Environmental pollution

AIR.WATER. SOIL. LIGHT. NOISE (Part 3)

LIGHT POLLUTION
LIGHT POLLUTION
• known as photo pollution
• is the presence of anthropogenic
light in the night environment
• exacerbated by excessive,
misdirected or obtrusive use of
light
• side-effect of urbanization
• it is blamed for (1)
compromising health, (2)
disrupting ecosystems and (3)
spoiling aesthetic environments
Causes of light pollution, include:
(1) over illumination, (2) sky glow, (3) glare, (4) clutter and (5) light trespass

Over illumination- the use of artificial light beyond its specified purpose
e.g. unnecessary full light flooding an area (i.e. park, street, hallway, office)
Sky glow- the haze that appears above cities at night
e.g. artificial light projected upwards where then light in the atmosphere prevents stargazing
Glare- light that impairs vision and some produce high contrast shadows.
e.g. unshielded filament creates bright and dark spots within a viewer’s field of vision; like driver’s
vision after light from opposing traffic’s headlight blinds the line of sight
Clutter applies to groups of lights or those in too close proximity.
e.g. billboards or outdoor signs are that are distracting and blaring
Light trespass happens as unwanted light illuminates otherwise dark areas
e.g. occurs when a security light shines in a neighboring home
Causes of light
pollution, include:
(1) over lighting
(2) sky glow
(3) glare
(4) clutter
(5) light trespass
Causes of light
pollution, include:
(1) over lighting
(2) sky glow
(3) glare
(4) clutter
(5) light trespass
EFFECT OF POLLUTION
Environment
• nitrate radical, a form of nitrogen oxide, breaks down vehicle emissions at night
• photo-pollution suppress naturally occurring radical that cleans the air at night
• sunlight destroys nitrate radical and artificial light increase the chemicals for
ozone pollution by 5%

Energy
• wasted light results to energy waste (est. 30% of all light emitted by public
outdoor light fixtures) which amounts or equal to 22 Terawatt Hours
(TWh)/year
• wasted energy equivalent to the following:
- about 3.6 million tons of coal per year or
- about 12.9 million barrels of oil per year
• waste about to illuminate over 11 million homes and power over 777,000 cars
Astronomy
• astronomers require dark skies. Light pollution alters our view of the sky and
stars and affect the valuable researches and work i.e. personal computers,
communication satellites, mobile phones, Global Positioning Systems (GPS),
solar panels, and Magnetic Resonance (MRI) scanners
Humans
• human regulates physiologic activities such as brain wave patterns, hormone
production, and cell regulation; disrupting this rhythm can result in a variety of
health problems i.e. sleep disorders, depression, diabetes, cardiovascular
disease, immunological disorders, and obesity etc.
• melatonin, the naturally occurring hormone that regulates the sleep and wake
cycle, is acutely affected by light pollution
• melatonin deficiency can result in anxiety and mood disorders, insomnia, and
elevated estrogen/progesterone ratio
Wildlife
• luminous pollution affects the feeding, sleeping, mating, and migration cycles
of all wildlife.
• experience disorientation of time when there is too much artificial light at night
i.e. mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects
Artificial light
effect on animals:

1) Attracted
2) Repealed
3) Confused
https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=4&lat=1040930&lon=11231121&layers=B0FFFTFFFF
NOISE POLLUTION
Noise pollution
• unwanted or undesirable sound that leads to physical and mental problems
• noise pollution is dependent on the loudness and frequency of the sound
• noise intensity is measured in decibels or dB; human can bear noise up to 85dB
Types of environmental noise: Indoor and Outdoor
Causes of Noise Pollution
• Natural Noise
• Industrialization
• Poor Urban Planning
• Social Events
• Transportation
• Construction Activities
• Household Chores
SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL
EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION
Hearing Problems
• Constant exposure to loud noise can damage the ear drums resulting to hearing
impairment
• it also reduces our sensitivity to sounds that our ears pick up unconsciously to
regulate our body’s rhythm
Health Issues
• Studies show that the occurrence of aggressive behavior, disturbance of sleep,
constant stress, fatigue and hypertension can be linked to excessive noise levels
• which in turn can cause more severe and chronic health issues
Sleeping Disorders
• Loud noise hamper sleeping pattern and may lead to irritation, fatigue and poor
performance
EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION
Cardiovascular Issues
• high intensity noise causes high blood pressure and increases heart beat rate
• disrupts the normal blood flow; resulting to human health issues
Trouble Communicating
• high decibel noise deflect communication level; resulting to misunderstanding
• disturbed your emotional balance and resulting to e.g. headache, vertigo etc.
Effect on Wildlife
• dependent on sound since their survival depends on it also
• some animal species depend on mating calls for procreation
• noise pollution endangered sensitive species to become extinct
WATER POLLUTION
• Water pollution is the contamination
of water bodies
• environmental degradation occurs
when pollutants are directly or indirectly
discharged into water bodies without
adequate treatment to remove harmful
compounds
Water pollution affects
• the entire biosphere of plants and
organisms living in water bodies
• organisms and plants that might be
exposed to the water
• effect is damaging not only to
individual species and populations, but
also the natural biological communities
Soil Pollution Type:
1) Point Source
2) Non-point Sources
WATER POLLUTION TYPES
Pathogens include
• high levels of pathogens may result from on-site sanitation systems
• inadequately treated sewage discharge and poorly managed livestock operations

organic water pollutants include

• Detergents
• Disinfection by-products
• Food processing waste
• Insecticides and herbicides and other chemical compounds
• Petroleum hydrocarbons: fuels, lubricants (motor oil) and combustion by-products
• Volatile organic compounds, such as industrial solvents, from improper storage
• Chlorinated solvents since they don't mix well with water and are denser.
• Chemical compounds found in personal hygiene and cosmetic products
• Drug pollution involving pharmaceutical drugs and their metabolites
WATER POLLUTION TYPES
Inorganic water pollutants include
• acidity caused by industrial discharges (i.e. sulfur dioxide from power plants)
• ammonia from food processing waste
• chemical waste as industrial by-products
• fertilizers containing nutrients--nitrates and phosphates—which are found in
storm water runoff from agriculture, as well as commercial and residential use
• heavy metals from motor vehicles and acid mine drainage
• silt (sediment) in runoff from construction sites, logging, and burning or land
clearing
Macroscopic pollution
• "floatables" in an urban storm water or marine debris
• trash or garbage (e.g. paper, plastic, or food waste) Nurdles, small ubiquitous
waterborne plastic pellets
• shipwrecks, large derelict ships
WATER POLLUTION TYPES
Thermal pollution
• elevated water temperatures decrease
oxygen levels, which can kill fish and
alter food chain composition, reduce
species biodiversity, and foster invasion
by new thermophilic species
• use of water as a coolant by power
plants and industrial manufacturers
• urban runoff may also elevate
temperature in surface waters
• release of very cold water from the base
of reservoirs into warmer rivers
MUNICIPAL WASTE