Environmental Pollution-

Causes, Effects and Control

Measures
 Definition

“Pollution is the effect of undesirable

changes in our surroundings that have
harmful effects on plants, animals
and human beings”.
 Pollutant

Any thing (solid, liquid or gas)

that cause pollution is called
pollutant
Eg. Lead, sulphuric acid,
carbon monoxide,
 Types of Pollution

Degradable Non-degradable
Degradable: Those can be readily broken down by
natural processes
Eg. Discarded vegetables
Non-degradable: Those can not be degraded by natural
processes
Eg.plastics
Types of Pollution

Air Water Land or Soil

Noise Thermal Nuclear

 Air Pollution

Air pollution occurs due to the presence of

undesirable solid or gaseous particles in the
air in quantities that are harmful to human
health and environment
Composition of Air
Composition of Air
 Types of pollutants
Primary pollutants Secondary pollutants
Pollutants that are When certain chemical
emitted directly from reactions take place
identifiable sources among the primary
– produced by both
natural events or pollutants
human activities Eg. Sulphuric acid
Eg. Dust storms,
emission
from vehicles
 Primary pollutants
 Carbon oxides (CO2 and CO)
 Nitrogen oxides
 Sulphur oxides
 Volatile organic compounds – hydro
carbons
 Suspended particulate matter
 Sources of Air Pollution
 Vehicles
 Industries
 Dust and storm
 Air crafts, jet
 Effects of air pollution
 Prolonged smoking or exposure to air
pollutants can overload or break down the
natural defenses such as hair in our nose,
sticky mucas in the lining of the upper
respiratory tract causing diseases like
lung cancer, asthma, chronic bronchitis
etc.,
 Cigarette smoking is responsible for the greatest
exposure to carbon monoxide.Exposure to air containing
even 0.001% of carbon monoxide for several hours can
cause collapse, coma and even death.

 CO is attached to blood hemoglobin for a long time, it

accumulates and reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of
blood. This impairs perception and thinking, slows reflexes
and causes headaches, drowsiness, dizziness and nausea
and blurred vision.
Nitrogen oxides and suspended particles both can
irritate lungs, aggravate asthma or chronic
bronchitis and increase respiratory infections.
Many volatile organic compounds such as benzene
and formaldehyde and toxic particulates such as
lead and cadmium can cause mutations,
reproductive problems and cancer, breathlessness
and irritation of the eye, nose and throat.
Sulphur dioxide irritates respiratory tissues,
chronic exposure causes a condition
similar to bronchitis.
It also reacts with water, oxygen and other
materials to form sulphur containing acids
– The acids can become attached to
particles which when inhaled are very
corrosive to the lung.
 Chronic exposure of the leaves to air
pollutants can break down the waxy
coating that helps prevent excessive water
loss and leads to damage from diseases,
pests, drought and frost.
 It also affects photosynthesis,
respiration and other metabolisms.
 Ozone depletion
 The upper stratosphere consists of
considerable amounts of ozone which
works as an effective screen for UV light.
 The ozone thus formed is constantly broken down
by naturally occurring processes that maintain its
balance in the ozone layer. But the presence of
certain pollutants can accelerate the breakdown of
ozone. (chloroflurocarbons, halons)
 The Chloro-fluro-carbons (CFCs) are extremely
stable, non-flammable, non-toxic and harmless to
handle. It is ideal for air conditioners, refrigerators
and fire extinguishers etc.
 Halons are similar to the CFCs dangerous to ozone
layer.
 The CFCs and Halons migrate into the upper
atmosphere after they are released. As they are
heavier than air, they are carried by air currents
and reach upper atmosphere. This is a slow
process and even take few to many years.
 In the stratosphere unfiltered UV radiation severs
the chemical bonds releasing chlorine from
CFCs.
 This attacks the ozone molecule resulting in its
splitting into oxygen molecule and an oxygen
atom.

 Effects of ozone depletion
 On human- sunburn, cataract, skin cancer, weakens the
immune system
 Food production – uv radiation causes reduction in
photosynthesis – reduces nutrient contents and the
growth of plants
 On materials- damages paints and fabrics causing them
to fade faster.
 On climate- global warming – Green house effect-
increase in concentration of certain gases like carbon
di
oxide, nitrogen oxides, methane, CFCs trap heat in the
form of infra red radiation near the earth’s surface- Green
house effect
 Effects of Green house effect
 Polar ice caps will melt causing rise
in ocean levels.
 Fall in agricultural produce.
 Changes in habitats – climatic
conditions.
Smog is a type of large-scale outdoor
pollution. It is caused by chemical reactions
between pollutants derived from different
sources, primarily automobile exhaust and
industrial emissions. Cities are often
centers of these types of activities, and
many suffer from the effects of smog,
especially during the warm months of the
year.
 Control measures
 Proper fuel and exhaust system in vehicles
 Use of dry and wet collectors,
filters, electrostatic precipitators.
 Providing greater height to the stacks –
discharge pollutants away from the
ground.
 Substitution of raw materials that
cause more pollution.
 Water pollution
 71% of earth’s surface is covered by water-but
only a tiny fraction is available as fresh water.
 97% of total water is found in oceans and 3% is
fresh water.
 Out of this 2.997% is locked in ice caps. The only
0.003% of total volume is available as soil
moisture, ground water, water vapour, water in
lakes, streams, rivers and wetlands.
 Definition

When the quality or composition of

water changes directly or indirectly
as a result of man’s activities such
that it becomes unfit for any purpose
it is said to be polluted.
 Types of water
 Surface water- water found in
streams, rivers and lakes etc.
 Ground water- that percolates into
ground
 Aquifers- porous water-saturated layers
of sand, gravel or bedrock through which
ground water flows. It is replenished
naturally by rainfall.
 Point source – source is known-
eg. Municipal and industrial discharge
pipes
 Non-point source- source is
unknown- eg.agricultural runoff, acid
rain
 Sources of Water
Pollution
 Water soluble radioactive isoptopes –
radioactive wastes- ionizing radiation
cause birth defects, cancer and genetic
disorders.
 Hot water- thermal plants, nuclear
power stations, power plants release
water-
 Oil-leakage
 Water soluble inorganic chemicals-acids,
salts and compounds of toxic metals such
as mercury and lead.
 Organic compounds-oil, gaseoline, plastics,
pesticides, cleaning solvents, detergents
etc.
 Sediment of suspended water-
insoluble particles of soil and other
solids that become suspended in water
 Industrial Effluents
Water is discharged from industries after having been
used in production processes. This waste water may
contain acids, alkalis, salts, poisons, oils and in some
cases harmful bacteria.
 Mining and Agricultural Wastes
Mines, especially gold and coal mines, are responsible
for large quantities of acid water.
 Agricultural pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides may
wash into rivers and stagnant water bodies.
 Sewage Disposal and Domestic Wastes
Sewage as well as domestic and farm wastes were
often
allowed to pollute rivers and dams.
 Causes of water pollution
 Disease causing agents – bacteria, viruses,
protozoa and parasitic worms enter water from
domestic sewage and untreated human and animal
wastes.
 Oxygen depleting wastes- large populations of
bacteria use up the oxygen present in water to
degrade wastes. The amount of oxygen
required to break down a certain amount of
organic matter is called Biological Oxygen
Demand(BOD).
 If too much organic waste is added, all
the available oxygen is used up and
causes organisms like fish to die.
 Anaerobic bacteria begin to break down the
wastes producing chemicals that have a
foul and unpleasant odour.
 Inorganic plant nutrients-water soluble nitrates
and phosphates that cause excessive growth
of algae and other aquatic plants- called
eutrophication.
 Biomagnification- pesticides- reach water-
phytoplanktons-herbivorous fish-carnivorous fish-
water birds-animals-human beings.
 At each stage the chemicals are concentrated
resulting biomagnifiction. Eg.DDT
 Control measures
 Prevention
 Setting up treatment plants
 Root Zone Process – using
reefs
 Soil pollution
 Soil is s thin covering over the land
consisting of a mixture of minerals,
organic materials, living organisms, air
and water.
 Under ideal climatic conditions soft
parent material may develop into a
centimeter of soil in 15 years.
 Soil profile
 The top layer – O horizon- freshly fallen and
decomposed leaves, twigs, animal wastes, fungi
and other organic materials- brown or black in
colour
 Uppermost layer- A horizon-partially decomposed
organic matter and inorganic mineral particles –
darker and looser
 B horizon – subsoil contains less aquatic material
and fewer organisms than A zone.
 C horizon – weathered parent material
 Causes of soil degradation
 Erosion
 By wind and water accelerated by human
activities such as farming, construction,
overgrazing by livestock, burning of
grass cover, deforestation.
 Excess use of fertilizers
 Fertilizers, insecticides,
herbicides, pesticides, fungicides,
rodenticides
 Soil fertility is lost
 Kill beneficial insects
 Integrated Treatment
Methods
 Continuous contour trenches or benches
 Live check dams – planting grass,
shrubs and trees etc.
 Bund constructed out of stones.
 Earthen check bund- local soil,across
the stream
 Integrated Pest Management
 Organic farming
 Use of biofertilzers
 Earthworms- vermicomposting
 Pest control through microbes –
Bacillus thrungiensis, Azadirachta
indica- Neem
 Marine Pollution

The introduction of substances to the

marine environment directly or
indirectly by man resulting in
adverse effects
 Causes
 Direct discharge of wastes into sea
– sewage
 Washed off materials- fertilizers,
pesticides
 Petroleum, oils washed off from
roads
 Spill of Toxic substances from ships
 Offshore oil exploration and
extraction
 Effects of marine pollution
 Eutrophication-phytoplankton
blooms
 Oil slick – affect plants and fish
 Destroys flora and fauna
 Control Measures
 Introduction of sewage treatment plants
 Primary treatment-physical process such
as screening and sedimentation to remove
pollutants that will settle, float etc.
 Secondary treatment- to remove BOD
 Control measures for oil
pollution
 Process of emulsification through
chemical dispersants-sprayed on the oil.
 Biological methods- use of bacteria
 Noise Pollution
 Noise is unwanted and undesirable
sound
 Permitted noise level is 125 decibels
 Effects of noise pollution
 Physical damage to ear- temporary
thresh hold shift-TTS – hearing loss
 Mental fatigue
 Control techniques
 Reduce noise at source
 Block the path of noise
 Increase the path length
and
 protect the recipient
 Thermal Pollution
 Sources- discharge of warm water into river
 Effects-changes the ecological balance
of river
 Death of fish
 Effect on plants
Control- passing the heated water through a
cooling pond or cooling tower after it
leaves the condenser
 Nuclear hazards
 Nuclear fission –splitting of the nucleus
of the atom – resulting energy is used for
a variety of purposes
 Hot water
 Uranium waste – ionizing material
 Effects of nuclear pollution
 Lethal
 Mutation
 Plants and animals
 Marine organisms-fish
 Skin diseases, cancer, eye disorders etc.,
 Control measures
 Away from the cities
 Proper disposal
mechanisms
 Safety measures
 Role of an individual in
prevention of pollution
 Develop respect to all forms of life
 Try to plant trees where ever you can
 Reduce the use of paper and wood
products where ever possible – use
recycled paper
 Do not buy furniture, doors etc., made
from teak – forest based
 Help in restoring a degraded area
 Join in an aforestation program
 Advocate organic forming
 Avoid use of pesticides
 Reduce fossil fuel – coal, petrol etc. save petrol
 Shut of the lights and fans when not needed- save
electricity
 Do not use aerosol spray products
 do not pour chemicals, paints pesticides in the
drain
 Use rechargeable batteries
 Do not use cans, avoid plastics –
plastic carry bags
 Recycle paper, aluminum, plastics
 Set up compost bin in your garden
 Start community composting
 Keep you and your place clean