Pollution refers to the introduction of toxic substances into the environment that renders harmful effects on humans and the environment. These poisonous substances are referred to as pollutants. The pollutant can be natural, like volcanic ash, soot, or sulphur dioxide, or manufactured like runoff from factories or human trash. Significant types of pollution include air, land, and water pollution.
Air Pollution
Air pollution refers to introducing pollutants, organic molecules or other treacherous substances into the atmosphere that alter the natural facets of the atmosphere and affect the health of humans and other living beings. Carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, hydrocarbons and particulates are the main air pollutants. Air pollution affects the respiratory and cardiovascular organs of the body and can also lead to lung cancer. It also causes global warming, affecting the earth’s overall temperature.
Effects of air pollution
Air pollution has harmful effects on humans and the environment. Inhaling toxic gases can affect us severely. Various effects of air pollution are mentioned below.
- It affects the respiratory and cardiovascular organs of the body, thereby rendering asthma and pneumonia.
- Toxic gases like sulphur dioxide or nitrogen dioxide react with the water to form sulfuric and nitric acid, precipitating as acid rain.
- A large amount of nitrogen morphs on the sea’s surface and moulds itself into algae, affecting fishes, sea plants and sea animals.
- Pollutants like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) react with the ozone in the stratosphere, eradicating the ozone molecules and provoking ozone depletion.
- Increased carbon dioxide and other air pollutants lead to global warming, increasing the earth’s overall temperature. Increased temperature further leads to glaciers melting and increased sea levels.
Prevention of air pollution
The best method of controlling air pollution is to minimise the emission of pollutants at their source only. Following are the measures an individual can take to minimise air pollution.
- Coal in industries should be replaced by natural gas.
- High sulphur fuel in industries should be replaced by low sulphur fuel.
- By injecting air into the hot exhaust manifold of the automobile engine, we can burn the unburnt carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons completely.
- Using public transport and carpooling.
- Reusing and recycling products.
- Switching off the lights when they’re not in use.
- Avoiding garbage burning.
Land Pollution
Land pollution refers to land degradation due to the accumulation of trash, compost, organic molecules or other precarious substances on its surface that alter the natural facets of the land and affect the health of humans and other living beings. Land pollution can affect humans in a variety of ways. Ingesting toxic waste and contaminants may lead to respiratory disorders, cardiovascular disease, or lung cancer.
Effects of land pollution
Land pollution has harmful effects on humans and the environment. Ingesting waste and contaminants may affect us severely. Various effects of land pollution are mentioned below.
- Mining and factories induce poisonous chemicals inside the soil. Ingesting food from the contaminated land may kill animals, thereby altering the food chain.
- Landfill emits methane gas, which may provoke global warming .i.e increasing the earth’s overall temperature.
- Land pollution may alter soil biodiversity .i.e decreasing soil organic matter and lowering soil’s filtering ability.
Prevention of land pollution
We can adopt eclectic ways on a bigger or smaller scale to minimise land pollution. Following are the measures that can be adopted to minimise land pollution.
- Reducing chemicals and pesticide usage.
- Reforestation and afforestation.
- Recovering and recycling material
