Environmental Pollution

3110007 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Environmental Pollution
Environmental pollution is
“the contamination of the physical and
biological components of the earth/
atmosphere system to such an extent that
normal environmental processes are
adversely affected”.

Pollution is an undesirable change in

physical, chemical and biological
characteristics of the environment. Any
change in the environment which contributes
to its deterioration is called pollution.

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Environmental Pollutants Classification of Environmental Pollutants

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 etc. is considered as a pollutant.
65,000 different chemicals are
considered as environmental pollutants
which are released into air, water and
land on a regular basis.
➢ On the basis of existence in nature:
• Quantitative pollutants
• Qualitative pollutants
➢ On the basis of formation:
• Primary pollutants
• Secondary pollutants
➢ On the basis of characteristics (from Ecosystem point view i.e.,
according to their natural disposal):
• Bio-degradable pollutants
• Non-biodegradable pollutants

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 Classification of Environmental Pollutants
➢ On the basis of existence in nature:
Quantitative pollutants
• These are those substances normally occurring in the environment,
who acquire the status of a pollutant when their concentration gets
increased due to the unmindful activities of man.eg. Carbon
Dioxide.
Qualitative pollutants
• These are those substances which do not normally occur in nature
but are added by man, for example, insecticides
Classification of Environmental Pollutants (cont.)
➢ On the basis of formation (Depending upon the form in which
they persist after being released into the environment):
Primary Pollutants
• These are those which are emitted directly from the source and
persist in the form in which they were added to the environment
Secondary Pollutants
• These are those which are formed from the primary pollutants by
chemical interaction with some constituent present in the
atmosphere.

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Classification of Environmental Pollutants (cont.)

Nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons are two 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 phenomenon of increased toxicity by chemical interaction

among the pollutants is known as Synergism.

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 Classification of Environmental Pollutants (cont.) Sources of Environmental Pollutions

➢ On the basis of characteristics: Natural resources Man made (Anthropogenic sources)

Volcanic Eruptions Urbanization
Bio-degradable pollutants
These are the pollutants that are quickly degraded by natural means Forest fires Industrialization
(can be broken down and processed by living organisms) eg. fruit Dust storms Vehicular pollution
peels
Pollens, cysts, spores Population explosion, over use
Non Bio-degradable pollutants Natural organic matter decay Unscientific Agriculture Activities
These are the substances that either do not degrade or degrade very
Bacteria Deforestation
slowly in the natural environment.
These include plastics, mercury salts, long chain phenolic chemicals, Nuclear explosions, explosives mining and
DDT and Aluminium cans etc. quarrying activities.
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Types of Environmental Pollutions

• Air Pollution (Atmospheric

pollution)
• Water pollution
• Land\Soil pollution
• Solid Wastes
• Noise pollution
• Radioactive Pollution

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