Environmental pollution 

is not a new phenomenon, yet it remains the world’s greatest problem

facing humanity, and the leading environmental causes of morbidity and mortality. Man’s
activities through urbanization, industrialization, mining, and exploration are at the forefront of
global environmental pollution. Both developed and developing nations share this burden
together, though awareness and stricter laws in developed countries have contributed to a larger
extent in protecting their environment. Despite the global attention towards pollution, the impact
is still being felt due to its severe long-term consequences. This chapter examines the types of
pollution—air, water, and soil; the causes and effects of pollution; and proffers solutions in
combating pollution for sustainable environment and health.
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Exploring the Potential and Opportunities of Current Tools for

Removal of Hazardous Materials From Environments
Vimal Chandra Pandey, Vijai Singh, in Phytomanagement of Polluted Sites, 2019
Abstract
Environmental pollution is one of the most serious global challenges. Wild-type organisms have
a slower degradation rate of hazardous materials. Currently, advanced molecular biology tools
along with conventional approaches allow us to rapidly degrade or accumulate hazardous
materials from environments. This can help modify microorganisms to gain the ability to sense
and degrade hazardous chemicals from contaminated sites, in turn, allowing us to grow
vegetation and improve crop productivity. In this chapter, conventional and advanced molecular
biology tools for the removal and detoxification of contaminants from soil and water to improve
environmental conditions are highlighted.
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Societal Responsibility and Economic Viability

Dilip Kumar, Deepak Kumar, in Management of Coking Coal Resources, 2016
6.2.11.2.5 Ecological Issues
Environmental pollution represents an obstacle to the economical exploitation of coal deposits.
In industrialized countries, the rules for protection of the environment are stricter than in
developing countries. Thus, to get a license to open mines involves lengthy procedures which in
turn cause delay. Indian authorities have also started to put stringent conditions in place
regarding environmental pollution. Consequently, ecological problems can be totally prevented,
but such measures are costly.
Some environmental consequences of mining and processing coal deposits are deforestation,
land damage, water pollution and hydrological damage, air pollution, noise pollution, ground
vibration and rock dispersal, and visual impact. Such environmental impacts are increasing day
by day because the scale of individual mining operations is increasing as mining of lower grade
deposits increases. The current trend toward surface mining, and mine mechanization, is also
aggravating such problems.
The use of environmental standards as criteria for decision making in a developing country like
India has to be properly assessed. If the norms of developed countries are applied in India, costs
will be very high. Thus, the standards selected should be compatible with the country’s economic
situation.
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Particulate Matter and Its Size Fractionation

Prabhat K. Rai, in Biomagnetic Monitoring of Particulate Matter, 2016
1.1 Introduction
In the current Anthropocene, environmental pollution is a global problem that is inextricably
linked with rapid industrialization and urbanization. Pollution hampers the environment
sustainability and ecosystem services. In this chapter, we will briefly introduce environmental
pollution (now popularly called pollution science) before the introduction of the theme topic.
1.1.1 Pollution Science
Environmental pollution is the unfavorable alteration of our surroundings, wholly or largely as a
byproduct of man’s actions, through direct or indirect effects of the changes in the energy
pattern, radiation levels, and chemical and physical constitution and abundance of organisms.
Environmental pollution is a global problem and is common to both developed as well as
developing countries, which attracts the attention of human beings for its severe long-term
consequences. The decline in environmental quality as a consequence of pollution is evidenced
by loss of vegetation, biological diversity, excessive amounts of harmful chemicals in the
ambient atmosphere and in food grains, and growing risks of environmental accidents and threats
to life support systems. Pollution is viewed from different angles by different people but is
commonly agreed to be the outcome of urban-industrial and technological revolution and
rapacious and speedy exploitation of natural resources, increased rate of exchange of matter and
energy, and ever-increasing industrial wastes, urban effluents, and consumer goods. Holdgate
(1979) defined environmental pollution as the introduction by man, into the environment, of
substances or energy liable to cause interference with legitimate uses of environment. Singh
(1991) has defined pollution in a very simple manner, i.e., “Disequilibrium condition from
equilibrium condition in any system.” This definition may be applied to all types of pollution
ranging from physical to economic, political, social, and religious. Over the past couple of
decades, various sources of pollution were identified that altered the composition of water, air,
and soil of the environment. The substances that cause pollution are known as pollutants. A
pollutant can be any chemical (toxic metal, radionuclides, organophosphorus compounds, gases)
or geochemical substance (dust, sediment), biological organism or product, or physical substance
(heat, radiation, sound wave) that is released intentionally or inadvertently by man into the
environment with actual or potential adverse, harmful, unpleasant, or inconvenient effects. Such
undesirable effects may be direct (affecting man) or indirect, being mediated via resource
organisms or climate change. Depending on the nature of pollutants and also subsequent
pollution of environmental components, the pollution may be categorized as follows:
1.

Air Pollution
2.

Water Pollution
3.

Soil/Land Pollution
4.
 Noise Pollution
5.

Radioactive Pollution
6.

Thermal Pollution
Among these types of pollution, air pollution is the main type threatening the environment,
humans, plants, animals, and all living organisms.