REDUCED VISIBILITY/CLARITY OF AIR

A combination of the following happenings:

Debris and particulate release due to rapid economical activities in mining and timber

Occurrence of natural disasters due to volcanic eruptions

Mass utilization of transportation of diesel-petrol fuel based

Uncontrollable emission of volatile chemicals as byproduct from machineries in industrial plants

Indiscriminate open burning at large scale on land

will result in

Haze and Smog

LIFESTYLE

Combined extent impacts of air, water, and land pollution will cause irreversible environmental damage which is permanent, and will lead to toxic environment similar to Mars and Jupiter. As a result, the earth will be uninhabitable environment for every living organisms. This will lead to:

• high rates of extinction of biodiversity and high rates of death rates of human
• the rapid undergoing of adaptable species to mutate to better evolve in the sudden change in environment.

Therefore in search of survival on Earth for humans:

• a city is covered up with shield where communities activities are one freely together and protected from the harsh environment outside.
• water resources becomes scarce, leading to rationing and search for alternatives, development of synthetic liquid similar to water.
• unusable land due to toxic soil will change agricultural practice; poisonous foundation for humans to stay on in effect human habitat will be shifted underground to support large population.
• artificial synthetic air/recycled air/purified air used as a result of poisonous atmosphere.
• a protective suit with astronomical-like features are used in rendezvous outside shielded city into the polluted environment.
• alternative food supplies consumed as wide spread species extinction and mutation which are toxic and poisonous.
• emergence of evolved species due to mutation which are predatory and dangerous to human populations.
• economies change due to changing human activities in order to adapt to the new living environment.

OZONE DEPLETION AND ACID RAIN

Ozone depletion

Ozone layer is a protective layer in our atmosphere (O₃, three oxygen atoms). It's about 19 to 30 km in distance from the Earth surface. It plays an important role of blocking ultraviolet (UV) rays that come from the sun, which, if there was no ozone layer ever, cancer would dominate and even no life would be in this world! The concentration of the layer is usually under 10 parts ozone per million. The ozone layer is made up by the action of sunlight to oxygen, and the amount is stabled by the existence of nitrogen. 

In today's trends there is a noticeable depletion of the ozone layer. It's popularly known since 1970 that a substance called CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) is threatening the layer

Acid rain

Acid rain is the kind of precipitation that contains larger amounts of acid than normal. Rainwater is usually slightly acidic, with pH level between 5 and 6. Water that evaporates from earth is neutral (pH 7) and it becomes weak acid when mixed with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Acid rain contains more pH than ordinary. This is caused by the presence of air pollutants, like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. They produce acids if combined with water. Acid rain is considered as the wet deposits of air pollutants, where it's combined with moisture before falling into the ground. While air pollutants that fall without combining with moisture is called dry deposits.

Acid rain can occur naturally, from the volcanic eruptions. However we are also causing this, from the emission of vehicles and of industrial plants that include the burning of fossil fuels. If we continue to increase rate of air pollution, we are increasing the risk of acid rain to happen.

What's the impact of acid rain?

• Deteriorates building that is made of rock
• Acidification of soil and lakes
• Separation of poisonous minerals such as aluminum and mercury from the surrounding ground, increasing the risk of contamination to lakes/water sources
• Deteriorates trees and forests

CLIMATIC PATTERN CHANGE

A combination of the following happenings:

• Rapid emission of greenhouse gases from mass utilization of transportation & heavy industrial economic activities
• Clearing of land leaving an exposed idle barren land
• Chemical composition of atmosphere altered
• Natural disasters of frequent volcanic eruptions

finally cause

• Global warming
• El Nino & La Nina

ALTERATION TO GEOGRAPHICAL LANDSCAPES

A combination of the following happenings:

• Constructions of housing and industries for development
• Economical activities of mining, timber and agriculture
• Clearing of rainforest and hillside, with natural disasters like earthquake which involves the shifting of earth surface 

finally cause

• Deforestation
• Desertification
• Erosion
• Landslide

ECONOMICAL EFFECTS

In the course of development, many basis for sustainable development is often ignored. In the aim for environmental management, private investors often opting for lowest risk with highest profit takings in its ventures are ignorance to thorough plans, analysis and assessments on environmental impacts done.

Even if such assessments are taken into account and cautious measures implemented, pollutions are still happening rapidly as each nations would not want to be left out in the race for globalization, and also inevitable as pollution has been happening for a long time.

Continuous development for globalization due to increasing activity of agriculture, industrialization, fisheries, timber and mining will lead to:

• rapid and excessive constructions of factories and building
• increase in emissions of toxic and poisonous gases
• destruction of ecosystems

And finally they will lead to permanent and irreversible damage to the environment. 

In the events of pollution occurs which are reversible, greater finance and grants are needed for the following purposes:

• conservation of remaining ecosystem
• rehabilitation contaminated ecosystems
• clean up of toxic waste
• restoration of historical landscapes
• revival of biodiversity to a new ecosystem
• preservation of endangered species

FOOD CONTAMINATION AND FOOD WEB DISTORTION

Food contamination leading to food shortage

A combined event of (a) free flow and emission of non biodegradable industrial discharge and noise disturbances due to usage of heavy machineries; (b) illegal dumping and spraying of toxic and hazardous chemicals on land and water; and (c) mismanagement in regulation of treatment and control of heat and radioactive substances; will lead to high density toxicity concentration on soil, water and air. The impacts of this are:

1. Fertile land becoming poisonous for living organisms underground and agriculture practice, nutrients lost, locked up or becomes toxic
2. Aquatic ecosystem depletes further and non-consumable water supplies noxious fumes and gas permeates, blanketing atmosphere
3. Detrimental health to psychological and physiological being of organisms in ecosystems

Food web distortion

A combination of (a) mass viral infections and attacks on certain organisms; (b) contamination and pollution of food supplies which is inedible; and (c) uncontrollable hunting of exotic/rare/endangered species will lead to the disequilibria of species population. The next impact will be the imbalance in the ration of producers, consumers and decomposers in the ecology system, which consequently distorts the pattern of energy flow through the chain/web. This will bring to disruption of ecological food pyramid.

When ecological food pyramid is disrupted, insufficient consumption of food cause organisms deprived of energy, thus affecting the organism's metabolism of its biochemical activities. Then, growth and development of organisms will be affected, and leads to mass starvation and mortality in world population. On the other hand, particular species extinction occurred while its predators dominates, thus ecological niche in ecosystems change.

BIODIVERSITY AND DISEASES

Biodiversity degradation

Disturbances to biotic factors (temperature, light, water, humidity, wind, air currents, pH, topography, etc.) and abiotic factors (predation, competition, habitat, pollination and mimicry - resemblance between animals and part of a plant/species happens to be unpalatable to a predator) will lead to environmental resistance.

This is due to:

• shortage of food, water and oxygen
• low light intensity
• predators and parasites
• destruction of habitat
• diseases
• accumulation of toxic waste
• psychological factors
• harsh climate

Emergence of variant diseases

Accumulation of poisonous /hazardous substance incorporated into the physiological functions & systems of every living organisms , including microorganisms like bacteria.

Harmless microorganisms due to evolution undergoes rapid mutation of deleterious genes into pathogenic / viral microorganisms.

Diversifications with the existence of ‘superclasses’ of microorganisms (super virus) which are aggressive & invasive against the protective immunities provided by the immune systems in organisms.

More powerful & larger doses of medications, ranging from vaccines to antibiotics produced to battle & immunize against stronger pathogen attack

IMPACTS OF POLLUTION

IMPACTS:




Each kind of pollution has significant impacts to our everyday lives, affecting all living and non-living factors in the biosphere and the atmosphere and also involve socio-economic factors. These impacts have caused significant changes to the environment we are living in.
Impacts can be seen from the following aspects.

• Biodiversity degradation and diseases
• Food contamination and food web distortion
• Economical effects
• Alteration to geographical landscapes
• Climatic pattern change
• Ozone depletion and acid rain
• Alteration to lifestyle
• Reduced visibility/clarity of air

SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS

Complex chemical structure are non-biodegradable which accumulates and persists in soil, water and air can become toxic, thus a haphazard which in turns affects the physiology of living organisms in the contaminated ecosystems.

TRANSPORTATION

Convenience and alternatives to the mode of transportation worldwide sees an increase in emission of air pollutants as a result of fuel combustion and noise pollution from rail and commercial aircraft. The effects of this activity are:

• increase in emissions of air pollutants: carbon monoxide (CO), lead (Pb), nitrogen oxides (NO, NO₂), carbon dioxide (CO₂), volatile organic compounds (VOC), persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
• excess heat emission as a result of heavy fuel combustion from increase use of vehicles
• annoyance and disturbances in intercity housing, with the centre and transportation hub situated

MACHINERIES

Increasing industrial activities with multiple productivity of goods by the extensive use of machineries resulted in extension of industries in rural areas, also the cause of increase in noise disturbance and heat accumulation.

The effects of this activity are:

• causes for irritation to daily activities
• cause for boilermaker's disease and hearing loss
• anxiety, nervousness and loss of sleep
• presbycusis
• sociocusis
• schizophonia
• excess heat emitted will return to environment, thus increasing mean surrounding temperature, leading to thermal pollution

certain hazardous materials which is part of the machine (i.e. cadmium in nuclear factor regulator) may wear off and released to environment

BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANT

Outdoor air pollution in cities is a major health problem. Much effort and money continues to be spent cleaning up pollution in the outdoor air. But air pollution can be a problem where you least expect it, in the place you may have thought was safest--your home. Many ordinary activities such as cooking, heating, cooling, cleaning, and redecorating can cause the release and spread of indoor pollutants at home. Studies have shown that the air in our homes can be even more polluted than outdoor air.

Many Americans spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors, often at home. Therefore, breathing clean indoor air can have an important impact on health. People who are inside a great deal may be at greater risk of developing health problems, or having problems made worse by indoor air pollutants. These people include infants, young children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses.

Some common indoor biological pollutants are:

• Animal Dander (minute scales from hair, feathers, or skin)
• Dust Mite and Cockroach parts
• Fungi (Molds)
• Infectious agents (bacteria or viruses)
• Pollen

Health Effects Of Biological Pollutants
All of us are exposed to biological pollutants. However, the effects on our health depend upon the type and amount of biological pollution and the individual person. Some people do not experience health reactions from certain biological pollutants, while others may experience one or more of the following reactions:

• Allergic
• Infectious
• Toxic

RADIOACTIVE POLLUTANTS

HEAVY METAL POLLUTANT

Heavy metals normally occurring in nature are not harmful to our environment, because they are only present in very small amounts. The heavy metals only become pollution when they show up in huge amounts due to industrialization The heavy metals causing pollution are mercury, arsenic, copper, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, and zinc. These are just a few of the identified metals.

MERCURY Mercury, also known as quicksilver, is a naturally toxic element found in air, water, and soil (www.erie.gov). Mercury is one of the most toxic heavy metal pollutants in the environment. Just 1/17 of a teaspoon of atmospheric mercury could contaminate a twenty acre lake (www.usgs.gov). Mercury builds up in the tissues of fish and other creatures living in mercury contaminated water, and may be carried up the food chain to humans (www.encyclopedia.com).

ARSENIC Arsenic is actually not very toxic when compared to some of the other heavy metals. It is very well known as a key ingredient in rat poison, and with constant exposure, people worry about arsenic affecting the chromosomes of humans and their health. However, very small amounts of arsenic could be good for humans to live and even be able to breathe. Arsenic is found naturally in the earth and even in some foods, including apricot pits and apple seeds. This natural form of arsenic is not very dangerous at all. The inorganic form of arsenic, found in contaminated meats, weed killers, and insecticides, however, creates big problems for people.

ALUMINUM  For a very long time, aluminum was no problem at all as a pollutant. It was only until recently that people began to worry about the effects of aluminum in our environment. In fact, aluminum isn't really even a heavy metal; because its molecular weight is so low it acts differently than the other heavy metals (www.encyclopeda.com). In the wild, aluminum is found in great amounts in the earth and the ocean. Many scientists think that because it is so abundant in nature, it isn't very toxic. Most people get aluminum into their bodies from food. Aluminum is a protective cover over processed cheese, it is used to whiten flour, and it is added to table salt. Most people will get 40-50mg. of aluminum in their diets a day (www.healthy.net). People may also get aluminum into their bodies from aluminum foil and aluminum pots and pans.

BARIUM Barium, a poisonous metal, is used in glass and pottery glazes. It is also another part of rat poison. In moist air, barium will suddenly set on fire. This a an important reason why Barium is often used in fireworks. While it burns in the air, it forms peroxide, which makes hydrogen peroxide when treated with water (www.encyclopedia.com). Barium reacts with many other nonmetals, all of its water-soluble and acid-soluble compounds are poisonous.

ZINC Zinc reacts with some acids to get rid of hydrogen. When zinc is heated to high temperatures, between 110 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit, it becomes limp and flexible. Zinc is used in the negative plates in certain electric batteries and is also used for roofing and gutters in construction (www.encyclopedia.com).

LEAD  Lead was one of the first heavy metals used by people, dating back to 6500 B.C. (www.leadinfo.com). Lead is the most plentiful heavy metal pollutant in our environment, and the most common toxic mineral found in our bodies today. In the twentieth century, lead was often used in paint, pencils and pipes. In the 1920's, lead was added to gas, but it was banned by the EPA in 1995 (www.omp.gso). Lead is still a huge heavy metal problem that is used all the time in today's society.

CADMIUM Cadmium is found deep in the earth and didn't affect most early civilizations. It is one of the more toxic heavy metal pollutants, and may come from sources such as cigarette smoke, foods, water pipes, coffee, tea, coal burning, and shellfish. The levels of cadmium are much greater in cities and urban areas than in rural regions (www.epa.gov).

However, heavy metals aren't the only pollutants contaminating our waters. There are also many other types of pollutants such as DDT, PCB's and dioxins. The last group of pollutants are chlorinated solvents and hydrocarbons.

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TYPES OF POLLUTANTS

TYPES:


There are six types of pollutants:
       1.Heavy metal
             2.Radioactive pollutant
         3.Biological pollutant
         4.Machineries
         5.Transportation
         6.Synthetic chemicals

POLLUTANTS

Pollutants are any substances that under excessive quantity in a wrong place and a wrong time will cause impurity to the living environment. Simply put, they're the things that cause pollution. Pollutants can be chemicals, ashes, sediment, organisms, heat, radiation, etc. which if exposed to the living environment will cause bad effects.

THERMAL POLLUTION

What is Thermal Pollution?

Thermal pollution is a temperature change in natural water bodies caused by human influence. The temperature change can be upwards or downwards. In the Northern Hemisphere, a common cause of thermal pollution is the use of water as a coolant, especially in power plants. Water used as a coolant is returned to the natural environment at a higher temperature. Increases in water temperature can impact on aquatic organisms by (a) decreasing oxygen supply, (b) killing fish juveniles which are vulnerable to small increases in temperature, and (c) affecting ecosystem composition. In the Southern Hemisphere, thermal pollution is commonly caused by the release of very cold water from the base of reservoirs, with severe affects on fish (particularly eggs and larvae), macroinvertebrates and river productivity.

RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION

What is Radioactive Pollution?

The radioactive pollution is defined as the physical pollution of air, water and the other radioactive materials. The ability of certain materials to emit the proton, gamma rays and electrons by their nuclei is known as the radioactivity. The protons are known as the alpha particle and the electrons are also known as the beta particle. Those materials are known as the radioactive elements. The environmental radiations can be from different sources and can be natural or manmade. The natural radiations are also known as the background radiations. In this the cosmic rays are involved and reach the surface of earth from space. It includes the radioactive elements like radium, uranium, thorium, radon, potassium and carbon. These occur in the rock, soil and water. The man made radiations include the mining and refining of plutonium and thorium. This production and explosion of nuclear weapons include the nuclear fuels, power plants and radioactive isotopes. The first atom bomb was exploded in the Japan in the year 1945. It affected the Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities. It adversely affected the flora, fauna and humans of that area. In spite of these destructions the nuclear race is still going on between different nations. The nuclear arms are tested with the production of nuclear weapons. The radioactive elements are produced in the environment and affect other materials also. It includes the strontium, radium and iodine. The gases and particles are produced by the radioactive materials. They are carried by the wind and the rain brings down the radioactive particles to the ground which is referred as nuclear fallout. The soil transfers these radioactive substances to the plants and ultimately they reach the human body and cause many side effects. The iodine may affect the white blood cells, bone marrow, spleen, lymph, skin cancer, sterility, eye and damage to the lung. The strontium has the ability to aggregate in the bones and form a bone cancer and leads to tissue degeneration. The radioactive materials are passed through the land to water and cause an adverse effect on the aquatic animals. They reach to human through the food chain. The nuclear power generates a lot of energy which is used to run turbines and produces electricity. The fuel and the coolant produce a large amount of pollution in the environment. The atomic reactors are also rich in the radioactive materials. There biggest problem is in their disposal and if they are not properly disposed they can harm the living organisms. If they escape they can cause a hell lot of destruction. The gases escape as a vapor and cause pollution on the land and water. The use of radioactive isotopes is multipurpose. They are of a great scientific value and they may be present in the waste water. From these water resources they reach to the human body via food chain. The people who work in power plants have more chances of the exposure to harmful radiations. The human beings also receive the radiation and radiotherapy from the x rays.

NOISE POLLUTION

What is Noise Pollution?

Noise pollution is unwanted human-created sound that disrupts the environment. The dominant form of noise pollution is from transportation sources, principally motor vehicles, referred to as environmental noise. The word noise comes from the Latin word nausea meaning seasickness.

The overarching cause of most noise worldwide is generated by transportation systems, principally motor vehicle noise, but also including aircraft noise and rail noise. Hybrid vehicles for road use are the first widely sold automobiles in 100 years to achieve significant noise source reduction. Poor urban planning may also give rise to noise pollution, since juxtaposition of industrial to residential land uses, for example, often results in adverse consequences for the residential acoustic environment.

LAND POLLUTION

What Is Land Pollution?

 

 

Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. Sometimes naturally occurring substances can be unsafe if their presence causes damage or disrupts natural cycles in the ecosystem. For example, fertilizers can benefit plants by supplying necessary nutrients, but overapplication can kill plants with the potential that drift or runoff will affect other nontargeted areas. The once-useful fertilizer now becomes a pollutant.

WATER POLLUTION

What is Water Pollution?

Water pollution is an undesirable change in the state of water, contaminated with harmful substances. It is the second most important environmental issue next to air pollution. Any change in the physical, chemical and biological properties of water that has a harmful effect on living things is water pollution. Water pollution affects all the major water bodies of the world such as lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater. Polluted water is unfit for drinking and for other consumption processes. It is also not suitable for agricultural and industrial use. The effects of water pollution are harmful to human beings, plants, animals, fish and birds. Polluted water also contains viruses, bacteria, intestinal parasites and other harmful microorganisms, which can cause waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery, and typhoid. Due to water pollution, the entire ecosystem gets disturbed.

AIR POLLUTION

What is Air Pollution?

Air is the ocean we breathe. Air supplies us with oxygen which is essential for our bodies to live. Air is 99.9% nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor and inert gases. Human activities can release substances into the air, some of which can cause problems for humans, plants, and animals.
There are several main types of pollution and well-known effects of pollution which are commonly discussed. These include smog, acid rain, the greenhouse effect, and "holes" in the ozone layer. Each of these problems has serious implications for our health and well-being as well as for the whole environment.
One type of air pollution is the release of particles into the air from burning fuel for energy. Diesel smoke is a good example of this particulate matter . The particles are very small pieces of matter measuring about 2.5 microns or about .0001 inches. This type of pollution is sometimes referred to as "black carbon" pollution. The exhaust from burning fuels in automobiles, homes, and industries is a major source of pollution in the air. Some authorities believe that even the burning of wood and charcoal in fireplaces and barbeques can release significant quanitites of soot into the air.
Another type of pollution is the release of noxious gases, such as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and chemical vapors. These can take part in further chemical reactions once they are in the atmosphere, forming smog and acid rain.
Pollution also needs to be considered inside our homes, offices, and schools. Some of these pollutants can be created by indoor activities such as smoking and cooking. In the United States, we spend about 80-90% of our time inside buildings, and so our exposure to harmful indoor pollutants can be serious. It is therefore important to consider both indoor and outdoor air pollution.

Types of pollution

TYPES:




There are 6 (six) types of pollution that are going to be discussed in this site, namely air, water, noise, land, radioactive, and thermal.

• Air Pollution
• Water Pollution
• Land Pollution
• Noise Pollution
• Radioactive Pollution
• Thermal Pollution

Pollution

What is Pollution?

          Pollution is a serious problem to the environment.  Pollution is the contamination of the environment.  Efforts to improve the standard of living for humans have started a very serious problem.

       

There are many different kinds of pollution.  Some are more of a problem than others.  One of those is water pollution.  Another is air pollution.  Sound pollution is a type of pollution that is not much of a problem.  Even so, all types of pollution are bad for the environment.

       Unfortunately pollution is something that many people cause each day.  Simply turning on the engine of your car causes pollution. Businesses can cause pollution too!  They can make mistakes and things accidents like oil spills result in those mistakes Carelessness is why people litter, it can also cause other types of pollution.