CHAPTER 3 ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

1. AIR POLLUTION

The presence of one or more contaminants like dust, smoke, mist and odour in the atmosphere which are injurious to human beings, plants and animals.

Common air pollutants sources & their effects:

Substance Nature Sources Cigarette Health effects Causes Environmental effects
Carbon Colourless, odourless, poisonous gas. smoking, incomplete headaches, anemia, coma, Increases the globe
monoxide Formed during incomplete combustion of burning of fuels, motor irreversible brain cell damage temperature
(CO) fuels 2C + O2 → 2CO vehicle exhaust & death
Nitrogen Reddish-brown irritating gas & gives Fuels burning in Lung irritation & damage
dioxide photochemical smog, vehicles, industrial plants HNO3 acid deposition
(NO2) Can be converted to nitric acid damage trees, soils, &
NO2 + Moisture → HNO3 aquatic life. It corrode
metals, stones on buildings,
Sulphur Colourless, irritating gas. Formed by Burning of coal, Breathing problems statues, monuments etc.
dioxide combustion of coal & oil. Can be industrial process Reduce visibility, acid deposition
(SO2) converted to sulphuric acid in atmosphere on trees, soils & aquatic life
Suspended Includes variety of particles & droplets Burning coal in industries, Nose & throat irritation, lung
particulate (aerosols). diesel in vehicles, agriculture, damage, bronchitis, asthma, cancer Reduce visibility, acid deposition,
matter unpaved roads, etc H2SO4 droplets damage trees,
(SPM) soils & aquatic life
Ozone (O3) Highly reactive irritating, unpleasant Nitrogen oxides, chemical -
odour gas. A major component of reaction with volatile Moderates the climate
photochemical smog. organic compounds
Photochemic Brownish smoke formed during Formed due to chemical Breathing problems, cough,
al smog automobile traffic reaction among nitrogen eye, nose & throat irritation, Damage plants & trees.
oxides & hydrocarbon heart diseases, Smog reduce visibility
Lead (Pb) Solid toxic metal Paint, smelters, lead manufacture, Brain & nervous system
storage batteries, leaded petrol damage, mental retardation in Can harm wild life
children, digestive & other
health problems, cause cancer
Chromium Solid toxic metal , Paint, smelters, chromium Perforation of nasal septum,
manufacture, chromium plating chrome holes, ulcer, central
nervous system disease, cancer.
Sources of air pollution

  Natural pollution - volcanic eruptions, forest fires, biological decay.

 Man – made activities – Thermal power plants, agricultural activities.
Classification

  Primary pollutant – these are those emitted directly in the atmosphere in harmful form like CO, NO.
 Secondary pollutant – these may react with one another or with the basic components of air to form
new pollutants.

1. Source control
Use only unleaded petrol
Use fuels that have low sulphur and ash content
Plant trees along busy streets because they remove particulates and carbon monoxide and
absorb noise. Industries and waste disposal sites should be situated outside the city centre.
Use catalytic converters to help control the emissions of carbon monoxide and
hydrocarbons. Houses, schools, restaurants & park should not be located on busy street

2. Control measures in Industrial centers

Emission rates should be restricted to permissible levels Air
pollution control equipments must be made mandatory
Continous monitoring of the atmosphere to know the emission level

Equipments used to control air pollution:

Mechanical devices such as scrubbers, cyclone separator, bag houses & electro-static precipitators, reducing
particulate pollutants.
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2.ROLE OF AN INDIVIDUAL IN PREVENTION OF POLLUTION

  Plant more trees

  Help more in pollution prevention than pollution control
  Use water, energy and other resources efficiently
  Purchase recyclable, recycled and environmentally safe products
  Reduce deforestation
  Remove NO from motor vehicular exhaust
  Use of eco friendly products.
  Use CFC free refrigirators
  Use natural gas than coal
  Use machines in well ventilated areas
  Use less polluting substances for cleaning agents, paints & other products
  Increase use of renewable resources
  Don’t use polystyrene cups that have chloro fluoro carbon (CFC) which destroy ozone
  Use rechargeable batteries which will reduce metal pollution
 Use organic manure instead of inorganic fertilizers
 Reduce garbage by recycling & reuse, Slow population

growth 3. WATER POLLUTION

It may be defined as “the alteration in physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water
which may cause harmful effects on human and aquatic life.

Types, effects and sources of water pollution

1. Infectious agents :
Example: Bacteria, viruses, protozoa and parasitic worms.
Sources: Human and animal wastes.
Effects: Variety of diseases.

2. Oxygen demanding wastes:

Example:Animal manure and plant debris that can be decomposed by aerobic bacteria.
Sources: Sewage, paper mills, and food processing facilities.
Effects: Wastes can degrade quality by depleting water of dissolved oxygen, make aquatic life to die

3 .In organic Chemicals:

Example: Water soluble inorganic chemicals. Compounds of toxic metals such as lead,
arsenic and selenium. Salts such as Nacl in water.

Sources: Surface runoff, industrial effluents, household cleansers

Effects: skin cancers & neck damage

Damage nervous system, liver & kidneys
Lower crop yields, Harm fish & other aquatic life
Accelerate corrosion of metals

4. Organic Chemicals:
Examples: Oil, gasoline, plastics, pesticides, cleaning solvents, detergents
Sources: Industrial effluents, household cleansers, runoff from farms
Effects: Causes nervous system damage, cancer, harm fish & wild life.

5. Radio active materials:

Example: radioactive isotopes of iodine, radon, uranium,cesium,and thorium

Sources: Nuclear power plants, mining, nuclear weapons production.
Effects; genetic mutation, birth defects, and certain cancers.

6.Point and non-point sources of water pollution

Point sources: These are discharged pollutants at specific locations through pipes, ditches or sewers
eg: factories, sewage treatment plants

Non-point sources: They are usually large areas or air shed that pollute water by runoff
Eg: runoff of chemical from cropland to surface water.

Testing of river water:

Dissolved oxygen (DO) = It is the amount of oxygen dissolved in a givn quantity of water at a
particular pressure & temperature.

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) = It is the amount of oxygen required for the biological decomposition
of organic matter present in the water
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) = It is the amount of oxygen required for chemical oxidation of
organic matter using oxidizing agent like K2Cr2O7 & KMnO4

Control measures of water pollution

  The administration of water pollution should be in the hand of state or central government.
  Scientific techniques are needed to control pollution in river, ponds or streams.
 Industrial plants should be based on recycling operations.
 The national goal should be “conservation of forests” and campaign should be “plant more trees”.
  Highly qualified and effective persons should be consulted for effective control or water pollution.
  Awareness to public through radio, tv etc>
  Suitable laws, standards and practices should be framed to regulate pollution.
  Basic and applied research in public health engineering be encouraged.
  The possible of reuse or recycling of waste material should be encouraged.
 Companies should not discharge any type of waste either treated or untreated into rivers, lakes, ponds etc.

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4.BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY:

rd
On night of 3 December 1984 in Bhopal city of Madhya Pradesh
At Union carbide India Ltd, which manufacture carbonate pesticides using methyl isocyanate (MIC)

Due to failure of coolant, the reactor got exploded & 40 tons of MIC leaked over 40 sq.km area.

Nature of MIC: It is a toxic gas, affects lungs, eyes & causes irritation in skin. Remove oxygen from lungs & cause
death.
Effects in Bhopal: About 5000 persons died, 1000 became blind, 65,000 people suffered
from eye,
respiratory, neuromuscular problems.

CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR DISASTER:(Nuclear pollution)

In April 26 1986, melt down of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in Russia, has leaked out the
radioactive rays & radioactive materials.

Effects: about 2000 persons died, more suffered due to degeneration of cells, severe bleeding,
anaemia, skin cancer, animals plants was also affected more.

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4.SOIL POLLUTION
It may be defined as “the contamination of soil by human and natural activities which may cause
harmful effects on living beings”.
Types
1. Industrial wastes

Sources: Pulp and paper mills, chemical industries, oil refineries, sugar factories,tanneries, textile, steel, fertilizers etc.

Effects: Affect and alter the chemical and biological properties of soil.
Hazardous chemicals enter into human food chain from the soil and finally lead to serious effects.
2. Urban wastes
Sources and effects: Plastics, Glasses, metallic cans, fibers, papers, rubbers, street sweepings, and
other discarded manufactured products. These are also dangerous.

3. Agricultural practices
Sources and effects: Huge quantities of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and weedicides are added to

increase the crop yield. Apart from these farm wastes, manure, slurry, are reported to cause soil pollution.

4. Radioactive pollutants

Sources and effects: These are resulting from explosions of nuclear dust and radio active wastes
penetrate the soil and accumulate there by creating land pollution.

5. Biological agents

Sources and effects: Soil gets large quantities of human, animal and birds excreta which constitute the
major source of land pollution by biological agents.

Control measures of soil pollution (give explaination for each topic on your own)
Population growth
Decrease of the available farm land due to
urbanization Forestry and farm practices
Proper dumping of unwanted materials
Production of natural fertilizers
Proper Hygienic condition
Public awareness
Recycling and Reuse of wastes
Ban on Toxic chemicals.
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5.MARINE POLLUTION
It may be defined as “the discharge of waste substances into the sea resulting in harm to living
resources hazards to human health, hindrance to fishery and impairment of quality for use of sea water”.

Source of marine pollution

Dumping the wastes:

Huge amounts of sewage, garbage, agricultural discharge, pesticides, heavy metals, plastics
are dumped in sea. Effects: So many marine birds are affected by gastro-intestinal disorders.
Oil pollution of Marine water:
Caused by petroleum and its products.

Effects: Oil films inhibit photosynthesis & formation of oxygen.

This inhibit the growth of marine plants

Effects of marine pollutants

Cause more damage in birds as thinning of eggshell and tissue damage

of egg. Oil spilling causes low body temperature in birds resulting in
hypothermia. Oil films decreases the rate of oxygen uptake by water.
 Cause damage to marine fauna & flora including algae, fish, birds,
invertebrates Oil films inhibit photosynthesis & inhibit the growth of the plants

Hydrocarbon & benzpyrene accumulate in fish & consumption of fish by man cause cancer.
Control measures of marine pollution

Plants for conserving marine biodiversity must be taken into account of human needs.
People should be educated about marine ecosystems and the benefits offered by them.
Local communities must be involved in protecting and managing their coastal resources.
Social and economic incentives must be offered for conserving and sustainable use of marine resources.
Governments must manage their own water while extending cooperation to the neighboring states.
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6.NOISE POLLUTION
It may be defined as “the unwanted, unpleasant or disagreeable sound that causes discomfort
for all living beings”. Sound intensity is measured in decibel (dB).
Types of noise

Industrial noise (drilling sound, mechanical saws)

Transport noise (bus, trucks, motors, scooters, rail traffic noise)
Neighborhood noise (Musical instruments, TV, VCR, Radios, telephones, loudspeakers ets)
Effects of Noise pollution

This affects human health, comfort and efficiency.

It causes muscles to contract leading to nervous breakdown,
tension. It affects health efficiency and behavior.
loss of hearing due to excessive noise,
impulsive noise also causes psychological and pathological disorders.
Brain is also adversely affected by loud and sudden noise as that of jet and aero plane
noise. Ultrosonic sound can affect the digestive, respiratory, cardio vascular system.
Rate of heart beat decrease or increase depending on the type
of noise Blood is also thickened by excessive noises
Optical system is also affected by noise pollution & lead to colour perception & loss of night vision
Control and preventing measures

Source control – acoustic treatment to machine surface, design changes, limiting the operational
timings.
Transmission path intervention- the source inside a sound insulating enclosure, construction of a noise
barrier or provision of sound absorbing materials.
Oiling – Proper oiling will reduce the noise from the machines.
Receptor control: Protection of the receiver by altering the work schedule, by using ear plugs etc
Planting trees also act as effective noise barriers
Different absorptive materials can be used to control interior noise.
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7.THERMAL POLLUTION
It may be defined as the “addition of excess of undesirable heat to water that makes it harmful to man, animal or
aquatic life or otherwise causes significant departures from the normal activities of aquatic communities in water”

Sources of thermal pollution

1. Nuclear power plants (drainage from hospitals, research institutes, nuclear experiments &
explosions, emission from nuclear reactors)

2. Coal fired power plants (some thermal power plants use coal as fuel, condenser coil are cooled
& discharge the hot water back to the nearby lake, & kills the fish & marine organisms)

3. Industrial effluents (Textile, paper, pulp, sugar industries discharge wastes)

4. Domestic sewage (Municipal sewage has higher temperature which decrease the dissolved
oxygen content & result in foul & offensive smell in water)

5. Hydro – electric power.

Effects of thermal pollution

Control measures of thermal pollution

Reduction in dissolved Cooling towers - This is used as a coolant

oxygen Increase in Toxicity wet cooling tower, dry cooling tower.
Interference with biological activities Cooling ponds and spray ponds.
Artificial lakes – The heated effluents can be
Interference with reproduction
discharged into the lake at one end and the
Direct mortality
Food storage for fish. water for cooling purposes from the other end.
8.NUCLEAR HAZARD:

The radiation hazard in the environment comes from ultraviolet, visible, cosmic rays & microwave
radiation which produce genetic mutations in man

Sources of Nuclear Hazards:

Natural sources: Space which emits cosmic rays, soil, rocks, air, water, food, radioactive radon-222 etc.
Man-made sources: Nuclear power plants, X-rays, nuclear accidents, nuclear bombs, diagnostic kits etc.

Effects of Nuclear Hazards:

Causes delirium, convulsions & death within hours or days with brain
exposure Eye cell die, forming cataracts with eye exposure
Vomiting, bleeding of the gums, mouth ulcers etc.
Blood vessel damage is indicated by red spots on the skin
Nausea, vomiting & Infection of the intestinal wall can kill weeks afterwards

Unborn children are affected by mental retardation or brain damage.

Control measures from Nuclear Hazards:
Nuclear devices should never be exploded in air.
In nuclear reactor coolants may be used to prevent extraneous activation products
Tightly sealed boxes & closed cycle system can be used to decrease the radioactive
emissions Production of radioisotopes should be minimized
Minimum no of nuclear installations should be
commissioned Fission reactions should be minimized
The use of radio isotopes may be carried under jet of soil or water instead of
gaseous forms Wet drilling may be employed along with underground drainage
Extreme care should be exercised in disposal of industrial wastes
Use of high chimneys & ventilations at the working place for dispersing radio-

pollutants Disposal methods are the possible ways to distribute the radio-pollutants

Disposal of Radioactive wastes:

High level wastes(HLW) = They are dangerous & so converted them into inert solids & then buried deep
into earth or stored in deep salt mines. Ex. Spent nuclear fuel

Medium level wastes (MLW) = MLW are solidified & are mixed with concrete in steel drums before
buried in deep mines

Low level wastes (LLW)= LLW are disposed off in steel drums in concrete lined trenches ---------------
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9.PROCESS OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

FLOW CHART

Solid waste generation

Collection of wastes

Transportation

Storage

Segregation of waste

Disposal methods

Landfi
Steps Involved Composti
Incineratio
I Reduce, Reuse, Recycling (3R)

a) Reduce the usage of raw materials: Usage of raw materials is reduced.

 b) Reuse: refillable container which is discarded after using can be reused.
Throwing rubber ring from cycle tubes can be used again in the manufacture of rubber bands.

c) Recycling: recycling of discarded materials into new

products. Eg:
i) Preparation of new cans and bottles from old aluminum cans and glass bottles.
ii) Preparation of fuel pellets from kitchen waste.

II Discarding wastes:

Methods: a) Land fill b) Incineration c) Composting

a) Land fill:

Solid wastes are placed in sanitary landfill system in alternate layers of 80 cm thickness
of refuse Covered with selected earth fill of 20 cm thickness
After 2 or 3 days solid wastes volume shrinks by 25-30%
Then the land is used for parks, roads, small buildings etc.

Advantages
Disadvantages:
Simple and economical
Segregation is not required Large area is required
Landfill areas can be used for other purposes Transportations cost is heavy.
Natural resources are retained to the soil. Bad odors, if landfill is not properly managed
Insecticides, pesticides should be applied at regular
intervals
Causes of fire hazards due to formation of methane

b) Incineration (or) Thermal process

In this method combustible substances (rubbish, garbage, dead organisms) & non-
combustable substances (glass, porcelain, metals) are separated first.
The combustible waste substances are first dried in a preheater
Then it is taken in a large incinerating furnace which incinerate about 100 to 150 tonnes
per hour The temperature is maintained between 700ºC to 1000ºC
The left out ashes & clinkers from the furnace is further disposed
byDisadvantages:landfillmethod The heat produced in the incinerator is
used for generating electricity though turbines
The non combustible substances are left out for recycling & reuse.

` Capital and operating cost is

high
Formation of smokes, dusts, and
Need skilled
personsAdvantages:ashes.
Require little space
Cost of transportation is not high
Safest and hygienic
Capacity 300 tonnes per day and can generate 3MV of power.
 c) Composting:

In this method the bulk organic waste is converted into fertilizer by biological action
The separated compostable waste is dumped in underground trenches(1.5m)
Covered with earth of 20 cm and left over for decomposition
Micro organism (actinomycetes) is introduced to start decomposition.
After 2 or 3 days the organic waste are destroyed bt micro organism and
produce heat Composting will happen at 75ºC
Finally the refuse can converted to powdery brown colored odorless mass called
Humus(fertilizer). It contains lots of nitrogen, plants growth phosphates and other minerals.

Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Increase of water retention and ion exchange character of soil
Number of industrial waste can also be treated by this method Non combustible have to disposed
Manure can be produced separately No assured market
Recycling occurs.
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10.DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Hazard

It is a perceived natural event which threatens both life and property.

Disaster

A disaster is the realization of this hazard

It is defined as the geological process and it is an event concentrated in time and space in
which a society or subdivision of a society undergoes severe danger and causes loss of its
members and physical property.
Types

Natural disasters – refers to those disasters that are generated by natural phenomena.

Man made disasters – refers to the disasters resulting from man made hazards.

FLOODS

Whenever the magnitude of water flow exceeds the carrying capacity of the channel within its banks
the excess of water overflows on the surroundings causes floods.
Causes of floods

Heavy rain, rainfall during cyclone causes floods

Sudden snow melt also raises the quantity of water in streams and causes
flood Sudden and excess release of impounded water behind dams
Clearing of forests for agriculture has also increased severity of floods.
Flood Management
  Encroachment of flood ways should be banned.
  Building walls prevent spilling out the flood water over flood plains.
 Diverting excess water through channels or canals to areas like
 lake, rivers where water is not sufficient.
  Optical and microwave data from IRS is also used for flood management.
 Flood forecasts and flood warning are also given by the central water commission.

CYCLONES

It is a meteorological process, intense depressions forming over the open oceans and moving towards the land.

Cyclone is measured by Saffir-Simpson scale.

Effect

The damage depends on the intensity of cyclone the damage to human life, crops,
roads, transport, could be heavy.
Cyclone occurrence slows down the developmental activities of the area.

Cyclone management

Satellite images are used by meteorological departments for forecasting the weather
conditions which reveal the strength and intensity of the storm.
Radar system is used to detect the cyclone and is being used for cyclone warning.

LAND SLIDES

The movement of earthy materials like coherent rock, mud, soil and debris from higher to lower
region to gravitational pull is called land slides.

Causes

Movement of heavy vehicles on the unstable sloppy

regions. Earthquake, shocks, vibrations and cyclone.
Effects of landslides

1. Block roads and diverts the passage.

2. Soil erosion increases.
3. Causes damages to houses, crops and live stock.

EARTH QUAKES

An earthquake is a sudden vibration caused on earth surface with the sudden release of
tremendous energy stored in rocks under the earth’s crust.
Causes

1. Disequilibrium in any part of the earth crust

2. Underground nuclear testing
3. Decrease of underground water level.
Severity of an earthquake: Generally it is measured by its magnitude on Richter scale.
 Richter Scale Severity of earthquake
Less than 4 Insignificant
4- 4.9 Minor
5- 5.9 Damaging
6- 6.9 Destructive
7- 7.9 Major
More than 8 Great
Effect

  Damage the settlements and transport systems

  Collapses houses and their structures
  Deformation of ground surface
 Tsunami
Earthquake Management

Constructing earthquake resistant

building Wooden houses are preferred
Seismic hazard map should give the information about the magnitude of intensity of
anticipated earthquakes.
TSUNAMI

A tsunami is a large wave that is generated in a water body when the seafloor is deformed by seismic activity.
This activity displaces the overlying water in the ocean.

Causes of tsunami

Seismic activities like earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, explosions, can

generate tsunami. Deformation of the sea floor due to the movement of plates.
Concept of Tsunami

A tsunami is not a single wave but a series of waves like the ordinary waves which we see on seas.

Effects on Tsunami

Tsunami attacks mostly the coastlines, causing devastating property, damage and
loss of life. Tsunami can kill lot of human beings, livestock’s.
Tsunami may also spread lot of water borne diseases.
Tsunami Management

Earthquakes under the water are monitored by sensors on the floor of the sea.
The sensors send the information of floating buoys on the surface, whenever they detect any
changes in pressure of the sea.
The information is then relayed to satellites, which passes it on to the earth stations.
Finally the country make the people alert through the media to take all necessary precautions.
TWO MARKS:
1. Name any four air pollutants & their sources & effects?
2. What are point & non-point sources of water pollution?
3. Name the sources & effects of marine pollution?
4. Give examples for primary & secondary air pollutants?
5. Define thermal pollution?
6. Define soil pollution?
7. Write four major water pollutants?
8. Define the term Tsunami?
 9. Define landslides?
10. Write any two causes of soil pollution?
11. Define BOD & COD?
12. Give any four methods to control noise pollution?

13. What are the types of solid wastes?

Municipal Wastes, Industrial Wastes, Hazardous Wastes.

14. Define Hazardous Wastes?

Wastes like toxic chemicals, radioactive or biological substances which increase in mortality or
serious illness to human health & environment are called hazardous wastes.

15. When s sound causes noise pollution?

The sound intensity is measured in decibel. Noise beyond 120 dB causes noise pollution

16. Define photochemical smog?

The brownish smoke like appearance that forms on sunny days in large cities during automobile
traffic. It is mainly due to chemical reactions among nitrogen oxides & hydrocarbon by sunlight.

17. How nuclear hazards can be disposed safely?

Nuclear hazards are disposed safely by dumping them in a big concrete tank & throwing it in a deep sea.

18. Define solid waste?

Any garbage, refuse, sludge from waste treatment plants, & other discarded material including
solid, liquid, from mining, agriculture, commercial are called solid wastes.

19. Differentiate recycling & reuse?

Reuse: Refillable containers, which are discarded after use can be reused.
Recycle: It is the reprocessing of the discarded materials into new useful products

20. Differentiate pollution prevention & pollution control?

Pollution prevention Pollution control
Eliminates the creation of pollution Removal of pollutants from the polluted part
Environment degradation is avoided Environment degradation is minimized
Efficiency of Energy, water, raw materials is increased Wastage of energy, water & raw materials is more
Cost needed is low Cost needed is high