Module 4 Pollutants: Impacts, Types, Scale of Impact of Global & Local pollutants Pollutant: Any substance present in the environment in harmful concentration, which adversely alters the environment by damaging the growth rate of a species and by interfering with the food chains, is toxic and affects the health, comfort and property ete. is cénsidered as a pollutant. Types of Pollutants: In terms of eco-system, the pollutants can be classified into two basic groups: (a) Non-degradable Pollutants: These are not broken down the natural processes like action of microbes. Most of these Mutants get accumulated in the environment and also get biologically magnified as these move along the food chains in an under composed state. These may also react with other compounds in the environment to produce toxins, ‘These can be further subdivided into two more classes: @ Waste: e.g. glass, plastic, phenolic, aluminum cans ete. (ii) Poisons: e.g. radio-active substances, pesticides, smog gases, heavy metals like mercury, lead and their salts, (b) Degradable pollutants or Bio-degradable Pollutants: Scanned with CamScanner‘The degradable pollutants can be further sub-divided into two categories: (@ Rapidly degradable or non-persistent pollutant: The degradation of these pollutants is very faster process, sewage and wastes of animals and decomposed by natural processes, into environment get exceeded oft For example, the decomposition of Plants is a faster process, The domestic sewage ean be rapidly However, the problems become complicated when the input the decomposition or dispersal capacity, (ii) Slowly degradable or persistent pollutant The degradation of these pollutants is a very slower process, Pollutant remains unchanged with time, For example, degradatio radio-active elements like Iodine 137, Strontium 90 or Plutoniu time, It seems as if the amount of n of synthetic compounds and im 239 takes a longer period of Depending upon their existence in nature pollutants are of two types, namely quantitative and qualitative pollutants. (@) Quantitative Pollutants: Tyrese are those substances normally occurring inthe environment, who acquire the status of a Pollutant when their concentration gets increased due to the unmindful activites of man. For example, carbon dioxide, if present in the atmosphere in concentration greater than normal due to automobiles and industries, causes measurable effects on humans, animals, plants or property, then it is classified as a quantitative pollutant, () Qualitative Pollutant: These are those substances which do not normally occur in nature but are added by man, for example, insecticides, Depending upon the form in which they persist after being released into the environment, the pollutants are categorized into two types, namely primary and secondary pollutants (@) Primary Pollutants: These are those which are emitted directly from the source and persist in the were added to the environment. Typical examples of pollutants included ash, smoke, fumes, dust, nitric oxide, sulphur dioxide, hydrocarbons etc. form in which they under this category are (b) Secondary Pollutants: Scanned with CamScannerThese are those which are formed from the primary pollutants by chemical interaction with some constituent present in the atmosphere. Exampl $ oxide, nit oxi lijdes' ketone’, czons eto. pl iples are: Sulphur trioxide, nitrogen dioxide, alde- Nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons are two pri i ir 1 primary pollutants released from automobiles but in the presence of sunlight, they react to form peroxyacyl nitrate (PAN) and ozone, two secondary pollutants which are far more toxic than the primary pollutants from which they are derived. This Pharma of increased toxicity by chemical interaction among the pollutants is known as synergism, Agents Causing Pollution: Depending upon the nature of the pollutants and their interaction with environment Process, the pollution caused by different agents can be classified into the following categories: (a) Pollution caused by solid wastes. (©) Pollution caused by liquid wastes. (c) Pollution caused by gaseous wastes. (@ Pollution caused by wastes without weights. (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 retum, these liberate carbon dioxide, Carbon dioxide molecules are again used by green plants and algae in the process of photosynthesis. is again liberated to water which remains in dissolved state. (food for bacteria) enters the water course, then bacteria oxidise i i ion, if the process of re materials consuming oxygen from water. At such a condition, if = : cveenation is slower than the process of de-oxygenation, then the river will be devoid of life sustaining dissolved oxygen and aquatic living organisms will die. During photosynthesis, oxygen However, if some organic matter Scanned with CamScannerThe most important source of organic pollutants is sewage which contains faecal matter, urine, kitchen washing and oil washings. Sewage also contains a large number of pathogenic and harmless bacteria. The strength of organic waste material of sewage is measured in terms of bio- chemical oxygen demand (B.0.D), The value is expressed in terms of mg. of oxygen per litre of waste for 5 days at 20C. If the volume of B.O.D. is below 1500 mg per litre, the sewage is termed as weak waste, if it is 4000 mg per litre it is medium and above this value it is termed as strong Waste. However, if liquid industrial wastes containing acids, alkalis and poisonous substances enter the river, the aquatic life is affected and self-purification system of water is impaired. Pesticides and herbicides which enter water may Kill some organisms or accumulate in fishes which, when consumed by man, pass on the chemicals giving rise to cumulative poisoning. (©) Pollution caused by Gaseous Wastes: ‘The gaseous wastes include Carbon monoxide (CO), Sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO,), Ozone (Os) 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. (@ 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: (@ Radio-active (ii) Heat (iii) Noise ( 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. (i) 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: Scanned with CamScanner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. Types of Air Pollutants: An air pollutant is known as a substance in the air that can cause harm to humans and the environment. Pollutants can be in the form of solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. In addition, they may be natural or man-made. Pollutants can be classified as either primary or secondary. Usually, primary pollutants are substances directly emitted from a process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption, the carbon monoxide gas from a motor vehicle exhaust or sulphur dioxide released from factories. Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary pollutants react or interact. An important example of a secondary pollutant is ground level ozone — one of the many secondary pollutants that make up photochemical smog. Major primary pollutants produced by human activity include: i, Sulphur oxides (SO,): SO> is produced by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Since coal and petroleum often contain sulphur compounds, their combustion generates sulphur dioxide. Further oxidation of ‘SOp, usually in the presence of a catalyst such as NO2, forms H2SOs, and thus acid rain. This is one of the causes for concem over the environmental impact of the use of these fuels as power sources. ii, Nitrogen oxides (NO,): Especially nitrogen dioxide are emitted from high temperature combustion. Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula N02. It is responsible for photochemical smog, acid rain etc. iii, Carbon monoxide: It is a colourless, odourless, non-irritating but very poisonous gas. It is a product by incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, coal or wood. Vehicular exhaust is a major source of carbon monoxide. iv. Carbon dioxide (CO2): A greenhouse gas emitted from combustion but is also a gas vital to living organisms. It is a natural gas in the atmosphere. v. Volatile organic compounds: Scanned with CamScannerVOCs are an important outdoor air pollutant, In this field they are often divided into the separate categories of methane (CH,) and non-methane (NMVOCs). Methane is an extremely efficient greenhouse gas which contributes to enhanced global warming. Other hydrocarbon VOCs are also significant greenhouse gases via their role in creating ozone and in prolonging the life of methane in the atmosphere, although the effect varies depending on Jocal air quality. Within the NMVOCs, the aromatic compounds benzene, toluene and xylene are suspected carcinogens and may lead to leukaemia through prolonged exposure. 1, 3-butadiene is another dangerous compound which is often associated with industrial uses. vi. Particulate matter: Particulates, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM) or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas. In contrast, aerosol refers to particles and the gas together. Sources of particulate matter can be manmade or natural. Some particulates occur naturally, originating from volcanoes, dust storms, forest and grassland fires, living vegetation, and sea spray. Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels in vehicles, power plants and various industrial processes also generate significant amounts of aerosols. ‘Averaged over the globe, anthropogenic aerosols—those made by human activities—urrently account for about 10 per cent of the total amount of aerosols in our atmosphere. Increased levels of fine particles in the air are linked to health hazards such as heart disease, altered lung function and lung cancer. vit. Persistent free radicals — connected to airborne fine particles could cause cardiopulmonary disease. viii. Toxic metals — such as lead, cadmium and copper. ix. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) — harmful to the ozone layer emitted from products currently banned from use. x. Ammonia (NH3) — emitted from agricultural processes. Ammonia is a compound with the formula NEG. It is normally encountered as a gas with a characteristic pungent odor. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to foodstuffs and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or indirectly, is also a building block for the synthesis of many pharmaceuticals. Although in wide use, ammonia is both caustic and hazardous. xi, Odours — such as from garbage, sewage, and industrial processes xii, Radioactive pollutants — produced by nuclear explosions, war explosives, and natural processes such as the radioactive decay of radon. Scanned with CamScannerSecondary pollutants Include: i, Particulate matter formed from gaseous primary pollutants and compounds in photochemical smog, Smog is a kind of air pollution; the word “smog” Is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. Classic smog results from large amounts of coal burning in an aren caused by a mixture of smoke and sulphur dioxide, Modem smog docs not usually come from coal but from vehicular and industrial emissions that are acted on in the atmosphere by sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine with the primary emissions to form photochemical smog. ii, Ground level ozone (03) formed from NO, and VOCs. Ozone (03) is a key constituent of the troposphere (it is also an important constituent of certain regions of the stratosphere commonly known as the Ozone layer). Photochemical and chemical reactions involving it drive many of the chemical processes that occur in the atmosphere by day and by night. At abnormally high concentrations brought about by human activities (largely the combustion of fossil fuel), it is a pollutant, and a constituent of smog. iii, Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) — similarly formed from NO, and VOCs. Impacts/Effects of Air Pollutants: There are Various Harmful Effects of the air Pollutants: i. Carbon monoxide (source- Automobile exhaust, photochemical reactions in the atmosphere, biological oxidation by marine organisms, etc.)- Affects the respiratory activity as haemoglobin has more affinity for CO than for oxygen. Thus, CO combines with HB and thus reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood. This results in blurred vision, headache, unconsciousness and death due to asphyxiation (lack of oxygen). ii. Carbon di oxide (source- Carbon burning of fossil fuels, depletion of forests (that remove excess carbon dioxide and help in maintaining the oxygen-carbon dioxide ratio) — causes global warming. iii, Sulphur dioxide (source- Industries, bumning of fossil fuels, forest fires, electric generation plants, smelting plants, industnal boilers, petroleum refineries and volcanic eruptions): Respitatory problems, severe headache, reduced productivity of plants, yellowing and reduced storage time for paper, yellowing and damage to limestone and marble, damage to leather, increased rate of corrosion of iron, steel, zine and aluminium. jv. Hydrocarbons Poly-nuclear Aromatic Compounds(PAC) and Poly-nuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons(PAH) (source- Automobile exhaust and industries, leaking fuel tanks, leaching from toxic waste dumping sites and coal tar lining of some water supply pipes)- Carcinogenic (may cause leukaemia). vy, Chloro-fluoro carbons (CFCs) (source- Refrigerators, air conditioners, foam shaving cream, spray cans and cleaning solvents)- Destroy ozone layer which then permits harmful UV rays to enter the atmosphere. The ozone layer protects the earth from the ultraviolet rays sent down by Scanned with CamScannerthe sun. If the ozone layer is depleted by human action, the effects on the planet could be catastrophic. vi. Nitrogen Oxides (source- Automobile exhausts, burning of fossil fuels, forest fires, electric generation plants, smelting plants, industrial boilers, petroleum refineries and volcanic eruptions)- Forms photochemical smog, at higher concentrations causes leaf damage or affects the photosynthetic activities of plants and causes respiratory problems in mammals. vii, Particulate matter Lead halides (lead pollution) (source- Combustion of leaded gasoline products) ~ Toxic effect in man. viii, Asbestos particles (source- Mining activities) ~ Asbestosis - a cancerous disease of the lungs. ix. Silicon dioxide (source- Stone cutting, pottery, glass manufacturing and cement industries) — Silicosis, a cancerous disease. X. Mercury (source- combustion of fossil fuel & plants)-brain & kidney damage. Air pollutants affect plants by entering through stomata (Ieaf pores through which gases diffuse), destroy chlorophyll and affect photosynthesis. During the day time the stomata are wide open to facilitate photosynthesis, Air pollutants during day time affect plants by entering the leaf through these stomata more than night. Pollutants also erode waxy coating of the leaves called cuticle. Cuticle prevents excessive water loss and damage from diseases, pests, drought and frost. Damage to leaf structure causes necrosis (dead areas of leaf), chlorosis (loss or reduction of chlorophyll causing yellowing of leaf) or epinasty (downward curling of leaf), and abscission (dropping of leaves). Particulates deposited on leaves can form encrustations and plug the stomata and also reduce the availability of sunlight. The damage can result in death of the plant.S02 causes bleaching of leaves, chlorosis, injury and necrosis of leaves. NO2 results in increased abscission and suppressed growth. O3 causes flecks on leaf surface, premature aging, necrosis and bleaching. Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) causes silvering of lower surface of leaf, damage to young and more sensitive leaves and suppressed growth. Fluorides cause necrosis of leaf-tip while ethylene results in epinasty, leaf abscission and dropping of flowers. ‘ypes of Water Pollutants & Their Impacts: The various types of water pollutants can be classified in to following major categories: (1) Organic pollutants, (2) Pathogens, (3) Nutrients and agriculture runoff, (4) Suspended solids and sediments (organic and inorganic), (5) Inorganic pollutants (salts and metals), (6) Thermal Pollution, and (7) Radioactive pollutants, Scanned with CamScanner1, Organte pollutants Organic pollutants can be further divided into following categories: a) Oxygen Demanding wastes: The wastewaters such as, domestic and municipal sewage, wastewater from food processing industries, canning industries, slaughter houses, paper and pulp mills, tanneries, breweries, distilleries, etc. have considerable concentration of biodegradable organic compounds either in suspended, colloidal or dissolved form. These wastes undergo degradation and decomposition by bacterial activity. The dissolved oxygen available in the water body will be consumed for aerobic oxidation of organic matter present in the wastewater. Hence, depletion of the DO will be a serious problem adversely affecting aquatic life, if the DO falls below 4.0 mg/L. This decrease of DO is an index of pollution. b) Synthetic Organic Compounds Synthetic organic compounds are also likely to enter the ecosystem through various manmade activities such as production of these compounds, spillage during transportation, and their uses in different applications. These include synthetic pesticides, synthetic detergents, food additives, pharmaceuticals, insecticides, paints, synthetic fibers, plastics, solvents and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Most of these compounds are toxic and biorefractory organics i.e, they are resistant to microbial degradation, Even concentration of some of these in traces may make water unfit for different uses. The detergents can form foams and volatile substances may cause explosion in sewers. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are used in the industries since 1930s which are complex mixtures of chlorobiphenyls. Being a fat soluble they move readily through the environment and within the tissues or cells. Once introduced into environment, these compounds are exceedingly persistent and their stability to chemical reagents is also high. ©) Oi Oil is a natural product which results from the plant remains fossilized over millions of years, under marine conditions. It is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and degradable under bacterial action, the biodegradation rate is different for different oils, tars being one of the slowest. Oil enters in to water through oil spills, leak from oil pipes, and wastewater from production and refineries. Being lighter than water it spreads over the surface of water, separating the contact of water with air, hence resulting in reduction of DO. This pollutant is also responsible for endangering water birds and coastal plants due to coating of oils and adversely affecting the normal activities, It also results in reduction of light transmission through surface waters, thereby reducing the photosynthetic activity of the aquatic plants. Oil includes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), some of which are known to be carcinogenic. 2, Pathogens The pathogenic microorganisms enter in to water body through sewage discharge as a major Scanned with CamScannersource or through the wastewater from industries like slaughterhouses. Viruses and bacteria can cause water borne diseases, such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery, polio and infectious hepatitis in human. 3. Nutrients The agriculture run-off, wastewater from fertilizer industry and sewage contains substantial concentration of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous. These waters supply nutrients to the plants and may stimulate the growth of algae and other aquatic weeds in receiving waters. Thus, the value of the water body is degraded. In long run, water body reduces DO, leads to eutrophication and ends up as a dead pool of water. People swimming in eutrophic waters containing blue-green algae can have skin and eye irritation, gastroenteritis and vomiting. High nitrogen levels in the water supply, causes a potential risk, especially to infants under six months. This is when the methemoglobin results in a decrease in the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood (blue baby disease) as nitrate ions in the blood readily oxidize ferrous ions in the hemoglobin. In freshwater systems, eutrophication is a process whereby water bodies receive excess inorganic nutrients, especially N and P, which stimulate excessive growth of plants and algae. Eutrophication can happen naturally in the normal succession of some freshwater ecosystems. However, when the nutrient enrichment is due to the activities of humans, sometimes referred to as “cultural eutrophication”, the rate of this natural process is greatly intensified. Two major nutrients, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), occur in streams in various forms as ions or dissolved in solution. Aquatic plants convert dissolved inorganic forms of nitrogen (nitrate, nitrite, and ammonium) and phosphorus (orthophosphate) into organic or particulate forms for use in higher trophic production. The main effects caused by eutrophication can be summarized as follows: 1, Species diversity decreases and the dominant biota changes 2. Plant and animal biomass increase 3. Turbidity increases 4, Rate of sedimentation increases, shortening the lifespan of the lake, and 5. Anoxic conditions may develop. 4, Suspended solids and sediments ‘These comprise of silt, sand and minerals eroded from land, These appear in the water through the surface runoff during rainy season and through municipal sewers. This can lead to the siltation, reduces storage capacities of reservoirs, Presence of suspended solids can block the sunlight penetration in the water, which is required for the photosynthesis by bottom vegetation. Deposition of the solids in the quiescent stretches of the stream or ocean bottom can impair the normal aquatic life and affect the diversity of the aquatic ecosystem. If the deposited solids are organic in nature, they will undergo decomposition leading to development of anaerobic conditions, Finer suspended solids such as silt and coal dust may injure the gills of fishes and cause asphyxiation. Scanned with CamScanner5, Inorganic pollutants Apart from the organic matter discharged in the water body through sewage and industrial wastes, high concentration of heavy metals and other inorganic pollutants contaminate the water. These compounds are non-biodegradable and persist in the environment. These pollutants include mineral acids, inorganic salts, trace elements, metals, metals compounds, complexes of metals with organic compounds, cyanides, sulphates, etc. © The accumulation of heavy metals may have adverse effect on aquatic flora and fauna and may constitute a public health problem where contaminated organisms are used for food. Algal growth due to nitrogen and phosphorous compounds can be observed. © Metals in high concentration can be toxic to biota e.g. Hg, Cu, Cd, Pb, As, and Se. Copper greater than 0.1 mg/L is toxic to microbes. ° 6. Thermal pollution Considerable thermal pollution results due to discharge of hot water from thermal power plants, nuclear power plants, and industries where water is used as coolant. As a result of hot water discharge, the temperature of water body increases. Rise in temperature reduces the DO content of the water, affecting adversely the aquatic life. This alters the spectrum of organisms, which can adopt to live at that temperature and DO level. When organic matter is also present, the bacterial action increases due to rise in temperature; hence, resulting in rapid decrease of DO. The discharge of hot water leads to the thermal stratification in the water body, where hot water will remain on the top. 7. Radioactive pollutants Radioactive materials originate from the following: © Mining and processing of ores, © Use in research, agriculture, medical and industrial activities, such as 1131, P32, Co60, Ca45,$35, C14, ete. © Radioactive discharge from nuclear power plants and nuclear reactors, e.g., S190, Cesium Cs137, Plutonium Pu248, Uranium-238, Uranium-235, © Uses and testing of nuclear weapons. ‘These isotopes are toxic to the life forms; they accumulate in the bones, teeth and can cause serious disorders. The safe concentration for lifetime consumption is 1 x 10-7 microcuries per ml. The summary of various pollutants and their adverse effect on the environment is presented in Table 10.1. The major impacts have been described, however there are additional adverse effects of release of these pollutants in the environment. Scanned with CamScanner‘Sr. ] Pollutants No. Trapact 1. | Organic pollutants DOxygen Demanding Depletion of the DO will be a serious problem adversely wastes: affecting aquatic life, if the DO falls below 4.0 mg/L. iDSynthetic organic | Most of these compounds are toxic and biorefractory organics. It pollutants also make water unfit for different uses. iii) oil ‘This pollutant is also responsible for endangering water birds and coastal plants due to coating of oils and adversely affecting the ‘normal activities which cause reduction of light transmission and photosynthesis. 2. | Pathogens ‘Number of diseases transmitted by pathogens available in wastewater 3. | Nutrients ‘When these are disposed in aquatic environment, it can lead to growth of undesirable aquatic life. When it discharged on land it causes groundwater pollution. 4._| Thermal pollutants ‘When organic matter is also present, the bacterial action increases due to rise in temperature; hence, resulting in rapid decrease of DO. It also results in thermal stratification which alters spectrum of organisms. 5. | Radioactive ‘These isotopes are toxic to the life forms; they accumulate in pollutants the bones, teeth and can cause serious disorders 6. | Suspended solids and | Presence of suspended solids ean block the sunlight penetration sediments in the water, which is required for the photosynthesis by bottom vegetation. Finer suspended solids such as silt and coal dust may injure the gills of fishes and cause asphyxiation. 7, | Tnorganie pollutants These pollutants include mineral acids, inorganic salts, trace elements, metals, metals compounds, complexes of metals with organic compotnds, cyanides, sulphates, etc. They have adverse effect on aquatic flora and fauna and may constitute a public health problem. Types, Effects And Sources Of Soil Pollution Soil pollution mainly occurs due to the following: yaeyee Industrial wastes Urban wastes Agricultural practices Radioactive pollutants Biological agents Scanned with CamScannerIndustrial wastes — Disposal of Industrial wastes is the major problem for soil pollution Sources: Industrial pollutants are mainly discharged from various origins such as pulp and paper mills, chemical fertilizers, oil refineries, sugar factories, tanneries, textiles, stecl, distilleries, fertilizers, pesticides, coal and mineral mining industries, drugs, glass, cement, petroleum and engineering industries,ete, Effect: These pollutants affect and alter the chemical and biological properties of soil. As a result, hazardous chemicals can enter into human food chain from the soil or water, disturb the biochemical process and finally lead to serious effects on living organisms. Urban wastes — Urban wastes comprise of both commercial and domestic wastes consisting of dried sludge and sewage. All the urban solid wastes are commonly referred to as refuse. Constituents of urban refuse: This refuse consists of garbage and rubbish materials like plastics, glasses, metallic cans, fibres, paper, rubbers, street sweepings, fuel residues, leaves, containers, abandoned vehicles and other discarded manufactured products. Urban domestic wastes though disposed off separately from industrial wastes, can still be dangerous. This happens because they are not easily degraded. Agricultural practices — Modem agricultural practices pollute the soil to a large extent. With the advancing agro-technology, huge quantities of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and weedicides are added to increase the crop yield. Apart from these farm wastes, manure, slurry, debris, soil erosion containing mostly inorganic chemicals are reported to cause soil pollution Radioactive pollutants/ - Radioactive substances resulting from explosions of nuclear testing laboratories and industries giving rise to nuclear dust radioactive wastes, penetrate the soil and accumulate giving rise to land/soil pollution. Ex: 1. Radio nuclides of Radium, Thorium, Uranium, isotopes of Potassium (K-40) and Carbon (C-14) are commonly found in soil, rock, water and air. ‘ 2. Explosion of hydrogen weapons and cosmic radiations include neutron, proton reactions by which Nitrogen (N-15) produces C-14. This C-14 participates in Carbon metabolism of plants which is then into animals and human beings. ; 3, Radioactive waste contains several radio nuclides such as Strontium90, lodine-129\ Cesium-137 and isotopes of Iron which are most injurious. Strontium get deposited in bones and tissues instead of calcium. ; 4, Nuclear reactors produce waste containing Ruthenium-106, Iodine-131, Barium-140, Cesium-144 and Lanthanum-140 along with primary nuclides Sr-90 with a half life 28 years and Cs-137 with a half life 30 years. Rain water carries $1-90 and Cs-137 to be deposited on the soil where they are iteld firmly with the soil particles by electrostatic forces. All the radio nuclides deposited on the soil emit gamma radiations. 5. Biological agents — Soil gets a large amount of human, animal and bird excreta which constitute a major source of land pollution by biological agents. Ex: 1. Heavy application of manures and digested sludge can cause serious damage to plants within a few years Scanned with CamScannerControl measures of soil pollution: 1, Soil erosion can be controlled by a variety of forestry and farm practices. Ex: Planting trees on barren slopes Contour cultivation and strip cropping may be practiced instead of shifting cultivation Terracing and building diversion channels may be undertaken. Reducing deforestation and substituting chemical manures by animal wastes also helps arrest soil erosion in the long term, 2, Proper dumping of unwanted materials: Excess wastes by man and animals pose a disposal problem. Open dumping is the most commonly practiced technique. Nowadays, controlled tipping is followed for solid waste disposal. The surface so obtained is used for housing or sports field. 3. Production of natural fertilizers: Bio-pesticides should be used in place of toxic chemical pesticides. Organic fertilizers should be used in place of synthesized chemical fertilizers. Ex: Organic wastes in animal dung may be used to prepare compost manure instead of throwing them wastefully and polluting the soil. 4. Proper hygienic condition: People should be trained regarding sanitary habits. Ex: Lavatories should be equipped with quick and effective disposal methods. 5. Public awareness: Informal and formal public awareness programs should be imparted to educate people on health hazards by environmental education. Ex: Mass media, Educational institutions and voluntary agencies can achieve this. 6. Recycling and Reuse of wastes: To minimize soil pollution, the wastes such as paper, plastics, metals, glasses, organics, petroleum products and industrial effluents etc should be recycled and reused. Ex: Industrial wastes should be properly treated at source. Integrated waste treatment methods should be adopted. 7. Ban on Toxie chemicals: Ban should be imposed on chemicals and pesticides like DDT, BHC, ete which are fatal to plants and animals. ‘Nuclear explosions and improper disposal of radioactive wastes should be banned. Scanned with CamScanner‘Types of nois Environmental noise has been doubling every ten years. Noise is classified as: 1, Industrial Noise 2, Transport Noise and 3. Neighbourhood noise Industrial Noise: It is sound with a high intensity sound caused by industry machines. Sources of such noise pollution is caused by machines from machines in various factories, industries and miills. Noise from mechanical saws and pneumatic drills is unbearable and a nuisance to the public. The Indian Institute of Oto-Rino Laryngology, Chennai reported that increasing industrial pollution damages the ~—ihearing == ability by -—atleast’ «20%. Workers in steel industry, who work close to heavy industrial blowers are exposed to 1124B for eight hours suffer from ‘occupational pollution. Transport Noise: Transport noise mainly consists of traffic noise from road, rail and aircraft. The number of automobiles on roads like motors, scooters, cars, motor cycles, buses, trucks and diesel engine vehicles have increased enormously in the recent past further aggravating the problem of transport noise. Noise levels in most residential areas in metropolitan cities is hovering around the border line due to increased vehicular noise pollution. This high level of noise pollution leads to deafening in the elderly. Neighbourhood noise: This type of noise includes disturbance from household gadgets and community. Common sources being musical instruments, TV, VCR, Radios, Transistors, Telephones, and loudspeakers etc. Statistically, ever since the industrial revolution, noise in the environment has been doubling every ten years. Effects/Impacts of Noise pollution 1. Noise pollution affects both human and animal health. It leads to: 1. contraction of blood vessels 2. making skin pale 3. excessive adrenalin in the blood stream which is responsible for high blood pressure. ' 4, Blaring sounds are known to cause mental distress ; ‘5, Heart attacks, neurological problems, birth defects and abortion ction leading to nervous breakdown, tension, ete - Mey cree renaions ‘are coupled with a change in hormone content of blood, which in- funn inereases heart beat, constriction of blood vessels, digestive spams and dilation of meee of the eth, work efficiency and behaviour. Noise pollution may cause + aemage to the heart, brain, kidneys, liver and may produce emotional disturbance 5. eamass immediate and acute effect of noise is impairment of hearing that din some part of the auditory system. Prolonged exposure to noise of certain frequ pattern leads to chronic damage to the inner ear PY ishes yency Scanned with CamScanner§. Impulsive noise may cause psychological and pathological dsorders . Ultrasonic sound can affect the digestive, respiratory, cardiovascul semicircular canals of the intemal car, “en os 8. The brain is adversely affected by loud and sudden noise by jets and ai : airplanes. subjected to psychiatric illness. x I 9., Recent reports suggest that blood is thickened by excessive noise, |. The optical system of human beings is also affected by noi i i The etical ss ig cted by noise pollution. Severe noise 1, Pulmonary dilation 2. Impairment of night vision and 3, Decrease in rate of colour perception * Noise pollution may cause temporary or permanent hearing impairment. The most direct harmful effect of excessive noise falls on the ears. Many times, extreme noise ruptures the ear drums, + You cannot only be deaf but can also come in the grip of deadly illnesses like impotence and cancer, besides problems such as lack of memory, concentration, and interruption in speech, irritation, irritability, stress and depression. * The noise not only creates irritability, anger, but also accelerates the heart rate by increasing blood flow in the arteries. The constant noise increases the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which contracts blood vessels, increasing the likelihood of cardiovascular disease. Health experts believe that rising noise gives rise to neurological disease, nervous breakdown, hypertension, vision, dizziness, excessive sweating, exhaustion ‘As rapid noise hinders sleep, insomnia has adverse effects on human functioning. The person becomes irritable, angry, tired and tense, and he even becomes neurotic or crazy. Exposure to the noise of 180 decibels intensity may result in the death of man. Due to excessive noise, there is a decrease in the production of digestive juices. wrse effect on infants and women, sometimes due to loud «Noise pollution has a lot of advei st stops and the velocity of sound, women also undergo miscarriage or the foetus’s hea entire behaviour of the infant can change. Children imbibe forgetful tendencies. «The effect of noise is dangerous for animal life too. Due to continuous noise, their habitat decreases and the threatened creatures reach the brink of extinction. The most notable of the deadly effects of noise pollution is that some species of whale die due to noise. «Noise pollution has extremely harmful effects on other organisms and vegetation, Due to frequent noise, animals and birds leave their habitat and move away. Animals and birds migrate from the forest areas near the mining areas and high traffic roads. Due to acute sound waves, birds may even stop laying eggs. / Because of excessive noise, many violent creatures cannot find their prey, while other creatures cannot survive being hunted. le : «Many microbes are destroyed by acute sound, which inhibit decomposition of wastes. 2 There are adverse effects of pollution on pets such as turbulence, and decrease in their milk content, . : Similarly, due to noise pollution, the growth of the vegetation is hindered; the fruits and flowers of the trees get withered and decayed. 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