Pollution and it’s types

Pollution

Following are the Main Types of Pollution

The effects of pollution are undoubtedly many
and extensive. Extreme levels of pollution are
causing scores of harm to human health,
animal health, tropical rain-forests etc. All

kinds ofpollution including air,

water, soil pollution, etc. have an impact on the
environment
 Pollution
• Air Pollution
• Water Pollution
• Land Pollution (soil pollution)
• Noise Pollution
• Radioactive/ Nuclear Pollution
• Thermal Pollution, etc
• Light pollution
• Marine Pollution/ Ocean Pollution
Water Pollution
One of the most common forms of pollution is
water pollution. Generally, it is the contagion
of any body of water including lakes,
groundwater, sea, oceans, etc. A few examples
include raw sewage and waste water running
into the lake or streams; Industrial waste drips
polluting groundwater, the illicit putting of stuff
or items within bodies of water, etc. The most
explicit kind of water pollution affects surface
waters including oceans, lakes, and rivers
which are used as drinking water. Sewage,
Nutrients, Chemical waste, radioactive waste,
etc. can make water polluted. Water pollution
also results in death of water bodies, kill
organisms and fish, crabs, birds; seagull.s,
dolphins, etc.
 Pollution
• Increased use of non degradable material and especially the use of
plastic is a large contributor in water pollution. Plastic material such
as carry bags, plastic straw, bottles etc are choking our drains and
harming marine and aquatic life. Serious problems have emerged
because of increased plastic content in aquatic organisms. The
increased level of contaminants in water and exploiting existing
natural resources has resulted in water crisis in many urban areas.
This has resulted in acute shortage of drinking water or high level of
contamination which makes it unfit for drinking purpose. Increased
soil pollution too have an direct impact on quality as the
underground water gets affected by those toxic contaminants. This
type of pollution also results in various 
types of environmental degradation.
 Pollution
• Common Sources of Water Pollution: 
• Human activities are the main source of water pollution. The most
polluting type include discharging of industrial waste into water bodies
such as lakes and rivers. The harmful chemicals and toxic waste without
being treated is directly discharged to water bodies. Another reason is the
mixing of untreated sewage to rivers. Polluted and contaminated water
from houses is not treated and rather made to enter the water bodies.
Plastic materials such as bottles, carry bags, packaging material also find
their way to water bodies which adds to the water pollution and
adversely affects its quality and also aquatic life. Another example of
water pollution includes mixing up of high temperature (hot water/
discharge) into water bodies at normal temperature. The sudden change
and rise in temperature of water also has negative impact on aquatic life.
Acid rain is also regarded as one of the polluting factor.
 Pollution
• Acid Rain: Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
react with water in the atmosphere producing
sulphuric acid and nitric acid. These acids
come down along with the rain. This
phenomenon is called acid rain. The pH of acid
rain varies from 3-6. The composition of acid
rain is sulphuric acid, nitric acid and weak
carbonic acid.
 Pollution
• It has the following adverse effects:
• Causes respiratory and skin disorders.
• Affects productivity of plants by damaging the
leaves.
• Enters the soil and affects pH and other conditions.
• Enters the ground and river which causes harm to
the aquatic  life.
• Causes damage to marble and thus damages
buildings and monuments like the Taj Mahal
Pollution
 Eutrophication
• Eutrophication is predominantly caused by
human action due to the dependence on using
nitrate and phosphate fertilizers. Agricultural
practices and the use of fertilizers on lawns,
golf courses and other fields contribute to
phosphate and nitrate nutrient accumulation.
Eutrophication
 Pollution
• Causes of Eutrophication
• Fertilizers (nitrates and phosphates)
• Eutrophication is predominantly caused by human
action due to the dependence on using nitrate and
phosphate fertilizers. Agricultural practices and the
use of fertilizers on lawns, golf courses and other
fields contribute to phosphate and nitrate nutrient
accumulation.
 Pollution
• Concentrated animal feeding operations
• Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are as
well a main contributor of phosphorus and nitrogen
nutrients responsible for eutrophication. The concentrated
animal feeding operations normally discharge high scores
of the nutrients that find way into rivers, streams, lakes and
oceans where they accumulate in high concentrations
thereby plaguing the water bodies by recurring
cyanobacterial and algal blooms.
 Pollution
• Direct sewage discharge and industrial waste into water bodies
• In some parts of the world, especially the developing nations,
sewage water is directly discharged into water bodies such as rivers,
lakes and oceans. As a result, it introduces high amounts of chemical
nutrients thereby stimulating the dense growth of algal blooms and
other aquatic plants which threatens survival of aquatic life in many
ways.
• Some countries may also treat the sewage water, but still discharge
it into water bodies after treatment. As much as the water is
treated, it can still cause the accumulation of excess nutrients,
ultimately bringing about eutrophication. The direct discharge of 
industrial waste water into water bodies presents similar outcomes.
 Pollution
• quiculture
• Aquiculture is a technique of growing shellfish, fish and even
aquatic plants (without soil) in water containing dissolved
nutrients. As a highly embraced practice in the recent times, it
also qualifies a top ranking contributor to eutrophication.
• If aquiculture is not properly managed, the unconsumed food
particles together with the fish excretion can significantly
increase the levels of nitrogen and phosphorous in the water
thereby resulting in dense growth of microscopic floating plants.
 Pollution
• Natural events
• Natural events such as floods and the natural flow
of rivers and streams can also wash excess
nutrients off the land into the water systems thus
causing excessive growth of algal blooms. Also, as
lakes grow old, they naturally accumulate
sediments as well as phosphorus and nitrogen
nutrients which contribute to the explosive growth
of phytoplankton and cyanobacterial blooms.
 Pollution
• Effects of Eutrophication
• Threatens the survival of fish and other aquatic life forms
• When aquatic ecosystems experience increased
nutrients, the phytoplankton and other photosynthetic
plants grow explosively, commonly known as algal
blooms. As an outcome, the algal blooms limit the
amount of dissolved oxygen required for respiration by
other animal and plant species in the water. Oxygen
depletion happens when the algae/plant life die and
decompose.
 Pollution
• Effects of Eutrophication
• Threatens the survival of fish and other aquatic life forms
• When aquatic ecosystems experience increased
nutrients, the phytoplankton and other photosynthetic
plants grow explosively, commonly known as algal
blooms. As an outcome, the algal blooms limit the
amount of dissolved oxygen required for respiration by
other animal and plant species in the water. Oxygen
depletion happens when the algae/plant life die and
decompose.
 Pollution
• When the dissolve oxygen reaches hypoxic levels,
the animal and plant species under the water such
as shrimp, fish and other aquatic biota suffocate to
death. In extreme cases, the anaerobic conditions
encourage the growth of bacteria that produces
toxins which are deadly to the marine mammals and
birds. The growth of phytoplankton also causes
reduced light penetration into the lower depths of
the water. This can bring about aquatic dead zones, 
loss of aquatic life and it also lessens biodiversity.
 Pollution
• Deterioration of water quality and limits access to
safe drinking water
• Algal blooms are highly toxic and once the water
reaches the anaerobic conditions, the growth of
more toxic bacterial is promoted. The consequence
is extensive deterioration of water quality and
decline in the availability of clean drinking water. The
dense growth of algal blooms and photosynthetic
bacteria in surface waters can also block water
systems hence limiting the availability of piped water.
 Pollution
• Poisoning and impact on human health
• The cyanobacteria, also referred to as
dinoflagelates which generates red tide,
release very powerful toxins with high poison
levels in the water even at very low
concentrations. The anaerobic conditions
created by explosive plant growth in the water
also results in the doubling of the toxic
compounds.
 Pollution
• It can also cause death in humans and animals even at the least
concentration when ingested in drinking water. Besides,
freshwater algal blooms can threaten livestock health. The toxic
compounds can also make their way up the food chain,
contributing to various negative health impacts such as cancers.
Biotoxins are linked to increased incidence of neurotoxic,
paralytic and diarrhoetic shelfish poisoning in humans, which
can lead to death.
• The shellfish accumulate the poison in their mussles and then
poisions humans upon consumption. High nitrogen concentraion
in drinking water is associated with the ability of inhibiting blood
circulation in infants, a condition known as blue baby syndrome.
 Solutions
• Solutions to Eutrophication
• Composting
• Eutrophication mainly arises from the use of
nitrate and phosphate fertilizers. In a bid to
address the phenomenon, composting can be
used as a solution. Composting is the practice of
converting organic matter such as food residues
and decaying vegetation into compost manure.
 Solution
• The nutrients present in the compost manure
are deficient of the high concentration of
nitrates and phosphates that feed the algae
and other microbes in water bodies. In
compost fertilizer, all the essential elements
are broken down and synthesized by the
plants thereby not creating the cycle of
eutrophication. This method of controlling
eutrophication is termed as nutrient limitation
 Solution
• Reducing pollution
• Just like composting, limiting pollution is an easy and effective
method of cutting back on the amount of nitrogen and
phosphates discharged into water systems. Big manufacturing
companies and municipalities ought to reduce pollution and
desist from discharging waste into water systems so as to reduce
the amount of toxins and nutrients ending up in the waters that
feed the algae and other microscopic organisms.
• If industries and municipalities can cap their waste discharge
 and pollution to a lower level, then nutrient content is reduced
in the water systems which can subsequently control
eutrophication.
 Solution
• Strengthening laws and regulations against non-point pollution
• Strengthening laws and regulations against non-point 
water source pollution can substantially control eutrophication.
According to EPA, non-point pollution presents the most serious
challenge in the management of nutrient entry into water systems.
Controlling nutrient sources therefore results in decreased
eutrophication.
• By minimizing non-point pollution, we are essentially lessening the
amount of nutrients entering the aquatic ecosystems. The laws
should aim at enhancing high water quality standards and zero-
tolerance to non-point solution. With the support of policymakers,
citizens, pollution regulatory authorities and the government, it is
easy to control eutrophication.
 Solution
• Ultrasonic Irradiation
• The world is constantly seeking advanced methods for
resolving some of the environmental problems. When it
comes to eutrophication, the use of ultrasonic irradiation
is one such mechanism which has been exploited as an
alternative solution to control and manage algal
blooming. The process works by causing cavitations which
produces free radicals that destroy algae cells. Still,
research is still underway to determine the uniqueness of
its use in controlling the eutrophication problem.
 Air pollution
• Air Pollution
• Air Pollution is another main environmental pollution faced by our world
today. It takes place when damaging stuff including particulate matter and
biological molecules are dumped into Earth’s atmosphere. It results in
diseases, allergies or premature death in humans. Air pollution can bring
harm to other living organisms such as animals and food crops that we eat.
In general, it is the pollution of air by smoke and dangerous gases, chiefly
oxides of carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen. Exhausting fumes from vehicles,
natural gas, the burning of fossil fuels, Radiation spills or nuclear accidents,
destructive off-gassing from things such as paint, plastic production, and so
on can cause pollution. Such a type is generally regarded as “external
pollution” only however it is not true. Pollutants outside the home is as
dangerous as inside the home and offices. Such pollution which is present
in a closed space of home or office space is called indoor air pollution.
 Air pollution
• Greenhouse effect, global warming are well known issues cause because of burning
of fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, natural gas resulting in increased emission of
carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, heavy metals in atmosphere. Out of
various kinds of pollution, air pollution is the major contributor to global warming.
People often talk about carbon dioxide (CO2) interchangeably with GHGs. This is
because CO2 is the most prevalent GHG. It represents about three-quarters of all
global GHG emissions, and the amount in the atmosphere has risen dramatically.
Before the industrial age, levels were around 275 parts per million (ppm), now they
are at 395 ppm, with some areas at 400 or higher. This is significant, since the last
time the planet had levels that high was likely 800,000 years ago. People often talk
about carbon dioxide (CO2) interchangeably with GHG. When we cut down forests,
we lose part of the system that reduces GHGs. Additionally, if these cut trees are
then burned or allowed to decay, the carbon which was trapped in the tree is then
released back into the atmosphere. So not only do we lose an ally for reducing GHGs,
we end up causing an additional increase.
 Air pollution
• Effects of air pollution:
• Formation of Photochemical Smog
• When pollutants like hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides
combine in the presence of sunlight, smog is formed. This
is a mixture of gases and since it is formed by
photochemical reactions, it is called the photochemical
smog. The word ‘smog’ is derived from the two words-
smoke and fog. It forms a yellowish brown haze especially
during winter and hampers visibility. It also causes many
respiratory disorders and allergies as it contains polluting
gases.
 Air pollution
• Depletion of Ozone layer
• The stratosphere of the atmosphere has ozone (O3). Ozone is
known to absorb the Ultraviolet (UV) rays present in the sun’s
radiation. The UV rays are believed to cause skin cancer and
mutations. Thus, the ozone protects us from the harmful effects
of the UV rays. However, hydrocarbons such as the
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) destroy the ozone molecules which
deplete the ozone layer. Ozone holes have been detected in the
atmosphere which permit the UV rays to reach the earth’s
surface. The harmful effects of the UV rays are visible in the
countries such as Australia and New Zealand where the rate of
skin cancer is higher than the other regions of the world.
 Air pollution
• Aerosol Formation
• Aerosol is formed by the dispersion of solid or liquid matter in
the atmosphere. There are natural aerosols also in the
atmosphere. However, polluting aerosols are formed by the
pollutant particulate matter like carbon particles. If the
aerosols form a thick layer in the troposphere, they affect the
weather conditions by blocking the solar radiation. Aerosols
are also deposited on the leaves and affect the photosynthesis.
Aerosols disperse the organic metallic pollutants far and wide.
Air pollution
 Air pollution
• Indoor Air Pollution
• It refers to the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of air inside home, office, an
institution or centre. Indoor air pollution is a concern from the developed countries, where
energy efficiency improvements, sometimes make homes sterile, reducing ventilation and
increases pollutants level. Indoor air problem can be subtle and don’t always produce early
impact on health.
• In the developing countries, it is the rural areas that face the greatest threat from indoor
pollution, where some 3.5 billion people continue to rely on traditional fuels such as firewood,
charcoal, and cow dung for heating and cooking. Concentrations of indoor pollutants in families
that burning traditional fuels are somewhat alarming. Fuels that are such that are burning
produces large quantity of smoke and other air pollutants at the home’s space, leading to
elevated exposure. Women and children are the groups most exposed as they spend more time
indoors and are exposed to smoke. The World Bank designated air pollution from the developing
countries as one of the four most critical global environmental issues. Daily averages of amount
totaled indoors often exceed current guidelines and amounts. Although a lot of hundreds of
chemical agents are recognized in the smoke from biofuels, the four most pollutants are
formaldehyde, carbon dioxide, polycyclic organic matter, and particulates. Alas monitoring was
done in poor and rural indoor surroundings.
 Air pollution
• Common Sources of air pollution:
• The most widely known source of air pollution is the burning of
fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum. Fossil fuels are being used
in large quantities for over centuries in one or other form.
Automobiles are driven by fossil fuels which causes pollution.
Another example is the burning of coal in coal based electric power
stations to generate electricity. Burning of crops, waste and
garbage are another equally damaging to the environment.
Construction activity though does not result in release of harmful
gases directly but it adds large amount of particulate matter and
other harmful suspended particles which causes pollution.
• Related: Importance of Solar Energy, Environmental Sustainability