Tag: Pollution

Water pollution can define as an alteration in physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of water making it unsuitable for designated use in its natural state. After, Air Pollution, Noise Pollution maybe you’ll like to know about another Pollution. If yes? So, this article explains Water Pollution, and its topics – sources, effects, and control. Also, water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater).

Here is article explains the Water Pollution and their topics; Sources, Effects, and Control.

Also, water pollution affects plants and organisms living in these bodies of water, and in almost all cases the effect is damaging not only to individual species and populations but also to the natural communities.

Sources of Water Pollution:

Water is an essential commodity for survival. We need water for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing, irrigation, and industrial operations. Most of the water for such uses comes from rivers, lakes, or groundwater sources. Also, Water has the property to dissolve many substances in it; therefore, it can easily get polluted. Point sources or non-point sources can cause pollution of water. Point sources are specific sites near water, which directly discharge effluents into them.

After Air pollution, the types of pollution one of them. Major point sources of water pollution are industries, power plants, underground coal mines, offshore oil wells, etc. Also, The discharge from non-point sources is not at any particular site; rather, these sources are scattered, which individually or collectively pollute water. Surface run-off from agricultural fields, overflowing small drains, rainwater sweeping roads, and fields, atmospheric deposition, etc. are the non-point sources of water pollution.

1] Ground-water pollution:

Ground-water forms about 6.2% of the total water available on planet earth and is about 30 times more than surface water (streams, lakes, and estuaries). Also, ground-water seems to be less prone to pollution as the soil mantle through which water passes helps to retain various contaminants due to its cation exchange capacity.

However, there are several potential sources of ground-water pollution. Septic tanks, industry (textile, chemical, tanneries), deep well injection, mining, etc. are mainly responsible for ground-water pollution, which is irreversible. Ground-water pollution with arsenic, fluoride, and nitrate are posing serious health hazards.

2] Surface water pollution:

The major sources of surface water pollution are:

1. Sewage: Pouring the drains and sewers in freshwater bodies causes water pollution. The problem is severe in cities.
2. Industrial effluents: Industrial wastes containing toxic chemicals, acids, alkalis, metallic salts, phenols, cyanides, ammonia, radioactive substances, etc. are sources of water pollution. They also cause thermal (heat) pollution of water.
3. Synthetic detergents: Synthetic detergents used in washing and cleaning produce foam and pollute water.
4. Agrochemical: Agrochemical like fertilizers (containing nitrates and phosphates) and pesticides (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, etc.) washed by rainwater and surface run-off pollute water.
5. Oil: Oil spillage into seawater during drilling and shipment pollute it.
6. Waste heat: Waste heats from industrial discharge increases the temperature of water bodies and affects the distribution and survival of sensitive species.

Effects of Water Pollution:

Following are some important effects of various types of water pollutants:

1] Oxygen demanding wastes:

Microorganisms present in water decompose organic matter, which reaches water bodies. For this degradation oxygen dissolved in water consume. Dissolved oxygen (DO) is the amount of oxygen dissolved in a given quantity of water at a particular temperature and atmospheric pressure. The amount of dissolved oxygen depends on aeration, photosynthetic activity in the water, respiration of animals and plants and ambient temperature.

The saturation value of DO varies from 8-15 mg/L. For active fish species (trout and Salmon) 5-8 mg/L of DO require whereas less desirable species like carp can survive at 3.0 mg/L of DO. Lower DO may be harmful to animals especially fish populations. Oxygen depletion (deoxygenating) helps in the release of phosphates from bottom sediments and causes eutrophication.

2] Nitrogen and Phosphorus Compounds (Nutrients):

The addition of compounds containing nitrogen and phosphorus helps in the growth of algae and other plants which when die and decay consume oxygen of water. Under anaerobic conditions, foul-smelling gases are producing. Excess growth or decomposition of plant material will change the concentration of CO2, which will further change the pH of water. Changes in pH, oxygen, and temperature will change many Physico-chemical characteristics of water.

3] Pathogens:

Many wastewaters, especially sewage, contain many pathogenic (disease-causing) and non- pathogenic microorganisms and many viruses. Waterborne diseases like cholera, dysentery, typhoid, jaundice, etc. are spread by water contaminated with sewage.

4] Toxic Compounds:

Pollutants such as heavy metals, pesticides, cyanides and many other organic and inorganic compounds are harmful to aquatic organisms. Some of these substances like pesticides, methyl mercury, etc. move into the bodies of organisms from the medium in which these organisms live. Substances like DDT are not water-soluble and have an affinity for body lipids. These substances tend to accumulate in the organism’s body.

This process calls bioaccumulation. Also, The concentration of these toxic substances builds up at successive levels of the food chain. This process calls biomagnifications. Toxic substances polluting the water ultimately affect human health. Some heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium cause various types of diseases. Mercury dump into water transforms into water-soluble methyl mercury by bacterial action. Methyl mercury accumulates in fish.

Extra knowledge:

In 1953, people in Japan suffered from the numbness of body parts, vision and hearing problems, and abnormal mental behavior. This disease called Minamata disease occurred due to the consumption of methyl mercury-contaminated fish caught from Minamata bay in Japan. The disease claimed 50 lives and permanently paralyzed over 700 persons. Pollution by another heavy metal cadmium had caused the disease called Itai-Itai in the people of Japan.

The disease was caused by cadmium contaminating rice. The rice fields were irrigated with effluents of zinc smelters and drainage water from mines. In this disease bones, liver, kidney, lungs, pancreas, and thyroid are affecting. Also, Arsenic pollution of groundwater in Bangladesh and West Bengal is causing various types of abnormalities. Nitrate when present in excess in drinking water causes blue baby syndrome or methemoglobinemia. The disease develops when a part of hemoglobin converts into a non-functional oxidized form.

Nitrate in the stomach partly gets changed into nitrites, which can produce cancer-causing products in the stomach. Excess of fluoride in drinking water causes defects in teeth and bones to call fluorosis. Also, Pesticides in drinking water ultimately reach humans and are known to cause various health problems. DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, etc. have, therefore, been banned. Recently, in Andhra Pradesh, people suffered from various abnormalities due to the consumption of endosulfan contaminated cashew nuts.

Control of Water Pollution:

It is easy to reduce water pollution from point sources by legislation. However, due to the absence of defined strategies, it becomes difficult to prevent water pollution from non-point sources.

The following points may help in reducing water pollution from non-point sources:

• Judicious use of agrochemical likes pesticides and fertilizers, which will reduce their surface run-off and leaching. Avoid the use of these on sloped lands.
• Use of nitrogen-fixing plants to supplement the use of fertilizers.
• Adopting integrated pest management to reduce reliance on pesticides.
• Prevent run-off of manure. Divert such a run-off to the basin for settlement. Also, nutrient-rich water can use as fertilizer in the fields.
• Separate drainage of sewage and rainwater should provide to prevent the overflow of sewage with rainwater.
• Planting trees would reduce pollution by sediments and will also prevent soil erosion.

For controlling water pollution from point sources – the treatment of wastewater is essential before discharge.

• Wastewater should properly treat by primary and secondary treatments to reduce the BOD, COD levels up to the permissible levels for discharge.
• Advanced treatment for the removal of nitrates and phosphates will prevent eutrophication. Before the discharge of wastewater – it should disinfect to kill disease-causing organisms like bacteria.
• Proper chlorination should finish preventing the formation of chlorinated hydrocarbons or ozone or ultraviolet radiation should do disinfection.

Noise Pollution can define as an unpleasant and unwanted sound. We hear various types of sound every day. Sound is mechanical energy from a vibrating source. After, Air Pollution maybe you’ll like to know about another Pollution. If yes? So, this article explains Noise Pollution, and its topics – sources, effects, and control. A type of sound may be pleasant to someone and at the same time unpleasant to others. Also, The unpleasant and unwanted sound is called noise. Sound can propagate through a medium like air, liquid, or solid.

Here is article explains the Noise Pollution and their topics; Sources, Effects, and Control.

The sound wave is a pressure perturbation in the medium through which sound travels. Sound pressure alternately causes compression and rarefaction. The number of compressions and rarefactions of the molecules of the medium (for example air) in a unit time is described as frequency. It is expressed in Hertz (Hz) and is equal to the number of cycles per second.

There is a wide range of sound pressures, which encounter the human ear. Also, An increase in sound pressure does not invoke the linear response of the human ear. A meaningful logarithmic scale has been devised. The noise measurements are expressed as Sound Pressure Level (SPL) which is the logarithmic ratio of the sound pressure to a reference pressure.

It is expressed as a dimensionless unit, a decibel (dB). The international reference pressure of 2 x 10-5 Pa is the average threshold of hearing for a healthy ear. The decibel scale is a measure of loudness. Noise can affect the human ear because of its loudness and frequency (pitch). Also, The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) committee has recommended permissible noise levels for different locations as given in Table;

Sources of Noise Pollution:

The main sources of noise are various modes of transportation (like air, road, rail-transportation), industrial operations, construction activities, and celebrations (social/religious functions, elections, etc) electric home appliances. Also, High levels of noise have been recorded in some of the cities of the world. In Nanjing (China) noise level of 105 dB has been recorded, while in some other cities of the world these levels are: Rome 90 dB, New York 88 dB, Calcutta 85 dB, Mumbai 82 dB, Delhi 80 dB, Kathmandu 75 dB.

Major causes/sources of noise pollution are:

1] Industrial:

Progress in technology (industrialization) has resulted in creating noise pollu­tion. Also, Textile mills, printing presses, engineering establishments, and metal works, etc. contribute heavily to noise pollution.

These operate from workshops located on the ground floors of the residential areas and cause annoyance, discomfort, and irri­tation to the residents exposed to the noise that is inevitably produced.

For example, the situation is much better in modern planned cities like Chandigarh where the industrial area is kept away from the residential areas and both are sepa­rated from each other by a sufficiently wide green belt.

2] Automobile or Transport Vehicles:

The automobile revolution in urban centers has proved to be a big source of noise pollution. Increasing traffic has given rise to traffic jams in congested areas where the repeated hooting of horns by impatient drivers pierce the ears of all road users.

Noise from airplanes constitutes an increasingly serious problem in big cities like Delhi & Mumbai. Also, airports situated in the vicinity of population centers and airplanes pass over residential areas. Heavy trucks, buses trains, jet-planes, motor-cycles, scooters, mopeds, jeeps—the list of vehicles is endless but the outcome is the same — noise pollution.

3] Household:

The household is an industry in itself and is a source of many indoor noises such as the banging of doors, noise of playing children, crying of infants, moving of furniture, a loud conversation of the inhabitants, etc. Besides these are the entertainment equipment in the house, namely the radio, record-players, and television sets. Domestic gadgets like mixer-grinders, pressure cookers, desert coolers, air- conditioners, exhaust fans, vacuum cleaners, sewing, and washing machines are all indoor sources of noise pollution.

4] Public Address System:

In India, people need only the slightest of an excuse for using loudspeakers. Also, The reason may be a religious function, birth, death, marriage, elections, dem­onstration, or just commercial advertising. The public system, therefore, contrib­utes in its way towards noise pollution.

5] Agricultural Machines:

In modern times, agriculture is highly changing in food farming. They also use modern technic or machines for farming growth. In Tractors, thrashers, harvesters, tube wells, powered tillers, etc. have all made agriculture highly mechanical but at the same time highly noisy. Noise level 90 dB to 98 dB due to the running of farm machines have been recorded in the state of Punjab.

6] Defense Equipment:

We talk about Noise pollution, so we can not forget Defense Equipment or security level sources. Also, Defense Equipment is one of them, We have defense tools to protect the country from outside countries. In every country, they manufacture more and more defense equipment for the protection of the countrymen.

A lot of noise pollution adds to the atmosphere by artillery, tanks, launching of rockets, explosions, exercising of military airplanes, and shooting practices. Also, Screams of jet engines and sonic booms have a deafening impact on the ears and in extreme cases have been known to shatter the window panes and old dilapidated buildings.

Effects of Noise pollution:

Noise pollution causes the following effects.

• Interferes with man’s communication: In a noisy area, communication severely affects.
• Hearing damage: Noise can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss. It depends on the intensity and duration of the sound level. Auditory sensitivity reduces with a noise level of over 90 dB in the mid-high frequency for more than a few minutes.
• Physiological and Psychological changes: Continuous exposure to noise affects the functioning of various systems of the body. It may result in hypertension, insomnia (sleeplessness), gastrointestinal and digestive disorders, peptic ulcers, blood pressure changes, behavioral changes, emotional changes, etc.

Effects or Impacts of Noise Pollution – diagram:

Noise is generally harmful and a serious health hazard. It has far-reaching consequences and has many physical, physiological as well as psychological ef­fects on human beings. Extra things:

1] Physical Effects:

The physical manifestation of noise pollution is the effect on hearing ability. Repeated exposure to noise may result in temporary or permanent shifting of the hearing threshold of a person depending upon the level and duration of exposure.

The immediate and acute effect of noise pollution is the impairment of hearing (i.e. total deafness). Also, Human ears have sensory cells for hearing. If these cells are subjected to re­peated sounds of high intensity before they have an opportunity to recover fully.

They can become permanently damaged leading to impairment of hearing. In addition to sensory cells, delicate tympanic membranes or eardrums can also permanently harm by sudden loud noises such as an explosion.

2] Physiological Effects:

Physiologica means, relating to the branch of biology that deals with the normal functions of living organisms and their parts. Also, The physiological manifestations of noise pollution are several as mentioned be­low:

• Headache by dilating blood vessels of the brain.
• Increase in the rate of heart-beat.
• Narrowing of arteries.
• Fluctuations in the arterial blood pressure by increasing the level of choles­terol in the blood.
• The decrease in heat output.
• Pain in the heart.
• Digestive spasms through anxiety and dilation of the pupil of the eye, thereby causing eye-strain.
• Impairment of night vision.
• The decrease in the rate of color perception.
• Lowering of concentration and effect on memory.
• Muscular strain and nervous breakdown, and.
• Psychological Effect.

Control of Noise Pollution:

How to control noise pollution? If we do something controlling noise or extra sound out there. So, what they are? The following controlling things below are;

Reduction in sources of noise:

• Sources of noise pollution like heavy vehicles and old vehicles may not allow driving in populated areas if they follow as also control some noise.
• Noise making machines should keep in containers with sound-absorbing media. The noise path will interrupt and will not reach the workers.
• Proper oiling will reduce the noise from the machinery.

Use of sound-absorbing silencers:

• Silencers can reduce noise by absorbing sound. For this purpose, various types of fibrous material could use.
• Planting more trees having broad leaves.

Through Law: Legislation can ensure that sound production is minimized at various social functions. Unnecessary horn blowing should restrict especially in vehicle-congested areas.