Classification of Pollution:

Pollution can be classified according to the environment (air, water, and soil) in
which it occurs or according to the type of pollutant (lead, mercury, carbon dioxide, solid
waste, noise, biocide, heat, etc.) by which pollution is caused.

Sometimes, pollution is made to classify into two broad categories:

1. Natural Pollution:
It originates from the natural process.
2. Artificial Pollution:
It originates artificially by the interaction in between humanity and environment.

Different types of pollutions are as follows:

1. Air pollution
2. Water pollution
3. Terrestrial pollution
4. Noise pollution
5. Radiation pollution
6. Thermal pollution
7. Industrial pollution

CAUSING POLLUTION:

(a) Pollution caused by Solid wastes:

The solid wastes includes the pollutants like garbage, rubbish, ashes, large wastes
formed due to demolition and construction processes, dead animals wastes, agricultural
wastes etc. Prom the above examples, it is clear that the solid wastes may be domestic and
industrial in nature.

(b) Pollution caused by liquid wastes:

Oxygen cycle is nicely operated in aquatic system maintaining ecological balance.
That is, the dissolved oxygen is used by aquatic living organisms for their respiration and in
return, these liberate carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide molecules are again used by green
plants and algae in the process of photosynthesis.

(c) Pollution caused by Gaseous Wastes:

The gaseous wastes include Carbon monoxide (CO), Sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen
dioxide (NO2), Ozone (O3) and smog gases (composed of a complex mixture of
photochemical oxidation products of hydrocarbons). These gases are more abundant in the
atmosphere of industrial cities.

(d) Pollution from Waste without weight:

This type of pollution is also known as pollution by energy waste; Wastes without
weight may be of the following types:

(i) Radio-active Substance:
Despite of all possible precautions in the functioning and maintenance of nuclear
reactors, it is seen that minute quantity of radio-active waste escapes out into the
environment. From the mining operation of the uranium to the use and final disposal of
wastes from the reactor, radio-active materials continuously escape out into the
environment. Besides, a lot of radio-active wastes enter into environment during the nuclear
tests.
(ii) Heat:
A large quantity of waste heat energy is dissipated into environment by the way of hot
liquid streams or hot gases released by industries and automobiles.

(iii) Fioise:
The unwanted sound is known as noise. This sources of noise for the general public
are the machines in the industry, traffic noise, indiscriminate use of transistor, radios, public
address systems, etc.

GENERAL EFFECTS OF POLLUTION:

Each and every component of environment is influenced by pollution in a number of
ways.

The impact of pollution on some biotic and abiotic components may be discussed as below:

(i) Effect on Plants:

Photo-chemical smog’s, Sulphur-dioxide (obtained from copper and lead smelter) and
hydrogen fluoride (obtained from fertilizer manufacturing and aluminum reduction) cause
injury to the plants and thereby reduce their growth and vegetation.

(ii) Effect on Animals:

Air pollutants cause eye and respiratory irritation in animals as well as in human
beings. Water pollutants can endanger aquatic life killing millions of fishes and other animals
every year. Sewage, toxic chemicals and diseased animals can make water unfit for use by
farm animals.

(iii) Effect on Human Beings:

Human beings are probably the most concerned about the direct and indirect effects
of pollution. Sufficiently high levels of pollutants are toxic or even lethal to every human
being, although there is a wide range of sensitivities among the human population.

(iv) Effect on materials:

Pollutants can cause deterioration of materials and constructions. Air pollutants like
SO2 and H2S04 gas can corrode metals and building materials increasing the frequency of
repair and replacement. Water pollutants, like suspended particles or dissolved inorganic
compounds can also adversely affect pumps, industrial equipment’s and bridges. The
supersonic aircrafts capable of producing sonic booms with pressures of over 100 M/m2,
even its noise, can damage buildings and break windows.

(v) Synergism and Antagonism:

Multiple exposure of pollutants within or in between classes, may include synergistic
or antagonistic biological effects. In many cases, the combined effects of two or more
pollutants are more severe or even qualitatively different from the individual effects of sepa-
rate pollutants. Such a phenomenon is known as synergism.