AIR POLLUTION

• Air pollution is the presence in the air of

substances generally originating from the
activities of humans in sufficient concentrations
and sufficient duration to interfere with the health,
comfort, safety or full use and enjoyment of
property
Sources of Air Pollution
• The sources of air pollution can be broadly classified into
natural and anthropogenic.
The natural sources include volcano, forest fire and pollens.

The anthropogenic sources include everything involving human

activities.
Major Air
Pollutants
Effect of Air Pollution on Animals, Plants
and Property
Toxic Air Pollution
• Toxic air pollution, also referred to as hazardous air pollution, is
due to those substances in the air which are known or
suspected to cause cancer, genetic mutation, birth defects
or other serious illnesses in people even at relatively low
exposure levels.
Primary and Secondary Air Pollutants
• Primary air pollutants are the ones that are emitted from a
specific source, e.g. carbon monoxide or nitrogen dioxide

• secondary air pollutants are the ones formed

in the atmosphere as a result of the interactions between the
primary air pollutants, e.g. ozone and PANs (Peroxy acetyl
nitrates).
Smog
• Smog is a combination of smoke and fog. It is caused by
chemical reactions between pollutants derived from different
sources, primarily automobile exhaust and industrial
emissions.
Long-term health effects of smog can include chronic
respiratory disease, lung cancer,
heart disease, and even damage to the brain, nerves, liver, or
kidneys.
Photochemical Smog
• Photochemical smog is a mixture of pollutants which includes
particulates, nitrogen oxides, ozone, aldehydes, peroxy acetyl
nitrates (PAN), unreacted hydrocarbons, etc.
• The photochemical smog often has a brown haze due to the
presence of Nitrogen Dioxide
• Effects of Photochemical Smog
1. It can cause headaches, eye, nose and throat irritations. It may
cause the lung function
impaired, coughing and wheezing.
2. It can cause rubber and fabrics to deteriorate.
3. It can damage plants, leading to the loss of crops
Automobile and Air Pollution
• Automobiles are a major source of air pollutants such as carbon
monoxide and oxides of nitrogen.
Air Pollution Control Technologies
• The selection of air pollution control device is based on factors
such as characteristics of the air pollutant and the desired
removal efficiency.
WATER POLLUTION
Major Forms of Water Pollution
• Disease-causing agents Bacteria, viruses, protozoa and
parasitic worms
• Organic chemicals Oil, gasoline, plastics, pesticides, cleaning
solvents, detergents
• Sediment or suspended matter
• Radioactive substances
Sources of Water Pollution
• Industrial effluents
 Domestic sewage
 Fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural lands
 Leachate from solid waste disposal sites
Advanced Technologies for Water and
Wastewater Treatment
Reverse Osmosis (RO)
• The goal of Reverse Osmosis in water purification system is to
separate the dissolved salt from the pure water.
SOIL POLLUTION

• To help prevent soil erosion, we can limit construction in

sensitive areas. In general we would need less fertilizer
and fewer pesticides if we could all adopt the three R’s:
(Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle)
• Bioremediation is a treatment process that uses
microorganisms (yeast, fungi, or bacteria) to
breakdown, or degrade, hazardous substances into less
toxic or nontoxic substances (carbon dioxide and
water)
MARINE POLLUTION
• Marine pollution can be defined as the direct or indirect
introduction by humans of substances or energy into the marine
environment (including estuaries), resulting in harm to living
resources, hazards to human health, hindrances to marine
activities including fishing, impairment of the quality of sea
water and reduction of amenities.
NOISE POLLUTION
• Noise is an unwanted sound. Noise pollution can be defined as
unwanted or offensive sounds that unreasonably intrude into
our daily activities.
Measurement of Noise
• Noise intensity is measured in decibel units.

• The decibel scale is logarithmic; each 10-decibel

increase represents a tenfold increase in noise intensity.
Effects of Noise
• Subjected to 45 decibels of noise, the average person cannot
sleep.
• At 120 decibels the ear registers pain, but hearing damage
begins at a much lower level, about 85 decibels.
• The duration of the exposure is also important. Apart from
hearing loss, noise can cause lack of sleep, irritability,
heartburn, indigestion, ulcers, high blood pressure, and possibly
heart disease
Noise Pollution Control
• Noise pollution can be controlled by either reducing the noise at
the source or by preventing its transmission or by protecting the
receiver
THERMAL POLLUTION
• Thermal pollution increases water temperature, causing a
change (lowering) of dissolved oxygen levels. This disrupts the
body of water’s ecological balance, resulting in the suffocation
of some plant and animal species while encouraging the
overgrowth of others
NUCLEAR HAZARDS AND ACCIDENTS
• By definition, radiation is a form of energy. It comes from man-
made sources such as X-ray machines, from the sun and outer
space, and from some radioactive materials such as uranium in
soil
• The following is a list of major nuclear disasters of the world.
 Fukushima, Japan - 2011
 Chernobyl, Russia - 1986
 Three Mile Island, US - 1979
CASE STUDY
:Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
• On April 25th–26th, 1986 the World’s worst nuclear power accident occurred
at Chernobyl in the former USSR (now Ukraine).
• The Chernobyl nuclear power plant located 80 miles north of Kiev had 4
reactors and while testing reactor number 4, numerous safety procedures
were disregarded.
• At 1:23 am the chain reaction in the reactor became out of control creating
explosions and a fireball which blew off the reactor’sheavy steel and concrete
lid.
The Chernobyl accident killed more than 30 people immediately, and as a
result of the high radiation levels in the surrounding 20 mile radius, 13500
people had to be evacuated.
• Figures from the Ukraine Radiological Institute suggest that over 2 500
deaths were caused by the Chernobyl accident.
Health and Psychological Consequences
of Chernobyl
• Health Effects
•
Increase in Thyroid Cancer.
• Increase in Other Cancers. the accident)
•
Psychological Consequences
There have been significant increases in psychological health disorders and
incidence such as:
anxiety
depression
helplessness and despair leading to social withdrawal and loss of hope for the
future
• other disorders attributable to mental stress
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
ROLE OF AN INDIVIDUAL IN PREVENTION
OF POLLUTION
• Plant trees and shrubs
• Limit household hazardous waste
• Be an Environmental Consumer:
Reuse and recycle paper, glass, plastic, aluminum, scrap
metal, and yard wastes
• Purchase Energy Efficient Products and Equipments
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
• Natural calamities, of different types and intensities affect
nations all over the world
• Calamities like earthquakes, hailstorms, avalanches, landslides,
tsunamis, etc. occur quite suddenly but they are restricted in
their impact in terms of time and space
• Drought spans over a much longer time-frame and its adverse
impact on the economic activities and life of an area is of a
more lasting nature
Asian Disaster Preparedness Center [Program for
Enhancement of Emergency Response (PEER)]
Key objectives of PEER
• Train personnel of government and non-government agencies to respond to the
immediate medical needs of victims of disasters.

• Equip first responders with skills and information on how to develop, train and
employ special task canines and handlers to locate trapped victims within
collapsed structures.

• Develop, adapt and translate training courses and material that are relevant to
the local context.
• Strengthen coordination linkages amongst target agencies in respect to
planning for and managing response efforts for urban search and rescue
operations.
• Enhance the national disaster management system in its ability to effectively
plan and coordinate the implementation of the government’s activities in disaster
preparedness and response.
Answers
• 1. (b) 2. (a) 3. (c) 4. (b)