INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

(Autonomous)
Dundigal, Hyderabad -500 043

COURSE HANDOUT
Environmental Pollution:
Any undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of any
component of the environment (air, water, soil), which can cause harmful effects on
various forms of life or property is called pollution, and the contaminant is known as
pollutant.

Classification of pollution

 Air Pollution
 Water Pollution
 Soil Pollution
 Noise Pollution

Air Pollution:
 It is an atmospheric condition in which certain substances (including the normal
constituents in excess) are present in concentrations which can cause undesirable
effects on man and his environment is called as air pollution and the contaminant
is known as pollutant.
 These substances include gases, particulate matter, radioactive substances etc.
 Pollutants classified into two categories

(1) Primary pollutant (Point source)

(2) Secondary pollutant (Non-point source)

Comparison of primary and secondary pollutants

Primary Pollutant Secondary pollutant

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Pollutants that are emitted directly from Pollutants that are produced in the
identifiable sources are produced by atmosphere
both natural events and human when certain chemical reactions take
activities. These are called primary place
pollutants. among the primary pollutants are called
secondary pollutants.
It is point source (one can see the It is non-point source (one cannot see
pollution source with naked eye) the pollution source with naked eye). It
is formed after a single or series of
reactions happened in atmosphere
Eg: dust storms and volcanic eruptions, Eg: sulfuric acid, nitric acid, carbonic
emission from vehicles and industries, acid, peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), etc.,
etc.,
All these sources emit pollutants such as
COX (CO & CO2), SOX (SO2 & SO3),
NOX (N2O, NO, N2O3, NO2, N2O5),
particulates mater, hydrocarbons, etc.,

Causes/ Sources of Air Pollutants:

The sources of air pollution are natural and man-made

 Natural sources: The natural sources of air pollution are volcanic eruptions, forest
fires, salt sprays, biological decay, photochemical oxidation of
terpenes,marshes,extra terrestrial bodies, pollen grains of flowers, spores
etc.Radioactive minerals present in the earth crust are the sources of radioactivity
in the atmosphere.
 Man-made: Man-made sources include thermal power plants, industrial units,
vehicular emissions, fossil fuel burning, agricultural activities etc. Thermal power
plants have become the major sources for generating electricity in India as the
nuclear power plants could not be installed planned. The main pollutants emitted
are fly ash and SO2.

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 Sources of
Air
Pollution

Man-made (or)
Natural Sources Anthropogenic
Sources

Examples Examples
Volcanic eruption, Thermal power
forest fires, pollen plants, burning of
grains of flowers, fossil fuels, Chemical
etc., industries, etc.,

Effects of air pollution on living organisms

On human beings:

 Our respiratory system has a number of mechanisms that help in protecting us

from air pollution. The hair in our nose filters out large particles.
 When pollutants irritate the upper respiratory system, sneezing and coughing expel
contaminated air and mucus.
 Prolonged smoking or exposure to air pollutants can overload or breakdown these
natural defenses causing or contributing to diseases such as lung cancer, asthma,
chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
 Elderly people, infants, pregnant women and people with heart disease, asthma or
other respiratory diseases are especially vulnerable to air pollution.
 Cigarette smoking is responsible for the greatest exposure to carbon monoxide.
Exposure to air containing even 0.001 percent of carbon monoxide for several
hours can cause collapse, coma and even death.

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  As carbon monoxide remains attached to hemoglobin in blood for a long time, it
accumulates and reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of blood.
 This impairs perception and thinking, slows reflexes and causes headaches,
drowsiness, dizziness and nausea. Carbon monoxide in heavy traffic causes
headaches, drowsiness and blurred vision.
 Sulfur dioxide irritates respiratory tissues. Chronic exposure causes a condition
similar to bronchitis. It also reacts with water, oxygen and other material in the air
to form sulfur-containing acids.
 The acids can become attached to particles which when inhaled are very corrosive
to the lung.
 Nitrogen oxides especially NO2 can irritate the lungs, aggravate asthma or chronic
bronchitis and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections such as influenza or
common colds.
 Suspended particles aggravate bronchitis and asthma. Exposure to these particles
over a long period damages lung tissue and contributes to the development of
chronic respiratory disease and cancer.
 Many volatile organic compounds such as (benzene and formaldehyde) and toxic
particulates (such as lead, cadmium) can cause mutations, reproductive problems
or cancer.
 Inhaling ozone, a component of photochemical smog causes coughing, chest pain,
breathlessness and irritation of the eye, nose and the throat.

On plants:

 When some gaseous pollutants enter leaf pores they damage the leaves of crop
plants. Chronic exposure of the leaves to air pollutants can break down the waxy
coating that helps prevent excessive water loss and leads to damage from diseases,
pests, drought and frost.
 Such exposure interferes with photosynthesis and plant growth, reduces nutrient
uptake and causes leaves to turn yellow, brown or drop off altogether.
 Pollutants also erode waxy coating of leaves called cuticle. Cuticle prevents
excessive water loss and damage from diseases, pests, droughts and frost.

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  Damage to leaf structure causes necrosis (dead areas of leaf) or epinasty
(downward curling of leaf) and abscission (dropping of leaf)
 At a higher concentration of sulphur dioxide majority of the flower buds become
stiff and hard. They eventually fall from the plants, as they are unable to flower.

 Prolonged exposure to high levels of several air pollutants from smelters, coal
burning power plants and industrial units as well as from cars and trucks can
damage trees and other plants.

Effects on aquatic life:

 Burning of fossil fuels creates carbon oxides (CO x), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur
oxides (SOx) and solid particulate matter.
 Air pollutants like carbon dioxide mixing up with rainwater and absorbing in
ocean water cause high acidity (low pH).
 This acidic nature of aquatic system causes damage to the phytoplankton,
zooplankton, fish that are present and in the entire marine ecosystem.
 Over the last 250 years, oceans have absorbed 530 billion tons of carbon dioxide,
triggering a 30 percent increase in ocean acidity.
 Higher seawater acidity hurts marine life especially species that build shells or
skeletons, such as oysters, mussels and coral.
 These creatures need calcium carbonate to grow and repair their shells and
skeletons. Acidic water softens or destroys these structures.

On Materials:

 Every year air pollutants cause damage worth billions of rupees. Air pollutants
break down exterior paint on cars and houses.
 All around the world air pollutants have discolored irreplaceable monuments,
historic buildings, marble statues, etc.

Eg: World wonder TajMahal is turning brownish-yellow due to air pollution

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Prevention and control of Air Pollution:

 Adopting eco-friendly technologies for the prevention of air pollutants.

 Afforestation helps in controlling the air pollution.
 Thermal power station and other coal energy based industries should use low
sulphur coal.
 De-sulphurization techniques should be used to remove the coal such as washing
or with help of bacteria.
 Gaseous pollutants should be controlled at source itself by using physical
adsorption on porous solid materials such as charcoal, silica gel, Fuller’s earth, etc.
 Incomplete combustion of fossil fuels produce more carbon monoxide, carbon
dioxide, hydrocarbons, particulate matter, hence, fossil fuels should burn at
optimal conditions of oxygen and temperature.
 Particulate matter should be bring into control at source itself by using any one of
the methods like cyclone separators, bag house filters, wet scrubber and
Electrostatic precipitator methods.

Automobile Pollution:
 The day-to-day increase of fossil fuel based personal vehicles cause air pollution
besides noise pollution.
 Pollutants from automobiles are emitted to the atmosphere through exhaust pipe.
 These pollutants are COx (CO&CO2), NOx (N2O, NO, N2O3, etc.,), SOx (SO2 &
SO3), unburnt hydrocarbons, particulate matter, Pb from leaded petrol, etc.. NO x
primary pollutants react with unburnt hydrocarbons in the presence of sunlight and
produces secondary pollutant Peroxy Acetyl Nitrates (PANs).

Effects of automobile pollution:

 Automobile pollution causes breathing problems to the humanity.
 Spark plug in engine produces ozone and ozone is one of the well-known
respiratory irritants. A respiratory irritant causing damage to the lungs, reducing
lung capacity and aggravation respiratory problems, especially in the elderly, the
very young, and the asthmatic.

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  A strong oxidant gas that damages animal respiratory systems, plant leaf cells,
reducing photosynthesis.
 Visibility reduction due to the heavy smoke from the vehicles causes eyes and skin
damage in long run.

Remedial actions to control automobile pollution:

 Use mass transit, bicycle or walk whenever possible. The fewer vehicles on the
highway, the fewer pollutants emitted to the air.
 Another way to reduce vehicle pollution is by practicing good vehicle
maintenance.
 Automobile emissions testing programs are designed to ensure that vehicles are
polluting as little as possible.
 Use of catalytic converter helps in reduction of automobile pollution.
 Modification of internal combustion engine causes improvements of its efficiency.
 Unleaded petrol should be used to control Pb-emission into the environment.

Industrial Pollution:
 Due to industrialization, we are facing many types of pollution. Based on nature of
industry variety of industrial pollutant released into atmosphere.
 Pollutants released from thermal power plants, nuclear power plants, pulp and
paper, chemical, cement, fertilizers, mining, etc., are of major concern.
 Industrial effluents contain heavy metals nickel, copper, zinc, and chromium.
 Some industries like pulp,paper,sugar,oil refineries,pesticides,fertilizers and
cement produce total dissolved solids-85,000 - 95,000mg/L,BOD- 45,000 -
60,000mg/L and COD- 80,000 -1,20,000mg/L.
 Thermal Power Plants use coal for energy production
Eg.In Andhra Pradesh, 4000MW Krishnapatanam Ultra Mega Power Plant use
coal for energy production.
 In May 2011, Haryana state pollution control board has ordered closure of 639
polluting industries.

Effects:

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  Industrial effluents causes soil salinity and if discharged in water bodies effects
aquatic life and fish production.

Water Pollution:

 Water Pollution can be defined as alteration in physical, chemical and biological

characteristics of water making it unsuitable for designated use in its natural state.
(or)
 Any contaminant, which causes adverse change in the water quality, is called as
water pollution.
 Hydrosphere in the universe contains water in the form of oceans, rivers, lakes,
tanks and many other water sources. Water sources in the world are of two types.
 They are (1) Marine water bodies and (2) Fresh Water bodies. Water is a good
solvent for many substances. Because of this property water cannot exist in its
pure form at many parts of the world.
 Water pollution is mainly because of sewage, industrial disposals effluents.

Sources or Causes of water pollutants:

1. Point sources
2. Non-point sources

1) Point sources:
Industries, Power plants, sewage treatment plants, coal mines, oil wells and oil
tankers etc.

2) Non point sources:

Surface runoff from agricultural fields, over flowing, small rainwater sweeping
roads and atmospheric deposition
It is difficult to control water pollution by non point sources because of the high
cost and difficult in identifying and treating the pollutants from diffused sources.

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Pollutants:
 Sewage: emptying the drains and sewers in fresh bodies causes water pollution
 Industrial wastes: toxic chemicals, acids, alkalis, heavy metals, phenols, ammonia
and radioactive substances
 Synthetic detergents causes water pollution
 Fertilizers and pesticides washed by rain water and surface run-off pollute water
 Waste heat, oil spillage in sea water.
 Ground water pollution with arsenic, fluoride and nitrate.

Effects of Water Pollution

(a). Oxygen demanding waste:

 Organic matter which reaches water bodies is decomposed by micro-organisms
present in water. For this degradation oxygen dissolved in water is consumed.
 The saturation value of DO varies from 8-15 mg /L. For active fish species (trout
and salmon) 5-8 mg/L of DO is required whereas less desirable species like carp
can survive at 3.0 mg/L of DO.
 Lower DO may be harmful to animals especially fish population. Oxygen depletion
(deoxygenating) helps in release of phosphates from bottom sediments and
causes eutrophication.
(b). Nitrogen and Phosphorus compounds (nutrients) :
 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 produced.
(c). Pathogens :
 Sewage contain many pathogenic (disease causing) and non-pathogenic micro-
organisms and many viruses.
 Water borne diseases like cholera, dysentery, typhoid, jaundice etc, are spread by
water contaminated with sewage.
(d). Substances like pesticides, methyl mercury move in to the bodies of
organisms from the medium in which these organisms live. Substances like DDT

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 are not water soluble and have affinity for body lipids. These substances tend to
accumulate in the organism’s body.
This process is calledbioaccumulation.The concentration of these toxic
substances builds up at successive levels of food chain. This process is called
biomagnifications.

Component DDT concentration (ppm)

Birds 10.00

Needle fish 1.0

Minnows 0.1

Zooplankton 0.01

Water 0.000001

Some heavy metals like lead, mercury and cadmium cause various types of diseases.
Mercury dumped into water is transformed into water soluble methyl mercury by
bacterial action. Methyl mercury accumulates in fish.

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  In 1953, people in Japan suffered from numbness of body parts, vision and hearing
problems and abnormal mental behavior.
 This disease called Minamata disease occurred due to consumption of methyl
mercury contaminated fish caught from Minamata bay in Japan.
 The disease claimed 50 lives and permanently paralysed 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 contaminated 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
affected.
 Nitrate when present in excess in drinking water causes blue baby syndrome or
methaemoglobinemia. The disease develops when a part of haemoglobin is
converted into non-functional oxidized form.
 Nitrate in 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 called
fluorosis.

Control of Water Pollution:

 Judicious use of agrochemicals like pesticides and fertilizers which will reduce
their surface run-off and leaching. Avoid 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 run-off to basin for settlement. The nutrient
rich water can be used as fertilizer in the fields.
 Separate drainage of sewage and rain water should be provided to prevent
overflow of sewage with rainwater.
 Planting trees would reduce pollution by sediments and will also prevent soil
erosion.

Soil pollution:-
Sources of Soil Pollution

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  Soil is the upper layer of the earth crust which is formed by weathering of rocks.
Domestic and industrial waster causes soil pollution.
 Domestic wastes include garbage, rubbish material like glass, plastics, metallic
cans, paper, fibres, cloth rags, containers, paints, varnishes
 Industrial wastes are the effluents discharged from chemicals industries, paper and
pulp mills, tanneries, textile mills, steel industries, distilleries, food processing
industries, cement industries, thermal and nuclear power plants, mining industries,
etc.

Effects of Soil Pollution

 Sewage and industrial effluents which pollute the soil ultimately affect human
health.
 Various types of chemicals like acids, alkalis, pesticides, insecticides, weedicides,
fungicides, heavy metal etc, in the industrial discharges affect soil fertility by
causing changes in physical, chemical and biological properties.
 Some of the persistent toxic chemicals inhibit the non-target organisms, chemicals
inhibit the non-target organisms, soil flora and fauna and reduce soil productivity.
 These chemicals accumulate in food chain and ultimately affect human health.
Indiscriminate use of pesticides specially is a matter of concern.
 Sewage sludge many types of pathogenic bacteria, viruses and intestinal worms
which may cause various types of diseases. Decomposing organic matter in soil
also produces toxic vapours.
 Radioactive fallout on vegetation is the source of radio-isotopes which enter the
food chain in the grazing animals.
 Some of these radio isotopes replace essential elements in the body and cause
abnormalities e.g. strontium-90 instead of calcium gets deposited in the bones and
tissue. The bones become brittle and prone to fracture.
 Radioisotopes which attach with the clay become a source of radiations in the
environment.
 Nitrogen and phosphorus from the fertilizers in soil reach nearby water bodies
with agricultural run-off and cause eutrophication.
 Chemicals or their degradation products from soil may percolate and contaminate
ground-water resources.

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Fertilizers related problems

1.Micronutrient imbalance: -

 Most of the chemicals fertilizers used in modern agriculture have nitrogen,

phosphorus and potassium (N, P, K) which are essential macronutrients.
 Farmers usually use these fertilizers indiscriminately to boost up crop growth.
Excessive use of fertilizers cause micronutrient imbalance.
 For example, excessive fertilizer use in Punjab and Haryana has caused deficiency
of the micronutrient zinc in the soils, which is affecting productivity of the soil.

2.Nitrate pollution:-

 Nitrogenous fertilizers applied in the fields often leach deep into the soil and
ultimately contaminate the ground water.
 The nitrates get concentrated in the water and when their concentration exceeds 25
mg/L, they become the cause of a serious health hazard called “Blue Baby
Syndrome”or methaemoglobinemia.
 This disease affects the infants to the maximum extent causing even death. In
Denmark, England, France, Germany and Netherlands this problem has been faced
frequently.
 In India also, problem of nitrate pollution exists in many areas.

3.Eutrophication:-

 Excessive use of N and P fertilizers in the agricultural fields leads to another

problem, which is not related to the soil, but relates to water bodies like lakes.
 A large proportion of nitrogen and phosphorus used in crop fields is washed off
and along with runoof water reaches the water bodies causing over nourishment of
the lakes, a process known as Eutrophication (eu = more, trophic = nutrition).
 Due to eutrophication the lakes get invaded by algal blooms. These algal species
grow very fast by rapidly using up the nutrients.
 They are often toxic and badly affect the food chain. The algal species quickly
complete their life cycle and die, thereby adding a lot of dead organic matter.
 The fishes are also killed and there is a lot of dead matter that starts getting
decomposed and very soon the water gets depleted of dissolved oxygen.

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  This further affects aquatic fauna and ultimately anaerobic conditions are created
where only anaerobic bacteria can survive many of which are known to be
pathogenic.
 Thus, due to excessive use of fertilizers in the agricultural fields the lake
ecosystem gets degraded. This shows how an unmindful action can have far
reaching consequences.

Control of Soil Pollution

 Effluent should be properly treated before discharging them on the soil.

 Solid wastes should be properly collected and disposed off by appropriate method.
 From the waste, recovery of useful products should be done.
 Biodegradable organic waste should be used for generation of biogas.
 Cattle dung should be used for methane generation. Night-soil (human feces) can
also be used in the biogas plant to produce inflammable methane gas.

Microbial degradation of biodegradable substances is also one of the scientific

approaches for reducing soil pollution.

Noise Pollution:
 We hear various types of sounds everyday. Sound is mechanical energy from a
vibrating source.
 A type of sound may be pleasant to someone and at the same time unpleasant to
others. The unpleasant and unwanted sound is called noise.
 These is a wide range of sound pressures, which encounter human ear. Increase in
sound pressure does not invoke linear response of human ear.
 A meaningful logarithmic scale has been devised. The noise measurements are
expressed as Sound Pressure Level (SPL) which is logarithmic ratio of the sound
pressure to a reference pressure.
 It is reference pressure of 2 X 10-5 Pa is the average threshold of hearing for human
ear because of its loudness and frequency (pitch).

Sources of Noise Pollution:

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  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.

Effects of Noise:

Noise causes the following effects.

 Interferes with man’s communication: In a noisy area communication is severely

affected.
 Hearing damage: Noise can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss.
 It depends on intensity and duration of sound level. Auditory sensitivity is reduced
with 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), gastro-intestinal and
digestive disorders,, peptic ulcers, blood pressure changes, behavioural changes,
emotional changes etc.

Industrial Noise-Occupational Health Hazards

 Industrial noise is the which is created by the machines and processes in the
industries.
 It is of concern as it threatens safety and health of the industrial workers and
common people in the industrial environment.
 Noise levels more than 85 decibels can cause hearing impairment and such
industrial environment is not a health environment for the workers.
 Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) has been observed in workers of heavy
industries like ship-building, iron and steel industry, railway yards etc,

Besides hearing loss other occupational health hazards include:

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 (i)Increased stress (ii) Fatigue
(iii)High blood pressure (iv) Annoyance
(v)Headache (vi) Vertigo
(vii)Speech problems (viii) Learning impairment
(ix)Aggression (x) Anxiety
(xi)Stomach ulcers (xii) Depression.
Standards:

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) Committee has recommended permissible

noise levels for different locations as given in this table.

Ambient air quality standards in respect of noise:

Area Category of area / zone Limits in dB(A) Leq*

Code
Day time Night time

(A) Industrial area 75 70

(B) Commercial area 65 55
(C) Residential area 55 45
(D) Silence Zone 50 40

Methods of Control Of Noise

 Reduction in sources of noise: Sources of noise pollution like heavy vehicles and
old vehicles may not be allowed to ply in the populated areas.
 Machine noise can be reduced by proper machine design involving process
modification, changes in shape and material.
 Noise making machines should be kept in containers with sound absorbing media.
The noise path will be in interrupted and will not reach the workers.
 Proper oiling will reduce the noise from the machinery.
 Noise levels can be reduced by reducing the noise radiating surfaces.

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  Heavy machines transmit vibrations to the hard surfaces in touch which in turn
radiate noise. This type of secondary noise can be reduced by providing pads of
suitable material (rubber, felt, cork, etc) to absorb and reduce noise transmission.
 High frequency noise which gets reflected like beam of light or heat can be
reduced by providing sound absorbing acoustical barriers or shields between the
noise source and work place.
 Porous materials absorbent-fibers, glass wool, etc, are sound absorbing materials
which can absorb upto 90% of sound energy falling on them depending on the
angle of incidence.
 Ceilings and walls may be provided with layers of such sound absorbing materials
to reduce workplace noise.
 Workers may be deployed in noisy environment with maximum permissible noise
levels and the relatively quieter areas in shifts so that the time of exposure to high
noise level doesn’t exceed that recommended by the Occupational Safety and
Health Act.
 Workers may be provided with ear protectors to reduce noise reaching the
eardrums.
 Planting more trees having broad leaves.
 Through law: Legislation can ensure that sound production is minimized at various
social functions; unnecessary horn blowing should be restricted especially in
vehicle-congested areas.

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