ENVIRONMENTAL

POLLUTION
 POLLUTION
▣ contamination of environment.
▣ pollution is defined as a change in the physical
, biological and chemical aspects of
environment which makes it harmful for
humans and other living organisms.
▣ pollutant- a pollutant is a substance which may
alter environmental constituents or cause a
pollution.
CLASSIFICATION OF POLLUTANT

▣ DEGRDABLE OR NON PERSISTENT

▣ SLOWLY DEGRADABLE OR PERSISTENT
▣ NON DEGRADABLE.
▣ Degradable or non persistent:
▣ These can be rapidly broken down by natural
processes .
▣ Eg domestic sewage and discarded vegetables.
▣ Slowly degradable or persistent pollutants:
▣ These are pollutants that remain in the
environment for many years in an unchanged
condition and take decades or longer to
degrade. Eg: pesticides - DDT. (DICHLORO
DIPHENYL TRICHLOROETHANE)
▣ NON DEGRADABLE
▣ these cannot be degraded by natural processes
▣ once they are released into the environment ,
they are difficult to eradicate and continue to
accumulate . eg: toxic elements like lead or
mercury and nuclear waste.
 TYPES OF POLLUTION
▣ AIR POLLUTION
▣ WATER POLLUTION
▣ SOIL POLLUTION
▣ NOISE POLLUTION
STRUCTURE OF ATMOSPHERE
▣ 79% nitrogen, 20% oxygen,1% mixture of cabon
dioxide and water vapour and trace amounts
of other gases.
▣ ATMOSPHERE IS DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL
LAYERS-
▣ TROPOSPHERE
▣ STRATOSPHERE
▣ MESOSPHERE
▣ THERMOSPHERE.
LAYERS OF ATMOSPHERE
 TROPOSPHERE
▣ innermost layer
▣ 17 km above sea level
▣ 75% of the mass of earths air.
▣ temperature declines with altitude
▣ at the top temperature rises abruptly
▣ this layer is tropopause
▣ tropopause- end of troposphere and begining
of stratosphere.
 STRATOSPHERE
▣ 17 to 48 km above the earths surface.
▣ similar to troposphere
▣ difference- volume of water is 1000 times less
and volume of ozone is 1000 times greater.
▣ presence of ozone- prevents 99% of uv
radiations.
▣ this layer does not have clouds- planes fly in
this layer.
▣ .temperature rises with altitude until revrsal
▣ this point is called stratopause
 MESOSPHERE
▣ temperature decreases with altitude.
▣ -110 degree Celsius at the top
▣ the troposphere is significant in determining
air pollution.
 POLLUTANTS
▣ primary pollutants- directly released from sources,
natural or man made eg: eruptions from dust storms
and volcanoes, vehicle emissions.
▣ five pollutants that contribute to global air pollution-
▣ 1.carbon oxides
▣ 2.nitrogen oxides
▣ sulphur oxides
▣ volatile organic compounds( hydrocarbons and
suspended particulate matter)
▣ secondary pollutants-when chemical reactions takes
place between primary pollutants they are called
secondary pollutants. eg: suphuric acid , nitric acid.
▣ CARBON MONOXIDE- organic materials like
natural gas , coal, wood, when incompletely
burnt produce CO,
▣ vehicle exhausts,
▣ it is not a persistent pollutant.
▣ Natural processes can convert carbon
monoxide to other compounds that are not
harmful.
▣ Therefore air can be cleared of its carbon
monoxide
▣ SULPHUR OXIDES when suphur containing
fossil fuels are burnt.
▣ NITROGEN OXIDES- vehicle exhaust contain
nitrogen oxides.
▣ They are involved in production of secondary
pollutants such as ozone ., which is harmful at
lower levels of atmosphere but not in
stratosphere.
 hydrocarbons
▣ Group of compounds consisting of carbon and
hydrocarbon atoms.
▣ They evaporate from fuel supplies or are
remains of fuel that is incompletely burnt.
▣ Hydrocarbons are washed out of the air when
it rains and run into surface water.
▣ They cause an oily film to be produced on the
surface and do not cause problems until they
react to form secondary pollutants.
 PARTICULATES.

▣ Small pieces of solid material (smoke particles

from fires , bits of asbestos dust particles and
ash from the industries dispersed into the
atmosphere.
▣ The effects of particulates range from soot to
carcinogenic (cancer causing) effects of
asbestos, dust particles ,and ash from
industrial plants that are dispersed into the
atmosphere.
▣ Particulates can accumulate in the lungsand
interfere with the ability to exchange gases.
▣ Lead is a major air pollutant that remains
unmonitored and is emitted by vehicles.
▣ High lead levels have been reported in ambient
air in metropolitan cities.
▣ High lead levels have been reported in
metropolitan cities.
▣ Leaded petrol is primary source of air borne
lead emissions in Indian cities.
▣ pollutants are also found indoors by
various chemicals produced by buildings.
 CAUSES OF AIR POLLUTION

▣ 1)NATURAL CAUSES- volcanic eruptions and

forest fires etc.
▣ 2)MAN MADE CAUSES-
▣ a) industrial exhaust
▣ B) automobile exhaust
▣ C) fireworks
 Effects of air pollution
▣ On living organisms
▣ Effects on plants
▣ Effects on materials
▣ Effects on stratosphere
 Ozone Depletion
▣ effect on human health
▣ food production
▣ phyto and zooplanktons
▣ effect on climate
CONTROL MEASURES
Water pollution
 WATER POLLUTION
▣ WATER IS THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENT THAT
MAKES LIFE ON EARTH POSSIBLE .
▣ WITHOUT WATER THERE WOULD BE NO LIFE.
▣ ALTHOUGH 71% OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE IS
COVERED BY WATER, ONLY A TINY
FRACTION OF THIS IS AVAILABLE AS
FRESHWATER.
▣ ABOUT 97% OF THE TOTAL WATER
AVAILABLE ON EARTH IS FOUND IN OCEANS
AND IS TOO SALTY FOR DRINKING OR
IRRIGATION.
▣ THE REMAINING 3% IS FRESH WATER.
▣ OF THIS 2.997% IS LOCKED IN ICE CAPS
AND GLACIERS.
▣ THUS ONLY 0.03% OF THE EARTH’S TOTAL
VOLUME OF WATER IS EASILY AVAILABLE
TO US AS SOIL MOISTURE, GROUND
WATER VAPOUR AND WATER IN LAKES,
STREAMS, RIVER, WETLANDS.
▣ DEFINITION: addition of excess of undesirable
substances to water that makes it harmful to
man , animal and aquatic life or otherwise
causes significant departure from the normal
activities of various living communities in or
around water
 Causes of water pollution
▣ Several classes of common water pollutants.
1. Disease causing agents ( pathogens)
2. Oxygen depleting waste .
3. Inorganic plant nutrients.
4. Water soluble inorganic chemicals .
5. Organic chemicals
6. Sediment of suspended matter .
7. Water soluble radioactive isotopes .
8. Hotwater released by power plants and
industries.
Causes of water pollution
 1.Disease causing agents(
pathogens)
▣ These include bacteria, viruses, protozoa and parasite
worms that enter water from domestic sewage and
untreated human and animal waste.
▣ Human waste contains coliform bacteria eg: E.coli and
S. faecalis ( eschrichia coli and streptococcus faecalis)
▣ Found in large intestine responsible for digestion and
vitamin K PRODUCTION .
▣ THESE BACTERIA ARE NOT HARMFUL IN LOW
NUMBERS.
▣ LARGE AMOUNT OF HUMAN WASTE IN WATER
INCREASES THE NO OF THESE BACTERIA WHICH
CAUSES GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASE.
2.OXGEN DEPLETING WASTE
▣ these are organic wastes that can be
decomposed by aerobic ( oxygen requiring)
bacteria.
▣ large population of bacteria use up the oxygen
present in the water in order to degrade
wastes.
▣ this degrades the water quality as it uses up the
oxygen available for other aquatic life such as
fish.
▣ BOD- ( BILOGICAL OXYGEN DEMAND)
▣ the amount of oxygen required to break down
a certain amount of organic matter is called
bod.
▣ the amount of bod in water is an indicator of
the level of pollution.
▣ if too much organic matter is added to water ,
all the available oxygen is used up.
▣ THE THOSE BACTERIA THAT DO NOT
REQUIRE OXYGEN BEGIN TO BREAK
DOWN THE WASTE.
▣ THIS PRODUCES CHEMICAL THAT HAVE
FOUL ODOUR AND UNPLEASANT TASTE.
3.INORGANIC PLANT NUTRIENTS
▣ these include water soluble – nitrates ,
phosphorous such as those found in fertilizers.
▣ EUTROPHICATION -run off carriers excess of
fertilisers to nearby water bodies , causing high
levels of plant nutrients ( eutrophication) which
promotes excessive growth of algae and other
aquatic plants.
▣ this may interfere with use of water by clogging up
water intake pipes , changing the taste and smell of
the water and causing a build up of organic matter.
▣ as the organic matter decays , the oxygen levels
decrease and fish and other aquatic species die.
 4.WATER SOLUBLE INORGANIC
CHEMICALS
▣ these are acids , salts and compounds of the
toxic metals such as mercury and lead.
▣ high levels of these chemicals can make water
unfit to drink and harm aquatic life and reduce
crop yield.
 5.SEDIMENT OF SUSPENDED
MATTER.
▣ these are insoulble particles of soil and other
solids that become suspended in water.
▣ this occurs when the soil is eroded from the
land .
▣ high levels of soil particles suspended inw ater
interfere with the penetrations of sunlight.
▣ this reduces photosynthesis activity of aquatic
plants and algae disrupting the ecological
balance.
6.WATER SOLUBLE RADIOACTIVE
ISOTOPES
▣ these are contained in radioactive wastes
▣ they can be concentrated in various tissues and
organs as they pass through food chains and
food web.
▣ the ionising radiation emitted can cause birth
defects, cancer , genetic damage.
 7.HOT WATER RELEASED BY
POWER PLANT AND INDUSTRIES.
▣ THESE HOT WATER RELEASED FROM
INDUSTRIES RESULT IN RISE IN
TEMPERATURE OF THE LOCAL WATER
BODIES.
▣ THIS DECREASES THE SOLUBILITY OF
OXYGEN AND BREEDING CYCLE OF
AQUATIC ORGANISMS.
 8.ORGANIC CHEMICALS
▣ these include , oil, gasoline, plastic, pesticides ,
cleaning solvents, detergents and many other
chemicals.
▣ harmful to aquatic life
▣ enter the water from industrial activity.
▣ EG: PESTICIDES ( ORGANIC CHEMICAL)
FROM AGRICULTURE.
▣ the application of pesticides can cause
BIOACCULMULATION and
BIOMAGNIFICATION of harmful substances
in the aquatic food chain
▣ Pesticides enter the water cycle as runoff from
agriculture areas .
▣ They are absorbed by phytoplankton and
aquatic plants.
▣ These plants are eaten by herbivorous fish,
which are inturn eaten by carnivourus fish,
which are eaten by water birds.
▣ BIOACCUMULATION:
▣ at each link in the food chain when these organic
chemicals which donot pass out of the body get
accumulated it is called bioaccumulation and
increasingly concentrated biomagnification.
▣ One of the effects of accumulation of high levels of
pesticied such as DDT is that the birds alay eggs
with shells that are much thinner than normal. This
results in premature breaking of eggs killing
immature chicks inside.
▣ Hawks , eagles , fish eating birds are affected
by pollution.
▣ DDT is banned in India for Agricultural use
and is to be used only for malaria eradication.
▣ Oil can enter surface water bodies in runoff
from roads and parking lots.
▣ The leakage from underground tanks can also
pollute ground water.
▣ Accidental oil spills caiuse significant damage
to marine ecosystem .
 Ground water pollution
▣ Causes:
▣ urban runoff of untreated or poorly treated
waste water and garbage .
▣ Industrial waste storage located above or near
aquifers.
▣ Agricultural practices such as the applications
of large amounts of fertilisers and pesticides.
▣ Leaks from underground storage tanks
containing hazardous substances
▣ Leachate from landfills
▣ Poorly designed and inadequately maintained
septic tanks
▣ Mining waste.
▣ ARSENIC POISONING- PG NUM 135 CASE
STUDY 3.
▣ several cases of arsenic poisoning from
contaminated groundwater have been reported
from west bengal in what is known as worst
case of ground water pollution.
STATE OF INDIAS RIVERS -PG 135

▣ GAP- ganga action plan

▣ YAP- yamuna action plan
▣ DAP- damodar action plan
▣ NRCP- the national river conservation plan
▣ NGRBA- national ganga river basin authority
CONTROL MEASURES OF WATER
POLLUTION
▣ Prevention
▣ Setting up effluent treatment plants
▣ Root zone process- this system involves
running contaminated water through root
zones of specially designed reed beds (
microorganisms inhabiting root system to clean
water)
▣ Reeds are wetland plants ,that have the
capacity to absorb oxygen from the
surrounding air through their stomatal
openings.
▣ Microorganisms oxidize impurities and finally
water is cleaned.
 SOIL POLLUTION
▣ Soil is a thin covering over the land consisting of
a mixture of minerals organic materials , living
,organic materials air and water that together
support the growth of plant life.
▣ Several factors like mechanical weathering of
rocks due to temperature change, climate and
time are important in development of soil.
▣ Soils are arranged in a series of zones called soil
horizons .
▣ Each horizon has a distinct texture and
composition that varies with the type of soil.
Soil profile
▣ A cross sectional view of the horizons in a soil
is called soil profile.
▣ O HORIZON – the top layer or surface litter
consists of freshly fallen and partially
decomposed leaves , twigs , animal waste fungi
and organic material.
▣ It is brown or black
▣ A HORIZON
▣ The uppermost layer of the soil , called the A
horizon , consists of partially decomposed
organic matter (humus) and inorganic particles .
▣ it is usually darker and looser than the deeper
layers.
▣ Roots are found in these two upper layers .
▣ Bacteria, fungi, earthworms and other small
insects help recycle soil nutrients.
▣ B HORIZON
▣ Contain less organic materials .
▣ Often called the subsoil, contains less organic
material fewer organisms than A HORIZON.
▣ C HORIZON
▣ The area below the subsoil is called c horizon,
▣ Contains less organic material fewer organisms
than A horizon .
▣ the parent material does not contain any organic
material
 Causes of soil pollution
1. 1. industrial wastes
2. Urban wastes
3. Radioactive pollutants
4. Agricultural practices
5. Chemical and metallic pollutants
6. Biological agents
7. Mining
8. Resistent objects
 1. Industrial wastes
▣ Disposal of industrial wastes in the major
problem for soil pollution.
▣ Discharge from pulp and paper mills , chemical
industries,oil refineries etc.
▣ The wastes contain heavy metals PCBs(poly
chlorinated biphenyls) and hazardous
materials.
Industrial waste
 2.Urban wastes
▣ Urban wastes comprises both commercial and
domestic wastes consisting of sewage.
▣ This contains garbage , rubbish materials like
plastics, glasses metal cans, paper , rubber,
Urban waste
 3.Radioactive pollutants
▣ Radioacyive substances resulting from
explosions of nuclear devices radioactive
wastes penetrate soil and accumulate there
creating land pollution.
▣ Radiation affects the soil fertility.
Radioactive waste
 4.Agricultural practices
A. Fertilizers
B. Pesticides

C. Farm wastes

Modern agricultural practices pollute the soil to a

large extent.
 5. Chemical and metallic
pollutants.
▣ A number of industries pour hazardous
effluents in soil and water creating disastrous
effects on living organisms.
▣ Metallic contaminants in soil are considered to
be the indestructible poisons and their
accumulation in plants and water may be
highly dangerous since they affect the
production of atmosphere oxygen as well as
living beings.
 6. Biological agents
▣ Soil gets large quantities of human , birds and
animal excreta, which constitute the major
source of land pollution by biological agents.
 7.Mining

▣ Soil damage and environmental degradation

during surface mining is in evitable as
vegetation has to be removed and huge
quantities of top soil and waste rocks are to be
shifted to a new location.
 8.Resistant objects
▣ Large resistant objects such as plastic cans ,
tyres etc.
 Control measures of soil
pollution
▣ Control domestic and industrial waste.
▣ soil pollutants , such as domestic sewage can
be readily decomposed by the natural
processes .
▣ i.e by action of microorganisms as bacteria ,
fungi and other microbes.
▣ .2.Soil erosion can be controlled
▣ by a variety of forestry and farm practices.
▣ Ex: Planting trees on barren slopes
▣ Reducing deforestation and substituting
chemical manures by animal wastes also
helps arrest soil erosion in the long term.
▣ 3.Proper dumping of unwanted
materials: Excess wastes by man and animals
pose a disposal problem.
◼ 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.
◼ Proper hygienic condition: People should be trained
regarding sanitary habits.
◼ 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.
◼ 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.
▣ Ban on Toxic chemicals: Ban should be imposed on
chemicals and pesticides like DDT, BHC, etc which are
fatal to plants and animals. Nuclear explosions and
improper disposal of radioactive wastes should be
banned.
 Noise pollution
▣ Noise is an undesirable and unwanted sound .
▣ Not all sound is noise .
▣ What maybe considered as music to one person
maybe considered as noise to another.
▣ Sound is measured in dB- decibel.
▣
SOURCES OF NOISE POLLUTION:

▣ noise may either be natural or man made.

▣ MAN MADE SOURCES CAN BE
CLASSIFIED AS :
▣ 1.) INDUSTRIAL SOURCES OF NOISE
POLLUTION .

▣ 2.) NON INDUSTRIAL SOURCES OF NOISE

POLLUTION
INDUSTRIAL SOURCES OF NOISE
POLLUTION
▣ Industries of various kinds such as textiles ,
paper , ceramics, automobiles , iron and steel
etc are the major contributors of noise
pollution.
▣ THE NOISE PRODUCED BY A MACHINE IS
OFTEN A COMBINATION OF 3 STAGES:
I. Initial disturbance at the point of origin.
II. followed by amplification , often caused by
the resonance of machine parts, the work
place or the floor.
III. Finally radiation of sound to the surrounding.
 Non industrial sources
▣ Loudspeakers
▣ Transport noise
▣ Construction work.
▣ Crowded markets
▣ Projection of satellite in the space.
▣ Crackers.
 Effects of noise pollution
▣ A) PHYSICAL HEALTH:
▣ The most direct harmful effect of excessive
noise is physical damage to the ear from
temporary or permanent hearing loss.
▣ Temporary hearing loss is often called a TTS-
TEMPORARY THRESHOLD SHIFT SEEN
BETWEEN 80 TO 130 dB.
▣ people are unable to detect weak sounds in
TTS.
▣ permanent loss usually called as Noise
induced permanent threshold shift- NIPTS
▣ if exposed to 105 dB or more . It can harm the
circulatory system by raising blood pressure.
▣ B) MENTAL HEALTH
▣ NOISE can cause emotional or psychological
effects such as irritability anxiety and stress.
▣ Lack of concentration and mental fatigue are
the significant health effects. (fatigue-
excessive mental tiredness)
▣ higher intensities of noise produces
annoyance in man and interferes with proper
rest and sleep.
▣ It affects the quality of life.
 Control of noise pollution
▣ There are four fundamental ways in whch
noise can be controlled .
1. Reduce the noise at the source.

2. Block the path of noise

3. increase path length

4. Protect the recipient

In general reduction in noise levels is the best

method
▣ 1. source reduction :
▣ In industries , noise reduction can be done by using
absorbing materials.
▣ One of the best methods of noise source reduction is the
regular and thorough maintenance of operating
machinery.
▣ 2. to block the path of noise:
▣ Planting trees around houses can be an effective
method.
▣ In industries different types of absorptive material can
be used to control interior noise.
▣ Sound levels also drop significantly with increasing
distance from the noise source.
▣ Use of earplugs and earmuffs.