Environmental pollution

• Environmental pollution is defined as "the contamination of the physical and

biological components of the earth/atmosphere system to such an extent that
normal environmental processes are adversely affected.
Air Pollution
• Air pollution consists of gases, liquids, or solids present in the
atmosphere in high enough levels to harm humans, other organisms,
or materials.
• Primary air pollutants are harmful chemicals that enter directly into
the atmosphere. The major ones are carbon oxides, nitrogen oxides,
sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and hydrocarbons.
• Secondary air pollutants are harmful chemicals that form from other
substances released into the atmosphere. Ozone and sulfur trioxide
are secondary air pollutants because both are formed by chemical
reactions that take place in the atmosphere.
Major Air pollutants
• Particulate matter- consists of thousands of different
solid and liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere,
and includes solid particulate matter (dust) and liquid
suspensions (mists).
• toxic/ or carcinogenic, lung damage.
• PM-10 (particular matter less than 10 μm
[micrometers] in diameter) or PM-2.5 (particular
matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter).
LEAD
• a soft metal that is used in industrial
and chemical processes
• . Acute lead poisoning rarely results
from outdoor exposure, but chronic
effects can include permanently
reduced cognitive ability, behavioral
problems, slowed growth, hearing
problems, and headaches
Nitrogen oxides
• Combustion of fuels
• nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and nitrous oxide (N2O).
• s inhibit plant growth and, when breathed, aggravate health
problems such as asthma, a disease in which breathing is wheezy
and labored because of airway constriction. They are involved in
the production of photochemical smog and acid deposition.
• Nitrous oxide is associated with global warming (nitrous oxide
traps heat in the atmosphere and is therefore a greenhouse gas)
and depletes ozone in the stratosphere. Nitrogen oxides cause
metals to corrode and textiles to fade and deteriorate
Sulfur oxides

• (SO2 colorless, nonflammable gas with a

strong, irritating odor
• sulfur trioxide (SO3), a secondary air
pollutant , reacts with water and forms
sulfuric acid.
• Sulfur oxides cause acid deposition, and
they corrode metals and damage stone
and other materials, damage plants,
respiratory disorders in humans and other
animals.
Carbon
oxides
• carbon monoxide (CO)
and carbon dioxide (CO2).
• CO-poisonous, odorless
gas.
• CO2- a greenhouse gas,
odorless, - global
warming.
Hydrocarbons
• a diverse group of organic
compounds that contain
only hydrogen and
carbon; the simplest
hydrocarbon is methane
(CH4)
• Methane- GHG.
Ozone (O3)
• In the stratosphere, which extends from 12 to 50 km (7.5 to
30 mi) above Earth’s surface, oxygen reacts with UV
radiation coming from the sun to form ozone.
• , certain human-made pollutants (chlorofluorocarbons, or
CFCs) react with stratospheric ozone, breaking it down into
molecular oxygen, O2.
• , ozone in the troposphere—the layer of atmosphere closest
to Earth’s surface—is a human-made air pollutant.
• secondary air pollutant that forms when sunlight catalyzes
reactions between nitrogen oxides and volatile hydrocarbons
• e reduces air visibility and causes health problems, d ground-
level ozone is a greenhouse gas
Sources of air pollution
• natural and man-made (anthropogenic)
• Natural- e volcanic eruptions, forest fires, sea salt sprays, biological decay,
photochemical oxidation of terpenes, marshes, extra terrestrial bodies,
pollen grains of flowers, spores etc
• Man-made sources include thermal power plants, industrial units,
vehicular emissions, fossil fuel burning, agricultural activities etc. .
• Thermal plants- fly ash and SO2
• Automobile exhaust is another major source of air pollution. Automobiles
release gases such as carbon monoxide (about 77%), oxides of nitrogen
(about 8%) and hydrocarbons (about 14%). Heavy duty diesel vehicles
spew more NOx and suspended particulate matter (SPM) than petrol
vehicles which produce more carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons.
URBAN AIR POLLUTION
• The word smog was coined at the beginning of the 20th century for the
smoky fog that was so prevalent in London because of coal combustion.
• sulfur oxides and particulate matter.
• December 1952, 4000 Londoners died in the world’s worst industrial
smog incident.
• photochemical smog-A brownish-orange haze formed by chemical
reactions involving sunlight, nitrogen oxide, and hydrocarbons.
• First noted in Los Angeles in the 1940s, photochemical smog is generally
worst during the summer months.
• Nitrogen oxides, volatile hydrocarbons and oxygen.
Indoor air pollution
• Indoor air pollution is the degradation of indoor air quality by
harmful chemicals and other materials.
• The principal sources of indoor air pollution are: Combustion,
building material, and bioaerosols.
• radon, asbestos, pesticides, heavy metals, volatile organic
matter, and environmental tobacco smoke are considered
major indoor pollutants in developed countries
• In India, out of 0.2 billion people using fuel for cooking; 49%
use firewood; 8.9% cow dung cake; 1.5% coal, lignite, or
charcoal; 2.9% kerosene; 28.6% liquefied petroleum gas
(LPG); 0.1% electricity; 0.4% biogas; and 0.5% any other
means.
• most affected groups are women and younger children, as they spend maximum time at
home.
• COPD, cancer, lukemia, acute respiratory tract infection.
Effects

• On Human Health- respiratory diseases, n lung cancer,

asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema
• On plants- Damage chlorphyll, necrosis, chlorosis, epinasty,
abscission.
• On aquatic life- high acidity, affects biodiversity.
• On Materials- corrosiveness,
Control measures.

• Policy measures
• EIA studies before development
• Public transport system, bicycles
• Afforestation
• Shift to clean energy
• Using scrubbers, electrostatic
precipitators. Etc.
Water Pollution
• Water pollution- Any physical or chemical change
in water that adversely affects the health of
humans and other organisms.
• Water pollutants are divided into eight categories:
sewage, disease-causing agents, sediment
pollution, inorganic plant and algal nutrients,
organic compounds, inorganic chemicals,
radioactive substances, and thermal pollution.
Sediments
• Excessive amounts of suspended soil particles that
eventually settle out and accumulate on the bottom of
a body of water.
• Source- Erosion of agricultural lands, forest soils
exposed by logging, degraded stream banks,
overgrazed rangelands, strip mines, and construction.
Reduces light penetration, covering aquatic organisms,
bringing insoluble toxic pollutants into the water, and
filling in waterways.
Health effects

• Sediments adversely affect water quality by carrying toxic chemicals. The

sediment particles provide surface area to which some insoluble, toxic
compounds adhere; when the sediments enter thewater, so do toxic
chemicals. Disease-causing agents can also be transported into water via
sediments.
SEWAGE
• Release of wastewater from drains or sewers(toilets,
washing machines, and showers) and include human
wastes, soaps and detergents.
• Environmental Effects- Enrichment – the fertilization of a
body of water, caused by the presence of high levels of
plants and algal nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.
• HEALTH EFFECTS- Oxygen – dissolved oxygen is needed
by organisms, like fish, but when sewage enters an
aquatic ecosystem, the micro-organisms bloom, leaving
less oxygen for the fish, etc., and then they die Sewage
carries disease-causing agents.
Disease-Causing Agents
• Infectious organisms that cause disease.
• Causes- Comes from the wastes of infected individuals.
• Environmental Effects- Municipal wastewater contains
bacteria, viruses, protozoa, parasitic worms, and other
infectious agents that cause human or animal diseases.
• Fecal coliform test:A test for the presence of E. coli in
water.
Health Effects

• Typhoid, cholera, bacterial dysentery, polio and infectious hepatitis are

some of the more common bacteria or viruses that are transmitted
through contaminated food and water.
Diseases transmitted by water
Inorganic Plant and Algal Nutrients

• Chemicals such as nitrogen and

phosphorus that stimulate the growth of
plants and algae.
• Causes- Nitrates and phosphates come
from sources such as human and animal
wastes, plant residues, atmospheric
deposition and residential land.
• Environmental Effects-Inorganic plant
and algal nutrients encourage excessive
growth of algal and aquatic plants. This
causes problems, including enrichment
and bad odor.
Dead zone

• Dead zone: A section of the ocean or a seain which

oxygen has been depleted to the point that most animals
and bacteria cannot survive; often caused by runoff of
chemical fertilizers or plant and animal wastes.
• The Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico Every spring and
summer, fertilizer runoff from midwestern fields and
manure runoff from livestock operations in such states as
Iowa,Wisconsin, and Illinois eventually find their way into
the Mississippi River and, from there into the gulf of
Mexico.
• Causes- Nitrogen and phosphorus from the Mississippi
River.
Organic Compounds

• Causes- Chemicals that contain carbon

atoms. Most of the thousands of
organic compounds found in water are
synthetic chemicals that are produced
by human activities; these included
pesticides, solvents, industrial
chemicals and plastics, and seepage
from landfills.
Endocrine disruptors

• Pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, ...)

• Plasticizers
• Natural plant metabolites
• Pharmaceuticals (contraceptives, drugs,...)
• Detergents
• Chemicals from cooking & burning
• Antibiotics
• Metals
e.g. – BPA, phthalates, etc.
Health effects of endocrine disruptors

• Inability to maintain homeostasis

• Altered growth & development
• Altered responses to external stimuli
• Altered behavior
• Embryonic malformation
• Induced neoplasia or carcinogenesis
• Health Effects- Hundreds of synthetic organic compounds are toxic
and some of these have been shown to cause cancer or birth defects.
• Environmental Effects-Pollutes streams and groundwater.
Inorganic Compounds

• Causes- Chemicals that contain elements other than carbon e.g. acids, salts,
and heavy metals.
• Contaminate both surface and groundwater from sources such as industries,
mines, irrigation runoff, oil drilling and urban runoff from storm sewers. Does
not easily breakdown so remain therefor long time
• Environmental Effects- Some of these inorganic pollutants are toxic to aquatic
organisms.
Health Effects

• Lead, mercury, Arsenic are poisonous. •

Accumulate in tissues (bioaccumulation and
biomagnification)
• Bioaccumulation: accumulation of chemicals
(e.g. pesticides) in an organism. It occurs when
an organism absorbs a substance at arate faster
than that at which the substance islost by
catabolism and excretion.
• Biomagnification, or bio amplification is the
increasing concentration of a substance, e.g.
toxic chemical, in the tissues of organisms at
successively higher levels in a food chain.
Radioactive Substances
• Contains atoms of unstable isotopes that
spontaneously emit radiation.
• Causes- Radioactive substances get into water from
several sources like the mining and processing of
radioactive minerals such asuranium and thorium. The
nuclear weapons industry use the largest amounts.
Medical and scientific research facilities also use them.
• Health Effects- Mutations, birth defects, mental
retardation, genetic disease, leukemia, cancer (breast,
bone, thyroid, skin, lung), burns, cataracts, male
sterility.
• Environmental Effects- Pollutes air, water and soil.
Thermal Pollution

• When heated water produced during certain

industrial processes is released into
waterways.
• Source- water used as coolant in many
industries and power plants.
• Environmental Effects-less oxygen dissolves in
warm water than in cool water.
• Fish and other organisms can be killed due to
thermal shock.
• Decomposition of wastes occurs faster,
depleting the water of oxygen; this affects aquatic
life.
WATER POLLUTION: SOURCES, AND
EFFECTS

• Point source: specific location (drainpipes, ditches, sewer lines). – pollution is

relatively easy to control legislatively,
• Nonpoint source: cannot be traced to a single site of discharge – Sources are
diffused but the cumulative effect is huge – atmospheric deposition – Agricultural
runoff (such as fertilizers, pesticides, livestock wastes, and salt from irrigation), –
Mining wastes (such as acid mine drainage), – Municipal wastes (such as inorganic
plant and algal nutrients),and – Construction sediments – Soil erosion from fields,
logging operations, eroding stream banks.
Eutrophication
• Eutrophication- The enrichment of a lake or pond by
inorganic plant and algal nutrients such as phosphorus.
Diseases
• Minamata disease- Methyl
mercury, Japan.
• Itai-Itai- Cadmium, Japan
• Arsenic pollution- west Bengal,
Bangladesh
• Blue baby syndrome- Nitrate
ions
• Fluorosis- fluoride
• BOD is defined as the amount of DO
required to aerobically decompose
biodegradable organic matter of a given
volume of water over a period of 5 days
at 20ºC.
• Higher BOD values of any water sample
are associated with poor water quality.
The non-biodegradable toxic
compounds biomagnify in the food
chain and cause toxic effects at various
levels of food chain.
• Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a measure of
how much oxygen is dissolved in the
water - the amount of oxygen available
to living aquatic organisms.
 • Policy measures
• Just use of pesticides, fertilizers.
• Water treatment
Control Measures • grey water management
• Afforestation
Soil pollution
• Soil contamination or soil pollution as part of land degradation
is caused by the presence of xenobiotics (human-made)
chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment.

• Sources of Pollution- Improper disposal of solid and semisolid

waste of Industrial, Agricultural and Domestic sources.

Municipal Solid waste (Sludge, Sewage, Plastic, Paper, Cans etc.)

Biomedical waste
Mining
Radioactive waste – natural as well as anthropogenic
Deforestation
Some common soil pollutants are:
Lead
Arsenic
Nickel
Mercury
Copper
Zinc
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
• Effects on humans-
Headaches, nausea, and vomiting.
Coughing, pain in the chest, and wheezing.
Irritation of the skin and the eyes.
Fatigue and weakness
• Effects on plant and animals-
Decrease in available nutrients, increase salinity of soil- plant growth
retarded
• Effects on ecosystem-
1. Crop yield affected
2. Acid rain
Control measures

• Remediation
• Phytoremediation
• Ex situ remediation
Noise pollution
• Noise pollution is generally defined as regular
exposure to elevated sound levels that may lead
to adverse effects in humans or other living
organisms.
• Sources- street traffic, airplanes, constructions,
loudspeakers, firecrackers.
• Effects- hypertension, hearing loss, sleep
disturbance, dementia, psychological dysfunctions.
• Effect on wildlife- Sonar results in death of whales.
• Normal level of tolerance- 80 dbA
• Legislation-Noise Pollution
(Regulation and Control) Rules,
2000
• Solutions-
1. Urban management, social
awareness, lining trees along the
roads.
2. Silence zones,
Air and water
quality standards
• Air quality Index-AQI is an overall scheme that
transforms individual air pollutant (e.g. SO2, CO,
PM10) levels into a single number, which is a
simple and lucid description of air quality for the
citizens.
AQI indicates compliance with National Air Quality
Standards;

• Eight pollutants namely particulate matter

(PM) 10, PM2. 5, Ozone (O3), Sulphur
dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon
monoxide (CO), lead (Pb) and ammonia
(NH3) act as major parameters in deriving
the AQI of an area.
SAFAR
• The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting
And Research (SAFAR) is a national initiative
introduced by the Ministry of Earth Sciences
(MoES) to measure the air quality of a metropolitan
city, by measuring the overall pollution level and
the location-specific air quality of the city.
• The system is indigenously developed by the Indian
Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune and
is operationalized by the India Meteorological
Department (IMD).
• Pollutants monitored: PM2.5, PM10, Ozone, Carbon
Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Sulfur
Dioxide (SO2), Benzene, Toluene, Xylene, and
Mercury.
Water quality standards
• In India, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has
developed a concept of designated best use. According to this,
out of the several uses of water of a particular body, the use
which demands highest quality is termed its designated best
use.
 • Nuclear hazards are threat posed by the invisible and odourless contamination of
Nuclear hazards the environment by the presence of radioactive materials such as radio-nuclides in
air water or soil.

and human • Source of nuclear radiation- natural & anthropogenic.

health risks • Natural- cosmic rays from outer space, radioactive Radon, soil, rocks, etc.
• Anthropegnic sources- Nuclear power plants, nuclear accidents, X-rays, test labs.
Some examples- the Chernobyl disaster (1986) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
(2011
Causes/Sources
Radioactive weapons are explosive
devices intended to spread
Exposure of radiation may occur The radioactive cloud that carries Radiation can also come from radioactive material over a target
from isotopic fallout ( alpha-, the fallout from fission weapons fallout those deposits on the area and cause harm (to people).
The radioactive zone can be
beta-, gamma- emitting emits radiation. This radiation is ground. This radiation is called influenced by environmental
isotopes). called cloud shine. ground shine. conditions such as wind direction
and speed as well as by location of
the detonation.

Nuclear accidents lead to public Radiation sources are used

A radiological incident involving a to diagnose and treat
and worker exposures to
radiological weapon could have
radiation. Such accidents can cancer. This leads to Nuclear bomb blast.
serious impact on health and also
lead to release of alpha-, beta- & exposure of both patients
property values.
gamma- emitting radio-nuclides. and medical personnel.

Release by nuclear power

plants .
 The degree
Kind of
of damage
radiation
depends
Degree of on:

damage Amount of
Duration of
radiation
radiation
Effects

1. The thermal radiation affects exposed surfaces producing damage by rapid heating..

2. A series of large atmospheric explosions could significantly deplete the ozone layer.

3. It leads to the formation of mutated eggs and sperms which produces abnormal offspring.

4. Increased exposure to radiation leads to leukaemia and breast cancer.

5. Mutations can also occur in the tissue of the body and may manifest themselves as abnormal tissue growth known as cancer.

6. Contamination of drinking water supply.

7. High incidence of death.

Control measures-
Solid waste management

• . Solid waste (waste other than liquid or gaseous) can

be classified as municipal, industrial, agricultural,
medical, mining waste and sewage sludge.
• Sources of Urban and Industrial Wastes
• Waste from homes (Domestic waste)
• Waste from shops
• Biomedical waste
• Construction/demolition waste
• Industrial waste
Urban waste control
measure

• Urban Indian generates 62 million tonnes of

waste (MSW) annually, said a 2014 Planning
Commission report. It also predicted that the
volume will increase to 165 million tonnes by
2030.
• Source reduction- using less material in making
aproduct, avoid asking for plastic carry bags.
• Recycling- reusing some components of thw
waste tht may have some economic value. E.g.
aluminium and steel etc.
• Limitation- increase the cost.
• Scientific disposal- sanitary landfill, incineration.
• Sanitary landfill- depression in an impermeable
soil layer that is lined with impermeable
membrane. Material selected suitably,
compacted,
• Problem- groundwater pollution, leachates. Foul
smell.
• Incineration- Incineration is the high-temperature
burning (rapid oxidation) of a waste .it reduce SW
by about 90% in volume and 75% in weight.
• Problem- air quality degradation- dioxin , etc. fly
ash.
• Composting- decomposition by earthworms.
Formation of compost.
Hazardous waste
management
E-waste control measures-

• Re-eavlauate.
• Extend the life of your electronics.
• Environmental friendly electronics.
• Recycle batteries, recycle bins.
• E-waste management rules,2016- extended
producer responsibility.
Pollution case studies: Ganga Action plan (GAP), Delhi air pollution and public health issues, Plastic waste
management rules, Bhopal gas tragedy, etc.

• Ganga Action plan-

http://www.mppcb.nic.in/gap.htm#:~:text=The%20Ganga%20action%20pl
an%20was,of%20India%20on%2014%20Jan.&text=The%20other%20object
ives%20of%20the,burnt%20bodies%20into%20the%20river.
• Delhi air pollution-
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329972615_Emerging_Public_H
ealth_Concern_and_Air_Pollution_A_Case_Study_of_Delhi's_Air_Pollution
_Governance.
• Plastic waste management rules.
https://archive.pib.gov.in/documents/rlink/2016/mar/p201631802.pdf
• Bhopal gas tragedy-
https://archive.pib.gov.in/documents/rlink/2016/mar/p201631802.pdf
Thank you.