POLLUTION

POLLUTION
⊗ Pollution is the introduction of contaminants
into the natural environment that cause
adverse change. 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. Pollution is often
classed as point source or
nonpoint source pollution.
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CAUSES OF POLLUTION

⊗ BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS

Sulfur dioxide emitted from the
combustion of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum
and other factory combustibles is one the
major cause of air pollution. Pollution
emitting from vehicles including trucks, jeeps,
cars, trains, airplanes cause immense amount
of pollution. We rely on them to fulfill our
daily basic needs of transportation
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….
⊗ AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES
Ammonia is a very common by product
from agriculture related activities and is one of
the most hazardous gases in the atmosphere.
⊗ EXHAUST FROM FACTORIES AND
INDUSTRIES
Manufacturing industries release large
amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons,
organic compounds, and chemicals into the air
thereby depleting the quality of air.
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….
⊗ MINING OPERATIONS
Mining is a process wherein minerals below the
earth are extracted using large equipments. During the
process dust and chemicals are released in the air
causing massive air pollution.
⊗ PLASTIC BAGS
Plastic bags made from low density polyethylene
(LDPE), is virtually indestructible, create colossal
environmental hazard.
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Types of Pollution
 Air Pollution. ...
Water Pollution. ...
Soil pollution. ...
Noise pollution. ...
Marine pollution
Thermal pollution
Nuclear pollution. ...
Air Pollution
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Meaning
⊗ Air pollution occurs when harmful or excessive
quantities of substances including
gases, particulates, and biological molecules are
introduced into Earth &atmosphere. It may
cause diseases, allergies and even death to
humans; it may also cause harm to other living
organisms such as animals and food crops, and
may damage the natural or built environment.
Both human activity and natural processes can
generate air pollution.
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Causes of Air pollution

i. Burning of Fossil Fuels
ii. Agricultural activities
iii. Exhaust from factories and industries
iv. Mining operations
v. Indoor air pollution
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Effects of Air Pollution

i. Environmental damages
ii. Air pollutants and their toxicities
iii. Particle pollutants
Particle pollutants are major parts
of air pollutants. In a simple definition, they
are a mixture of particles found in the air.
Particle pollution which is more known as PM
is linked with most of pulmonary and cardiac-
associated morbidity and mortality.
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Control measures
  Understand Where Air Pollution Comes From.
 Reduce Your Use of Automobiles.
 Plant More Plants.
 Go Solar.
 Using unleaded petrol.
 Using fuels with low sulphur and ash content.
 Ensure that houses, schools,  restaurants and
playgrounds are not located on busy streets.
WATER POLLUTION
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Meaning
Any physical, biological or chemical change in
water quality that adversely affects living
organism or makes water unsuitable for
certain use.
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Causes of Water Pollution

⊗ 1. BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND
( BOD) :
The sewage and other organic matter discharged
to a water body are degraded by a water body
are degraded by oxygen-requiring micro
organisms.The
amount of oxygen consumed by the microbes is
the
biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).
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2.Suspended solids/sediments

Suspended solids are physical pollutants.they are

always naturally present in way to some extent
and as usually,it’s an excess that is
deleterious.Fine particular from soil run off
remains suspended in water.
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3.Oil and Grease

⊗ Oil spills are a major problem in near-coastal
water and Can kill or adversely affect fish.
Other acquatic organisms living in coastal
sands and rocks.and may kill the worms and
insects that sense as food to birds and other
animals.
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Control measures
• Setting up efficient treatment plans to treat
waste,
• Recycling of water must be encouraged
• Industrial roasted must be treated before
discharge
• Developing economical method of water
treatment
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Effects
⊗ FOR HUMAN BEING : ON PLANTS AND
• Amoebic dysentery ANIMALS :
• Skin Cancer • Lower crop yields
• Cholera • Harmful to aquatic and wild
• Typhoid fever life
• Damage of nervous system • Reduce photosynthesis
• Genetic mutuation/birth • Disrupts food chain and food
defects web
• Hepatitis
• Malaria
Soil Pollution
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Meaning
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. In the case
of contaminants which occur naturally in soil,
even when their levels are not high enough to
pose a risk, soil pollution is still said to occur if
the levels of the contaminants in soil exceed the
levels that should naturally be present.
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Causes
• Industrial Activity
• Agricultural Activities
• Waste Disposal
• Accidental Oil Spills
• Acid Rain
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Effects
• Climate change
• Deforestation causes a change in the rain cycle and this is
a contributing factor to global warming and loss of
ecosystems.
• Loss of soil fertility
• With the rapid growth of human population, we need all
the food we can get. Chemicals used on soils reduce soil
fertility so food production drops.
• Impact on human health
• Countless deaths have been caused by human beings
ingesting foods that are grown in toxic soils.
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Control measures
 Reforestation
 Controlled farming practices
 Bioremediation
 Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse
 Use biodegradable products
 Reduce the use of pesticides and fertilisers
Marine Pollution
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Meaning
The continued degradation of the human
environment has become a major
contemporary problem in all parts of the
world. The major components of environment
are: air, water and soil. Sea water which covers
about two third of the planet, plays a vital role
in maintaining the fundamental biological and
ecological balance.
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Causes
• The marine environment becomes polluted
through various sources and forms.
• Major sources of marine pollution are the
inflow of chemicals, solid waste, oil spills, and
many such factors.
• The majority portion of the marine pollution
comes from the land that contributes to 80
percent of the marine pollution.
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Effects
 The Contamination of water by excessive
nutrients is known as nutrient pollution, a type
of water pollution that affects the life under
water.
 In the ocean food chains, such toxins get
concentrated upward.
 This makes estuaries anoxic as many particles
combine chemically depletive of oxygen.
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Steps to Prevent Marine Pollution

• Stop using plastic and littering garbage as
they not only choke up the drains but also
releases into the oceans.
• For farmers, they need to switch from
chemical fertilizers and pesticides and move
towards the usage of organic farming
methods.
• Use public transport and reduce the carbon
footprint by taking small and substantial
measures.
Noise Pollution
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Meaning
Noise pollution is caused by the noise when the
level of noise gets increased than the normal
level in the environment. Excessive amount of
noise in the environment is unsafe for the
living purpose. Unpleasant sound causes
various disturbances in the natural balance.
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Causes
• Industrialization is putting our health and life at risk
because all the (big or small) industries are using big
machines producing high pitch sound in large amount.
• Regular social events like marriages, parties, pub,
club, disc or place of worship, temples, etc create
nuisance in the residential area.
• Increasing transportation in the cities (vehicles,
aeroplanes, underground trains, etc) produces heavy
noise.
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Effects
• Noise pollution causes various hearing problems
(damage to ear drums and loss of hearing) because of
the unwanted sound.
• It affects the psychological health and causes the
occurrence of aggressive behavior, sleep disturbance,
stress, weakness, fatigue, hypertension, cardio-
vascular diseases including other severe and chronic
health issues in later life.
• It creates communication problems and lead to
misunderstanding.
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Preventive Measures
General awareness should be increased among
people and all the rules should be followed
seriously by everyone in order to control the
unsafe sound level in the environment.
Unnecessary use of things generating high
pitch sound should be reduced in the home or
outside the home like clubs, parties, bars,
discos, etc.
THERMAL POLLUTION
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Meaning
Thermal pollution is the degradation of water
quality by any process that changes ambient
water temperature. A common cause of
thermal pollution is the use of water as a
coolant by power plant and industrial
manufacturer.
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Causes of Thermal Pollution

• Water as cooling agent in power,
manufacturing and industrial plants.
• Soil erosion
• Deforestation
• Loss of biodiversity
• Runoff paved surface
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EFFECTS
• Decrease in do( dissolved oxygen) level
• Increase in toxins
• Loss of biodiversity
• Ecological impact
• Affects reproductive system
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CONTROL MEASURES
• Cooling towers and artificial lakes • Save
Electricity
• Use of alternative cooling agent- other than
water
• Release heated water in less vulnerable regions
• Circular ploughing to prevent erosion
• Reuse of heated water
• Tree planting along the shorelines
• Cogeneration Use of alternative sources of
energy
NUCLEAR POLLUTION
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Meaning
Nuclear waste pollution is pollution created by
mishandling and inappropriate storage of
spent nuclear fuel rods, and pieces of
protective clothing and tools that have become
contaminated, and by insecure transportation
of highly radioactive material over long
distances to a processing plant.
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Causes
• Operations conducted by nuclear power stations produce radioactive
waste. Nuclear waste may generate low to medium radiation over
long period of times. The radioactivity may contaminate and
propagate through air, water, and soil as well. The main issue is the
fact that nuclear waste cannot be degraded or treated chemically or
biologically. Nuclear-fuel reprocessing plants in northern Europe are
the biggest sources of man-made nuclear waste in the surrounding
ocean. Radioactive traces from these plants have been found as far
away as Greenland. 
• Mining and refining of uranium and thorium. Mining of radioactive
ores (such as uranium and phosphate ores) involve the crushing and
processing of radioactive ores and generate radioactive by-products. 
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Effects
⊗ It causes changes in blood ,causes nausea, vomiting,
headache and loss of leucocytes and also causes internal
harm including damage to nerve cells. The immediate
effects occur within few days such as hair loss,
subcutaneous bleeding, change in metabolism and
proportion of cells. The delayed effects occur in few
months or years which included genetic mutations and
tumors formation. The free radicals slowly and steadily
destroy proteins, membranes, and nucleic acids in human
body. The most sensitive regions exposed to radiation are
actively dividing cells such as skin, gonads, intestine, and
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Control measures
Vitrification is a proven technique in the disposal
and long-term storage of nuclear waste or other
hazardous wastes. Waste is mixed with glass-
forming chemicals in a melter to form molten glass
that then solidifies in canisters, immobilizing the
waste. The final waste form resembles obsidian and
is a non-leaching, durable material that effectively
traps the waste inside. The waste can be stored for
relatively long periods in this form without concern
for air or groundwater contamination. 
Solid Waste Management
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Meaning
Solid waste management is a term that is used
to
refers to the process of collecting and treating
solid
wastes. It also offers solutions for recycling
items. Solid waste is generated from
industrial, residential and commercial
activities.
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Causes
⊗ Pollution naturally increases with the growing
number of persons, produce more waste.
⊗ Packing of most of the gifts is considered as
the source of solid waste pollution as most of
these are non-biodegradable.
⊗ Due to poor implementation of environment
protection laws, urbanization, lack of
awareness and lack of participation from the
public, the problem of solid waste has
increased at the highest level.
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Effects
In an industrial society that produces millions
of tons of waste every year, disposal becomes a
major issue. Recycling, landfills and
incineration all play in the solution. The
effects of toxins in garbage, and the sheer
physical mass of its presence, cause concern
for municipalities and waste disposal agencies
in many places.
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Control Measures
• Collection of solid wastes
• Disposal of solid wastes
• Waste Utilisation
Environment Protection
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Introduction
⊗ Environment protection has been burning
issue in last half century. In order to tackle the
menace of pollution, urgent steps have to be
taken at not only global or country level, but
also at local level. In fact, the role of
individuals in prevention of pollution is of
critical importance, because it is the
individuals that make a community or
country. Effort by each individual at his or her
level can have a significant effect on global
level. It has been aptly said “charity begins at
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Ways in Which a Individual can Help in

Prevention of Pollution
• Individuals should minimize wastage of
resources such as electricity.
• Individual should prefer walking or use cycles
instead of using motor vehicles, especially
when distances to be travelled are small.
• Individuals can make considerable
contribution by using mass transport (buses,
trains, etc) instead of using personal vehicles
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• Take part in environment conservation drives such as

tree planting drives.
• Spread awareness and inspire other people to prevent
pollution. Individuals should be encouraged to acquire
information and innovations from world over and
implement them locally.
• Dispose potentially harmful products such as cells,
batteries, pesticide containers, etc properly.
• Use of refrigerators should be minimised wherever
possible as they are main source of CFC, which is
responsible for Ozone layer depletion
• Use water resources efficiently.
Disaster Management
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Meaning
⊗ Disaster Management refers to how we can
protect or preserve maximum number of lives
and property during a natural disaster. Disaster
management plans are multi-layered and are
aimed to address such issues as floods,
hurricanes, fires, and even mass failure of
utilities or the rapid spread of disease. India has
been traditionally vulnerable to the natural
disasters on the account of its unique geo-climatic
conditions. Floods, droughts, cyclones,
earthquakes and landslides would have been a
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Disaster prevention
These are activities designed to provide permanent
protection from disasters. Not all disasters,
particularly natural disasters, can be prevented,
but the risk of loss of life and injury can be
mitigated with good evacuation plans,
environmental planning and design standards. In
January 2005, 168 Governments adopted a 10-
year global plan for natural disaster risk
reduction called the Hyogo Framework. It offers
guiding principles, priorities for action, and
practical means for achieving disaster resilience
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Disaster preparedness
⊗ These activities are designed to minimise loss of
life and damage – for example by removing
people and property from a threatened location
and by facilitating timely and effective rescue,
relief and rehabilitation. Preparedness is the
main way of reducing the impact of disasters.
Community-based preparedness and
management should be a high priority in
physical therapy practice management.
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Disaster relief

⊗ This is a coordinated multi-agency response

to reduce the impact of a disaster and its
long-term results. Relief activities include
rescue, relocation, providing food and water,
preventing disease and disability, repairing
vital services such as telecommunications and
transport, providing temporary shelter and
emergency health care.
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Disaster recovery
⊗ Once emergency needs have been met and the
initial crisis is over, the people affected and the
communities that support them are still
vulnerable. Recovery activities include
rebuilding infrastructure, health care and
rehabilitation. These should blend with
development activities, such as building human
resources for health and developing policies and
practices to avoid similar situations in future.
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Team mates ….
 Elakkia
 Ishwarya.P
 Karthika Lakshmi
 Lakshana
 Monica
 Prarthana
 Reshma
 Sahana
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