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RBSE Class 8 Science Notes Chapter 16 Air and Water Pollution and Its Control - RBSE Guide
RBSE Class 8 Science Notes Chapter 16 Air and Water Pollution and Its Control - RBSE Guide
Fast growing population, deforestation, increasing automobiles, Industrial development, increasing number of industries, increasing
industrial domestic waste have degraded the quality of environment. It has resulted into accute problems like air and water pollution.
If it wouldn’t be controlled then a time will come when we will not get clean air and water or potable water. There are some questions
related to surroundings which should be sincerely think and answer.
Air Pollution:
Air is essential for life, it is important for all living beings. Air is a mixture of different gases. In its composition 78% is nitrogen, 21%
oxygen and 1% other gases are present like – Carbon dioxide, argon, methane, water vapour etc. In nature exchange between animals
and plants keeps the composition of air balanced but there are some natural and man made reasons like – volcanoes, forest fire,
increasing industries, transportation, mining etc.
These reasons are responsible for increasing harmful gases, dust particles and smoke continuously in the air. All these combinedly
putting an adverse effect on health of all living beings. It is called air pollution or air which is not fit to live. In short quantitative
change in quality and composition of air is called air pollution.
Automobiles: All vehicles produce poisonous gases like – Carbon-monooxide, sulphur dioxide, Nitrogen oxide etc. due to
burning of fuels. They make air polluted.
Industries: Wastes produced through chemicals, iron and fertilizers, cement, sugar industries make the air polluted.
Agricultural activities: Use of insecticides, pesticides, weedi acides mix with air and make it polluted.
Domestic Pollution: Use of wood and dungcakes for cooking food, waste left in open cause air pollution.
Individual habits: Smoking cigars and cigarettes.
Natural sources: Volcanoes, land explosions, sand storm etc.
Accidents: Cause due to the carelessness of human like – explosion at atomic plant, fire in war material, leakage of gas in
industries make the atmosphere very harmfully polluted.
Deforestation: Due to deforestation atmosphere is polluted as disbalance of gases.
Increase in Population: Rapid increase in population is one of the factors of pollution. Pollutants-Substances which cause
environmental degradation are called pollutants like (CO) carbon monoxide present in smoke emitted out of automobiles,
CO2(Carbon-dioxide) (NO2) Nitrogen oxide etc.
Due to half or incomplete combustion of petrol and diesel, CO, a poisonous gas is produced. It decreases the capacity of
oxygen carrying in blood.
Tetra ethyl lead present in petrol is a dangerous pollutant. It is one of the factors of cancer and tuberculosis.
In winters a thick layer of smog is formed it is formed due to fog and smoke. It contains NO2 which causes asthma, cough and
disorder of respiration.
From Petrol Refineries we released NO2 and SO2 pollutants as gas waste products. Fuel used in power plants also produce SO2.
These pollutants are harmful and cause diseases related to lungs.
Chloro-Floro Carbon (CFC) is a type of air pollutant. It is used in Refrigerators and Air conditioners. It harms the Ozone layer of
atmosphere. It protects us from ultraviolet rays of to the sun. Due to excess dissolution of CFC in air the hole in the ozone layer
is increased and created an acute problem.
Gases emitted out of industries like – SO2, Cl2, NH2, N2O cause burning in eyes and throat diseases.
Manufacturing industries of Aluminium and Super phosphate produce poisonous gases which cause many diseases.
Air pollution also cause harm to plants. SO2 even causes death of plants.
Acid Rain:
Nitrogen, Sulplyjr and Carbon-dioxide form Sulphuric acid, Nitric acid, Nitrous acid, Sulphurous acid, Carbonic acid, by reacting with
water. They convert rain into acid rain and fall on earth. Due to acid rain monuments like Taj Mahal is deteriorating. This event is
called marble cancer. It also deteriorates buildings, monuments, bridges, sculptors, railing and railway lines. Ponds become acidic, pH
of soil become low. It effects the absorption of minerals by the plants from soil and it become infertile. It causes burning in eyes and
skin. It damaged membranes of plants and animals.
VISHAY ACADEMY 1
Measures Taken By Supreme Court To Conserve Historical heritage:
Sun rays penetrates in the atmosphere and reaches to the surface of the earth and make it warm, some part of radiations is absorbed
by the earth and some reflects back to the universe, some part of it remains in the atmosphere. These radiations increase the
temperature of the environment. It is called green house effect. CO2 is responsible for this effect. It is beneficial for us, without this,
life is not possible on earth, but now a days it has become dangerous. When CO2 is increased in atmosphere then it works as
pollutant. CO2absorbs heat and not allow it to enter in the atmosphere. Now the average temperature is increasing in the
atmosphere. It is called Global warming. Beside CO2, Methane, nitrous oxide and water vapour are also called green house gases.
Global warming, an acute crisis: It is a cause of melting of world glaciers, It may result into increase in sea level at many places, coastal
regions are submerged. Its broad effects could be seen on rain, agriculture, forests, plants and animals. We still have enough time to
control this effect otherwise at the end of century temperature could raise upto 2°C which is a dangerous level. Many countries have
sign an agreement to decrease the amount of emission of such gases of green house gases.
Water Pollution:
Contamination of water with the substances harmful for life is called water pollution.
Water becomes polluted when industrial waste, garbage, polythene and other waste mixes with water.
Dirty water of rural drains mixes with pond water and rivers.
Washing clothes, bathing, washing utensils, dumping garbage, giving bath to animals, dispose of solid and liquid waste,
cleaning of vehicles in ponds and rivers make water polluted.
VISHAY ACADEMY 2
Pesticides and chemical fertilizers used increase growth of crops when reaches to rivers along with rain water they become
polluted.
Polluted water makes oceanic water polluted. Atomic test domestic oceans radiations of these explosions make oceanic water
pollute.
Oil refineris, paper industries, textile and sugar industries emit chemicals in which poisonous substances like – lead, arsenic, fluoride
are present. These mixes with soil and produce toxicity in animals and plants. Hot water expelled by electric plants and industries,
increases the temperature of ponds and put an adverse effect on aquatic life. Pesticides and insecticide dissolved water reach to the
underground and makes it polluted.
Those cities which are located on the banks of river Ganga, are dumping garbage, treated waste, dead bodies, flowers, pooja material,
polythene directly in this river. Hence it is polluting day by day. In 1985 to save this river, Ganga river plan was started but increasing
population and industrialization both have already harmed this river. At present Govt, has started an integrated plan ‘Namami Ganga’
for its conservation. But to make it successful participation of all Government departments and people is must.
Algae Bloom:
Chemicals like – Nitrates, Phosphate present in the solid waste work as nutrients for algae, hence number of algaes increase in a large
amount in ponds. The excess growth of algae is called algae bloom. They utilize excess amount of oxygen resulting in low level of
oxygen in the ponds. Hence aquatic organisms die.
Purification of water:
Potable water is called purified water. 25% of population in the world do not get potable water. Hence before discharging polluted
water in ponds and rivers it should be treated with physical and chemical treatment. In public water distribution system water is
treated before supplying in homes.
VISHAY ACADEMY 3