Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 57 views

    Pollution

    Uploaded by

    Larama
    Pollution is caused by undesirable changes in the environment from human activity that harm plants, animals, and humans. Pollutants can be classified as degradable, slowly degradable, or non-degradable depending on how long they remain in the environment. The three main types of pollution are air, water, and soil pollution. Air pollution occurs when harmful solid or gaseous particles are present in the air. Water pollution is when the quality of water changes and makes it unfit for use. Soil pollution contaminates soil with chemicals that can harm organisms and reduce soil productivity.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Pollution

    Uploaded by

    Larama
    57 views2 pages
    Pollution is caused by undesirable changes in the environment from human activity that harm plants, animals, and humans. Pollutants can be classified as degradable, slowly degradable, or non-degradable depending on how long they remain in the environment. The three main types of pollution are air, water, and soil pollution. Air pollution occurs when harmful solid or gaseous particles are present in the air. Water pollution is when the quality of water changes and makes it unfit for use. Soil pollution contaminates soil with chemicals that can harm organisms and reduce soil productivity.

    Original Description:

    pollution

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Pollution is caused by undesirable changes in the environment from human activity that harm plants, animals, and humans. Pollutants can be classified as degradable, slowly degradable, or non-degradable depending on how long they remain in the environment. The three main types of pollution are air, water, and soil pollution. Air pollution occurs when harmful solid or gaseous particles are present in the air. Water pollution is when the quality of water changes and makes it unfit for use. Soil pollution contaminates soil with chemicals that can harm organisms and reduce soil productivity.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    57 views2 pages

    Pollution

    Uploaded by

    Larama
    Pollution is caused by undesirable changes in the environment from human activity that harm plants, animals, and humans. Pollutants can be classified as degradable, slowly degradable, or non-degradable depending on how long they remain in the environment. The three main types of pollution are air, water, and soil pollution. Air pollution occurs when harmful solid or gaseous particles are present in the air. Water pollution is when the quality of water changes and makes it unfit for use. Soil pollution contaminates soil with chemicals that can harm organisms and reduce soil productivity.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 2

    Pollution

    Pollution is the effect of undesirable changes in our surroundings that have harmful effects on plants,
    animals and human beings.

    Pollutants include solid, liquid or gaseous substances present in greater than natural abundance
    produced due to human activity, which have a detrimental effect on our environment.

    Class of Pollutants: From an ecological perspective pollutants can be classified as follows:

    1)Degradable or non-persistent pollutants: These can be rapidly broken down by natural processes.
    Eg: domestic sewage, discarded vegetables, etc.

    2)Slowly degradable or persistent pollutants: Pollutants that remain in the environment for many
    years in an unchanged condition and take decades or longer to degrade. Eg: DDT and most plastics.

    3)Non-degradable pollutants: These cannot be degraded by natural processes. Once they are released
    into the environment they are difficult to eradicate and continue to accumulate. Eg: toxic elements like
    lead or mercury.

    Types of Pollution: Air, Water and Soil

    1. Air Pollution: Air pollution occurs due to the presence of undesirable solid or gaseous particles in the
    air in quantities that are harmful to human health and the environment. Air may get polluted by natural
    causes such as volcanoes, which release ash, dust, sulphur and other gases, or by forest fires that are
    occasionally naturally caused by lightning.

    a)Primary air pollutants: Pollutants that are emitted directly from identifiable sources are produced both
    by natural events (for example, dust storms and volcanic eruptions) and human activities (emission from
    vehicles, industries, etc.). These are called primary pollutants. There are five primary pollutants that
    together contribute about 90 percent of the global air pollution. These are carbon oxides (CO and CO2),
    nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, volatile organic compounds (mostly hydrocarbons) and suspended
    particulate matter.

    b.Secondary air pollutants: Pollutants that are produced in the atmosphere when certain chemical
    reactions take place among the primary pollutants are called secondary pollutants. Eg: sulfuric acid, nitric
    acid, carbonic acid, etc.

    2. Water pollution: When the quality or composition of water changes directly or indirectly as a result of
    man’s activities such that it becomes unfit for any purpose it is said to be polluted.

    a)Point sources of pollution: When a source of pollution can be readily identified because it has a
    definite source and place where it enters the water it is said to come from a point source. Eg. Municipal
    and Industrial Discharge Pipes.

    b)Non-point sources of pollution: When a source of pollution cannot be readily identified, such as
    agricultural runoff, acid rain, etc, they are said to be non-point sources of pollution.

    3. Soil pollution: Soil pollution is defined as, “contamination of soil by human and natural activities
    which may cause harmful effect on living organisms”. Soil pollution comprises the pollution of soils with
    materials, mostly chemicals, which are out of place or are present at concentrations higher than normal
    which may have adverse effects on humans or other organisms.
    Soil pollutants have an adverse effect on the physical chemical and biological properties of the
    soil and reduce its productivity. Soil pollution can lead to water pollution if toxic chemicals leach into
    groundwater, or if contaminated runoff reaches streams, lakes, or oceans. Soil also naturally contributes
    to air pollution by releasing volatile compounds into the atmosphere.

    Sources of Soil pollution:

    a)Industrial wastes- Batteries (Cadmium), Mettalurgy (Cyanide), Gold refinery (mercury), Oil Refinery
    (benzene)

    b)Urban wastes- plastics, glasses, metallic cans, fibres, paper, rubbers, etc

    c)Agricultural practices- fertilizers (NPKs) & pesticides (DDT), herbicides and weedicides

    d)Radioactive pollutants- Radio nuclides of Radium, Thorium, Uranium,etc

    e)Biological agents – Eg- animal and bird excreta

    You might also like