Environmental pollution - definition - types and sources of pollutants

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Environmental pollution - definition - types and sources of pollutants

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat, or light.

The major types of pollution are listed below along with the particular pollutants relevant to each of them:

Air pollution:- The release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere. Common gaseous pollutants include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide:- chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and nitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. Photochemical ozone and smog are created as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react to sunlight. Particulate matter, or fine dust is characterized by their micrometre size

Light pollution:- includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference.

Solid waste:- throwing of inappropriate man-made objects, unremoved, onto public and private properties.

Noise pollution:- which encompasses roadway noise, aircraft noise, industrial noise as well as high-intensity sonar.

Soil contamination:- pollution occurs when chemicals are released intentionally, by spill or underground leakage. Among the most significant soil contaminants are hydrocarbons, heavy metals, MTBE (gasoline additive), herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Radioactive contamination, resulting from 20th century activities in atomic physics, such as nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons research, manufacture and deployment.

Thermal pollution, is a temperature change in natural water bodies caused by human influence, such as use of water as coolant in a power plant.

Visual pollution, which can refer to the presence of overhead power lines, motorway billboards, scarred landforms (as from strip mining), open storage of trash or municipal solid waste.

Water pollution, by the discharge of wastewater from commercial and industrial waste (intentionally or through spills) into surface waters; discharges of untreated domestic sewage, and chemical contaminants, such as chlorine, from treated sewage; release of waste and contaminants into surface runoff flowing to surface waters (including urban runoff and agricultural runoff, which may contain chemical fertilizers and pesticides); waste disposal and leaching into groundwater; eutrophication and littering.

Sources

Air pollution comes from both natural and manmade sources. Though globally man made pollutants from combustion, construction, mining, agriculture and warfare are increasingly significant in the air pollution equation. Motor vehicle emissions are one of the leading causes of air pollution.  China, United States, Russia, Mexico, and Japan are the world leaders in air pollution emissions. Principal stationary pollution sources include chemical plants, coal-fired power plants, oil refineries, petrochemical plants, nuclear waste disposal activity, incinerators, large livestock farms (dairy cows, pigs, poultry, etc.), PVC factories, metals production factories, plastics factories, and other heavy industry. Agricultural air pollution comes from contemporary practices which include clear felling and burning of natural vegetation as well as spraying of pesticides and herbicides.

About 400 million metric tons of hazardous wastes are generated each year. The United States alone produces about 250 million metric tons. In 2007, China has overtaken the United States as the world's biggest producer of CO₂.

 Some of the more common soil contaminants are chlorinated hydrocarbons (CFH), heavy metals (such as chromium, cadmium–found in rechargeable batteries, and lead–found in lead paint, aviation fuel and still in some countries, gasoline), MTBE, zinc, arsenic and benzene. In 2001 a series of press reports culminating in a book called Fateful Harvest unveiled a widespread practice of recycling industrial byproducts into fertilizer, resulting in the contamination of the soil with various metals. Ordinary municipal landfills are the source of many chemical substances entering the soil environment (and often groundwater), emanating from the wide variety of refuse accepted, especially substances illegally discarded there, or from pre-1970 landfills that may have been subject to little control in the U.S. or EU. There have also been some unusual releases of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins, commonly called dioxins for simplicity, such as TCDD.

Pollution can also be the consequence of a natural disaster. For example, hurricanes often involve water contamination from sewage, and petrochemical spills from ruptured boats or automobiles. Larger scale and environmental damage is not uncommon when coastal oil rigs or refineries are involved. Some sources of pollution, such as nuclear power plants or oil tankers, can produce widespread and potentially hazardous releases when accidents occur.

In the case of noise pollution the dominant source class is the motor vehicle, producing about ninety percent of all unwanted noise worldwide.

Chapter -2

Soil pollution - Types, sources, effects and control measures

Soil pollution is defined as the build-up in soils of persistent toxic compounds, chemicals, salts, radioactive materials, or disease causing agents, which have adverse effects on plant growth and animal health

Types of soil pollution

1.   Accumulation of heavy metals, pesticides

2.   Accumulation of toxic waste

3.   Accumulation of nutrients

4.   Accumulation of sulfates and chlorides

5.   Loss of topsoil

6.   Soil properties deterioration

We can classify major sources with particular pollutant that lead to land pollution to the following categories:

1. Agriculture

Accumulation of animal manures:-Undecomposed cowdung, Poultry litter etc

Excessive input of chemical fertilizers: As, Pb and Cd present in traces in rock phosphate mineral get transferred to super phosphate fertilizer. Since the metals are not degradable, their accumulation in the soil above their toxic levels due to excessive use of phosphate fertilizers, becomes an indestructible poison for crops. Eventually, these fertilizers seep into the soil and poison groundwater supplies. Rain and irrigation may also cause runoff that directs these chemicals to local waterways, or deposits them in the soil at other locations.

Illicit dumping of tainted crops on land:- Wide C:N ratio

Indiscriminate use of pesticides:- organo chlorines viz., DDT, BHC, endosulphan. The remnants of such pesticides used on pests may get adsorbed by the soil particles, which then contaminate root crops grown in that soil. The consumption of such crops causes the pesticides remnants to enter human biological systems, affecting them adversely. An infamous herbicide used as a defoliant in the Vietnam War called Agent Orange (dioxin), was eventually banned. Soldiers' cancer cases, skin conditions and infertility have been linked to exposure to Agent Orange.

Deforestation:- removal of top soil

Unhealthy soil management:- Improper tillage of soil results in the deterioration of soil structure. Use of straight fertilizers, avoiding micronutrient fertilizers, Avoiding organic and green manures, excessive use of non biodradable synthetic fertilizers, improper maintenance of soil acidity, sodicity, poor drainage,

2. Mining and quarrying
• using of explosives to blow up mines
• using of machineries which emits toxic byproducts and leaks to the ground
• toxic mine tailings
3. sewage sludge
• improper sanitation system causes sludge to leak at surrounding soil or rupture of underground storage tanks,
4. dredged spoils
• improper method of dredging at fertile land causes soil infertility, leaving the soil more prone to external pollution
5. household/urban activities  
• improper waste disposal system causes waste accumulation
• improper sanitation system
6. demolitions and constructions

o    non biodegradable rubbles or debris which are not cleared settled in the soil undergo chemical reactions and increase soil toxicity

7. industrial

Solid wastes oils, battery metals, heavy metals from smelting industries and organic solvents can in the long run, get deposited to the soils of the surrounding area and pollute them by altering their chemical and biological properties. They also contaminate drinking water aquifer sources. More than 90% of hazardous waste is produced by chemical, petroleum and metal-related industries and small businesses such as dry cleaners and gas stations contribute as well

• poisonous/toxic emissions of gases which are not filtered or neutralized
• Percolation of contaminated surface water to subsurface strata, oil and fuel dumping, leaching of wastes from landfills or direct discharge of industrial wastes to the soil.

Effects

1.    Ecosystem

a)    Reduced soil fertility by accumulation of heavy metals, undecomposed animal manures

b)   Increased salinity due to water logging

c)    Quality reduction in crops

d)    Reduced nitrogen fixation

e)    Increased erodibility

f)     Larger loss of soil and nutrients

g)    Deposition of silt in tanks and reservoirs

h)   Reduced crop yield

i)     Imbalance in soil fauna and flora

j)     Accumulation of toxins in food chain

k)   Dangerous chemicals entering underground water

l)     Release of pollutant gases

m)  Acid mine drainage

n)   Reduced vegetation

o)    Radical soil chemistry changes

p)   Alteration of metabolism of endemic microorganisms and arthropods resident in a given soil environment.

q)    virtual eradication of some of the primary food chain

r)    Biomagnification

s)    Potential extinction of species

t)     Increased soil erosion

u)   Ecological imbalance

2.    Health effects

Health consequences from exposure to soil contamination vary greatly depending on pollutant type, pathway of attack and vulnerability of the exposed population. Chronic exposure to chromium, lead and other metals, petroleum, solvents, and many pesticide and herbicide formulations can be carcinogenic, can cause congenital disorders, or can cause other chronic health conditions. Industrial or man-made concentrations of naturally-occurring substances, such as nitrate and ammonia associated with livestock manure from agricultural operations, have also been identified as health hazards in soil and groundwater.

Chronic exposure to benzene at sufficient concentrations is known to be associated with higher incidence of leukemia. Mercury and cyclodienes are known to induce higher incidences of kidney damage, some irreversible. PCBs and cyclodienes are linked to liver toxicity. Organophosphates and carbamates can induce a chain of responses leading to neuromuscular blockage. Many chlorinated solvents induce liver changes, kidney changes and depression of the central nervous system. There is an entire spectrum of further health effects such as headache, nausea, fatigue, eye irritation and skin rash for the above cited and other chemicals. At sufficient dosages a large number of soil contaminants can cause death by exposure via direct contact, inhalation or ingestion of contaminants in groundwater contaminated through soil.

Control of soil pollution

The following steps have been suggested to control soil pollution.

Prevent soil erosion

Soil erosion, which leads to the depletion of nutrient-rich topsoil, harms ecosystems and leads to the contamination of underlying layers of soil. Vegetation is a key factor in preventing erosion. People should retain native plants, especially grasses and trees. They should replace trees that are cut down. Farmers can prevent erosion by following agricultural practices that reduce erosion damage, such as minimizing tillage and rotating crops

Manage Livestock

Manures like polultry manure has to be composted using suitable technology.

Reducing chemical fertilizer and pesticide use

Applying bio-fertilizers, pesticides and manures can reduce chemical fertilizer and pesticide use.

Application of 3 R concept

Concepts like reuse, recovery and reduce will be useful. Reusing of materials such as glass containers, plastic bags, paper, cloth etc. can be reused at domestic levels rather than being disposed, reducing solid waste pollution. Recycling and recovery of materials is a reasonable solution for reducing soil pollution. Materials such as paper, some kinds of plastics and glass can and are being recycled. This decreases the volume of refuse and helps in the conservation of natural resources. For example, recovery of one tonne of paper can save 17 trees.

Reforestation

Control of land loss and soil erosion can be attempted through restoring forest and grass cover to check wastelands, soil erosion and floods. Crop rotation or mixed cropping can improve the fertility of the land

Solid waste treatment

Proper methods should be adopted for management of solid waste disposal. Industrial wastes can be treated physically, chemically and biologically until they are less hazardous. Acidic and alkaline wastes should be first neutralized; the insoluble material if biodegradable should be allowed to degrade under controlled conditions before being disposed.

As a last resort, new areas for storage of hazardous waste should be investigated such as deep well injection and more secure landfills. Burying the waste in locations situated away from residential areas is the simplest and most widely used technique of solid waste management. Environmental and aesthetic considerations must be taken into consideration before selecting the dumping sites.

Incineration of other wastes is expensive and leaves a huge residue and adds to air pollution. Pyrolysis is a process of combustion in absence of oxygen or the material burnt under controlled atmosphere of oxygen. It is an alternative to incineration. The gas and liquid thus obtained can be used as fuels. It is an alternative to incineration. The gas and liquid thus obtained can be used as fuels. Pyrolysis of carbonaceous wastes like firewood, coconut, palm waste, corn combs, cashew shell, rice husk paddy straw and saw dust, yields charcoal along with products like tar, methyl alcohol, acetic acid, acetone and a fuel gas.

Anaerobic/aerobic decomposition of biodegradable municipal and domestic waste is also being done and gives organic manure. Cow dung which releases methane into the atmosphere, should be processed further in 'gobar gas plants' to produce 'gobar gas' and good manure.

Case study:

The immense and sustained growth of the People's Republic of China since the 1970s has exacted a price from the land in increased soil pollution. According to a scientific sampling100,000 square kilometers of China’s cultivated land have been polluted, with contaminated water being used to irrigate a further 21,670 square kilometers and another 1,300 square kilometers covered or destroyed by solid waste. In total, the area accounts for one-tenth of China’s cultivatable land and is mostly in economically developed areas. An estimated 12 million tonnes of grain are contaminated by heavy metals every year.

Cleanup options

Clean up or environmental remediation is analyzed by environmental scientists who utilize field measurement of soil chemicals and also apply computer models (GIS in Environmental Contamination) for analyzing transport and fate of soil chemicals. There are several principal strategies for remediation:

·         Excavate soil and take it to a disposal site away from ready pathways for human or sensitive ecosystem contact. This technique also applies to dredging of bay muds containing toxins.

·         Aeration of soils at the contaminated site (with attendant risk of creating air pollution)

·         Thermal remediation by introduction of heat to raise subsurface temperatures sufficiently high to volatize chemical contaminants out of the soil for vapour extraction.

·         Bioremediation, involving microbial digestion of certain organic chemicals. Techniques used in bioremediation include landfarming, biostimulation and bioaugmentating soil biota with commercially available microflora.

·         Extraction of groundwater or soil vapor with an active electromechanical system, with subsequent stripping of the contaminants from the extract.

·         Containment of the soil contaminants (such as by capping or paving over in place).

·         Phytoremediation, or using plants (sesame, sunflower) to extract heavy metals

·         Dendroremediation, using of trees (such as willow))to extract heavy metals