CONTROL ENVIRONMENTAL

POLLUTION
DEFINITIONS
Pollution is
I) the introduction of contaminants into an environment causing
harm, instability or disorder to the ecosystem.
An ecosystem includes all the living organisms (plants, animals,
microorganisms) and their physical environment and the interactions
between them.
II) the presence of a substance in a medium in environment that results
in a change to its ‘natural’ state, potentially causing an adverse effect.
A contaminant is a minor substance, material or agent that is
unwanted in the environment and may or may not be harmful.
A pollutant is a contaminant which, due to its properties or amount or
concentration, causes harm.
Gases (carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxides), chemical vapours,
dust particles, fumes and liquid chemicals (pesticides, solvents, drugs,
acids, etc.) are examples of potential pollutants of air and water
ecosystems
The environment has an inherent capacity to clean itself through self-cleaning processes.
Natural environmental processes have the ability to deal with many pollutants and correct most
imbalances if given enough time. For example, self-cleaning processes in a river could involve:

• Dilution: this takes place when a small amount of a chemical in sewage enters a large flowing
river and the pollutant is diluted in the water.
• Oxygenation: this process occurs through mixing of air with water which introduces oxygen
that can then be used by aquatic (water-living) plants and animals. Microorganisms consume
oxygen when they break down organic matter.
• Sedimentation: this takes place when larger particles settle out at the bottom of the river.
• Biodegradation: this takes place when organic matter is broken down by
microorganisms. Organic matter means everything that is derived from living organisms. In a
river this could be human and animal waste, decaying plant material, etc
Fate and transport of pollutants in the
environment

Water transport
• The transport of pollutants in water can occur under particulate or dissolved forms, either
in surface or groundwater.
• In surface waters, soil particles can be introduced in streams and move under particulate
form downstream (bed-load transport) by
i) Rolling,
ii) Sliding, and
iii) Saltation and further deposited downstream.
This transport depends on flow velocity, turbulence, and grain size, shape, and density.
In groundwater, particulate transport is not so expressive and occurs for very small grain size
particles.
Water transport continued

• The dissolved transport in waters is very important since this is highly associated with
more available forms of pollutants of greater environmental concern. In addition, by this
way pollutants can more easily reach other sites or environmental compartments way
from the source.
• Primarily, this involves Leaching processes, i.e., a process by which pollutants are
released from solid phase into the aqueous phase under the influence of dissolution and
desorption of pollutants from their support-phases.
• Leaching is dependent on several factors, such as, soil pH, redox conditions, biotic
action, and the amount of water percolating the soil, which will carried out the
pollutants to surface or groundwater repositories.
• The aerobic conditions of surface waters and the anaerobic conditions of groundwater
may have a great influence in the dissolved transport, which may result in the
precipitation of pollutants by changes in redox state.
Transport of air pollutants

• Horizontal dispersion of pollutants

• Vertical dispersion of pollutants

(Read more on this Weiner et al 2003)

Transport of soil pollutants
The transport and fate of pollutants in soils are governed by different
biotic or abiotic processes and depend of several factors.
These factors include soil properties (e.g., mineralogy, organic matter
content, pH, moisture); chemical compounds properties (e.g.,
hydrophobicity, vapor pressure, and chemical stability); biota activity;
sequestration; and environmental factors (e.g., temperature and
precipitation).
The most important mechanisms of transport of contaminants through
soil are
• volatilization,
• Leaching, and
• Erosion or suspension of soil particles.
Environmental pollutants
• They are classified into:
I) Water pollution
Water pollution: Its defined as
i) The release of wastes, chemicals and other contaminants into surface
and groundwater.
ii) The addition of undesirable substances in water or water bodies like
lakes, rivers, oceans and ground water.
Types of water pollutants
1. Disease causing agents
• They include bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa and parasitic worms.
Sources: Human and animal wastes
Harmful effects
• They cause diseases e.g. cholera, typhoid and amoebic dysentery.

2. Oxygen demanding wastes

• They include organic wastes such as animal manure and plant debris.
Harmful effects
• Large population of bacterial decomposition can degrade water quality by
depleting water of dissolved oxygen.
• This causes fish and other forms of oxygen consuming aquatic life to die.
3. Water soluble inorganic chemicals
They include water soluble acids, compounds of toxic metals such as Lead, Arsenic,
Mercury, Cadmium, Selenium etc.
Sources
• Industrial effluents, house hold cleansers, and surface runoff

Harmful effects
• They can make fresh water unsuitable for drinking or irrigation
• They are carcinogenic substances and can cause certain types of cancers.
• They damage the nervous system.
• They harm fish and other aquatic life.
• They lower crop yield.
• They accelerate corrosion of metals exposed to such water.
4. Inorganic plant nutrients
Water soluble compounds containing nitrates, phosphates and ammonium ions.
Sources
Farm yard manure, green manure, compost manure, and sewage
Harmful effects
• They can cause excessive growth of algae and other aquatic plants which die,
deplete water of dissolved oxygen and kill fish and other aquatic life.
• Drinking water with excessive levels of nitrates lowers oxygen carrying
capacity of the blood and kill unborn children and infants (blue baby
syndrome).
5. Organic chemicals

They include pesticides, cleaning solvents, detergents, oils, pesticides etc.

Sources
• They include industrial effluents, house hold cleansers, surface runoff from farms
and yards.
Harmful effects
• They can threaten human health by causing nervous system damage.
• They can cause reproduction disorders.
• They cause some certain types of cancers.
• They harm fish and wildlife.
6. Sediments or suspended matter
They include soil and silt.
Harmful effects
• They can cloud water making it turbid, and reduce photosynthesis.
• They can disrupt aquatic food webs
• They carry pesticides, bacteria, and other harmful substances.
• They settle out and destroy feeding and spawning grounds of fish.
• They clog gills of fish and interfere with gaseous exchange.
• They cause silting and filling of lakes, streams and other reservoirs.
7. Radioactive substances
They include radioactive substances of Iodine, Radon, uranium, Caesium and
Thorium.
Sources
Nuclear and coal burning power plants, mining and processing of uranium, Nuclear
weapon production and natural sources.
Harmful effects
• They cause some types of cancers
• They cause birth defects
• They cause miscarriages
• They cause genetic mutation
8. Heat/ Thermal pollution
Sources include water cooling of electric power plants and some type of
industrial plants.
Natural sources include, geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, mud pots etc.
Harmful effects
• It lowers the dissolved oxygen levels and make aquatic organisms more
vulnerable to diseases and cause death.
• When a power plant firsts opens or shuts down for repair, fish and other
aquatic organisms adapted to a particular range of temperature can be killed
by the abrupt change in water temperature as condition known as thermal
shock.
Sources of water pollution

There are two sources of water pollution

• Point sources
• Non point sources
Point sources: A point source of pollution comes from a single
identifiable localized source e.g. a burst sewage pipe.
Non point sources: it refers to contaminants gathered from large
diverse areas e.g. Storm water from agricultural lands, nutrients and
toxic materials from urban areas.
AIR POLLUTION

• Air pollution: the release of chemicals and particulates into the

atmosphere.
Common air pollutants
1. Particulate matter.
Particulate matter, also known as particle pollution or PM, is a term that describes extremely
small solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in air. Particulate matter can be made up of a
variety of components including nitrates, sulphates, organic chemicals, metals, soil or dust
particles, and allergens (such as fragments of pollen or mould spores).
Sources: motor vehicles, wood burning heaters and industry and during bushfires or dust
storms, particle pollution can reach extremely high concentrations
The size of particles affects their potential to cause health problems:
• PM10 (particles with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less): these particles are small enough
to pass through the throat and nose and enter the lungs. Once inhaled, these particles can
affect the heart and lungs and cause serious health effects.
• PM2.5 (particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less): these particles are so small they
can get deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream. There is sufficient evidence that
exposure to PM2.5 over long periods (years) can cause adverse health effects.
Potential health effects from exposure to particulate matter :

Short-term exposure (hours to days) can lead to:

• Irritated eyes, nose and throat
• Worsening asthma and lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis (also called
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD)
• Heart attacks and arrhythmias (irregular heart beat) in people with heart disease
• Increases in hospital admissions and premature death due to diseases of the
respiratory and cardiovascular systems
Long-term exposure (many years) can lead to:
• Reduced lung function
• Development of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases
• Increased rate of disease progression
• Reduction in life expectancy
Ozone (O3)

• Ozone, O3, is composed of three oxygen atoms joined together. Two oxygen
atoms joined together form the basic oxygen molecule O2. The additional third
atom makes ozone an unstable, highly reactive gas. Ozone is found in two areas of
the Earth’s atmosphere: in the upper atmosphere and at ground level. Ozone in
the upper atmosphere protects us by filtering out damaging ultraviolet radiation
from the sun.
• On the other hand, ozone at ground level is damaging to our health. Ground level
ozone is the main component of smog and is the product of the interaction
between sunlight and emissions from sources such as motor vehicles and
industry. Ground level ozone is more readily formed during the summer months
and reaches its highest concentrations in the afternoon or early evening.
• Ozone can travel long distances and accumulate to high concentrations far away
from the sources of the original pollutants. Ground level ozone can be harmful to
our health even at low levels. This includes ozone generated by ozone generators.
Potential health effects from exposure to ozone

• Irritation and inflammation of eyes, nose, throat and lower airways:

coughing, sore and scratchy throat or uncomfortable feeling in chest
• Reduced lung function: not able to breathe as deeply or vigorously as
you normally would
• Exacerbation of asthma and chronic respiratory diseases such as
chronic bronchitis (also called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
or COPD)
• Increased susceptibility to respiratory infections
• Can continue to damage lungs when symptoms have disappeared
3. Nitrogen Dioxide (N02)
• Nitrogen dioxide is a highly reactive gas formed by emissions from motor vehicles,
industry, unflued gas-heaters and gas stove tops. High concentrations can be found
especially near busy roads and indoors where unflued gas-heaters are in use.
• Other indoor sources can be from cigarette smoke or from cooking with gas.
Outdoors, nitrogen dioxide contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone
(O3) as well as particulate matter pollution.
Potential health effects from exposure to nitrogen dioxide:
• Increased susceptibility to lung infections in people with asthma
• Increased susceptibility to asthma triggers like pollen and exercise
• Worsened symptoms of asthma – more frequent asthma attacks
• Airway inflammation in healthy people.
4. Carbon monoxide
• Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odourless, colourless gas which forms when the carbon in fuels
doesn’t completely burn. It is usually generated by motor vehicles and industry but can also
be formed during bushfires. Indoors, carbon monoxide is formed by, wood-burning heaters,
and contained in cigarette smoke.
• Carbon monoxide levels are typically highest during cold weather, because cold
temperatures make combustion less complete and traps pollutants close to the ground.
• Carbon monoxide can cause harmful health effects by reducing the amount of oxygen
reaching the body’s organs (like the heart and brain) and tissues.
• At extremely high levels, carbon monoxide can cause death (carbon monoxide poisoning).
Potential health effects from exposure to carbon monoxide:
• Flu-like symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue
• Chest pain in people with coronary heart disease
• At higher concentration: impaired vision and coordination, dizziness and confusion
• Potentially serious health effects on unborn babies when exposed to high levels
5. Sulphur Dioxide (S02)
• S​ ulphur dioxide is highly reactive gas with a pungent irritating smell. It is formed by
fossil fuel combustion at power plants and other industrial facilities.
• Natural processes that release sulphur gases include decomposition and combustion
of organic matter, spray from the sea, and volcanic eruptions. It contributes to the
formation of particulate matter pollution.
• Sulphur dioxide irritates the lining of the nose, throat and lungs and may worsen
existing respiratory illness especially asthma. It has also been found to exacerbate
cardiovascular diseases.
Potential health effects from exposure to sulphur dioxide:
• Narrowing of the airways leading to wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath
• More frequent asthma attacks in people with asthma
• Exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases
6. Air toxics
• Air toxics are another group of air pollutants that are typically present in low
concentrations in the air but have toxic characteristics that may result in health
effects from exposure even at low levels. Sources of air toxics included motor vehicle
exhaust and some commercial and industrial processes.
• In 2004, the National Environment Protection Council made the National
Environment Protection (Air Toxics) Measure which addresses the five priority air
toxics: benzene, formaldehyde, toluene, xylenes and benzo (a) pyrene (as a marker
for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons).

• For more information on the National Environment Protection (Air Toxics) Measure,
visit the http://www.environment.gov.au/protection/air-quality
EMCA no. 8 of 1999 on Air quality regulations 2014 states that the
following operations shall be permissible provided that they are not
used for the disposal of refuse-
(a) back-burning to control or suppress wildfires;
(b) Firefighting rehearsals or drills conducted by fire service agencies;
(c) Traditional and cultural burning of savanna grasslands;
(d) Burning for purposes of public health protection; and
(e) Emissions of air pollutants from all stationary and mobile sources as
set out under Part I of the Fifth Schedule.
SOIL POLLUTION

• Soil pollution is defined as the presence of toxic chemicals

(pollutants or contaminants) in soil, in high enough concentrations to
pose a risk to human health and/or the ecosystem.

Soil Pollution Causes

• They are generally split into two:
• Man-made (anthropogenic) causes and
• Naturally occurring causes.
Man-Made Pollutants

• Anthropogenic (man-made) soil pollution originates in several types of

processes, some deliberate (industrial) and some accidental. Human-
caused soil pollution can work in conjunction with natural processes to
increase the toxic contamination levels in the soil.
• Accidental spills and leaks during storage, transport or use of chemicals
(e.g. leaks and spills of gasoline and diesel at gas stations);
• Foundry activities and manufacturing processes that involve furnaces or
other processes resulting in the possible dispersion of contaminants in the
environment;
• Mining activities involving the crushing and processing of raw materials,
for instance, heavy metals, emitting toxic substances;
• Construction activities
• Agricultural activities involving the diffusion of herbicides, pesticides
and/or insecticides and fertilizers;
• Transportation activities, releasing toxic vehicle emissions
• Chemical waste dumping, whether accidental or deliberate – such as
illegal dumping;
• The storage of waste in landfills, as the waste products may leak into
groundwater or generate polluted vapors
• Cracked paint chips falling from building walls, especially lead-based
paint.
Natural Pollutants
• Natural accumulation of chemicals leads to soil pollution in rare cases.
Natural processes may also have an influence on the human released toxic chemicals into
the soil, overall decreasing or increasing the pollutant toxicity and/or the level of
contamination of the soil. This is possible due to the complex soil environment, involving
the presence of other chemicals and natural conditions which may interact with the
released pollutants.
• Natural processes leading to soil pollution:
• Natural accumulation of compounds in soil due to imbalances between atmospheric
deposition and leaking away with precipitation water (e.g., concentration and
accumulation of perchlorate in soils in arid environments)
• Natural production in soil under certain environmental conditions (e.g., natural
formation of perchlorate in soil in the presence of a chlorine source, metallic object and
using the energy generated by a thunderstorm)
• Leaks from sewer lines into subsurface (e.g., adding chlorine which could generate
trihalomethanes such as chloroform).
Environmental pollution control
measures
• Solid organic wastes including faecal matter and wastes from tanneries should
be converted into compost manure at the places far away from the cities and
human dwellings. The composting should be done in pits or in heaps
adequately covered with layers of soil at least 8-10 cm thick to prevent fly
breeding and rat menace which are important carriers of various diseases.
• Non-combustible solid waste materials like ash, rubbish, tins, glass pieces if
not recoverable for usual purposes should be disposed of by landfill method
in low-lying areas.
• Anaerobic septic tank treatment can be used for individual houses or small
communities. Besides, aerobic biological treatment systems including trickling
filters, activated sludge treatment and oxidation ponds can also be used for
liquid wastes or sewage disposal.
CONT’
• Automobiles must be either made to eliminate use of gasoline and
diesel oil or complete combustion is obtained in the engine so that
noxious compounds are not emitted. The automobiles, trucks and
other transport systems must have an antismog device. In some
countries factories are using devices like scrubbers, cyclone
separators or electrostatic precipitators to minimize pollution.
• There should be cut back in the use of fertilizers, herbicides,
pesticides and other agrochemicals as far as possible.
• Excessive and undesirable burning of vegetation should be stopped.
• Sponges and towels should be used in place of paper towels and also
the use of paper cups and plates and similar materials should be
stopped.
CONT’
• Little use of electric appliances and will reduce thermal pollution.
• Washing soda and scouring pad should be used instead of detergents.
• Waste management is based on principle of ‘3Rs’ i.e. Reduce, Recycle
and Reuse. Used boxes, bags, plastics and bottles should be reused
whenever possible.
• Since about 40% of the phosphates in water pollution comes from
detergent, it has been suggested that only detergents low in
phosphates should be used.
CONT’
• Shampoos, lotions and similar products should not be bought in plastic bottles. It has
recently been suggested that use of plastic containers and glasses may cause cancer.
• Smoking should be stopped (there is 5, 00,000 tonnes tobacco pollution annually).
• Proper attention should be given by the government to make people realize the
implications of environmental problem,
• Legislation against pollution should be strictly implemented.
• International action is needed to deal with the problems presented by highly toxic
pollutants like lead, mercury, organ chlorine pesticides released in to the atmosphere
and carried far beyond the country of origin as well as carried down to the sea by
rivers.
• Environmental education is the best programme to deal with the environmental
problems. It is most fundamental in our efforts to combat and control pollution, over-
population and misuse of natural resources.
EXERCISE
• Identify the various types of pollutants in your locality.

• THANK YOU