ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

ASMITA MITTAL

Air Pollution
Definition and Causes of Air Pollution
- Definition: Air pollution occurs when harmful substances contaminate the environment,
leading to a deteriorated quantity and quality of the air.
- Causes: Combustion is a major cause, where oxygen reacts with fuel (e.g., fossil fuels) to
produce particulates, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, etc.

Earth's Atmosphere
- Composition: Mostly nitrogen and oxygen, with a small amount of CO2 and variable water
vapor.
- Layers: Lower atmosphere (touches Earth's surface), upper atmosphere (gradual transition
into space), and the atmosphere is observed as a thin shell around Earth from space.

Atmosphere Composition in Layers

- Thermosphere: Blocks harmful solar radiation.
- Mesosphere: Meteors and asteroids burn up.
- Stratosphere: Contains ozone layer blocking some UV light.
- Troposphere: Contains weather and all living organisms.

Urban Atmosphere and Thermal Inversions

- Normal Day: Warm air rises, creating circulation.
- Thermal Inversion: Reversed temperature patterns, where pollution accumulates as cold
air traps pollutants, leading to health issues.

Air Pollutants Classification

- Natural Pollutants: Result from natural phenomena like forest fires, volcanic eruptions, etc.
- Primary Pollutants: Directly emitted into the air from sources (e.g., CO, CO2, SO2).
- Secondary Pollutants: Formed through chemical reactions in the atmosphere (e.g., ozone,
acid rain).

Major Air Pollutants

1. Oxides of Carbon (CO2, CO):
- Source: Combustion of coal, oil, and fuels.
- Health Effects: CO affects oxygen-carrying capacity, leading to headaches, weakness, and
respiratory issues.

2. Oxides of Sulfur (SO2, SO3):

- Source: Combustion of sulfur-containing fuels.
- Health Effects: Irritation to eyes, respiratory tracts, and various lung issues.

3. Oxides of Nitrogen (NO, NO2, N2O):

- Source: Burning of fuels, biomass burning.
- Health Effects: Respiratory irritation, reduction in lung function.
4. Hydrocarbons, VOCs (Methane, Ethane, etc.):
- Source: Evaporation, burning of fuels, industrial processes.
- Health Effects: Coughing, eye irritation, some are carcinogenic.

5. Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM):

- Source: Various industrial processes, combustion.
- Health Effects: Respiratory issues, carcinogenic effects.

6. Photochemical Oxidants (O3, PANs, etc.):

- Source: Photochemical reactions in the atmosphere.
- Health Effects: Haze, irritation, respiratory problems.

Air Pollution Impact in India

- Statistics: Estimated to cause 1.5 million deaths annually, fifth largest killer in India.
- Delhi: World's worst air quality, leading to chronic respiratory diseases.

Causes of Poor Air Quality in Delhi

- Motor Vehicles: Major contributor to PM2.5 pollution.
- Other Causes: Wood-burning fires, agricultural fires, dust from construction sites,
industrial activities.

Bhopal Disaster (1984)

- Incident: Gas leak at Union Carbide plant, considered the world's worst industrial disaster.
- Impact: Over 500,000 people exposed, thousands of deaths and long-term health effects.

Fog, Haze, Smog

- Fog: Visible mass of cloud water droplets or ice crystals near Earth's surface.
- Haze: Sunlight reflection off air pollution.
- Smog: Mixture of smoke and pollutants, can be classic (coal burning) or photochemical
(auto exhaust).

Aerosols and Atmospheric Pollution

- Aerosols: Microscopic particles in the atmosphere, with natural and anthropogenic origins.
- Impacts: Adverse effects on human health, visibility, UV radiation, and atmospheric
chemistry.

Control and Prevention

- Effluent Control: Desulphurization of coal, catalytic converters, electrostatic precipitators.
- Preventive Techniques: Use of unleaded fuel, discouraging diesel vehicles, promoting
pollution control checks, and shifting to renewable and non-polluting energy sources.

Water Pollution
Key Points:
1. Definition: Water pollution is the degradation of water quality, making it unsafe for
humans, animals, and aquatic life.
2. Causes: Major human-generated sources include sewage, garbage, industrial and
agricultural wastes, fertilizers, and pesticides.
3. Types of Pollutants:
- Biological Agents: Disease-causing organisms, bacteria, protozoa, and worms.
- Chemical Agents: Water-soluble/insoluble wastes, organic chemicals, radioactive
substances.
- Physical Agents: Suspended solids, sedimentary solids.
4. Effects of Water Pollution:
- Biological agents cause diseases like cholera, dysentery, and affect aquatic life.
- Chemical agents are toxic and can cause genetic defects; lead to water unfit for various
uses.
- Physical agents lead to silting, dam filling, and muddy water.
5. Freshwater Pollution:
- Sources include agriculture run-offs, accidental chemical spills, industrial run-offs, and
radioactive substances.
6. Groundwater Pollution:
- Contaminants from domestic, industrial, and agricultural wastes, affecting groundwater
quality.
7. Water Quality Standards:
- Parameters include pH, COD, BOD, TSS, and Oil & Grease. Standards set by
environmental authorities.
8. Consequences of Water Pollution:
- Leads to a global clean water crisis, changes in physical properties, and deadly diseases.
- Contamination with toxic substances causes various health issues.
9. Sources of Water Pollution:
- Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) from rainfall and snowmelt.
- Point source pollution from identifiable sources like industrial discharges.
10. Diseases from Polluted Water:
- Various microorganisms cause diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.
11. Eutrophication:
- Increase in nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus, leading to excessive plant
growth, oxygen depletion, and water quality reduction.
12. Black and Grey Wastewater:
- Blackwater contains pathogens from toilets; greywater comes from washing, bathing,
etc.
- Proper disposal is essential to prevent contamination.

Soil/Land Pollution and Marine Pollution

Soil/Land Pollution:
1. Definition:
- Contamination of soil with anomalous concentrations of toxic substances.
 - Human activities contribute to soil pollution through agriculture, development, mining,
and waste disposal.

2. Major Pollutants:
- Petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents, pesticides, heavy metals (arsenic, lead, mercury),
plastics, and microplastics.

3. Effects of Soil Pollution:

- Loss of Biodiversity: Deforestation and land development lead to the destruction of flora
and fauna.
- Soil Erosion: Causes the detachment and removal of soil components and nutrients
through water and wind.

4. Examples of Soil Pollution:

- Dumping waste, land development, excessive pesticide/chemical use.

5. Contaminants' Impact:
- Bio-accumulation and bio-magnification in the food chain.
- Decrease in nutrient availability, leading to soil degradation.

6. Waste Types and Sources:

- Urban, industrial, domestic, rural, and nuclear-plant waste contribute to soil
contamination.

7. Remediation Challenges:
- Activities causing soil degradation (erosion, compaction) exacerbate contamination
effects.

Marine Pollution:
1. Definition:
- Pollution of oceans, seas, estuaries, and salty marshes from direct waste discharge,
runoff, and atmospheric pollutants.

2. Oil Pollution:
- About 200 million gallons of petroleum enter the seas annually.
- Oil spills cause immediate death of aquatic organisms, release toxic substances, and coat
marine life.

3. Sources of Marine Pollution:

- Direct waste discharge, runoff from urban sewerage and industrial waste, and
atmospheric pollutants.
- Inland mining for metals contributes soil and minerals to rivers and seas.

4. Ship’s Pollution:
- Oil spills, cargo residue discharge, container loss, and noise pollution from ships impact
marine ecosystems.
5. Deep Sea Mining:
- Involves mining polymetallic nodules and hydrothermal vents, causing disturbances,
sediment plumes, and chemical alterations.

6. CO2-Acidifying the Oceans:

- Climate change-induced rising CO2 levels acidify oceans, affecting marine ecosystems
and fisheries.

7. Mitigation Strategies:
- Control methods for oil spills include skimming, burning, microorganisms, and chemical
additives.
- Mitigation requires reduced human population, lowered ecological footprint, and
increased environmental education.

Thermal Pollution
- Definition: Release of heat into the atmosphere and water bodies.
- Causes:
- Industries use water for cooling, leading to heated water release into water bodies.
- Natural causes like forest fires and volcanic eruptions.
- Effects:
- Elevated ocean temperature harms sensitive organisms.
- Decreased dissolved oxygen concentration harms aquatic life.
- Mitigation:
- Industries can store and cool water before discharge or reuse it.
- Use of cooling towers.

Sound Pollution
- Definition: Unwanted or disruptive sound in the environment.
- Characteristics:
- Sound is a vibration propagating as an acoustic wave.
- Human perception through brain interpretation of waves.
- Mechanical wave, longitudinal, travels through a medium.
- Types of Sound Waves:
- Audible, Infrasonic (below 20 Hz), Ultrasonic (above 20,000 Hz).
- Effects:
- Annoyance, stress, high blood pressure, permanent hearing loss.
- Measurement:
- Decibel scale, dBA for pitch.
- Regulation: Environmental (Protection) Act 1986.

Noise Pollution
- Definition: Unwanted sound disrupting normal activities.
- Effects:
- Annoyance, stress-related illnesses, sleep disruption, hearing loss.
- Long-term: memory loss, severe depression, panic attacks.
- Sources: Traffic, industrial, community noise.
- Regulation: Environmental (Protection) Act 1986.

Impact on Marine Life

- Susceptibility: Marine life, especially cetaceans, affected by noise.
- Consequences: Changes in communication patterns, masking of signals.
- Increase in Ocean Noise: Between 1950 and 1975, ocean ambient noise increased
significantly.

Radioactive Pollution
- Definition: Spontaneous disintegration of atomic nuclei with emission of alpha, beta, or
gamma rays.
- Sources: Rocks, mining, nuclear fission, atomic bombs.
- Effects: Cancer, genetic defects.
- Measurement: Becquerel (Bq), Curie.

Uranium and Thorium in India

- Uranium: Mined in Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh; Tummalapalle Mine is the largest.
- Thorium: India has significant reserves, used for U-233 reactors.

Nuclear Reactor Accidents

- Notable Accidents: Fukushima (2011), Chernobyl (1986), Three Mile Island (1979).
- Impacts: Loss of life, large monetary costs for remediation.

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)

- Definition: Non-hazardous solid waste from homes, commercial establishments,
institutions.
- Waste Generation in India: Approximately 62 million tonnes per year.

Waste Management
- Minimization Strategies:
- Process modification, concentration, segregation.
- Source reduction, re-use, recycling, disposal.
- Hazardous Waste Characteristics: Ignitability, corrosiveness, reactivity, radioactivity,
toxicity.

Disposal Methods
- Landfill Disposal: Requires liners to prevent groundwater contamination.
- Dumping at Sea: Hazardous waste in sealed containers, regulated by international laws.
- Plastic Waste Sorting: Challenges due to diverse shapes, sizes, and colors.

Alternatives to Landfills
- Options: Waste-to-energy incineration, anaerobic digestion, composting, mechanical
biological treatment, pyrolysis, plasma arc gasification.

Pollution from Landfills

- Landfill Gas: Main emission component, includes methane.
- Negatives: Climate change, groundwater contamination, risks to wildlife and human
health.

Strategies for Sustainable Waste Management

- Incineration: Detoxifies waste but produces flue gases.
- Chemical and Biological Methods: Neutralization, biodegradation to reduce toxicity.
- Removal of Plastic Waste: Automated sorting based on physical, optical, and electronic
properties.

Case Study: Ariel Sharon Park, Israel

- Transformation: Former waste dump turned into an environmental park.
- Renovation: Recycling facilities, waste separation center, green waste facility.

Solid Waste Management:

1. Incineration:
- Process involves burning waste to detoxify it.
- Releases flue gases to the atmosphere.
- Ash or slag produced is deposited in a landfill.
- Suitable for waste with inflammable material.

2. Dumping at Sea:
- Hazardous waste in sealed containers dumped into deep seas.
- Governed by international and national legislation.
- Direct dumping prohibited, especially for specific harmful substances.

3. Plastic Waste Management:

- Automatic sorting methods: physical, optical, electronic properties.
- Challenges due to variety in size, shape, and color of plastic objects.

4. Waste-to-Energy:
- Facility that combusts waste to produce electricity.
- Also known as trash-to-energy, municipal waste incineration, energy recovery.
- Sweden a leader in waste-to-energy production.

5. Energy from Waste:

- Plants utilizing municipal waste to generate electricity.
- Examples: Okhla power project, Narela-Bawana plant.
- Benefits: climate change mitigation, renewable power, reduced landfill dependence.

6. Fecal Sludge Management Innovations:

- Use of black soldier fly larvae to convert pit latrine waste into soil conditioner.
- GenRobotics' 'Bandicoot': Semi-automatic robot for manhole cleaning, eliminating
manual scavenging.

7. e-Waste Management in India:

 - Predicted increase in e-waste generation.
- India among the world's most disposed areas.

8. Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000:

- Municipal authority responsible for infrastructure.
- Emphasis on segregation and processing of municipal solid waste.

9. Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016:

- Duties outlined for various entities including waste generators, ministries, local
authorities.
- Criteria for sanitary landfills, processing and treatment of solid waste.

10. Air Pollution Reduction Measures:

- Steps: Understand pollution sources, reduce automobile use, plant more, go solar,
eliminate lead, dust reduction, embrace eco-friendly living.

11. Preventive Measures Against Pollution:

- Industrial and municipal treatment plant usage.
- Conversion of sludge to bio-fertilizers.
- Treatment and reuse of industrial effluents.
- Recycling waste for useful product creation.

12. Environmental Concerns:

- Human impact on atmospheric CO2, freshwater usage, terrestrial nitrogen fixation.

13. Role of Individuals:

- Guidelines for pollution prevention: Plantation, no smoking, waste recycling, family
planning.

14. Plants for Indoor Pollution Reduction:

- Areca Palm, Lady Palm, Bamboo Palm, Rubber Plant, Dracaena, Philodendron.

15. Efficient Control of Air Pollution Through Plants:

- Trees as passive indicators.
- Plants like Holoptelea integrifolia, Mangifera indica, Millettia pinnata, etc., contribute to
air quality improvement.