UPSC CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION

PRELIMS SPECIAL
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS
Environment
Issues Related to
Environment

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TOPIC WISE ANALYSIS OF LAST 25 YEARS
ENVIRONMENT QUESTIONS
ENVIRONMENT
NUMBER OF QUESTION ASKED FROM 1995 TO
CHAPTER 2018

Basic Concepts and Terminology 16

Biodiversity 40

Issues Related to Environment 21

Environmental Conservation Techniques 13

and Initiatives
National Environmental Legislations 15
and Organisations
International Treaties/Protocols and 29
Organisations

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 TOPICS DISCUSSED

ISSUES RELATED TO
ENVIRONMENT

Major Pollutants and Greenhouse gases

Ozone Layer
Environmental and Global Acid rain
Depletion
Pollution warming

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 QUESTION 57-65
Environmental pollution
The introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change is referred to as
environmental pollution. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or
light. Pollutants, the components of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or naturally
occurring contaminants.
Types of Pollutants

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 QUESTION 57-65
Environmental pollution

Types of Pollution

Air Pollution Water Pollution Land Pollution Noise Pollution

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 QUESTION 57-59
Air Pollution Causes of Air pollution
Air pollution may be defined as the
presence of any solid, liquid or gaseous
substance including noise and radioactive
radiation in the atmosphere in such
concentration that may be directly and/or
indirectly injurious to humans or other
living organisms, property or interferes
with the normal environmental processes.
Each year 5.7 lac deaths are caused due to
poor air quality. This not only affects health
of living organism but ecosystem as a
whole. Air pollution affects metabolism
and photosynthetic ability of plants. It is
also a reason behind other environmental
issues like acid rain, ozone layer depletion
and global warming.

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 QUESTION 57-59
Major Air Source Features or Effects
Pollutant

By incomplete combustion of fuels, • Combines with hemoglobin to form carboxyhaemoglobin,

Automobile exhaust, Cigarette which is highly stable & reduces oxygen carrying capacity
CO
smoke, forest fires of blood
• Slow our reflexes & make us confused & sleepy

Fossil Fuels, burning of agricultural

CO2 residue, volcanic eruption, Major greenhouse gas and causes global warming
respiration, forest fires

Released mainly from air

CFCs conditioning systems , aerosol Detrimental to Ozone layer present in the stratosphere
sprays and refrigeration

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 QUESTION 57-59
Pollutant Source Features or effects
Formed when NOx particle from vehicle
•Useful in stratosphere as traps UV rays
O3 or exhaust & volatile Hydrocarbons interact with
•Toxic when present in troposphere
Ozone gas each other in presence of sunlight
•It also contributes to Greenhouse effect.
(secondary pollutant)

According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB),

SPM in
Major source of SPM (suspended particulate particulate size 2.5 µm or less in diameter (PM 2.5)
form of
matter) are vehicles, power plants, are responsible for causing the greatest harm to
dust and
construction activities, oil refinery, railway human health. These cause breathing and
soot
yard, market place, industries, etc respiratory symptoms, irritation, inflammations
(<10µm)
and pneumoconiosis

Produced from burning coal (60 %), mainly in

• Major contributor to smog causing lung diseases
SO2 thermal power plants + Petroleum products +
• Contributes to formation of acid rain
in production of paper & smelting of metals

CH4 Burning of agricultural residue and fossil fuels Greenhouse gas contributes to global warming
 QUESTION 57-59
Pollutant Source Features or effects
Use: Tetraethyl lead (TEL) is used as an anti-knock agent in
petrol for smooth and easy running of vehicles.
Present in petrol, diesel, lead Disadvantages: Damages nervous system & cause digestive
Lead batteries, paints, hair dye products problems & in some cases causes cancer. Lead affects
etc. (Affects children in particular) children in particular. If inhaled it produces injurious effects
on kidney and liver and interferes with development of red
blood cells.

•NO3- acts as a fertilizer to the soil

Automobile exhaust, coal burning •Damages plant leaves & retard rate of photosynthesis
NOx
thermal plants, lightening •In Humans causes red haze & lung irritation
•Reacts to forms ozone, photochemical smog and acid rain

•Occurs in cool humid climate

Classical Vehicular exhaust and from
•Lowers visibility
Smog or chimneys of industries
•Respiratory issues
smog
•Also called reducing smog

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 QUESTION 57-59
Pollutant Source Features or effects
The main indoor sources are
perfumes, hair sprays, furniture
VOCs Volatile Health hazards: Irritation of the eye, nose and throat,
polish, glues, air fresheners,
organic headaches, nausea and loss of coordination, suspected to
moth repellents, wood
compounds damage the liver and other parts of the body.
preservatives, and other
products.

Mainly from carpets, particle

Formaldehyde Causes irritation & skin allergies
boards & insulation foam

A gas naturally emitted by soil

Radon and due to poor ventilation lung cancer
may be trapped in house

• Advantages : Used in making bricks and cements

Fly ash Thermal plants • Disadvantages: Retards photosynthesis and lowers plant
yield

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 QUESTION 57-59
Pollutant Source Features
It is a secondary pollutant, resulting
Photochemical when two pollutants, nitrogen oxide • Cause serious health problems, severe
Smog or Los Angeles and hydrocarbons from automobile plant damage, cracking of rubber &
Smog or Summer exhausts, react with one another in corrosion
Smog (secondary the presence of sunlight to produce • Use of Catalytic Converter can prevent
pollutant) nitrogen dioxide (N02), ozone ( release of NO & HC to environment
Nox + O3 + PAN 03 ) and a compound called PAN
(Peroxyl Acetyl Nitrate).

PAN (Peroxyacetyl
Nitrates)
HC+Nox+Sunlight Causes irritation & allergies
(secondary
pollutant)

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 QUESTION 57-59
Efforts to reduce Air pollution
• Control of indoor air pollution : Use of wood and dung cakes should be replaced by cleaner fuels such as
biogas, kerosene, LPG or electricity. But supply of electricity is limited. Similarly kerosene is also limited.
The use of solar cookers must be encouraged. (Targeted by PM Ujjwala scheme)
• Control of Industrial and vehicular Pollution:
• Use of cleaner fuels such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) in power plants, fertilizer plants etc. which is
cheaper in addition to being environmentally friendly.
• Installing devices which reduce release of pollutants like filters, electrostatic precipitators, inertial
collectors, scrubbers, gravel bed filters or dry scrubbers.
• Legislative actions:
• Implementation of Bharat Emission standards to reduce sulphur and Hydrocarbon content in petrol
and diesel.
• Passage Of EPA act, 1986 and Air pollution act, which came into force in 1981.
• Special indices to measure air pollution and create awareness among public.

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 QUESTION 57-59
Measuring Air pollution : Air Pollution Indices
National Air Quality Index
• AQI is a colour coded index used to communicate to
the public how polluted the air currently is or how
polluted it is forecasted to become.
• AQI can be used to represent eight pollutants that
pose a threat to human health. These pollutants are:
Ground-level Ozone or O3, Particulate Matter (soot
and dust) or PM 2.5 and PM 10, Carbon Monoxide or
CO, Sulphur Dioxide or SO2, Nitrogen Dioxide or
NO2, ammonia or NH3 and lead or Pb
• The pollutants in the affected air are given a weight
based on a formula.
• It was launched by MOEF in 2015 as part of Swachh
Bharat Abhiyan.

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 QUESTION 57-59
Measuring Air pollution : Air Pollution Indices
National Ambient Air Quality Standards SAFAR
• National Ambient Air Quality Standards are • SAFAR stands for System of Air Quality and Weather
the standards for ambient air quality set by Forecasting And Research
the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) • It is launched in greater metropolitan cities of India to
that is applicable nationwide. provide location specific information on air quality . It ia an
• The CPCB has been conferred this power by early warning system on weather parameters (72 hour
the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) advance forecast).
Act, 1981. • It was developed indigenously by Indian Institute of Tropical
• The NAAQS have been revisited and revised Meteorology (IITM), Pune and operationalized by India
in November 2009 for 12 pollutants, which Meteorological Department (IMD).
include: sulphur dioxide (S02),nitrogen • Pollutants monitored: PM1, PM2.5, PM10, Ozone, CO, NOx
dioxide (NO2), particulate matter having (NO, NO2), SO2, BC, Methane (CH4), Non-methane
micron (PM10), particulate matter having hydrocarbons (NMHC), VOC’s, Benzene, Toluene, Xylene
size less than 2.5 micron (PM2.5), ozone, Mercury and Black carbon.
lead, carbon monoxide (CO), arsenic, nickel, • Meteorological Parameters: UV index, Rainfall, temperature,
benzene, ammonia, and BenzoPyrene (BaP) rainfall, humidity, wind speed and wind direction

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 QUESTION 57
Q.Which one of the following is produced during the formation of photochemical
smog? [2003]
(a) Hydrocarbons
(b) Nitrogen Oxide
(c) Ozone
(d) Methane
Answer: c

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 QUESTION 58
Q. Consider the following : [2011]
1. Carbon dioxide
2. Oxides of nitrogen
3. Oxides of sulphur
Which of the above is/are the emission/emissions from coal combustion at thermal power plants ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: d

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 QUESTION 59
Q. In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are
normally considered in calculating the value of Air Quality Index?
1. Carbon dioxide
2. Carbon monoxide
3. Nitrogen dioxide
4. Sulphur dioxide
5. Methane
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Answer: b

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 QUESTION 57-65
Environmental pollution

Types of Pollution

Air Pollution Water Pollution Land Pollution Noise Pollution

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 QUESTION 60-63
Water Pollution
• Water pollution is the addition/presence of undesirable substances to/in water such as organic, inorganic,
biological, radiological, heat, which degrades the quality of water so that it becomes unfit for use.
• Water pollution is caused by a variety of human activities such as industrial, agricultural and domestic.
Natural sources of pollution of water are soil erosion, leaching of minerals from rocks and decaying of
organic matter. Pollutants enter the water environment from two main types of sources.

Types of sources of water Pollution

Point sources: A point source is a single, identifiable source of pollution, such as a pipe or a drain. Industrial
wastes are commonly discharged to rivers and the sea in this way.
Non Point Sources: Non-point sources of pollution are often termed ‘diffuse’ pollution and refer to those
inputs and impacts which occur over a wide area and are not easily attributed to a single source. They are
often associated with particular land uses or run-offs from agricultural fields, grazing lands, construction
sites, abandoned mines and pits, roads and streets. It is hard to be controlled.

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 QUESTION 60-63
Source of Water Pollution and Impact
Sewage Waste
Sewage water include discharges from houses, commercial and industrial establishments connected to public
sewerage system. The sewage contains human and animal excreta, food residues, cleaning agents, detergents and
other wastes. Domestic and hospital sewage contain many undesirable pathogenic microorganisms, and its disposal
into a water without proper treatment.
Industrial waste
The industries discharge several inorganic and organic pollutants, which may prove highly toxic to the living beings.
Discharge of waste water from industries like petroleum, paper manufacturing, metal extraction and processing,
chemical manufacturing, iron and steel, etc., that release toxic substances, notably, heavy metals (defined as elements
with density > 5 g/cm3 such as mercury, cadmium, copper, lead, arsenic), variety of acids and alkalis, etc.
Thermal pollution
Power plants – thermal and nuclear, chemical and other industries use lot of water for cooling purposes and the used
hot water is discharged into rivers, streams or oceans. Discharge of hot water may increase the temperature of the
receiving water by 10 to 15 °C above the ambient water temperature. This is thermal pollution. Increase in water
temperature decreases dissolved oxygen in water which adversely affects aquatic life.

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 QUESTION 60-63
Source and effects of Water Pollution
Radiation pollution
Nuclear accidents near water bodies or during natural calamities like tsunami and earthquakes poses the risk
of radiation leakage (radiation exposure) into water bodies. E.g. Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
Radiation exposure causes mutations in DNA of marine organisms. If those mutations are not repaired, the
cell may turn cancerous.
Oil spills
The most common cause of oil spill is leakage during marine transport and leakage form underground
storage tanks. Oil spill could occur during off shore oil production as well. Oil being lighter than water covers
the water surface as a thin film cutting off oxygen to floating plants and other producers. Within hours of oil
spill, the fishes, shellfish, plankton die due to suffocation and metabolic disorders.
Invasive Species
They grow abundantly in eutrophic water bodies, and lead to an imbalance in the ecosystem dynamics of the
water body. They cause havoc by their excessive growth leading to stagnation of polluted water. For example
Water Hyacinth in West Bengal.

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 QUESTION 60-63
Source of Water Pollution and its effect
Agricultural run-off
• Agricultural runoff contains dissolved salts such as nitrates, phosphates, ammonia and other nutrients,
and toxic metal ions and organic compounds.
• Fertilizers contain major plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Excess fertilizers
may reach the ground water by leaching or may be mixed with surface water of rivers, lakes and ponds
by runoff and drainage.
• Pesticides include insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, nematicides, rodenticides and soil fumigants. They
contain a wide range of chemicals such as chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHCs. E.g. DDT, Endosulfan etc.),
organophosphates, metallic salts, carbonates, thiocarbonates, derivatives of acetic acid Many of the
pesticides are non-degradable and their residues have long life.
• The animal excreta such as dung, wastes from poultry farms, piggeries and slaughter houses etc. reach
the water though run off and surface leaching during rainy season.
• A major impact of this nutrient rich agricultural run-off is eutrophication.

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 QUESTION 60-63
Source of Water Pollution and its effect
Agricultural run-off and Eutrophication
• Eutrophication is an enrichment of water by nutrient salts
mainly nitrogen and phosphorus that causes structural
changes to the ecosystem such as: increased production of
algae and aquatic plants, depletion of fish species, general
deterioration of water quality and other effects that reduce
and preclude use.
• It is characterised by a significant increase of algae (algal
bloom) due to the greater availability of one or more
growth factors necessary for photosynthesis, such as
sunlight, carbon dioxide and nutrients (nitrogen and
phosphorus). To destroy all the dead algae, an excessive
consumption of oxygen is required, in some cases almost
total, by microorganisms. This creates O2 deficient
environment causing death of plants and animals and
increase in growth of anaerobic organisms.

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 QUESTION 60-63
Source of Water Pollution and its effect
Algal Bloom
An algal bloom or algae bloom is a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in freshwater or
marine water systems, and is recognized by the discoloration in the water from their pigments. It is characterised
by green, yellowish-brown, or red patches in sea. The red tides in oceans are associated with algal bloom. As more
algae and plants grow, others die. This dead organic matter becomes food for bacteria that decompose it. With
more food available, the bacteria increase in number and use up the dissolved oxygen in the water. When the
dissolved oxygen content decreases, many fish and aquatic insects cannot survive. This results in a dead area. The
causes of increase in Nutrients can be natural or manmade.
Manmade causes:
• Run-off rich in chemicals
• Use of excess fertilisers for crop cultivation.
• Discharge of chemical rich waste from industries
Natural causes:
• Upwelling - It is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense, cooler, and
usually nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface, replacing the warmer, usually nutrient-depleted surface
water. The nutrient-rich upwelled water stimulates the growth and reproduction of primary producers such
as phytoplankton.

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 QUESTION 60-63
Source of Pollution and its impact
Groundwater Pollution
• In India at many places, the ground water is threatened with contamination due to seepage from
industrial and municipal wastes and effluents, sewage channels and agricultural runoff. Pollutants like
fluorides, uranium, heavy metals and nutrients like nitrates and phosphates are common in many parts
of India.
• Dissolved nitrates commonly contaminate groundwater. Excess nitrate in drinking water reacts with
haemoglobin to form non-functional methaemoglobin, and impairs oxygen transport. This condition is
called methaemoglobinemia or blue baby syndrome.
• In India and Bangladesh [Ganges Delta], millions of people are exposed to groundwater contaminated
with high levels of arsenic, a highly toxic and dangerous pollutant. Chronic exposure to arsenic
causes black foot disease. It also causes diarrhoea, peripheral neuritis, hyperkeratosis and also lung and
skin cancer.
• Excess fluoride in drinking water causes neuromuscular disorders, gastro-intestinal problems, teeth
deformity, hardening of bones and stiff and painful joints (skeletal fluorosis).

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 QUESTION 60-63
Measuring Water Pollution
In India, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an apex body in the field of water quality management, has
developed a concept of “designated best use”. The quality is measured on the basis of pH; dissolved oxygen,
mg/1 BOD or COD; total coliform (MPN/100ml); free ammonia mg/l; electrical conductivity etc. Presence of
organic and inorganic wastes in water decreases the dissolved Oxygen (DO) content of the water.
Water having DO content below 8.0 mg/L may be considered as contaminated. Water having DO content below
4.0 mg/L is considered to be highly polluted.

BOD : Biological Oxygen Demand COD : Chemical Oxygen Demand

BOD is a measure of, the amount of oxygen that Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is a slightly better mode
require for the bacteria to degrade the organic used to measure pollution load in water. COD measures
components present in water / waste water. It is the amount of oxygen in parts per million required to
expressed in milligrams of oxygen per litre of water. oxidize organic (biodegradable and non-
The higher value of BOD indicates low DO content of biodegradable) and oxidizable inorganic compounds in
water. Since BOD is limited to biodegradable the water sample. BOD/COD ratio is a measure of food
materials. Therefore, it is not a reliable method of value. If the ratio is higher, it has higher food and less
measuring pollution load in water. toxicity. COD is higher than BOD.

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 QUESTION 60
Q. Which of the following can be found as pollutants in the drinking water in some
parts of India? [2013]
1. Arsenic
2. Sorbitol
3. Fluoride
4. Formaldehyde
5. Uranium
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2, 4 and 5 only
(c) 1, 3 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Answer: c

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 QUESTION 61
Q. Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a standard criterion for
(a) Measuring oxygen levels in blood
(b) Computing oxygen levels in forest ecosystems
(c) Pollution assay in aquatic ecosystems
(d) Assessing oxygen levels in high altitude regions
Answer: c

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 QUESTION 62
Q. There is a concern over the increase in harmful algal blooms in the seawaters of India. What
could be the causative factors for this phenomenon ? [2011]
1. Discharge of nutrients from the estuaries.
2. Run-off from the land during the monsoon.
3. Upwelling in the seas.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: d

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 QUESTION 63
Q. Estuaries possess distinct blooms of excessive growth of a pigmented
dinoflagellates. These blooms are called [1998]
(a) red tides
(b) sea tides
(c) black tides
(d) sea flowers
Answer: a

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 QUESTION 57-65
Environmental pollution

Types of Pollution

Air Pollution Water Pollution Land Pollution Noise Pollution

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 QUESTION 64-65
Soil Pollution
• Soil pollution is defined as the presence of toxic chemicals (pollutants or contaminants) in soil, in high enough
concentrations to pose a risk to human health and/or the ecosystem.
• The main reason why the soil becomes contaminated is due to the presence of man made waste. These
wastes include e-waste, radioactive wastes from nuclear plants, bio-medical waste (Any waste which is
generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals or in research
activities pertaining there to or in the production or testing of biologicals.) and inorganic wastes discharged
from factories and industries. It can be biodegradable or non-biodegradable waste.
• There are two main ways to manage waste i.e. bioremediation and phyto-remediation. The
bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans has been used to detoxify toluene and ionic mercury which are released
from radioactive nuclear waste.
E-waste
• Electronic waste, or e-waste, is a term for electronic products that have become unwanted, obsolete, and
have reached the end of their useful life. It refers to all items of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and
its parts that have been discarded by its owner as waste without the intent of re-use.
• Major chemicals released include arsenic (black-foot disease), barium, cadmium (Itai-Itai disease), cobalt,
lead, mercury (Minamata disease), PCBs, silver, beryllium, plastic, chromium, brominated flame, etc.

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 QUESTION 64-65
Waste management techniques
Bioremediation
• Bioremediation is the use of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) to degrade the environmental
contaminants into less toxic forms. The microorganisms may be indigenous to a contaminated area (in-situ)
or they may be isolated from elsewhere and brought to the contaminated site (ex-situ).
Advantages of Bioremediation Disadvantages of Bioremediation
1) Bioremediation is a natural process. 1) The process of bioremediaiton is slow.
2) It is cost effective. 2) Heavy metals are not removed.
3) Toxic chemicals are destroyed or removed from 3) For in-situ bioremediation site must have soil with
environment and not just merely separated. high permeability.
4) Low capital expenditure. 4) It does not remove all quantities of contaminants.
5) Less energy is required as compared to other 5) Substantial gaps exist in the understanding of
technologies microbial ecology, physiology and genetic expression
6) Less manual supervision. and site expression and site engineering. A stronger
scientific base is required for rational designing of
process and success.

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 QUESTION 64-65
Waste management techniques
In-situ Bioremediation
Bioventing: Supply of air and nutrients through
wells to contaminated soil to stimulate the growth
of indigenous bacteria. It is used for simple
hydrocarbons and can be used where the
contamination is deep under the surface.
E-waste
Biosparging: Injection of air under pressure below
the water table to increase groundwater oxygen
concentrations and enhance the rate of biological
degradation of contaminants by naturally occurring
bacteria
Bioaugmentation: Microorganisms are imported to
a contaminated site to enhance degradation
process.

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 QUESTION 64-65
Waste management techniques
Ex-situ Bioremediation
Land farming: Contaminated soil is excavated and spread over a
prepared bed and periodically tilled until pollutants are
degraded. The goal is to stimulate indigenous biodegradative
microorganisms and facilitate their aerobic degradation of
contaminants.
Composting: Combing contaminated soil with organic
amendments like manure for faster decay.
Biopiles: it is a hybrid of land farming and composting.
Essentially, engineered cells are constructed as aerated
composted piles. Typically used for treatment of surface
contamination with petroleum hydrocarbons.
Bioreactors: Soil and water are pumped up from a contaminated
plume and processed through an engineered system.
Degradation here is faster due to controlled conditions.

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 QUESTION 64-65
Waste management techniques
Phytoremediation
Phytoremediation is use of plants to remove
contaminants from soil and water. Natural
phytoremediation is carried out by
mangroves, estuarine vegetation and other
wetland vegetation. It is a:
• A low cost, solar energy driven clean-up
technique.
• Most useful at sites with shallow, low
levels of contamination.
• Useful for treating a wide variety of
environmental contaminants.
• Phytoremediation can be applied for
producing energy from controlled
combustion of harvested biomass or
extracting valuable metals from soil.

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 QUESTION 64-65
Waste management techniques
Phytoremediation Technologies
Phytoextraction/phytoaccumulation: plants accumulate contaminants into the roots and aboveground shoots
or leaves.
Phytotransformation/phytodegradation: uptake of organic contaminants from soil, and their transformation to
more stable, less toxic, less mobile form.
Phytostabilization: plants reduce the mobility and migration of contaminated soil. Leachable constituents are
adsorbed and bound E-waste
into the plant structure.
Rhizodegradation: breakdown of contaminants through the activity existing in the rhizosphere (region of soil in
the vicinity of plant roots). This activity is due to the presence of proteins and enzymes produced by the plants
or by soil organisms such as bacteria, yeast, and fungi.
Rhizofiltration: water remediation technique that involves the uptake of contaminants by plant roots.
Rhizofiltration is used to reduce contamination in natural wetlands and estuary areas (E.g. Mangroves).

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 QUESTION 64
Q. In the context of solving pollution problems, what is/are the
advantage/advantages of bioremediation technique? [2017]
1. It is a technique for cleaning up pollution by enhancing the same biodegradation process that
occurs in nature.
2. Any contaminant with heavy metals such as cadmium and lead can be readily and
completely treated by bioremediation using microorganisms.
3. Genetic engineering can be used to create microorganisms specifically designed for
bioremediation.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: c

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 QUESTION 65
Q. Due to improper/ indiscriminate disposal of old and used computers or their parts,
which of the following are released into the environment as e-waste? [2013 ]
1. Beryllium
2. Cadmium
3. Chromium
4. Heptachlor
5. Mercury
6. Lead
7. Plutonium
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
(a) 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 only
(b) 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 only
(c) 2, 4, 5 and 7 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
Answer: b

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 QUESTION 57-65
Environmental pollution

Types of Pollution

Air Pollution Water Pollution Land Pollution Noise Pollution

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 Environmental Pollution
Noise Pollution
• Disturbing or excessive noise is described as noise pollution. It’s a loud non-harmonious vibrations that
are unpleasant to hear. Usually sound measured in decibels (dB) and there is a decibel scale to measure
noise pollution and its levels.
• Upto 20 dB is considered as whisper, 40 dB quiet office, 60 dB normal conversation, above 80 dB is
considered as noise pollution on decibel scale.
• Noise pollution is having too many ill-effects on life. It may cause fatigue, permanent deafness, it may
develop crack in physical buildings, abortions in pregnant women and prolonged exposure may lead to
mental disorders.
• We can control noise pollution by isolating noise and noise sources. At the individual level we should
reduce volume to reduce noise pollution. It can also be reduced by planting trees, using proper
lubrication and maintenance of machinery, using ear plugs, etc.

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 TRY YOURSELF
QUESTION 66

Q. Which of the following are some important pollutants released by steel industry in
India? [2014]
1. Oxides of sulphur
2. Oxides of nitrogen
3. Carbonmonoxide
4. Carbondioxide
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1, 3 and 4 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

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 TRY YOURSELF
QUESTION 67
Q. Which of the following is/are the possible consequence/s of heavy sand mining in
riverbeds ? [2018]
1. Decreased salinity in the river
2. Pollution of groundwater
3. Lowering of the water-table
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1 ,2 and 3

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