Pollution

Pollution is the undesirable change in physical, chemical or biological

characteristics of water, air and soil which may have a harmful effect on men,
animals and plants.

Pollutants
Pollutants are the substances or energy introduced into the environment that has
undesired effects, or adversely affects the usefulness of a resources.

· Air Pollution
The presence in or introduction into the air of a substance which has harmful or
poisonous effects is known as air pollution.
Sources of Air Pollution
The primary causes or sources of air pollution are discussed as follows:
1. Emission of high concentration of CO2: By burning fuel, coal, oil, petrol,
volcanic eruption, etc.
2. Releasing of excessive smoke in the air: Excessive of smoke is being
released through industries, burning fire woods, forest fire, pitching
roads, etc. Smoke mainly constitutes SO 2, oxides of nitrogen, sulphite,
etc. which are harmful to human beings.
3. Formation of harmful smog: Smog is a heavier fog that is developed due
to the presence of smoke and chemical fumes. It contains CO, S, Pb,
hydro-carbons, oxides of nitrogen, etc. It is responsible for headache,
eye irritation, infection in the respiratory tract, etc.
4. Release of industrial gases: Factories, mills, chemical fertilizers plants,
oil refineries, etc. add extra amount of by-products in the air which
causes air pollution.
5. Due to automobile exhausts: CO, CO2, N2 oxides, hydrocarbon, etc.
produced by vehicles added in the air.
 6. Emissions of cotton dust particles: Cotton dust particles generally come
out from the textile mills which cause Bissinosis disease in human
beings.
7. Irrational use of herbicides and insecticides: Excess spreading in the air
produce polluted air.
8. Exposure to radioactive elements: Nuclear explosion test add
radioactive elements in the air that affect all the flora and fauna; also
damage bones, bone marrow, produce tumors, etc.
9. Mixing of dust particles in the air: Dust particles when mix with air
degrades the quality of breathing air.
Effects of Air Pollution
10.Air pollution causes serious health problems like allergy, eye problem,
throat problem, asthma, heart problems and even bronchitis, cancer,
etc.
11.Ozone layer is depleting due to excessive air pollution: particularly due
to formation of chlorofloro carbons (CFCs). It causes exposure to harmful
UV rays having carcinogenic effects and also responsible for other health
hazards.
12.Ozone layer depletion due to air pollution is also responsible for global
warming.
13.Air pollution causes acid rain, which causes severe damage to crop
plants and others.
14.Air pollution creates problem in visibility while driving and may causes
road accident. It also creates problems in the operation air crafts.
15.Air pollution causes severe degradation in the quality of breathing air.
Control of Air Pollution
16.Industries should be modernized and upgraded technologically to emit
less pollutant.
17.Emission of harmful gases and smokes by vehicles and industries must
be regulated by strict laws.
 18.Substances producing more pollutants should be operated before
burning solid wastes.
19.Afforestation program should be promoted.
20.Radio-active elements should be disposed of in a proper way.

· Water Pollution
When one or more substances mixed up with water to such an extent that causes
problems for animals or people, is known as water pollution.
Causes of Water Pollution
There are various ways by which water can get polluted; such as:
21.Mixing of sewage, industrial influents, slit, radio-active elements,
asbestos, mercury, or other heavy metals, detergents, fertilizers, and
pesticides, etc. with the water of natural water body.
22.Pollution is done by dissolved gases like CO2, H2S, CH4 oxides of nitrogen,
etc and dissolved salts like the salt of Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, etc.
23.Moreover, suspended colloidal-like bacteria, fungi, protozoans, worms,
etc. also deteriorate the quality of water and are the causes of pollution.
Effects of Water Pollution
24.It kills aquatic animals directly due to toxic effects of chemicals or
indirectly due to lack of sufficient dissolved oxygen in the water.
25.Water pollution disrupts the natural food chain and aquatic ecosystem
as well.
26.Polluted water causes various hazard-ens effects to human health like
skin allergy, eye problems, jaundice, dysentery, etc.
27.Polluted water is not also appropriate for irrigation, cattle consumption,
bathing, cleaving, etc.
Control of Water Pollution
The primary control methods for controlling water pollution are listed below:
 28.Harmful substances from the industrial sector should not be mixed or
drained out into river-ins system and it should be regulated by laws.
29.The microbial decomposition in the natural water should be checked.
30.Ponds and reservoirs should be cleaned periodically.
31.Use of pesticides and sources of chemical fertilizer in the agricultural
lands should be discouraged.

· Soil or Land Pollution

If the soil contains an undesirable or excess amount of materials present such as
solid wastes, chemicals, etc.
Sources/ Causes of Soil Pollution
32.Areas surrounding mining, smelting complexes produce metals like Cd,
Zn, Pb, Ni, etc. which acts as phytoxic even in small quantity, so they
make plants totally unsafe for human and animal consumption.
33.The agricultural use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides,
fungicides, etc. in adds pollution to the soil.
34.The industries like paper mills, oil refineries power and heating plants,
chemicals and fertilizers manufacturers, iron and steel plants, plastic and
rubber producing plants, etc. produce by-products which dump in the
soil or burnt or emptied in the river.
35.Disposal of household wastes or domestic wastes int he soil such as
wastes form groceries, food scraps, vegetable remains, etc. causes soil
pollution.
Effects of Soil Pollution
36.Metals like Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu, etc. released from mining areas or during
industrial processing act as photo toxic even in small quantity, so they
make plants totally unsafe for human and animal consumption.
37.Soil pollution due to mixing of non biodegradable substances decreases
the productivity of the soil.
 38.Soil pollution degrades the quality of soil making it unfit for various
agricultural practices.
39.Pesticides used in agricultural land when wash away to water bodies, it
causes severe health hazards to aquatic life.
Controls of Soil Pollution
One must consider following factors in controlling soil pollution.
40.Disposable wastes from any sectors should be disposed of in proper
place.
41.Animal-solid wastes instead of disposing can be used as the bio-
fertilizers or biogas plants.
42.Dispose of radioactive material by the scientific way.
43.The use of chemicals like fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, etc. in the
soil should be regulated rationally.