Pollution:

1. The presence of a matter or energy in

the environment and produces
undesired environmental effects
through its nature, location or quantity.
2. The man-made or man induced
alteration of the chemical, physical,
biological or radiological integrity of
any of environment non-living (abiotic)
components (water, air or soil).
Clean or healthy
(air, water or soil):

• Being within the natural

limits or criteria & obliged
by international standards
& acts.
Pollutant (contaminant or
waste products):
• Any chemical, physical or
biological agent found in
any environment component
in unallowable limits.
 Air p.: → Outdoor atmosphere
or ambient air
• Chemicals: Dusts, fumes, mist,
smoke, vapor, gas, odors or any
combination,
• Physical agents: Heat, radiations
• Biological:
Effects:

• Harm or injury to the

living components (biotic)
of the ecosystem
Air pollution episode:
• A period of abnormally high
conc. of air pollutants
usually due to low winds or
temp. inversions that can
cause illness & death.
How pollution takes place??
• ↑ population densities
• ↑waste products
(municipal, agricultural,
industrial,…etc)
• ↓ resources
• Weak or absent recycling
E.g. of bacterial growth on a
cultivating medium:
• Initial low growth
(lag phase)→
• Exponential growth
(log phase)→
• Stationary phase→
• Death phase
Sources of pollution:
• Natural: Following earth quakes,
volcanoes, floods, forest fires,
radioactive decay, CO2
elimination by animals & animal
waste products.
• Artificial or interventional:
Municipal, agricultural, industrial,
transportation & energetic.
How could pollution affect
countries & populations??
• Underdeveloped countries: 70%
• ↓nutrients & resources &
depending on certain types of
food→ continuous biological
contamination of environment→↑
chronic & communicable dis. due
to ↑microbial growth &
↓immunity.
How could pollution affect
countries & populations??
• Developed countries: 30%
• ↑industrial & agricultural
consumption of resources→
chemical & physical pollution→
↑resp. dis. & malignancies due to
mutagenic changes in the viruses
& hypersensitivity.