ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Environmental pollution is a change in the environment that are not desired because it can affect
the activities, health and safety of living beings. The changes are caused by a contaminant called
pollutants. A substance can be considered as pollutants if foreign material or substance that
exceeds the normal amount, are in place and should not be at the most inopportune times.

Polluted environment, the state of the ecosystem out of balance due to the entry of pollutants into
the environment. While the natural environment has a balanced ecosystem. Just as an example,
the air in the village feels fresh because many overgrown with green trees. This suggests that the
village has not been polluted air. The city is densely populated, the air will feel warm and
breathing becomes uncomfortable. This shows the air is polluted. The following are the types of
environmental pollution:

1. AIR POLLUTION
Air pollution is the presence of one or more substances physics, chemistry, or biology in
atmospheric quantities that could endanger human health, animals, and plants, interfere with the
aesthetics and comfort, or property damage. Air pollution can be caused by natural sources and
human activities. The nature of air pollution impacts may be direct and local, regional, and
global levels.

a) Causes of Air Pollution

Many factors can cause air pollution such as pollution caused by natural sources and human
activity or a combination of both. Air pollution can cause air pollution impact is direct and local,
regional, and global or indirectly in a long time.

Air pollutants pollutants can be divided into primary and secondary pollutants. Primary
pollutants are substances directly arising from pollutant sources of air pollution. Carbon
monoxide is an example of primary air pollutants because it is the result of arson. Secondary
pollutant is a pollutant substance formed from the reaction of primary pollutants in the
atmosphere.
a. Human activities
- Transport
- Industry
- The power plant
- Burning (fireplaces, stoves, furnaces, incinerators with different types of fuels)
- Exhaust gas factory that produces harmful gases
- Secondhand smoke

b. Natural resources
- Volcanoes
- Swamps
- Wildfires
- Nitrification and denitrification biological

c. The types of pollutants

- Carbon monoxide
- Oxides of nitrogen
- Oxides of sulfur
- Hydrocarbons
- Ozone
- Volatile Organic Compounds
- Partikulatb

b) Impact of Air Pollution

1. Health impacts
Substances contained in air pollutants can enter the body through the respiratory system. Away
penetration of contaminants into the body depending on the type of pollutant. Large particulates
can be retained in the upper respiratory tract, whereas small-sized particulates and gases can
reach the lungs. Of the lungs, pollutants are absorbed by the circulatory system and spread
throughout the body. Health impact of the most common is the ARI (acute respiratory infection),
including, asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory disorders.

2. Acid rain
normal pH of rainwater is 5.6 due to the presence of CO2 in the atmosphere. Air pollutants such
as SO2 and NO2 reacts with water to form acid rain and lower the pH of rain water. The impact
of acid rain, among others:
a) Influence of surface water quality
b) Destructive plant
c) Dissolve the heavy metals present in the soil thus affecting the quality of ground water and
surface water
d) As a damaging corrosive materials and building

3. The greenhouse effect

The greenhouse effect is caused by the presence of CO2, CFCs, methane, ozone, and N2O in the
troposphere which absorbs solar radiation reflected by the Earth's surface. As a result, the heat
trapped in the troposphere and cause global warming phenomenon.

4. Global Warming
The impact of global warming are:
- Melting ice in the polar
- Regional and global climate change
- Changes in the life cycle of flora and fauna

5. Damage to the ozone layer

The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere (20-35 km altitude) is a natural protective filter
function earth ultraviolet B radiation from the sun. The formation and decomposition of ozone
molecules (O3) occurs naturally in the stratosphere. Emissions of CFCs reach the stratosphere is
very stable and causes the rate of decomposition of ozone molecules faster than its formation,
thus forming the holes in the ozone layer. Damage to the ozone layer causing UV-B sun rays are
not filtered and can cause skin cancer and disease in plants.
c) Efforts To Do
Prevention of air pollution can not be done without tackling the cause. Taking into account the
transport sector as a major contributor to air pollution, then this sector should be central.
- Calling on the government to improve the transportation system that exists today, with a
transport system that is more environmentally friendly and affordable to the public. The main
priority should be given to the mass transit system and not based on personal vehicles.
- Also called on the government to fulfill its commitment to enforce the use of unleaded
gasoline.
- In the industrial sector, law enforcement should be carried out for industrial polluters.

Solutions to address the city's air pollution is mainly aimed at the improvement of the transport
sector, without ignoring other sectors. This case we need to learn from other major cities in the
world, which has managed to reduce urban air pollution and morbidity and mortality caused by
it.
1. Granting permission for a small public transport should be limited, while the mass
transportation vehicles, such as buses and trains, reproduced.

2. Vehicle age restrictions, particularly for public transport, need to be considered as one
solution. Therefore, the older the vehicle, especially the less well maintained, the greater the
potential to contribute to air pollutants.

3. Greatest potential for pollution by motor vehicle is a traffic jam and climbs. Therefore, traffic
control, signs, and crack down on violations of driving can help address traffic congestion and
reduce air pollution.

4. Emissions test must be conducted regularly on public transport or private although test quotes
(spot check). Should be considered and taken into account the additional authority for the traffic
police to conduct emissions testing in addition to check the papers and the completeness of the
other vehicle.

5. Planting trees in broadleaf roadsides, especially the heaviest traffic and at the corners of the
city, also reducing air pollution.

2. AIR POLLUTION
Water pollution is a change of state in a water reservoirs such as lakes, rivers, oceans and
groundwater caused by human activities. Lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater is an important
part in the human life cycle and is one part of the hydrologic cycle. In addition to also drain the
drain water sediment and pollutants. Various kinds of functions very helpful human life.
Utilization of the largest lakes, rivers, oceans and ground water is for agricultural irrigation,
drinking water raw materials, as the drainage of rainwater and wastewater, even real potential as
a tourist attraction.

The issue of water pollution

Millions of people depend on the polluted Ganges river. Water pollution is a major global
problem that requires evaluation and revision of water resource policy at all levels (from the
international level to private water sources and wells). It has been said that pousi water is the
world's leading cause of death and disease, and recorded the deaths of more than 14,000 people
every day. An estimated 700 million Indians have no access to a toilet, and 1,000 Indian children
die of diarrheal sickness every day. Approximately 90% of China's cities suffer from water
pollution to a certain extent, and nearly 500 million people lack access to safe drinking water.
Plus the addition of water pollution is an acute problem in developing countries, industrialized
countries / forward is still struggling with pollution problems as well. In the most recent national
report on water quality in the United States, 45% of rivers, 47% of lakes, and 32% of the bays
and estuaries are classified as polluted.

Usually referred to polluted water when disturbed by anthropogenic contaminants and when it
can not support human life, such as drinking water, and / or a marked shift in its ability to
support the constituent biotic communities, such as fish. Natural phenomena such as volcanoes,
algae blooms, storms, and earthquakes also cause major changes in water quality and ecological
status of water.

a) Causes of Water Pollution

Sources of water pollution such as industrial waste, agriculture and households. There are several
types of pollutants that can enter the water: materials containing germs, substances that require a
lot of oxygen to decoder, organic chemicals from industrial or agricultural fertilizer waste,
materials that do not sediment (sediment), and materials containing radioactive and heat. Water
pollution can also be caused by many things and have different characteristics, namely:
1. Increased nutrient content can lead to eutrophication.
2. Organic waste such as sewage causes an increase in oxygen demand on the receiving water
leading to reduced oxygen that can have a serious impact on the entire ecosystem.
3. Industry to dispose of a variety of pollutants in waste water such as heavy metals, organic
toxins, oils, nutrients and solids. The waste water has thermal effects, especially those issued by
power plants, which can also reduce oxygen in the water.
4. Such as plant waste that flows into rivers like the Citarum River
5. water pollution by garbage

b) Impact of Air Pollution

Germs of various substances that are toxic and radioactive materials can harm humans. Various
pollutants requires O2 to decoder. If O2 is less, imperfect decoder and cause water to change
color and foul smelling. Material or hazardous metals such as arsenic, uradium, chromium, lead,
mercury, Benzon, tetrachloride, carbon and others. Tesebut materials can damage human organs
or may cause cancer.

A large number of waste streams will go overboard. These pollutants can damage aquatic life
around the mouth of the river and some small marine estuary. Hazardous materials that enter the
sea or ocean have long-term consequences are not known. Many types of shellfish that may
contain substances that are dangerous to eat.

Sea can also tecemar by the original oil as possible from residential, factory, through the river or
from the damaged tanker. Oil can be deadly, birds and other marine animals, for example, the
effects of poisoning to be seen in Japan. Mercury dumped a plastic industry Minamata
accumulate in body tissues and the people who consume fish suffer disability and death.
Consequences caused by water pollution:
1. Disruption of aquatic organisms due to the reduced oxygen content.
2. An explosion of algae and aquatic plants (eurotrofikasi)
3. Shallowing bottom waters.
4. Blockage of the filter reservoir, and causing ecological changes.
5. In the long run are cancer and birth defects.
6. Due to the excessive use of pesticides appropriate than killing pests and diseases, it also kills
useful insects and creatures, especially predators.
7. Death of an ancient biota, such as plankton, fish, and even birds.
8. Cell mutation, cancer, and leukeumia.

c) Efforts To Do
Dilution and groundwater pollutant decomposition difficult because the water does not flow and
does not contain the aerobic bacterial decomposition so, contaminated groundwater would
remain contaminated in a very long time, even though there is no material contamination
coming. Because of this a lot of effort to keep the ground clean for example:
1. Placing industrial areas or plants away from residential areas or residential.
2. Disposal of industrial waste that is not regulated environment or ecosystem.
3. Oversight of the use of the types of pesticides and other chemicals that can cause pollution.
4. Expanding green movement.
5. Action against environmental pollution behavior.
6. Provide awareness of the meaning of environmental t so much more loving human
environment.
7. Agricultural intensification.

Many people say " better than on addressing", this also applies to flood inundation. Below are
some steps you can take to prevent flood inundation:
1. In planning the neighborhood streets both government and non-government programs should
choose the material that absorbs water, for example, the use of block paving materials (concrete
blocks prepared with water absorbing cavities interrupted-he interrupted. Thing is no less
important is the arrangement of channel / drainage environment must coincide with the road
construction.

2. If in our yard yard there are still open spaces, make the wells rain water infiltration as much as
possible. Function of the water catchment wells to accelerate the water seep into the ground. By
making the rainwater catchment wells, in fact we can obtain the following benefits:
a. Water supply in the soil around our house pretty well and a lot.
b. Former quarry land wells can be used to hoard land or raising the lower floor of the house.
c. If the rain water can not be accommodated in a house gutters / gutter-gutter house, water can
be streamed -infiltration wells. Do not throw trash or removing household waste water (used
water from showers, laundry, etc.) into the rainwater catchment wells because it can pollute the
soil water content. Specifically for domestic wastewater discharges, make its own catchment
wells
d. If the incoming flood waters reached a height of 20-50 cm home the only way is to elevate us
above the threshold of the house floor surface water flooding
e. Another way is to create a dike at the entrance of our house. This is a common way people are
often less technically only planned in detail.

3. LAND POLLUTION
Soil is an important part in supporting life on earth. As we know the food chain begins with
plants. Human, animal, plant life. Indeed, there are plants and animals that live in the sea, but
most of our food comes from the ground. Therefore, it is our obligation to preserve the land so
that it remains able to support life on earth. However, as well as air and water pollution, soil
contamination was a result of human activity as well.

Soil contamination is a state in which man-made chemicals enter and modify the natural soil
environment. This contamination usually occurs because: leakage of liquid waste or industrial
chemicals or commercial facilities; pesticide use; influx of contaminated ground water into the
sub-surface layer; accidents of vehicles carrying oil, chemicals, or waste, water waste from
landfills and industrial wastes are directly discharged into the ground are not eligible (illegal
dumping).
Contaminated soil
a famous Indonesian land. Up in the history of Indonesia ever. Fertility that has invited the
foreign invaders to exploit. Another phenomenon now. Most Indonesian soil contaminated by
pollution caused by public disorder. This makes the soil contamination is damaged and lost a,
contain high acidity. Foul smelling, dry, containing heavy metals, and so on. If it were so then
the ground will be difficult to be utilized.
From the above statement, it can be deduced that polluted soil characteristics are:
1. Infertile soil
2. pH below 6 (acidic soil) or pH above 8 (alkaline soils)
3. Stink
4. Dry
5. Contain heavy metals
6. Containing inorganic waste

Uncontaminated soil
Uncontaminated soil is that still meet the basic elements of the soil. It does not contain harmful
substances. Uncontaminated soil is fertile, do not stink, normal acidity. The main thing is do not
contain heavy metals. Uncontaminated soil great potential for the benefit of mankind tools. With
good agricultural land can bring in profits doubled.
From the above statement, it can be concluded that the characteristics of the soil is not
contaminated is:
1. The soil is fertile
2. Route minimal pH 6, maximum 8
3. Do not stink
4. Not dry, has a normal level of friability
5. Contains no heavy metals
6. Does not contain inorganic waste

a) Causes of Soil Pollution

Sources of soil pollution, soil pollution is not much different or can be said to have a close
relationship with air pollution and water pollution, the sources of air pollutants and sources of
water pollution in general are also a source of soil contaminants. For example, carbon oxide
gases, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides into the air pollutants that dissolve in rain water and fell to
the ground can cause acid rain causing pollution in the soil.

Surface soil containing pollutants such as contaminated radioactive substances, heavy metals in
industrial waste, household waste, hospital waste, the remnants of fertilizers and pesticides from
agricultural areas, waste detergent, eventually also can cause pollution in the area of land where
surface water ground or water surface area through which the contaminated soil. Then ground
source pollutants can be grouped also be a source of pollutants coming from, household waste,
market waste, hospital waste, erupting volcano / motor vehicle and industrial waste. In general,
soil contamination can be caused by domestic waste, industrial waste, and agricultural waste.

1. Domestic waste
Domestic waste can come from areas: residential; perdagang-an/pasar/tempat hotel businesses
and others; institutions such as government offices and private, and tourism, can be solid and
liquid wastes.

a. Solid waste in the form of inorganic compounds that can not be destroyed or broken down by
microorganisms such as plastics, fibers, ceramics, tins and used building materials, causing the
soil becomes less fertile. The pollutants will remain intact up to 300 years to come. Wrap plastic
waste to the environment that we will still be there and may be found by our children and
grandchildren after hundreds of years later. Ter-inorganic waste is not biodegradable, causing
soil layer can not be penetrated by plant roots and is impermeable to water so that the absorption
of water and minerals to nourish the soil is lost and the number of microorganisms in the will be
reduced consequently difficult plant to grow even die because they do not obtain food for
developed.

b. Liquid waste such as inks, detergents, oil, paint, if absorbed into the ground will damage the
soil water content can even kill micro-organisms in the soil.

2. Industrial waste
Industrial waste comes from the remnants of industrial production. Wastewater treatment is the
result of a production process, such as industrial processing scraps of metal plating and other
chemical industries. Copper, lead, silver, chromium, arsenic and boron are substances resulting
from industrial processes such as metal plating Hg, Zn, Pb, Cd can contaminate the soil. A
substance that is toxic to microorganisms. If soak into the ground will result in death for
microorganisms which have a very important function of the soil fertility.

3. Agricultural waste
Agricultural waste may be the remnants of synthetic fertilizers to enrich the soil or plants, such
as urea fertilizer and pesticides for pest eradication. Continuous use of fertilizers in agriculture
will damage the soil structure, which led to reduced soil fertility and can not be planted with
certain crops due to soil nutrient decreases. And the use of pesticides not only kill pests of plants
but also useful microorganisms in the soil. Though soil fertility depends on the number of
organisms in it. In addition the use of pesticides will result in continuous crop pests resistant to
pesticides.

b) Impact of Soil Pollution

1. Impact On Health
The impact of pollution on health ground dependent, pathway into the body and the vulnerability
of the affected population. Chromium, a wide range of pesticides and herbicides are carcinogenic
materials for all populations. Lead is particularly dangerous in children, because it can cause
brain damage, and kidney damage. Chronic exposure (continuous) to benzene at a certain
concentration can increase the chances of developing leukemia.

Mercury (mercury) and siklodiena known to cause kidney damage, and may not be treated, PCB
and related siklodiena on liver toxicity, Organophosphate and causes the neuromuscular disorder.
There are several kinds of health effects such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, eye irritation and
skin rashes to exposure to chemicals mentioned above. What is clear, in large doses, can cause
soil contamination Death ..

2. Or Environmental Impact On Ecosystems

Impacts on agriculture, especially plant metabolic changes that could eventually lead to declining
crop yields. This can lead to further impacts on the conservation of plants where the plant is not
able to hold the layers of soil erosion. Some of these pollutants has a long half-life and in other
cases derivative chemicals are formed from the main soil pollutants.

Soil pollution can also have an impact on the ecosystem. Radical changes in soil chemical that
can arise from the presence of toxic chemicals / hazardous even at low doses though. These
changes can lead to changes in the metabolism of endemic microorganisms and arthropods that
live in the soil environment. As a result, it can even destroy some of the primary species food
chain, which can give a great result against predators or other levels of the food chain.

Impacts on agriculture, especially plant metabolic changes that could eventually lead to declining
crop yields. This can lead to further impacts on the conservation of plants where the plant is not
able to hold the layers of soil erosion. Some of these pollutants has a long half-life and in other
cases derivative chemicals are formed from the main soil pollutants.

c) Efforts To Do
Domestic waste so much waste reduction this is by separating organic waste or garbage can or
easily decomposed by soil, and inorganic waste or garbage that will break down the soil but it
takes a very long time to decompose by land. Organic waste are easily decomposed by soil, for
example be used as backfill, all we then cover with soil so that the soil surface there that we can
use again, and special composted manure and biogas can be made other, while inorganic waste
that can not be decomposed by microorganisms. The best way of handling the waste recycling
into items that may be used or can also be used as wall hangings. Industrial waste, ways to
overcome that is by treating the wastewater before discharge to the river or sea.

Agricultural waste that is by reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers and other chemicals such as
pesticides for pest control is replaced with the use of compost. As for the handling of land
clearing, namely:
1. Remediation
Remediation is an activity to clean up contaminated soil surface. There are two types of soil
remediation, ie in-situ (or on-site) and ex-situ (or off-site). Cleaning is a cleaning on-site at the
location. This cleaning is cheaper and easier, consisting of cleaning, venting (injection), and
bioremediation.

Cleaning off-site includes excavation of contaminated soil and then taken to a safe area. After it
in a safe area, the land was cleared of contaminants. The trick is, the land is kept in the tub /
watertight tank, then pumped into a tub of cleaning agents / the tank. Furthermore pollutants
pumped out of the basin which is then processed by the wastewater treatment facility. Off-site
cleaning is far more expensive and complicated.

2. Bioremediation
Bioremediation is the process of cleaning the soil contamination using microorganisms (fungi,
bacteria). Bioremediation aims to break down or degrade contaminants into less toxic materials
or non-toxic (carbon dioxide and water).

Precautions and countermeasures against pollution can be done in various ways according to the
kinds of contaminants that need to be tackled. Preventive measures and countermeasures against
pollution, among others, can be done as follows:
Preventive measures
In general, prevention is, in principle, is trying not to cause pollution, for example to prevent /
reduce the occurrence of pollutants, among others:
a) The organic waste that can rot / described by micro-organisms, among others, can be done by
measuring the waste in closed and open land, then can be processed as compost / fertilizer.

b) Waste organic compounds or inorganic compounds that can not be destroyed by micro-
organisms can be done by burning the rubbish that can burn such as plastics and fibers, both
individually and collected in a place far from home, so it does not pollute the air settlements .
Waste that can not be burned to ground / cut into small particles, and then buried.

c) Treatment of the industrial waste containing heavy metals that contaminate the soil, before
being discharged into the river or into exile in order to do the process of purification.
d) The use of fertilizers, pesticides are not used arbitrarily, but in accordance with the rules and
not to excess.

e) Try to get rid of and put detergent in the form of organic compounds that can be destroyed /
broken down by microorganisms.

REFERENCES
Bachri, Moch. 1995. Geologi Lingkungan. CV. Aksara, Malang. 112

Santiyono, 1994. Biologi I untuk Sekolah Menengah Umum, penerbit Erlangga

Soekarto. S. T. 1985. Penelitian Organoleptik Untuk Industri Pangan dan Hasil

Pertanian. Bhatara Karya Aksara, Jakarta.