1.5 Envrionmental Pollution
Envrionmental Pollution
2020-07-06 18:41:15
4 types of Carbon
- Black Carbon : They are also black carbon that cause more pollution that Brown carbon.
- Component of fine particulate matter of size 2.5 micro meter.
- Consists of pure carbon that originates from incomplete complete combution of fossil fuels, coal, biofuel, biomass etc
- It originates from pyrolysis. Ex Soot
- Brown Carbon : They are green house gases ex CO2.
- Smoke released by combustion of organic matter that coexists with black carbon when released in atmosphere.
- Significant global warming factors that disturbs the temperature pattern of atmosphere and cloud forming process.
- Blue Carbon : Captured by worlds oceans and coastal ecosystems. Stored in the form of aquatic biomass ex seagrasses, mangroves, marshes are ex of vegetated coastal blue carbon ecosystems.
- Green Carbon : Carbon captured into terrestrial plant biomass in photosynthesis and stored in plants and soils of natural ecosystems and is vital part of carbon cycle.
OR 3.1 Climate Change and Impact on India for more and better material
- #todo Remove this section or the other one in Climate Change it is duplicate of above
Classification :
- Primary Pollutant : persist in the form they are added, Secondary - formed by interaction w/ Primary ex peroxyacetyl nitrate
- Quantitative P : when conc increase beyond threshold, Qualitative - man made
- Biodegradable : Non Bio, Natural - Anthropogenic are other classification
Air Pollution
- Air Pollutants and their sources
- CO : colourless, odourless, slows reflex, causes confusion
- CO2 :: greenhouse gas, impairs reflexes, vision, headaches, heart strain
- CFC : from AC/fridges, reduces O3 after contact w/ other gases
- Pb : affects children, nervous system damage, digestive problems
- O3 : pollutant at ground level causes smog, from vehicles & industries, makes eyes itch, burn, water, lowers resistance to cold and pneumonia, wheezing, chest pain, emphysema, bronchitis
- NOx : causes smog, acid rain, makes children prone to respiratory illness in winter, lung inflammation etc
- SPM : main sources of Haze, reduces RBC development.
- SO2/SOx : source is burning coal, industrial processes, smelting. Causes smog, acid rain, SO2, eye throat irritation, impairs enzyme fn, causes chlorosis, plasmolysis in plants.
- Smog : O3 leads to it, photochemical smog is a type, decreases UV radiation and Vitamin D deficiency.
- Mercury : from industries, nervous disorders, kidney issues, impairs brain, interferes w/ RBC dev.
- Cadmium : from industries, affects heart.
- Dust from Silica, Asbestos, Cotton textiles.
- Radioactive pollutants : Cosmic rays, x rays, beta rays, destroys living tissues, leukemia, affects cell membrane.
Indoor Air P
- in rural areas mostly caused due to fuel burning -> chemical agents produced are CO, polycyclic organic matter, formaldehyde
- In Urban areas -> chemical agents responsible for it are NO2, CO, Pb
Indoor Sources of Pollution
- Volatile Organic Compounds : perfumes, air sprays, polishes, glues, etc causes nausea, eye irritation, damages liver
- Tobacco : burning eyes, throat irritation, cancer etc
- Biological P : pollen, pet hairs, fungi, parasites, bacteria
- Formaldehyde : from carpets, insulation foams, particle boards, eye irritation, allergies
- Radon : emitted naturally by soil, lung cancer
- Asbestos
- Pesticides
Fly Ash
- rises w/ gases in the atm after combustion composed of Aluminium silicate, SiO2, CaO, rich in oxides, also has Fe oxides, Ca, Mg, Pb, Arsenic, Cobalt, Cu
- Causes air, water P ; respiratory issues, settles on leaves/crops lowering yield,
- Used in cement, brick, road embankment, to reclaim wasteland, fill abandoned mines, inc crop yield
Pollutants
Classification
- Primary Pollutants : persist in the form in which they are added viz DDT, plastic
- Secondary Pollutants : formed by interaction among primary ones.
- Quantitative pol. : they occur naturally and become polluting where their conc reaches beyond a threshhold
- Qualitative pol : do not occur in nature and are man-made.
- Biodegradable ex waster produects
- Non-Biodegradable that are not decomposed.
- Natural and Anthorpogenic are other types
Major Air Pollutants and Their Sources
Carbon Monoxide CO
- colourless, odourless gas that is produced by the incomplete burning
- lowers the amount of oxygen makes reflexes slow and confused.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) :
- principle greenhouse gas emitted
Chloroflorocarbons (CFC) :
- from air-conditioning systems and refrigeration
- rise to the stratosphere and dec the conc of ozone layer
Lead :
- present in petrol, diesel, lead batteries, paints, hair dye products, etc. Lead affects children in particular.
- cause nervous system damage and digestive problems and cancer
Ozone :
- occurs naturally in the upper layers of the atmosphere
- but at ground level it is a pollutant and is highly toxic
- Vehicles and industries are the major source
- makes our eyes itch, burn, and water
- lowers our resistance to cold and pneumonia
Nitrogen Oxide (Nox) :
- causes smog and acid rain
- produced from burning fuels including petrol, diesel, and coal
- makes children susceptible to respiratory diseases in winter
Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM)
- major source of haze which reduces visibility
- consists of solids in the air in form of smoke, dust and vapour
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) :
- sources from thermal power plants, paper and smelting industries.
- contributor to smog and acid rain it leads to lung diseases.
- Heavy smog require calm wind and is common in winters. It decreases ultraviolet radiation and dec the production of natural Vitamin D.
Indoor Sources of Pollutions :
Volatile organic compounds : sources are perfumes, hair sprays, furniture polish, glues, air fresheners, moth repellents etc
- irritation of the eye, nose and throat, headaches, nausea and loss of coordination
- long term - suspected to damage the liver
Tobacco : is carcinogenic, causes burning eyes etc.
Biological pollutants
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includes pollen from plants, mite, and hair from pets, fungi, parasites, and some bacteria. Formaldehyde
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From carpets, particle boards, and insulation foam
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Causes irritation to eye and nose
Radon
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emitted naturally by the soil, poor ventilation traps these in houses causing lung cancers.
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Asbestos and Pesticides are other examples.
Fly Ash
- aka Flue ash or pulverised fuel ash it is a coal combustion product
- rises with the gases into the atmosphere, very fine powder. Ones which do not rise are called as bottom ash.
- composed of Aluminium silicate, Silicon dioxide (SiO2), Calcium oxide (CaO), Aluminium Oxide (Al2O3) they also consist of oxides of iron, calcium, magnesium etc.
- have heavy metals
- Radiation emitted by them are 100 times more than nuclear waste
Advantages of Fly Ash :
- reduces cost of construction by substituting cement
- bricks made of it are light weight and durable
- used in road embankments and in concrete roads
- to reclaim wastelands
- filling of abandoned mines
Mitigation
Control Measures/ Preventive
- To control particulate matter, Arresters - removes particulate matter and scrubbers - to clean air for both dusts and gases, are used to remove pollutants from air
- Catalytic converter filters in the vehicles can convert nitrogen oxide to nitrogen and reduce the potential hazards of NOx.
- Gaseous pollutants can be controlled through Combustion, absorption and adsorption, efficient engines, catalytic convertors, good automobile fuels,
Policy Measures
- Govt Initiatives :
- NAQM - National Air Quality Monitor
- National Air Quality Index
- National Ambient Air Quality Standard NAAQs
Water Pollution
Sources :
- Point sources
- Non point sources ex community waste water and ndustrial wastes
- Agricultural sources
- Thermal pollution viz nuclear power plants
- under ground water pollution
- Marine pollution oil spills etc
Effects
- reduces Dissolved Oxygen content, chemicals present kill organisms.
- cause water borne diseases like malaria, typhoid etc. Mercury in water could cause mental derangement.
- excess fluoride caused neuro muscular disorder, excess exploitation could cause leaching of arsenic causing black foot disease.
- Biological magnification and eutrophication are other effects
Control Measures:
- Riparian buffers
- Treatment of organic wastes
- Water Hyacinth can be used to remove some toxic material
- Use of bregoli to clean oil spills #important
Soil Pollution
- addition of material that affects physical, chemical, biological properties
- Causes
- indiscrimnate use of fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides etc; urbanisation
- dumping of large quantities of solid waste, deforestatin, soil erosion
- radioactive wastes, others include acid rain etc
- Effects
- dec fertility, reduced N2 fixation, inc erosion
- health effects due to bio-magnification, release of pollutant gas
- Affects environment; in urban areas clogging of drains, inundation of areas, foul smell etc
Noise Pollutions Impacts:
- Noise level over 75db causes hearing damage
Impact
- Annoyance
- Physiological effects viz blood pressure, heart beat etc
- Loss of hearing
- Human Performance decreases
- Tinnitus, feeling of tiredness
- Sleeplessness
- 5.1 Acts and Policies > Noise Pollution Rule 2000
- According to this cities have been divided into 3 phases
Radioactive Pollution
Types :
- Non ionising radiations have low permeability are short wave, solar radiation is a part of it. Causes blisters and reddening called sunburns
- Ionising radiation have high penetration power viz X rays, cosmic rays and atomic radiations
Types of radiation particles :
- Alpha particles - blocked by a piece of paper and human skin
- Beta - penetrates through skin but glass and metal can block it
- Gamma - can penetrate and damage cells, only be blocked by thick concrete
E-waste
- from discarded electronic gadets, not harmful if stored properly or scientifically recycled
- Various E waste sources are Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Hexavalent Chromium, Brominated flame retardants, Barium, Berrylium etc
- IN collected only 10% e-waste generated in 2019 per CPCB total generation was 1mil tonne
- 5.1 Acts and Policies > E-Waste Management Rules 2016
Solid Waste
- discarded hazardous materials from industries, agriculture or communities ex garbage, refuse, sludge etc
Plastic Wastes Are Most Common Solid Waste
- Effects
- land gets littered, causes reproductive problems in humans and wildlife
- Dioxin (highly carcinogenic and toxic) by-product of the manufacturing process of plastic is one of the chemicals believed to be passed on through breast milk to the nursing infant.
- Burning of plastics, especially PVC releases dioxin and furan into the atmosphere.
- Contamination of groundwater and soil through landfills is known as leaching. To counter this sanitary landfills are made.
- Types are Municipal, Hazardous, Biomedical/hospital ex formaldehyde, phenols, anatomical waste
- Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 #PrelimsPYQ
Treatment of Plastic Waste
- Pyrolysis of carbonaceous wastes yields charcoal along with products like tar, methyl alcohol, acetic acid, acetone and a fuel gas. #PrelimsPYQ
- Open dumps, landfills, sanitary landfills, incineration plants, pyrolysis, composting etc
- Waste Minimisation Circles WMC : WB assisted, for minimising waste in Industrial clusters and plants
Plastic Pollution
- plastic contamination of marine environment and land
- rate of UV induced photo-oxidative degradation is very slow and there is no easy way of collection of debris
- they degrade to give out micoparticulate particles <20microns in size adversely affecting marine animals
Thermal pollution
- is the rise or fall in the temperature of a natural aquatic environment caused by human influence.
- Sources are power plants, cooling water from factories, soil erosion, deforestation
- Causes algal bloom, affects ecosys composition
- Impact : death of acqutic organisms, migration of animals
- can also be caused by releasing extremely cold water
- Control Measure
- Cogeneration : process through which, the excess heat energy from generating electricity can be used in another manufacturing process that needs such energy. #important
- treatment of discharge water their efficient use esp in power plants.
Bioremediation :
- Bioremediation is the use of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) to degrade the environmental contaminants into less toxic forms.
- It can be monitored indirectly by measuring the Oxidation Reduction Potential or redox in soil and groundwater, pH, temperature, oxygen content, electron acceptor/donor concentrations, and concentration of breakdown products.
In Situ Bioremediation :
- Bioventing -supply of air and nutrients through wells to contaminated soil to stimulate the growth of indigenous bacteria.
- Biosparging - Injection of air under pressure below the water table to increase groundwater oxygen concentrations.
- Bioaugmentation - Microorganisms are imported to a contaminated site to enhance degradation process
Ex Situ :
- Landfarming - contaminated soil is excavated and spread over a prepared bed and periodically tilled until pollutants are degraded.
- Biopiles - it is a hybrid of landfarming and composting. Engineered cells are constructed as aerated composted piles. Uses petroleum hydrocarbons.
- Bioreactors -it involves the processing of contaminated solid material (soil, sediment, sludge) or water through an engineered containment system.
- Composting
Genetic Engineering Approaches to Bioremediation :
- Phytoremediation is use of plants to remove contaminants from soil and water.
- Phytoextraction / phytoaccumulation is the process by which plants accumulate contaminants into the roots and above ground shoots or leaves.
- Phytotransformation or phytodegradation refers to the uptake of organic contaminants from soil, sediments, or water and their transformation to more stable, less toxic, less mobile form.
- Phytostabilization is a technique in which plants reduce the mobility and migration of contaminated soil.
- Phytodegradation or rhizodegradation is the breakdown of contaminants through the activity existing in the rhizosphere.
- Rhizofiltration is a water remediation technique that involves the uptake of contaminants by plant roots.
Mycoremediation And Mycofiltration
- is a form of bioremediation in which fungi are used to decontaminate the area.
- Mycofiltration is a similar process, using fungal mycelia to filter toxic waste and microorganisms from water in soil.
Acid Rain
- Rain with a pH of less than 5.6 is acid rain.
- concentrated in industrialised belt of nothern hemisphere
- common in mountainous areas
- impacts soil, wildlife, microorganisms, Vegetation and Humans
- It increases the effect of other harmful pollutants this is called a trigger effect ex Mercury, Al, Cadmium, Lead, Asbestos
Types of Deposition
- Wet Deposition : acid air blown to areas where weather is wet, rainout and washout are processes that remove gases and particles from atmosphere
- Dry Deposition : in areas where weather is dry
The Sources that Lead to the Formation of Acid Rain Are :
- Sulphur oxides
- Nitrogen oxides
- Formic acid
- Chlorine
- Phosphoric
- Hydrochloric acid
- Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.