has pushed some animal species toward endangerment or extinction.

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    Environmental Pollution Definition Of Environmental Pollution: Environmental pollution is the contamination of the physical and biological components of the

    earth/atmosphere system to such an extent that normal environmental processes are adversely affected. Definition Of Pollution: Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the environment that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or that damage the environment which can come in the form of chemical substances, or energy such as noise, heat or light. Introduction to Environmental Pollution : Although pollution had been known to exist for a very long time (at least since people started using fire thousands of years ago), it had seen the growth of truly global proportions only since the onset of the industrial revolution during the 19th century. The industrial revolution brought with it technological progress such as discovery of oil and its virtually universal use throughout different industries. Technological progress facilitated by super efficiency of capitalist business practices (division of labour cheaper production costs overproduction overconsumption overpollution) had probably become one of the main causes of serious deterioration of natural resources. At the same time, of course, development of natural sciences led to the better understanding of negative effects produced by pollution on the environment. Types Of Environmental Pollution There are three major types of environmental pollution:

    Air pollution Water pollution Soil pollution (contamination) Some of the most important air pollutants are sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and airborne particles, with radioactive pollutants probably among the most destructive ones (specifically when produced by nuclear explosions). Water pollutants include insecticides and herbicides, food processing waste, pollutants from livestock operations, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals, chemical waste and others. Some soil pollutants are: hydrocarbons, solvents and heavy metals. Source Of Environmental Pollution

    How can we control environmental pollution? It's clear that fossil fuels are among the biggest sources of pollution. We need to find alternative renewable sources of energy which can replace fossil fuels in the future. Green investment provides a great platform to explore and develop new and clean sources of energy such as solar electricity. Building your own solar panels and using diy solar energy systems to meet at least part of your home electricity needs is another emerging opportunity for diy enthusiasts. This can really make a positive difference to the environment and reduce current pollution levels. Environmental Pollution Effects on Humans, Other Animals & Plants General Environmental Pollution Effects Miguel A. Santos identifies 3 different types of response evoked by the environment to different pollution concentrations: Linear effect

    Greater-than-linear effect Threshold effect In the linear effect, environmental damage increases linearly with pollution concentrations. In other words, the total damage or risk is directly proportional to the accumulated exposure. This effect occurs with radioactive substances as well as mercury, lead, cadmium and asbestos. In the greater-than-linear effect, environmental damage increases with an increase in pollution concentrations but at a decreasing rate. This means that, as pollution concentrations continue to increase the environmental damage will continue to decrease. Effect Of Air Pollution Reduced lung functioning Irritation of eyes, nose, mouth and throat Asthma attacks Respiratory symptoms such as coughing and wheezing Increased respiratory disease such as bronchitis Reduced energy levels Headaches and dizziness Disruption of endocrine, reproductive and immune systems Neurobehavioral disorders Cardiovascular problems Cancer Premature death

    Effect Of Water Pollution Waterborne diseases caused by polluted drinking water: Typhoid Amoebiasis Giardiasis Ascariasis Hookworm Waterborne diseases caused by polluted beach water: Rashes, ear ache, pink eye Respiratory infections Hepatitis, encephalitis, gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, vomiting, and stomach aches Conditions related to water polluted by chemicals (such as pesticides, hydrocarbons, persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals etc): Cancer, incl. prostate cancer and non-Hodgkins lymphoma Hormonal problems that can disrupt reproductive and developmental processes Damage to the nervous system Liver and kidney damage Damage to the DNA

    Environmental Pollution Effects on Animals Air Pollution Acid rain (formed in the air) destroys fish life in lakes and streams

    Excessive ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun through the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere which is eroded by some air pollutants, may cause skin cancer in wildlife Ozone in the lower atmosphere may damage lung tissues of animals Water Pollution Nutrient pollution (nitrogen, phosphates etc) causes overgrowth of toxic algae eaten by other aquatic animals, and may cause death; nutrient pollution can also cause outbreaks of fish diseases Chemical contamination can cause declines in frog biodiversity and tadpole mass Oil pollution (as part of chemical contamination) can negatively affect development of marine organisms, increase susceptibility to disease and affect reproductive processes can also cause gastrointestinal irritation, liver and kidney damage, and damage to the nervous system Mercury in water can cause abnormal behavior, slower growth and development, reduced reproduction, and death Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may cause declines, deformities and death of fish life Too much sodium chloride (ordinary salt) in water may kill animals Environmental Pollution Effects on Trees and Plants Air Pollution Acid rain can kill trees, destroy the leaves of plants, can infiltrate soil by making it unsuitable for purposes of nutrition and habitation Ozone holes in the upper atmosphere can allow excessive ultraviolet radiation from the sun to enter the Earth causing damage to trees and plants Ozone in the lower atmosphere can prevent plant respiration by blocking stomata (openings in leaves) and negatively affecting plants

    photosynthesis rates which will stunt plant growth; ozone can also decay plant cells directly by entering stomata Water Pollution May disrupt photosynthesis in aquatic plants and thus affecting ecosystems that depend on these plants (27) Terrestrial and aquatic plants may absorb pollutants from water (as their main nutrient source) and pass them up the food chain to consumer animals and humans

    Environmental Pollution - Conclusion Environmental pollution is causing a lot of distress not only to humans but also animals, driving many animal species to endangerment and even extinction.

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