18

Air and Water Pollution

Expected Learning Outcomes
Knowledge to be gained: •Air pollution •Sources and effects of air pollution •Acid rain
•Greenhouse effect and global warming •Water pollution •Sources and effects of water pollution
•Potable water
Skill to be developed: •Measures to prevent water pollution.
Attitude to be inculcated: •Clean air and water are precious resources, and we should do our best not
to pollute them.
We are all aware that our environment is not e unwanted and harmful substances that
what it used to be. Our elders talk about the clean cause pollution (contaminate the
water and fresh air that was available in their environment) are called pollutants . For
times. You must have seen media reports on the example, too much dust in the air causes
deteriorating quality of the environment. What discomfort in breathing. Dust is a pollutant. Air
do you think is responsible for the degradation of that contains high levels of pollutants is said to be
the natural environment? e answer is pollution. polluted. Similarly, water that contains too much
e contamination of the environment caused dirt is said to be polluted.
by the presence of very high levels of poisonous In this Chapter, we are going to study about the
or harmful substances is called pollution. two major types of pollution—Air pollution and
Pollution adversely affects the environment and Water pollution.
its inhabitants, including human beings, ora AIR POLLUTION
and fauna.
Our atmosphere is made up of a mixture of gases
Based on the entity of the environment that had called air. Air supports life on Earth. e Earth’s
been contaminated, pollution can be categorised atmosphere is mainly composed of two gases,
as: which are—nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%).
u Air pollution u Water pollution e remaining 1% consists of various other
u Soil pollution u Noise pollution gases, like carbon dioxide, argon, ozone, water
286 Exploring Science-8
vapour, etc. is composition does not cause
pollution.
When the levels of some of these gases increase
to harmful levels or other poisonous gases are
released into the air, it causes air pollution. Gases
like Carbon monoxide, Sulphur dioxide,
Nitrogen oxide, smoke and dust contaminate the
atmosphere, and lead to air pollution.
e accumulation of harmful substances or the
increase in the quantity of any gas present in the
air to harmful levels is called air pollution.
Fig.1 Smoke being emitted from factories
Sources of Air Pollution
Air pollution can be caused due to human
activities or natural phenomena. Some of the
sources of air pollution are given below:
u Forest Fires: Due to extreme heat and
aridness, forests catch re. is emits smoke
and other harmful gases into the air.
u Volcanic Eruptions: Active volcanoes
which erupt from time to time emit chlorine,
sulphur and smoke into the air.
u Fossil Fuels: e burning of fossil fuels, like
coal, petroleum, kerosene, cow dung cakes,
etc., leads to air pollution. In many rural
households, coal, cow dung, rewood, etc.,
are burnt to meet the energy requirements.
ey emit smoke and harmful gases that
cause air pollution.
u Emission from Automobiles: Automobiles
emit harmful gases, like carbon monoxide,
Air and Water Pollution
carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, etc., which
are major pollutants.
u Factories, Industries and Power Plants:
ermal power plants, factories, oil re neries
and various other industries release smoke
and oxides of sulphur and nitrogen into the
air, which cause air pollution.
u Chloro uorocarbons: Refrigerators, air
conditioners and aerosol sprays emit
chloro uorocarbons (CFCs) that cause air
pollution.
u Smoking: Carbon monoxide, smoke and
nicotine are released from a burning cigarette
which cause air pollution, as well as cancer.
Major Air Pollutants
Some of the major air pollutants are as follows:
u Sulphur Dioxide: It is the by-product of the
burning of coal, petrol and diesel containing
impurities. It is mostly produced by the
burning of fuels in automobiles, re neries
and thermal power plants. Sulphur dioxide
in the atmosphere leads to the formation of
smog and acid rain. Smog is a combination of
smoke and fog. It causes respiratory diseases.
u Nitrogen Oxide: is gas is also emitted
when coal and petroleum are burnt. When
coal and petroleum are burnt in automobiles
or factories, at very high temperatures, the
nitrogen and oxygen present in the air
nearby combine and form oxides of nitrogen.
Nit rogen oxide can caus e skin and
respiratory diseases. It is also responsible for
the formation of smog.
u Carbon Monoxide: When fuels like wood,
coal, kerosene, etc., are not combusted
completely, carbon monoxide is produced.
Vehicles also emit carbon monoxide. Carbon
monoxide is a very poisonous gas. It mixes
with blood and prevents it from carrying
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 oxygen. Inhalation of high amounts of
carbon monoxide can lead to death.
u Carbon Dioxide: When Carbon Dioxide is
produced in excess, it becomes a pollutant.
Burning of carbon-based fuels, such as coal
and petroleum, produces carbon dioxide. An
increase in carbon dioxide levels in the
atmosphere leads to global warming.
u Chloro uorocarbons (CFCs): ese are
not a single pollutant, but a group of
pollutants. ey contain chlorine, uorine
and carbon in various quantities. CFCs are
used in refrigerators, air conditioners and
aerosol sprays. ey are used in various
industries. When CFCs are released into the
atmosphere, they cause the depletion of the
ozone layer.
e ozone layer protects us from the harmful
ultraviolet radiation coming from the Sun. If
the ozone layer of the atmosphere is depleted,
the UV rays of the Sun penetrate through it
and reach the Earth. ese UV rays can cause
skin cancer in humans and animals.
u Suspended Particulate Matters (SPMs):
ese are solid and liquid particulates that
are suspended in the air. Dust and smoke are
suspended particulate matter that are
present as pollutants in the atmosphere.
Harmful Effects of Air Pollution
Air pollution has adverse effects on the
environment. It affects both living and non-
living things present in the environment. We will
now study about two major harmful effects of air
pollution—Acid rain and Global Warming.
Acid Rain
When coal and petroleum are burnt in
automobiles, electric power plants and factories,
they release certain harmful gases into the air.
ese gases combine with oxygen and water in
the air.
288 Exploring Science-8
Sulphur dioxide is one such gas which is released
when impurities containing coal or diesel are
burnt in the presence of air. e impurities
containing sulphur combine with oxygen to
form sulphur dioxide gas which is a poisonous
gas that is acidic in nature.
Similarly, oxides of nitrogen are also formed,
which are also poisonous and acidic in nature.
e huge emissions of sulphur dioxide and
nitrogen oxides are responsible for acid rain.
When the water in the air comes down as rain,
sleet, hail, or snow, it combines with acidic
pollutants like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen
oxides. ey dissolve in the rain to form
sulphuric acid and nitrates, which are very
harmful to soil, crops, buildings, etc.
Rain containing small amounts of acids
formed from sulphur dioxide and nitrogen
oxides is called acid rain. Acid rain is very
damaging to all life forms.
Harmful effects of acid rain
u Acid rain can pollute ponds, lakes and
streams, killing the sh and other organisms
that live in them.
u Acid rain also damages various kinds of
vegetation, including farm crops and trees.
u Acid rain corrodes or wears away the
surfaces of buildings and other structures.
Knowledge Booster
Combustion and ame
By the early 1990s, tens of thousands of lakes had been
destroyed by acid rain. The problem has been most
severe in Norway, Sweden and Canada. The impact of
acid rain extends beyond the countries responsible for
pollu on. This is because winds carry pollu on around
the globe.
Despite much discussion among several countries,
there is s ll no clear solu on to the problem. The main
reason is that it is expensive to control the pollu on.
However, since the damage from acid rain to the
environment is permanent, the environmental costs
are greater.
e Case of the Taj Mahal
e Taj Mahal, located in Agra, is one of the
Seven Wonders of the World. It was built by the
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the 17 century
using white marble stones. It is a historical
monument which attracts great number of
tourists from all over the world.
Over the past two decades, the Taj Mahal has
become a matter of concern. Experts suggest that
the Taj Mahal is losing its beauty. ey have
proved that pollutants in the air are discolouring
its white marble. e marbles at the Taj Mahal are
turning yellowish brown due to their corrosion.
is corrosion is caused due to acid rain. is
corrosion of marble due to acid rain is also
known as ‘Marble Cancer’.
Many industries located in and around Agra, like
the rubber processing industries, automobile
industries and especially the Mathura oil re nery,
produce pollutants like sulphur dioxide and
nitrogen dioxide. ese pollutants are said to be
responsible for making the rain acidic. e
suspended particulate matter, such as the soot
particles emitted by Mathura oil re nery, have
also contributed towards the yellowing of the
marble.
e Supreme Court of India has taken several
steps to save the Taj Mahal. It has ordered
industries to switch to cleaner fuels like CNG and
LPG. It has also asked that automobiles should
switch over to unleaded petrol in the Taj zone.
Fig.2 Taj Mahal
Air and Water Pollution
Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming
We know that the Sun’s rays warm the surface of
the Earth through radiation. A part of this
radiation is absorbed by the Earth’s surface, and a
part is re ected back into space. At the same
time, a part of the rays that are re ected back
from the surface of the Earth is trapped in the
atmosphere by some gases. e trapped
radiations keep the Earth warm and keep the
global temperature from dropping too low. is
maintains the global temperature of the Earth
and supports life on Earth.
We can say that the atmosphere acts like a
greenhouse. You would have seen a greenhouse
in a nursery. It is a glasshouse in which plants
that need protection from cold weather are
grown. e glass walls and the roof of the
greenhouse allow the heat energy from the Sun
to come in, but they do not let them escape,
thereby keeping the plants warm even during the
night-time. e warm rays coming from the Sun
have short wavelengths. e glasses at the
greenhouse allow them to pass through and
warm the air inside. When these rays are
re ected back, their wavelengths become much
longer, and the glasses block them from leaving
the greenhouse. In this way, greenhouses trap
heat inside them for long periods.
Some gases in the atmosphere allow the heat
rays from the Sun to reach the Earth’s surface,
but block them from leaving the atmosphere
aer being re ected back from the surface of
the Earth; such gases are called greenhouse
g a s e s .  e m o st i mp or t ant abund ant
greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is Carbon
dioxide. Other gases like methane, nitrous
oxide and water vapour are also called
greenhouse gases. Without the presence of these
gases, the Earth’s temperature would not be
stable, and life would not be possible on Earth.
289
 e warming up of the atmosphere due to the
trapping of the heat rays from the Sun by the
greenhouse gases is called the greenhouse
effect.
Greenhouse gases arise naturally, and are a part
of the makeup of our atmosphere. Earth is
sometimes called the ‘Goldilocks planet’—it is
neither too hot, nor too cold, and the conditions
are just right to allow life to ourish. Part of what
makes the Earth so amenable is the naturally
occurring greenhouse effect, which keeps the
average temperature of the atmosphere at a
friendly 15°C. But in the last century or so,
human beings have been producing excessive
greenhouse gases, mainly by the burning of fossil
(a) A greenhouse–It acts as a heat trap (for Sun’s heat)
Fig.3 Increasing greenhouse effect causes global warming
Effects of global warming
u Global Warming causes a rise in sea levels:
e continuous warming of the planet leads
to the meltdown of polar ice caps and glaciers
all around the world. is leads to a rise in
sea levels, which can cause low-lying areas
around the world to be ooded. It is
projected that if the rise in sea level
continues, major coastal cities around the
world, like Mumbai, New York, Miami,
290 Exploring Science-8
fuels that give off additional carbon dioxide into
the air. e level of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s
atmosphere has been rising consistently for
decades. Excessive carbon dioxide in the air traps
extra heat near the surface of the Earth, causing
temperatures to rise. e undue rise in
the average temperature of the Earth’s
atmosphere due to the increasing greenhouse
effect is called Global Warming.
Global warming has become a major concern for
governments worldwide. Many countries have
reached an agreement to reduce the emission of
greenhouse gases. e Kyoto Protocol is one
such agreement.
Sun
Heat rays
Atmosphere
Heat rays
trapped
in the
Earth Earth’s
atmosphere
(b) Greenhouse effect produced in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Venice, etc., will be ooded by at least
5 metres of water.
u Global Warming endangers the organisms
found in the Polar Regions: e melting ice
caps affect the habitat of the organisms found
in the Polar Regions. When there’s less sea
ice, animals that depend on it for survival
must adapt, otherwise they will perish. Loss
of ice spells trouble for polar bears, walruses,
arctic foxes, snowy owls, reindeer and many
other species.
u Global Warming can cause droughts in
some areas. People can go hungry when our
food supply is diminished due to droughts
and oods.
u Global Warming can affect the weather
patterns and vegetation around the world:
A 2011 National Research Council study
found that for every degree Celsius that the
plant heats up, crop yields will go down by 5
to 15 percentage.
ese changes pose threats not only to plants
and wildlife, but also to people. Warmer
temperatures mean insects that spread diseases
like dengue fever and Zika can thrive. Heatwaves
around the world are already getting hotter and
more lethal.
How to Prevent Air Pollution
Some ways to control and prevent air pollution
are:
u Burning of wastes in the open should be
avoided.
u We should save electricity. Turn off the lights
when leaving your room and do not leave the
TV or computer on when you’re not using it.
Using less electricity can help reduce air
pollution as electricity production through
power stations that use coal or other fossil
fuels causes pollution.
u Using clean fuel like CNG for motor vehicles
or using electric vehicles can help in reducing
air pollution. Using public transport over
private vehicles, or carpooling are good
alternatives.
u Renewable sources of energy, like solar
power, hydropower, etc., should be promoted.
u Bursting of crackers should be prohibited.
u We can plant trees and nurture the ones
already present in the neighbourhood.
Events like Van Mahotsav should be
organised in schools.
Small contributions on our part can make a huge
difference in the state of the environment.

Checkpoint-1
Write True or False
1. Pollutants cause pollution. ______________
2. ere are some natural sources of air pollution. ______________
3. Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. ______________
4. Oxygen is a greenhouse gas. ______________
5. Global warming is due to the excessive greenhouse effect. ______________

WATER POLLUTION
e accumulation of harmful
substances in the water is called water Fig.4 Untreated
sewage being
pollution. e major pollutants which discharged
cause water pollution are—sewage, into a river
fertilisers, pesticides and industrial
wastes. ese substances are called water
pollutants.

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 Sources of Water Pollution
Water pollution is caused mainly due to human
activities. Some of the sources of water pollution
are given below:
u Dumping of untreated sewage into water
bodies, like rivers, causes water pollution. It
contaminated water, exposing them to
diseases such as cholera, hepatitis A and
dysentery. e UN estimates that billions of
people around the world have no access to
clean water, particularly in rural areas.
u Destruction of Biodiversity: Pollution of

can be a major cause of water-borne diseases. water bodies can cause the death of aquatic
plants and animals. Fertilisers in water
u e use of fertilisers and pesticides causes
bodies can also lead to the eutrophication of
water pollution. Fertilisers and pesticides
lakes, which refers to the excessive growth of
run off into water bodies and cause water
unwanted microorganisms, such as algae,
pollution. ey are rich in chemicals that can
and plants in the lake, which in turn leads to a
kill aquatic animals like sh, and even enter
depletion of oxygen levels for the sh living
the human food chain through them.
underwater.
u Discharging of untreated industrial wastes
u Contamination of the Food Chain: Fishing
into rivers and lakes causes water pollution.
in polluted waters and the use of wastewater
e untreated industrial wastes can contain
for agriculture can introduce toxins into
toxic chemicals and harmful metals, like
foods, which are harmful to our health when
mercury, lead, arsenic and nickel.
eaten.
u Oil spillages from ships and containers
u Infant Mortality: According to the UN,
carried over the sea cause water pollution.
water-borne diseases linked to lack of
u Natura l ca lamit ies li ke tsunamis,
hygiene cause the death of about 1,000
earthquakes, storms, volcanic eruptions, etc.,
children a day worldwide.
also contribute to water pollution.

Knowledge Booster
Combustion and ame
Hot water can also be a pollutant! This is usually water
from power plants and industries. It is released into the
rivers. It raises the temperature of the water body,
adversely affec ng the animals and plants living in it.

Harmful Effects of Water Pollution

Deteriorating water quality is damaging the
environment and health conditions of the plants,
animals and human beings. e following are
some of the consequences of water pollution:
u Lack of Potable Water: Drinking of polluted
water can cause diseases such as cholera,
typhoid, diarrhoea and jaundice. e WHO
estimates that about two billion people around
the world have no option, but to drink
292
Fig.5 Eutrophication
Case Study: e Pollution of River Ganga
River Ganga is the longest Indian River and is the
lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its
coast and depend on it for their livelihood. Many
villages, towns and cities are located on its banks.
Ganga also has huge cultural signi cance for the
people of India. In India, it is regarded as a
Exploring Science-8
Goddess river. It could, therefore, be said that
Ganga is the most important river of India.
Ganga ows through many industrial cities and
towns. In the recent past, due to rapid
development along its banks, the river Ganga has
become highly polluted. Large quantities of
garbage, untreated sewage, industrial waste,
human excrement, animal carcasses, half-
burned and unburned human corpses and many
other harmful things are being dumped into the
river on a daily basis.
Recently, a study by the World Wide Fund for
Nature (WWF) found that Ganga is one of the
ten most endangered rivers in the world. e
pollution levels in the water of the river Ganga
have been rising continuously for many years.
Some parts of the river are so polluted that no
aquatic life can survive in these stretches. e
river is said to be ‘dead’ at such places.
An ambitious plan to save the river called the
Ganga Action Plan was launched in 1985 in
Varanasi. It aimed at reducing the pollution
levels in the river. However, the increasing
population and industrialisation have already
damaged this mighty river beyond repair. Now,
the Government of India has launched another
initiative known as the National Mission for
Clean Ganga (NMCG) in 2016.
How to Prevent Water Pollution
Some ways to control and prevent water
pollution are:
u Wastewater Management: Sewage water
must be properly treated before releasing it
into open water bodies.
u Farmers should curb the excessive use
of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and
weedicides on crops.
u e use of manures should be promoted,
instead of chemical fertilisers.
Air and Water Pollution
u Industrial wastes should be treated properly
before discharging them into water bodies.
u Garbage should not be thrown into open
drains, rivers, lakes or ponds.
Small contributions on our part can make a huge
difference in the state of the environment.
Potable Water
If we drink the polluted water, we can fall ill. e
water we get from below the ground can also be
polluted and is unsafe for drinking. However,
water can be treated to make it suitable for
drinking.
Water that is suitable for drinking is called
potable water. Potable water, also known as
drinking water, is treated to levels that meet the
safety standards for consumption. We should
remember that non-potable water does not
always look dirty or have a foul smell.
Sometimes, the tap water which looks clean and
has no foul smell may still be
unsuitable for drinking. It may
still contain disease-causing
microorganisms in it.
Tap water is, therefore, puri ed
at home by using special types
of lters to make it potable.
Using lters, water is treated for
microorganisms, toxic chemicals and
faecal matter.
Drinking raw, untreated water can cause
gastrointestinal problems and diseases, such as
cholera, diarrhoea, vomiting or fever.
e various methods that can be used to make
water potable are:
u Boiling: Boiling the water for 15-20 minutes
kills all germs.
u Filtering: Several kinds of lters available in
the market use several methods to make
water potable. Candle-type water lters use
293
 porcelain candles having tiny pores in order u Chlorination: Chlorine can be added to
to purify water. Advanced electric water water in the form of chlorine tablets or
lters use ultraviolet light and reverse bleaching powder to kill the germs present in
osmosis in order to kill the germs and water. We should, however, take care to add
remove solid impurities. the right amount of chlorine.
Checkpoint-2
Fill in the blanks
1. Accumulation of harmful substances in water is called ______________.
2. ______________ water is suitable for drinking.
3. Ganga action plan was launched in ______________.
4. Use of ______________ should be promoted instead of chemical fertilisers.
5. ______________ tablets could be added to water to kill the germs in it.

Keywords
Pollution : Contamination of the environment caused by the presence of harmful
substances.
Pollutants : Unwanted and harmful substances that cause pollution.
Air Pollution : Pollution of the air.
Water Pollution : Pollution of water bodies.
Acid Rain : Rain containing acids.
Greenhouse Effect : Warming up of the atmosphere due to the trapping of the heat radiations
from the Sun by certain gases.
Global Warming : Undue rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere.
Potable Water : Water that is suitable for drinking.

Points to Remember
u e contamination of the environment caused by the presence of very high levels of poisonous
or harmful substances is called pollution.
u e unwanted and harmful substances that cause pollution (contaminate the environment) are
called pollutants.
u e accumulation of harmful substances or the increase in the quantity of any gas present in the
air to harmful levels is called air pollution.
u Sulphur dioxide, Nitrogen oxide, Carbon monoxide, Carbon dioxide, Chloro uorocarbons
(CFCs) and Suspended Particulate Matter are the major pollutants of the air.
u Rain containing small amounts of acids formed from sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides is
called acid rain. Acid rain is very damaging to all life forms.
294 Exploring Science-8
u e warming up of the atmosphere due to the trapping of the heat rays from the Sun by the
greenhouse gases is called the greenhouse effect.
u e undue rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere due to the increasing
greenhouse effect is called Global Warming.
u e accumulation of harmful substances in the water is called water pollution.
u Sewage, fertilisers, pesticides and industrial wastes are the major pollutants of the water.
u Water which is puri ed and t for drinking is known as potable water.
u Water and air are precious natural resources. We must learn to keep them clean.

Exercise
A. Tick (3) the Correct Option
1. Which of the following is a cause of air pollution?
(a) Nitrogen (b) Oxygen
(c) Carbon dioxide (d) Water vapour
2. Which of the following is a cause of water pollution?
(a) Sewage (b) Fertilisers and pesticides
(c) Industrial wastes (d) All of these
3. Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas?
(a) Sulphur dioxide (b) Carbon dioxide
(c) Methane (d) Nitrous oxide
4. Which of the following pollutants reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood?
(a) Chloro uorocarbons (b) Carbon dioxide
(c) Sulphur dioxide (d) Carbon monoxide
5. Which of the following processes does not make water potable?
(a) Boiling (b) Chlorination
(c) Wastewater treatment (d) Electric ltration
B. Fill in the Blanks with Suitable Words
1. Refrigerators, air conditioners and aerosol sprays emit ______________ that causes air
pollution.
2. Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels are not ______________ completely.
3. When CFCs are released into the atmosphere, they cause the ______________ of the ozone
layer.

Air and Water Pollution 295

 4. e huge emissions of ______________ and ______________ are responsible for acid
rains.
5. ______________ refers to the excessive growth of unwanted microorganisms, such as
algae, and plants in the lake.
C. Very Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. What is pollution?
2. De ne pollutants.
3. Mention three major air pollutants.
4. Mention three major water pollutants.
5. e depletion of the ozone layer can lead to an increase in cases of skin cancer. True or false?
6. What is the greenhouse effect?
7. De ne Global Warming.
8. What is also known as marble cancer?
9. Name one fuel that causes very little pollution.
10. De ne water pollution.
11. Name two diseases caused by water pollution.
12. What is potable water?
D. Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. Describe in brief the major man-made sources of air pollution.
2. How does acid rain occur?
3. What are the harmful effects of acid rain?
4. What are the major harmful effects of global warming?
5. What are the steps that could be taken to reduce air pollution?
6. Describe in brief the major man-made sources of water pollution.
7. What are the steps that could be taken to reduce water pollution?
8. How is tap water puri ed to make it potable? Mention the various methods that can be used
to make water potable.
E. Long-Answer-Type Questions
1. List the main pollutants of air, and mention the ill effects of each.
2. Explain in detail how the greenhouse effect takes place.
3. What are the harmful effects of water pollution?
4. Explain how the river Ganga got so polluted. Also, mention the actions taken by the
government to clean the river Ganga.

296 Exploring Science-8

HOTS
1. List how pollution from automobiles can be reduced.
2. You are a member of the municipal body of your town. Make a list of measures that would
help your town to ensure the supply of clean water to all its residents.
3. Suppose the water is clean and transparent. Does it indicate that it is potable water?
4. Afforestation can lead to the conservation of air, water and soil. How?

Activity Zone

Project Work
A. In this Chapter, we have read about global warming. Make groups of four and nd out more
about global warming using the internet. Find out its effect on our environment. Also, nd the
ways in which we can control global warming. Make a detailed presentation on your ndings,
and share it with the class.

B. With the help of the internet, make a list of all the activities which are banned by the pollution
control board. Now, along with your friends, investigate and nd out which rules of the
pollution control board are being violated by the people in your nearby areas. Make a detailed
report based on your observations.

Science Excursion
C. Along with your teacher, organise a eld visit to a river in or around your town. Enquire and
try to nd out the following:
Ÿ e history of the river.
Ÿ Role of the river in meeting the town’s water needs.
Ÿ Pollution concerns of the area.
Ÿ Sources of pollution.
Ÿ Effects of pollution on the people living by the riverside as well as those living far away.

Air and Water Pollution 297

 Memory Map

Sulphur Nitrogen Carbon Carbon Chloro urocarbons Suspended

dioxide dioxide monoxide dioxide (CFCs) particles

Fertilisers
major pollutants and Industrial
Sewage pesticides wastes

major pollutants

harmful effects of of harmful effects

Air POLLUTION Water
Acid rain
Lack of potable water
prevention methods

Global warming

prevention methods
Destruction of biodiversity
Increase in
respiratory
diseases Food chain contamination

Rise in infant mortality

Ban Save Promote Planting

burning electricity car-pooling trees
of wastes and public
transport

Waste water Reduce Treatment of Ban garbage

management fertilisers industrial disposal in
and wastes water bodies
pesticides

e-Resources
Please visit the link given below or scan the QR code for more resources
on this Chapter:

https://www.megamindpublication.com/s-5-science/b-4-exploring-science-8/c-62/
air-and-water-pollution.html

298 Exploring Science-8

Notes

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 Notes

300