38 Environmental

Environmen tal Issues

CHAPTER

1. Green house gases include 9. The most common indicator organism that
(a) CO2, CFC, CH4 & NO2 represents polluted water is
(b) CO2, O2, N2, NO2 & NH3 (a) E. coli
(c) CH4, N2, CO2 & NH3 (b) Pseudomonas. typhi
(d) CFC, CO2, NH3 & N2 (c) Chlorella
2. Which gas of theatmosphere holds up ultraviolet (d) Entamoeba
rays ? 10. A renewable exhaustible natural resource is
(a) O2 (b) O3 (a) coal (b) petroleum
(c) N2 (d) CH4 (c) minerals (d) forest
3. Lichens are important in the studies on 11. Which one is not a pollutant normally?
atmospheric pollution because they (a) Hydrocarbons
(a) can grow in polluted atmosphere (b) Carbon dioxide
(b) can readily multiply in polluted atmosphere (c) Carbon monoxide
(c) efficiently purify the atmosphere (d) Sulphur dioxide
(d) are very sensitive to pollutants like sulphur 12. Major aerosol pollutant in jet plane emission is
dioxide (a) sulphur dioxide
4. Full form of BOD is (b) carbon monoxide
(a) Biological organism death (c) methane
(b) Biotic oxygen demand (d) fluorocarbon
(c) Biochemical oxygen demand 13. Ultraviolet radiations from sunlight causes a
(d) Biological organisation day reaction that produces
5. The expanded form of DDT is (a) fluorides (b) carbon monoxide
(a) dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane (c) sulphur dioxide (d) ozone
(b) dichloro diethyl trichloroethane 14. The CO2 content in the atmospheric air is about
(c) dichloro dipyrydyl trichloroethane (a) 0.034% (b) 0.34%
(d) dichloro diphenyl tetrachloroacetate (c) 3.34% (d) 6.5%
6. Most harmful environmental pollutants are 15. DDT is
(a) biodegradable compounds (a) a non-degradable pollutant
(b) a bio-degradable pollutant
(b) corrosive agents (c) not a pollutant
(c) non biodegradable chemicals (d) an antibiotic
(d) all of the above 16. Acid rains are produced by
7. Domestic waste contains (a) excess emissions of NO2 and SO2 from
(a) non-biodegradable pollutants burning fossil fuels
(b) biodegradable pollutants (b) excess production of NH3 by industry and
(c) hydrocarbons coal gas
(d) none of the above (c) excess release of carbon monoxide by
8. Air pollution effects are usually found on incomplete combustion
(a) leaves (b) flowers (d) excess formation of CO2 by combustion
(c) stems (d) roots and animal respiration
316 Question Bank-BIOLOGY
17. Green house effect is warming due to (c) sharply decrease (d) remain unchanged
(a) infra-red rays reaching earth 26. In coming years, skin related disorders will be
(b) moisture layer in atmosphere more common due to
(c) increase in temperature due to increase in (a) pollutants in air
carbon dioxide concentration of atmosphere (b) use of detergents
(d) ozone layer of atmosphere (c) water pollution
18. Gas released during Bhopal tragedy was (d) depletion of ozone layer
(a) methyl isocyanate 27. Formation of ozone hole is maximum over
(b) potassium isothiocyanate (a) India (b) Europe
(c) sodium isothiocyanate (c) Antarctica (d) Africa
(d) ethyl isothiocyanate 28. How does carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas
19. Most hazardous metal pollutant of automobile emitted by automobiles, prevent transport of
exhausts is oxygen into the body tissues?
(a) mercury (b) cadmium (a) By destroying the haemoglobin
(c) lead (d) copper (b) By forming a stable compound with
20. Atmosphere ofbig/metropolitan cities is polluted haemoglobin
most by (c) By obstructing the reaction of oxygen with
(a) automobile exhausts haemoglobin
(b) pesticide residues (d) By changing oxygen into carbon dioxide.
(c) household wastes 29. Which one of the following organisms is used
(d) radioactive fall-out as indicator of water quality?
21. Which gas contributes most to green house (a) Chlorella (b) Azospirillum
effect? (c) Escherichia (d) Beggiatoa
(a) CFC (b) Freon 30. Which of the following is the use of lichens in
(c) CO2 (d) CH4 case of pollution?
22. Drawback of DDT as pesticide is (a) They treat the polluted water
(a) it becomes ineffective after sometime (b) They act as bioindicators of pollution
(b) it is less effective than others (c) They promote pollution
(d) Lichens are not related with pollution
(c) it is not easily/rapidly degraded in nature 31. Green house effect refers to
(d) its high cost (a) cooling of earth
23. Fish die in water bodies polluted by sewage due (b) trapping of UV rays
to (c) production of cereals
(a) pathogens (d) warming of earth
(b) clogging of gills by silt 32. Which of the following is a secondary pollutant?
(c) reduction in oxygen (a) CO
(d) foul smell (b) CO2
24. The Taj mahal is threatened due to the effect of (c) Peroxy acetyl nitrate (PAN)
(a) oxygen (b) hydrogen (d) Aerosol
(c) chlorine (d) sulphur dioxide 33. A major component of gobar gas is
25. When huge amount of sewage is dumped into a (a) ammonia (b) methane
river, its BOD, will (c) ethane (d) butane
(a) increase (b) decrease
Environmental Issues 317
34. Which one of thefollowing pairs is mismatched? 43. Water pollution can be stopped best by
(a) Fossil fuel burning - release of CO2 (a) treating effluents to remove injurious
(b) Nuclear power - radioactive wastes chemicals
(c) Solar energy - green house effect (b) rearing more fishes
(d) Biomass burning - release of CO2 (c) cultivating useful water plants
35. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) in a river (d) spraying with ddt
water 44. Photochemical smog is related to the pollution of
(a) has no relationship with concentration of (a) soil (b) water
oxygen in the water (c) air (d) noise
(b) gives a measure of Salmonella in the water 45. Which constituent of the atmosphere is likely to
(c) increases when sewage gets mixed with change if the forest cover is removed ?
river water (a) O2 level is increased
(d) remains unchanged when algal bloom (b) CO2 level is increased
occurs (c) O2 level is significantly increases
36. “Good ozone’’ is found in the (d) CO2 level is significantly decreased
(a) mesosphere (b) troposphere 46. Which of thefollowingdoes not cause pollution?
(c) stratosphere (d) ionosphere (a) Thermal power project
37. In the environment, ozone is known for its (b) Nuclear energy project
(a) harmful effects (b) useful effects (c) Automobile
(c) both (a) and (b) (d) inert nature (d) Hydro electric project
38. All organic substance found in the biosphere 47. Which of the following is most harmful pollutant?
necessarily contain (a) NO2 (b) CO2
(a) silica (b) carbon (c) SO2 (d) CO
(c) oxygen (d) nitrogen 48. Major aerosol pollutant in jet emission is
39. Ozone layer is formed in which zone of (a) sulphur dioxide
atmosphere
(a) mesosphere (b) stratosphere (b) carbon monoxide
(c) troposphere (d) ionosphere (c) methane
40. In case CO2 of earth's atmosphere disappears, (d) fluorocarbon
the temperature of earth's surface would 49. Non-biodegradable pollutants are created by
(a) increase (a) nature
(b) decrease (b) excessive use of resources
(c) depend on oxygen concentration (c) humans
(d) remain the same (d) natural disasters
41. BOD test of biological oxygen demand test is 50. Which of the followingcauses biomagnification?
made for measuring (a) SO2 (b) Mercury
(a) air pollution (b) water pollution (c) DDT (d) Both b & c
(c) noise pollution (d) soil pollution 51. Among the following which one causes more
42. In BOD test oxygen plays an important role to indoor chemical pollution?
(a) destroy inorganic matter (a) burning coal
(b) destroy pollution
(c) destroy waste organic matter (b) burning cooking gas
(d) none of these (c) burning mosquito coil
(d) room spray
318 Question Bank-BIOLOGY
52. The major source of noise pollution, world wide 60. Which important green house gas other than
is due to methane is being produced from the agricultural
(a) office equipments fields?
(b) transport system (a) Sulphur dioxide (b) Ammonia
(c) sugar, textile and paper industries (c) Nitrous oxide (d) O3
(d) oil refineries and thermal power plants 61. Maximum bioconcentration of pesticide residues
53. Green house effect means is usually found in birds that exclusively feed on
(a) fish (b) seeds
(a) increase in the temperature of earth due to (c) worms (d) meat
high concentration of O2 62. Prolonged liberal irrigation of agricultural fields
(b) increase in the temperature of earth due to is likely to create the problem of
high concentration of NO2 (a) acidity (b) aridity
(c) increase in the temperature of earth due to (c) salinity (d) metal toxicity
high concentration SO2 63. Stirred tank bioreactors have been designed for
(d) increase in temperature of earth due to high (a) addition of preservatives to the product
concentration of CO2
54. Which of the following is not an air pollutant ? (b) purification of the product
(a) water vapour (b) carbon monoxide (c) ensuring anaerobic conditions in the
culture vessel
(c) methane (d) oxygen (d) availability of oxygen throughout the
55. Smog is a common pollutant in places having process
(a) high temperature 64. Gaseous pollutants can be controlled by
(b) low temperature (a) arrestors
(c) excessive SO2 in the air (b) electrostatic precipitators
(d) excessive ammonia in the air (c) pyrolysis
56. Sewage water can be purified for recycling with (d) adsorption
the action of 65. Clearing Environment with biological options
(a) aquatic plants (b) penicillin such as microbes and plants is called
(c) micro-organisms (d) fishes (a) bioremediation (b) biotechnology
57. CFC are not recommended to be used in (c) biowarfare (d) incineration
refrigerators because they
(a) increase temperature 66. Toimprove the quality of environment (air, water
(b) affect environment and soil) the Govt. of India passed the
‘Environment (Protection) Act’ in year
(c) affect aquatic life (a) 1981 (b) 1986
(d) affect human body (c) 1987 (d) 1974
(a) soap HINTS & SOLUTIONS
58. The main cause of water pollution is
67. The ‘Polyblend’ is a/ an
(a) recycled modified plastic waste used for
(b) industrial effluents laying the roads.
(c) smoke (b) electronic waste buried in the landfills.
(d) ammonia (c) plastic film- waste to make disinfectants.
59. Sound becomes hazardous noise pollution at
level (d) fine powder of plastic waste used to make
(a) above 30 dB (b) above 80 dB the plastic bags.
(c) above 100 dB (d) above 120 dB
Environmental Issues 319
68. Which of the following statements about (a) A – IV; B – III; C – II; D – I
Eutrophication are TRUE ? (b) A – II; B – I; C – IV; D – III
(i) It can be naturally occurring process. (c) A – I; B – II; C – III; D – IV
(ii) It is commonly found in standing rather than
running water. (d) A – I; B – III; C – II; D – IV
(iii) It can lead to oxygen depletion. 72. Match column-I with column-II and choose the
(iv) It is commonly assoicated with high levels correct option.
of phosphates and nitrates. Column-I Column-II
(a) (iii)and (iv) (b) (i), (ii) and (iii) A. Colloidal materials I. Typhoid,
(c) (ii), (iii) and (iv) (d) All of these Jaundice,
69. Mark the correct statement. Cholera
(a) Cultural eutrophication is an accelerated B. Water-borne diseases II. Irreparable
form of eutrophication. computes and
(b) In the presence of prime contaminants, such other electronic
as nitrates and phosphates, the growth of goods
algae is arrested. C. E-wastes III. Faecal matter
(c) The water from electricity generating units bacteria, cloth
enhances the growth of indigenous fauna and paper fibres
and flora. D. Manure IV. Troposphere
(d) All of these E. Bad‘Ozone’ V. Cattle
70. Mark the correct statement. excreta
(a) The major contribution in green house (dung)
gases is of CH4. (a) A– I, B – III, C – II, D – V, E – IV
(b) Global warming is because of ozone (b) A – III, B – I, C – V, D – II, E – IV
depletion. (c) A – III, B – I, C – II, D – V, E – IV
(c) When organic waste enters into a water (d) A – III, B – I, C – V, D – IV, E –II
body its BOD increases. 73. According to size of air pollutants, range and
(d) All of these types of chemical the given below device is best
71. Match column-I with column-II and select the used to control which of the following pollutants?
correct option.
Column-I1111 Column-II
A. Environment I 1987
(Protection) Act
B. Air (Prevention and II. 1986
Control of Pollution) Act
C. Water (Prevention and III. 1980
Control of Pollution) Act (a) Large particulates
D. Concept of Joint IV. 1974 (b) Charged particulate matter
(c) Dissolved gases
Forest Management (d) Fine particles
of Govt. of India
320 Question Bank-BIOLOGY
74. Which of the following figures shows correct relative contribution of greenhouse gases to global warming?

N2O CO2
6% 6%
CFCs CFCs
14% 14%

CO2 N2O
CH4 60% CH4 60%
(a) 20% (b) 20%

N2O CFCs
6% 6%
CH4 N2O
14% 14%

CO2 CO2
CFCs 60% CH4 60%
(c) 20% (d) 20%

75. Biomagnification refers to increase in concentration of the toxicant at successive trophic levels, this
happens because
(a) A toxic substance accumulated by an organism can not be metabolised
(b) A toxic substance accumulated by an organism can not be excreted
(c) A toxic substance passed on to the next trophic level
(d) All of the above
Environmental Issues 321
ANSWER KEY
1 (a) 11 (b) 21 (c) 31 (d) 41 (b) 51 (c) 61 (a) 71 (b)
2 (b) 12 (d) 22 (c) 32 (c) 42 (c) 52 (b) 62 (c) 72 (c)
3 (d) 13 (d) 23 (c) 33 (b) 43 (a) 53 (d) 63 (d) 73 (c)
4 (c) 14 (a) 24 (d) 34 (c) 44 (c) 54 (d) 64 (d) 74 (a)
5 (a) 15 (a) 25 (a) 35 (c) 45 (b) 55 (b) 65 (a) 75 (d)
6 (c) 16 (a) 26 (d) 36 (c) 46 (b) 56 (c) 66 (b)
7 (b) 17 (c) 27 (c) 37 (c) 47 (c) 57 (b) 67 (a)
8 (a) 18 (a) 28 (b) 38 (b) 48 (d) 58 (b) 68 (d)
9 (a) 19 (c) 29 (c) 39 (b) 49 (c) 59 (b) 69 (a)
10 (d) 20 (a) 30 (b) 40 (b) 50 (d) 60 (c) 70 (c)

HINTS & SOLUTIONS

3. (d) Lichens are important in the studies on
atmospheric pollution because they are very
sensitive to pollutants like sulphur dioxide.
9. (a) E. coli lives in the human intestine. If they
are present in water it indicates that the water is
polluted. E.coli coliform count test is done.
10. (d) Exhaustible resources are those natural
resources that are likely to be exhausted due to
their continuous use. Forest is a renewable
exhaustible resource that can be again and again
produced. Coal, petroleum and minerals are non-
renewable exhaustible natural resources that
cannot be again produced.
11. (b) CO2 in its normal fraction in air (about 0.03%)
is actually not a pollutant but above this it is
considered as a pollutant. At the elevated level
it becomes a cause for global waring.
12. (d) Fluorides of carbon is the major pollutant from
jet plane emission.
13. (d) Ultraviolet radiations cause photochemical
splitting of oxygen molecules in the stratosphere.
The nascent oxygen combines with molecular
oxygen to form ozone. In troposphere nascent
oxygen comes from nitrogen dioxide.
14. (a) The content of CO2 in atmospheric air is
0.034%. The main contributors toair are N2 and
O2.
15. (a) DDT cannot be broken down or converted to
harmless state bynatural processes of oxidation
or biological decomposition. Hence it is non
biodegradable.
16. (a) NO2 and SO2 after reacting with water in
atmosphere produce HNO3 & H2SO4 which fall
down as acid rain.
17. (c) Increase in the concentration of CO2 do not
allow the earth’s radiations to go out of earth’s
atmosphere and contributes in increasing
temperature of earth.
18. (a) MIC ® (Methyl isocyanate) was the deadly
gas leaked from the fertilizer plant of union
carbide company in bhopal.
19. (c) Lead (Pb) is the most hazardous metal
pollutant present in automobile exhaust.
20. (a) Automobile exhaust is the main cause of air
pollution in metro cities.
21. (c) CO2 is the major green house gas causing
green house effect which is released in the
atmosphere by burning fossils (combustion) or
by activities like animal respiration. Deforestation
adds to the increase in CO2 in atmosphere
because trees are cut down which are the big
absorber of CO2.
22. (c) In 1962, American biologist Rachel Carson
published the book Silent Spring, which alleged
that DDT caused cancer and harmed bird
reproduction by thinning egg shells. This followed
theprinciples of biological magnification, killing
higher level organisms like the birds. DDT is a
persistent organic pollutant with a reported half
life of between 2-15 years, and is immobile in
most soils.
322
23. (c) Sewage kills plant life and also use oxygen
for degradation, so oxygen content of water is
lowered and hence animal life in water body starts
decreasing.
24. (d) The Tajmahal is threatened by environmental
pollution, especially by acid rain due to sulphur
dioxide emitted from mathura refinery.
25. (a) By dumping of huge amount of sewage, the
oxygen levels are depleted, which are reflected
in terms of BOD values of water. The number of
microbes also increases tremendously and these
also consume most of the oxygen. Thus BOD of
the river water will increase.
26. (d) Increase in air pollution has resulted in
gradual depletion of the ozone layer. This has
exposed the earth’s surface to the harmful
ultraviolet radiations of the sun. Exposure to UV
rays increases the risk of skin cancer and other
skin related disorders.
27. (c) Ozone hole is an area with extreme reduction
in the ozone concentration. It was discovered
over Halley Bay in Antarctica by Farman et. al
(1985), members of British Antarctic Survey
Team.
28. (b) Carbon monoxide, when inhaled, combines
with blood haemoglobin to form carboxy-
haemoglobin at a rate 210 times faster than the
rate at which oxygen forms oxyhaemoglobin.
Thus, respiration is impaired.
30. (b) Lichens are sensitive to sulphur dioxide
pollution, hence they serve as bioindicators of
pollution.
31. (d) Green house effect is the rise in atmospheric
temperature due to increase in concentration of
green house gases.
The greenhouse effect, discovered by Joseph
Fourier in 1824 and first investigated
quantitatively by Svante Arrhenius in 1896, is
the process in which the emission of infrared
radiation by an atmosphere warms a planet’s
surface. In the case of the Earth, without these
greenhouse gases its surface would be up to
30°C cooler. The name comes from an incorrect
Question Bank-BIOLOGY
analogy with the way in which greenhouses are
heated by the sun in order to facilitate plant
growth. In addition to the Earth, Mars and
especially Venus have greenhouse effects. The
maximum green house gases are emitted by USA.
32. (c) Primary pollutant is that which persists in the
form in which it is released in the environment
e.g. CO. A secondary pollutant is one which is
formed from another pollutant due to change or
reaction e.g. PAN (Peroxy acetyl nitrate).
33. (b) Methane forms a major part of gobar-gas.
Ammonia is toxic. Ethane and butane are not
major components of gobar gas.
34. (c) Solar energy coming to the earth is not
responsible for green house effect. It is the
increase in green house gases in atmosphere like
CO2 which is released by complete combustion
of fossil fuels or biomass in industries or
transportation vehicles that prevent the
reradiation of infrared radiation from the earth
and result in increase in temperature of the earth.
35. (c) Biochemical oxygen demand (bod) in a river
water increases when sewage gets mixed with
river water. Biochemical oxygen demand or
biological oxygen demand (BOD) is a chemical
procedure for determining how fast biological
organisms use up oxygen in a body of water. It is
used in water quality management and
assessment, ecology and environmental science.
BOD considered as an indication of the quality
of a water source.
36. (c) Good ozone occurs naturally in the earth’s
upper atmosphere 10 to 30 miles above earth’s
surface (stratosphere) where it forms a protective
layer that shield us from the sun’s harmful
ultraviolet rays.
37. (c) In the environmental, ozone is known for its
both harmful and useful effects.
40. (b) In case CO2 of earth's atmosphere disappears,
the temperature of earth's surface would
decrease.
43. (a) Water pollution can be stopped best by
treating effluents to remove injurious chemicals.
Environmental Issues
48. (d) Major aerosol pollutant in jet emission is
fluorocarbon.
56. (c) Because in the presence of oxygen micro-
organisms (bacteria) oxidise the complex organic
components to inorganic forms.
57. (b) CFCs reacts with ozone and cause its depletion.
That is why CFCs are not recommended to be
used in refrigerators.
59. (b) Above 80 dB sound becomes hazardous.
60. (c) Some of the important green house gases are
CO2, CFCs, Nitrous oxide, Ozone, Methane etc.
Nitrous oxide is produced by denitrifying
bacteria acting on artificial fertilisers applied to
poorly aerated soil.
61. (a) Biological magnification is the increase in
concentration of persistent pollutant per unit
weight of the organism with the rise in trophic
level.
62. (c) Since all surface and ground water contains
salts to varying degrees. Therefore excessive
irrigation followed by evaporation of the
unabsorbed water leads to salinity. This also
leads to waterlogging.
323
63. (d) A stirred-tank bioreactor is a cylindrical or
curved base to facilitate the mixing of the
reaction content. It has been designed for
availability of oxygen throughout the process.
66. (b) Pollution is any undesirable change in
physical, chemical or biological characteristics
of air, land, water or soil. In order to control
environmental pollution, the Govt of India has
passed the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
to protect and improve the quality of our
environment.
67. (a) Polyblend, a fine powder of recycled
modified plastic, developed by Ahmed khan’s
company.
73. (c) The given diagram in questions shows a
device known as scrubber that can remove gases
like sulphur dioxide. In a scrubber, the exhaustis
passed through a spray of water or lime.