Environmental

pollution
 Definition of Pollution

× When Harmful × It can be defined as

Substances any undesirable
Contaminate the change in the physical,
environment it is chemical, biological
Called Pollution. characteristics of any
component of the
environment which
can cause harm to life
and property.
 × Biological
× Physical
× Chemical

Types of
Pollution
Types of Air
Water
Pollution
Marine

Thermal
Pollution
Soil

Noise
Nuclear
Air pollution
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Atmosphere is the life blanket of
Earth.
Air....
Air supplies us with oxygen which is
essential for our bodies to live.
Air is a mixture of nitrogen,
oxygen, water vapor, carbon
dioxide and inert gases.
Human activities can release
substances into the air, some of
which can cause problems to
humans, plants, and animals.
Definition
× Air pollution : An atmospheric condition
in which certain substances (including
normal constituents in excess) are
present in concentrations which can
cause undesirable effects on man and his
environment.
× They are in the form of gases; Particulate
matter(dust, smoke, fumes, etc) &
Radioactive (rado-222, Iodine-131, etc)
Sources of Air Pollution
Sources

Natural Anthropogenic

Volcanic Eruptions, Forest Thermal Power Plants,

Fires, Sea Salt Sprays,
Biological Decay, Pollen Vehicular Emissions,
Grains, Marshes, Industrial Units
Photochemical Oxidation of
Terpenes
Classification of Air Pollutants
× Air pollutants may be particulate or gaseous.
On the basis of origin they are divided as
× Primary pollutants ---- Are emitted directly from
the point source. e.g. : CO, NO2, SO2
× Secondary pollutants ---- formed by interaction of
primary pollutants
e.g. : PAN, Smog, Ozone etc
Name of the gas Characteristics Source
Nitrogen dioxide Brownish gas irritates the respiratory Burning fuels including petrol, diesel, and
system originates from combustion coal

Ground level O3 (primary Reaction of VOC + nox in presence of Vehicles and industries are the major
constituent of smog) heat +sun light source
Carbon monoxide Reduces bloods ability to carry O2 Produced by the incomplete burning of
carbon-based fuels & natural and
synthetic products such as cigarettes
Carbon dioxide Principle greenhouse gas. Emitted as a result of human activities

Criteria of
such as the burning of coal, oil, and
natural gases
Sulphur dioxide Precursor to acid rain along with Nox Formed when fuel (coal, oil) containing S

Pollutants
is burned and metal smelting
Chlorofluoro carbon (CFC) Ozone depletion Released from air-conditioning systems
and refrigeration.
Cause learning disabilities in children Present in petrol, diesel, lead batteries,
, toxic to liver, kidney, blood forming paints, hair dye products, etc
organs
Indoor air pollution
 Many people spend large portion of time indoors - as much as 80-
90% of their lives.
 We work, study, eat, drink and sleep in enclosed environments
where air circulation may be restricted
 Children and women are more exposed to risk
 Radon gas
 Burning for fuel, wood, kerosene
 Incomplete combustion produces CO
 Cigarette smoke
Effect on Environment
 Visibility
 Pollutants in the presence of
sunlight produce photochemical
Smog
 Emission of Green House Gases
tend to Global Warming
 CFC’s cause Ozone Depletion
National
Ambient Air
Quality Pollutant and time-weighted
average
Industrial
area
Residential Sensitive
area area
Standards Sulphur dioxide Annual average 80.0 60.0 15.0
24 hours 120.0 µg/m3 80.0 µg/m3 30.0 µg/m3
Nitrogen oxides Annual average 80.0 60.0 15.0
24 hours 120.0 80.0 30.0
LEAD Annual average 1.0 0.75 0.500
24 hours 1.5 1.00 0 .750
CO
5.00 2.00 1.00
Annual average
10.0 4.00 2.00
24 hours
Control Of Air
Pollution
• Proper air pollution control devices in industries
• Using low sulphur coal
• Regular engine tune up, replacement of old more
polluting vehicles
• Using mass transport system, bicycles etc
• Shifting to less polluting fuels
• Planting more trees
 The Contamination of
water with undesirable
substances which
make it unfit for usage
is termed water
Pollution.

Water
Pollution
 Pollution
Sources
Point sources are direct discharges to a single point;
Examples; discharges from sewage treatment plants,
injection wells and some industrial sources.
Non-point sources are diffused across a broad area and their
contamination cannot be traced to a single discharge point.
Examples; runoff of excess fertilizers, herbicides, and
insecticides from agricultural lands and residential
areas; oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff
and energy production; and sediment from improperly
managed construction sites, crop and forest lands, and
eroding stream banks.
Surface Water
Pollution
 Sewage
 Industrial effluents
 Synthetic detergents
 Agrochemicals
 Oil
 Waste heat
Domestic Sewage
× Refers to waste water that is discarded from
households. Also referred to as sanitary sewage, such
water contains a wide variety of dissolved and
suspended impurities.
× It is large by volume and contains impurities such as
organic materials and plant nutrients that tend to rot.
× The main organic materials are food and vegetable
waste, plant nutrient come from chemical soaps,
washing powders, etc.
× Domestic sewage is also very likely to contain
disease-causing microbes.
Industrial Effluents
× Waste water from manufacturing or chemical processes
in industries
× Industrial waste water usually contains specific and
readily identifiable chemical compounds.
× Mainly in the form of toxic wastes and organic pollutants.
× Chromium, mercury, lead, copper, cadmium etc
Synthetic Detergents And Oils
× Added because of washing clothes, cleaning utensils.
× In industries for washing
× Add surfactants and soaps to water
× Toxic to fish, aquatic life.
× Oceans are polluted by oil on a daily basis from oil
spills, routine shipping, run-offs and dumping.
× Oil spills make up about 12% of the oil that enters the
ocean. The rest come from shipping travel, drains and
dumping.
Agricultural Run Off
• Routine applications of fertilizers and pesticides for
agriculture and uncontrolled run off in water
bodies.
• Adds Nitrogen and Phosphorus to water
• Causes Eutrophication and algal blooms.
Ground Water Pollution
 Is less comparatively, as soil acts as a filter Still...
 Septic tanks
 Mining
 Deep well injection
 Presence of heavy metals-Arsenic , Nitrate, Fluoride
Control of Water Pollution
• Treatment of water before leaving in water
bodies.
• Restoration of polluted water bodies.
• Ganga Action Plan
• River Water Monitoring
Marine Pollution
 Marine Pollution is caused due to Sewage Sludge,
Indutrial Effluents, Detergents, solid waste, plastic,
etc.
 Sources :
 River- Bring pollutants from drainage basins
 Catchment Area- Human Settlements
 Oil Drilling & Shipment
 Effects :
 Fishes show mortality
 Oil disrupts the insulating capacity of feathers
Control measures
× Effluents should not be discharged
× Treatment before discharge
× Strict law enforcement- regarding drilling in
Ecosensitive zones, dumping of toxic & Hazardous
wastes
× Minimum developmental activities on shore
× CRZs: Coastal regulation Zones
Thermal Pollution
•Definition : Presence of waste heat in the water which
can cause undesirable changes in natural
environment.
•Causes:
•Heat producing Industries
•Power plants utilize only 1/3rd energy produced by
fossil fuel rest is wasted as heat
•Cold water is taken from water body for cooling
….used and left in the water body….back with
increase of 10-15 Deg.
Effects…?
 Oxygen penetration decreases, dissolved oxygen also
reduces as the solubility is decreased
 Heat kills fishes and other aquatic life.
 Toxicity of pesticides & chemicals increase with
increase in temperature
 Metabolic Activities increase at high temp. requiring
more oxygen.
 Spawning is disturbed
 Fish migration is affected
 Composition of flora & fauna changes-
 Temp. tolerant spp. Start developing
Control of
Thermal
pollution

Cooling ponds,
cooling towers and
spray ponds
Noise pollution
 Unwanted and unbearable sound is “Noise”
 Sound travels in form of pressure waves through air,
liquid or solid
 Measured on DECIBEL SCALE.
 Higher in Industrial area.
 80 to 120 dB
 Crackers: 125 dB
 Construction: 100 dB
Sources and effects
• Transportation
• Heavy Machinery
• Construction activities
• Celebrations and household appliances

• Physiological and psychological

changes
• Interferes communication
• Hearing damage
• Sleep disturbance
Nuclear Or Radioactive Hazard
 Natural radioactive decay
 Give out fast moving particles, high energy
radiations.
 Alpha and beta particles

 Nuclear accidents, test laboratories

radioactive fallout

 Fukushima in Japan
 Pripyat in Ukraine
Effects and control
Genetic damage : DNA alterations, gene damage,
chromosome damage
Somatic damage: Burns, miscarriages, eye cataract, cancers
of skin, bones, breast.

Proper siting.
Proper disposal.
Soil pollution
• Soil is upper layer of earth crust, contains organic
matter, fertile
• Dumping of wastes causes soil pollution
• Garbage
• Rubbish like glass, plastics, metallic cans, papers,
cloth rags, containers
• Discharge of Industrial wastes.
• Fly ash from Thermal power plants
• Fertilizers and pesticides: DDT, endrin, Lindane.
• Sewage sludge and radioactive wastes
Effects and control
 Reduce soil productivity
 Affects soil flora and fauna

 Sludge contains worms, bacteria and

pathogens.
 Radioactive wastes enter food chain:

Strontium 90 mimics calcium.

 Treatment before discharge

 Convert waste to biogas, fuel etc.
 Recover from soil.
SOLID WASTE AND ITS
MANAGEMENT
× Higher standards of living…generate more waste
× Quantities are enormous
× Management is very important

× Sources of solid waste include: Waste from homes,

hospitals, industries, parks, gardens, shops,
construction and demolition waste
× In each and every action of
humans, Solid waste is generated
Two types of Waste:

BIODEGRADABLE
× Vegetable waste
× Food waste NON-BIODEGRADABLE
× Tea leaves × Polythene bags
× Egg shells × Glass bottles
× Dry leaves × Scrap metal
× Tins, cans etc etc
× Electronic waste
EFFECTS OF SOLID WASTE

× Waste heap up on roads

× Litter surroundings
× Foul smells
× Vector breeding
× BURNING produces toxic gases
Management
Following methods in use:
Composting
Sanitary landfill
Incineration

Current trends of 3- R’s

Reduce Reuse Recycle
Love canal
tragedy
Chernobyl
disaster
Major
pollution
episodes
Exxon Valdez
leak episode
Bhopal gas
tragedy
Love canal tragedy
Numerous
At the time of the contaminants
dump's closure in dumped in the
1952, Niagara Falls landfill included
was entering an Caustics, alkalines,
chlorinated
economic boom, hydrocarbon
fatty
and the population residues,
acid and chlorinated
processed
had been expanding hydrocarbons
sludge, fly ash, and
dramatically, resulting from the
other materials,
growing by 31% manufacturing of
including
dyes, perfumes, and
residential
solvents for rubber
municipal garbage
and synthetic resins

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Chernobyl disaster
× 26 April 1986
× Chernobyl
× nuclear plant in × Severely
Pripyat, flawed reactor × 200000 eventual
Ukraine design deaths
× Large areas of combined with
Ukraine, human error
Belarus, and
Russia
× About 60% of
the radioactive
fallout landed in
Belarus.
Fukushima disaster
× 573 deaths have
been certified as × 15,000
"disaster- terabecquerels
related" of cancer-
by 13 municipalit causing Cesium,
ies affected by equivalent to
the Fukushima about 168 times
nuclear disaster the 1945 atomic
bombing of
Hiroshima

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Role of an Individual in Pollution
prevention

 Think globally act locally

 Use eco-friendly products
 Use rechargeable batteries
 No to excess pesticides, chemicals,
paints, solvents
 Use less or only required quantity
of resource
 PLANT MORE TREES(local
species)
 Best from Waste
 3 R’S- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Thank you

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