Environmental issues; air pollution and water pollution; causes, effects and solutions

1. ERUM NAZ
1605
B.S ENGLISH
5TH SEMESTER

3. CAUSES OF AIR POLLUTION
1.Burning of Fossil Fuels:
Sulfur dioxide emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels like coal,
petroleum and other factory combustibles is one the major cause of air
pollution. Carbon Monoxide caused by improper or incomplete combustion
and generally emitted from vehicles is another major pollutant along with
Nitrogen Oxides, that is produced from both natural and man made
processes.
2. Household and Farming Chemicals:
When we use these chemicals at home or offices with no or little ventilation, we
may fall ill if we breathe them. Crop dusting, fumigating homes, household cleaning
products or painting supplies, over the counter insect/pest killers, fertilizer dust
emit harmful chemicals into the air and cause pollution.

4. 3. Exhaust from factories and industries :
Manufacturing industries release large amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons,
organic compounds, and chemicals into the air thereby depleting the quality of air.
Petroleum refineries also release hydrocarbons and various other chemicals that pollute
the air and also cause land pollution. Ammonia is a very common by product from agriculture
related activities and is one of the most hazardous gases in the atmosphere. Excessive use of
insectides,pesticides and fertilizers emit harmful chemicals into the air causing air and water
pollution
4. Automobile Emissions:
Automobile emissions are the number one source of carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen
oxides, and volatile organic compounds released into the atmosphere. While the
emissions of any single vehicle are usually quite low, when you add up the millions of
vehicles in transit in any given urban metropolitan area, you come up with quite a lot of
emissions.

5. EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION
1. Acid Rain:
Harmful gases like nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides are released into the
atmosphere during the burning of fossil fuels. When it rains, the water
droplets combines with these air pollutants, becomes acidic and then falls on
the ground in the form of acid rain.
2. Eutrophication:
Eutrophication is a condition where high amount of nitrogen present in
some pollutants gets developed on sea’s surface and turns itself into algae
and adversely affect fish, plants and animal species.
3. Respiratory and heart problems:
The effects of Air pollution are alarming. They are known to create several
respiratory and heart conditions along with Cancer, among other threats to
the body. Children in areas exposed to air pollutants are said to commonly
suffer from pneumonia and asthma.

6. 4. Depletion of Ozone layer:
Ozone exists in earth’s stratosphere and is responsible for protecting humans from harmful
ultraviolet (UV) rays. Earth’s ozone layer is depleting due to the presence of chlorofluorocarbons,
hydro chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. As ozone layer will go thin, it will emit harmful
rays back on earth and can cause skin and eye related problems.
5. Global warming:
Another direct effect is the immediate alterations that the world is witnessing due to Global
warming. With increased temperatures world wide, increase in sea levels and melting of ice from
colder regions and icebergs, displacement and loss of habitat have already signaled an
impending disaster if actions for preservation and normalization aren’t undertaken soon.

7. SOLUTIONS TO AIR POLLUTION
 Cleaning Smokestacks and Exhaust Pipes .
 Use of Renewable or Green Energy Sources.
 Individual Level Prevention Methods.
 Raising Awareness Through Campaigns and Advocacy

9. CAUSES OF WATER POLLUTION
1. Sewage and waste water:
Pathogens are known as a common water pollutant; The sewers of cities house
several pathogens and thereby diseases. The sewage and waste water that is
produced by each household is chemically treated and released in to sea with fresh
water. The sewage water carries harmful bacteria and chemicals that can cause
serious health problems. Microorganisms in water are known to be causes of some
very deadly diseases and become the breeding grounds for other creatures that act
like carriers. A very common example of this process would be Malaria.
2.Industrial waste:
Industries produce huge amount of waste which contains toxic chemicals and
pollutants which can cause air pollution and damage to us and our environment.
They contain pollutants such as lead, mercury, sulphur, asbestos, nitrates and many
other harmful chemicals. Many industries do not have proper waste management
system and drain the waste in the fresh water which goes into rivers, canals and later
in to sea.

10. 3. Mining activities:
Mining is the process of crushing the rock and extracting coal and other minerals from
underground. These elements when extracted in the raw form contains harmful
chemicals and can increase the amount of toxic elements when mixed up with water
which may result in health problems. Mining activities emit several metal waste and
sulphides from the rocks and is harmful for the water.
4. Marine dumping:
The garbage produce by each household in the form of paper, aluminum, rubber, glass,
plastic, food if collected and deposited into the sea in some countries. These items take
from 2 weeks to 200 years to decompose. When such items enters the sea, they not only
cause water pollution but also harm animals in the sea.
5. Accidental Oil leakage:
Oil spill pose a huge concern as large amount of oil enters into the sea and does not
dissolve with water; there by opens problem for local marine wildlife such as fish, birds
and sea otters.

11. 6. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides:
They are useful for the plants growth. However, when these chemicals are mixed up with
water produce harmful for plants and animals. Also, when it rains, the chemicals mixes
up with rainwater and flow down into rivers and canals which pose serious damages for
aquatic animals.
7. Radioactive waste:
Nuclear energy is produced using nuclear fission or fusion. The element that is used in
production of nuclear energy is Uranium which is highly toxic chemical. The nuclear
waste that is produced by radioactive material needs to be disposed off to prevent any
nuclear accident.
8. Urban development:
As population has grown, so has the demand for housing, food and cloth. As more cities
and towns are developed, they have resulted in increase use of fertilizers to produce
more food, soil erosion due to deforestation, increase in construction activities,
inadequate sewer collection and treatment, landfills as more garbage is produced,
increase in chemicals from industries to produce more materials.

12. EFFECTS OF WATER POLLUTION
1. Health Aspects of Water Quality:
Consumption of polluted water is a major cause of ill health in India. Polluted
water causes some of the deadly diseases like cholera, dysentery, diarrhea,
tuberculosis, jaundice, etc. About 80 per cent of stomach diseases in India
are caused by polluted water.
2. Effect of Organic Pollution on Water Quality:
All organic materials can be broken down or decomposed by microbial and
other biological activity (biodegradation). Organic and some of the inorganic
compounds exhibit a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) because oxygen is
used in the degradation process.
3.Death of aquatic (water) animals:
The main problem caused by water pollution is that it kills life that depends
on these water bodies. Oxygen is a basic requirement of almost all aquatic
life. Aquatic life is adversely affected if sufficient oxygen is not available in
the water.

13. Malnutrition:
Sea food is one of the main sources of our food. Agriculture run-off including pesticide
and chemical fertilizer, industrial effluent, civic waste water, dumping of chemical waste
and oil spills mainly cause sea pollution. As a result sea life receives big hit. It either
finishes or gets infected with poisonous effects of the sea pollutants. Ultimately it loses
nutrient value and human beings consume sea food of polluted water and do not
consume original amount of the nutrients from them.
Loss of biodiversity:
Loss of biodiversity is the biggest threat to this universe. It is feared that if various species
keep on extinguishing on the same pace then a day would come when we the human
beings have to directly face this threat. Therefore it is must to contain biodiversity which
means retaining the variety of life as broad as possible. Hundreds of various living beings
and plants have been extinguished from this world. Now sea pollution is a direct threat to
the marine life.

14. SOLUTIONS OF WATER POLLUTION
 Proper use and dispose of chemicals.
 Control storm water runoff.
 Control of sediments and erosion from construction sites.
 Clean Up Beaches and Waterways.
 Use fertilizers wisely and give preference to native plants

16. CAUSES OF SOIL POLLUTION
1.Natural factors:
The natural factors that cause soil erosion includes volcanic eruptions, changes in rainfall
pattern, earthquakes, topographic changes, wind and glacier movements. Natural factors of soil
erosion (like rainfall, wind, topography, etc.) are further increased by human activities.
2.Human activities:
Soil pollution is further increased by human-activities. Some of the human activities that causes
land or soil pollution includes the following:
> The main factors of land pollution are increasing rate of soil erosion caused due to
deforestation.
> In most of the developing countries increasing rate of soil erosion due to deforestation and
faulty agricultural practices has degraded land to a large scale because the fertile top soil has
been washed out.

17.  The excreta of birds, animals and humans are source of soil pollution by biological
agents. Sewage used as manure causes soil pollution.
 Acid rains increase the acidity of soils that is injurious to plant growth. It is caused by
the presence of pollutants in the environment. The major causes of acid rains includes
human activities such as burning of fossil fuels, and introduction of harmful gases.
 The toxic chemicals in the form of solid and liquid wastes that are disposed by
industries and factories is the major source for soil pollution.
 The nuclear power plants are responsible for producing radioactive wastes. These
are harmful for the soil.

18. Harmful effects of land pollution
 Land pollution results in substantial decrease in soil fertility and
agricultural production.
 Chemical pollutants in the form of chemical fertilizers and pesticides,
insecticides and herbicides cause various diseases and several deaths.
 Those bacteria which are transmitted to human-beings from soil infect
causes dysentery, cholera, tuberculosis, typhoid and paratyphoid fever,
etc.
 The decomposition of various waste materials causes harmful gases and
bad smell.
 Clogging of micro-holes of the soil by particles in the sewage destroy the
soil micro-organisms.
 Land pollution is one of the main cause of air and water pollution.

19. Control of Land pollution
 Controlled and judicious use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides,
insecticides and herbicides.
 Proper disposal of industrial and urban wastes.
 After proper treatment the urban and industrial effluents should be used
for irrigation purposes.
 Proper land use and management.
 Proper use of fertilizers and biocides.
 Land pollution can be controlled by adopting as follows:
 Soil erosion should be checked.