Air Pollution Overview

Air Pollution

• Air pollution is defined as a disturbance in the composition of air due to gases, smoke, dust, chemicals, etc., harmful to humans, plants, and animals.
• Primary pollutants are directly emitted from natural or human activities (e.g., CO₂, SO₂, NOx, particulate matter, hydrocarbons).
• Secondary pollutants are formed when primary pollutants react with atmospheric moisture (e.g., carbonic acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid).
• Causes of air pollution include urbanization, population growth, deforestation, industrialization, and vehicle emissions.
• Major air pollutants and their effects:
  • Carbon dioxide (CO₂): Increased concentration from emissions (vehicles, fossil fuels, volcanoes, industries, agriculture) leads to the greenhouse effect, global warming, and climate change.
  • Carbon monoxide (CO): Incomplete combustion of fossil fuels (vehicles, burning coal, biomass) leads to headache, dizziness, and heart failure (reduces hemoglobin's oxygen affinity).
  • Sulfur dioxide (SO₂): Released from oil refineries, volcanoes, and chemical industries, reacting with moisture to form secondary pollutants and causing eye irritation.

Water Pollution

• Water pollution is the presence of undesirable biological or chemical substances in water, harming living organisms.
• Sources of water pollution include:
  • Point source pollution: Pollutants discharged from a single identifiable source (e.g., municipal, industrial sources).
  • Non-point source pollution: Pollutants discharged from scattered or random sources (e.g., construction sites, agriculture, acid rain, animal waste).
• Causes and effects of water pollution:
  • Pathogens (bacteria, viruses, protozoa): Cause disease
  • Oxygen-depleting waste: Organic matter uses up oxygen, harming aquatic life.
  • Inorganic chemicals (lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic): Harmful to humans and animals.
  • Suspended solids: Turbidity, preventing sunlight, harming aquatic ecosystems.

Radioactive Pollution

• Radioactive pollution occurs when radioactive materials are present or added to the environment, often unintentionally, causing damage through radioactive decay.
• Radioactive materials release ionizing radiation (alpha, beta, gamma rays, neutrons), harming the environment and living organisms.
• Sources of radioactive pollution include:
  • Exposure to cosmic radiation: Fast-moving particles from space (sun, other celestial events).
  • Terrestrial radiation: Naturally occurring radioactive elements in soil and rock (uranium, potassium, thorium).
• Radiation through inhalation: Radioactive gases (radon, thoron) from soil and bedrock are inhaled.
• Nuclear power plants: Waste from nuclear processes (spent fuel, uranium mill tailings) is a significant source of radioactive waste.
• Nuclear waste handling and disposal: Low to medium quantities of radioactive waste produced over time through treatment and disposal processes.
• Nuclear weapons: Nuclear tests caused radioactive contamination globally.

Effects of Radioactive Pollution

• Genetic mutations: Damage to DNA, leading to genetic mutations, depending on the quantity and type of radiation.
• Diseases: Acute radiation sickness (nausea, vomiting, death), cancer, and other health issues.
• Soil infertility: Radioactive chemicals react with nutrients, and making the soil poisonous and infertile.
• Impact on aquatic life: Radioisotopes (Cesium, Radon, Crypton, Ruthenium, Zinc, Copper) from power plants can reach water bodies, affecting aquatic organisms.