Unit-III: Environmental Pollution

A.GEETHA

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

KONGU ENGINEERING COLLEGE

PERUNDURAI

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Unit-III: Environmental pollution

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Environmental Pollution: Definition – causes, effects and control measures of: (a) Air pollution - Climate change, global warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion (b) Water pollution (c) Soil pollution - Role of an individual in prevention of pollution - case studies.

Definition of Pollution

• When Harmful Substances Contaminate the environment it is Called Pollution.
• It can be defined as any undesirable change in the physical, chemical, biological characteristics of any component of the environment which can cause harm to life and property.

Types of Pollution

Pollution

Soil

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Noise

Nuclear

Air

Water

Marine

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Thermal

(a) AIR POLLUTION

What is Atmosphere?

• Atmosphere is the life blanket of Earth.

Air....

• Air supplies us with oxygen which is essential for our bodies to live.
• Air is a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, carbon dioxide and inert gases.
• Human activities can release substances into the air, some of which can cause problems to humans, plants, and animals.
• Natural Composition of Gases

Definition

• Air pollution : An atmospheric condition in which certain substances (including normal constituents in excess) are present in concentrations which can cause undesirable effects on man and his environment.
• They are in the form of gases (Nox, Sox, CO,VOC); Particulate matter(dust, smoke, fumes, etc) & Radioactive (rado-222, Iodine-131, etc)

SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION

Sources

Natural

Volcanic Eruptions, Forest Fires, Sea Salt Sprays, Biological Decay, Pollen Grains, Marshes, Photochemical Oxidation of Terpenes

Anthropogenic

Thermal Power Plants,

Vehicular Emissions,

Industrial Units

Classification of Air Pollutants

• Air pollutants may be particulate or gaseous.

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On the basis of origin they are divided as

• Primary pollutants ---- Are emitted directly from the point source. e.g. : CO, NO₂, SO₂
• Secondary pollutants ---- formed by interaction of primary pollutants

e.g. : PAN, Smog, Ozone etc

Criteria of Pollutants

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Indoor air pollution

• Many people spend large portion of time indoors - as much as 80-90% of their lives.
• We work, study, eat, drink and sleep in enclosed environments where air

circulation may be restricted

• Children, women more exposed to risk
• Radon gas
• Burning of dung cakes for fuel, wood, kerosene
• Incomplete combustion produces CO
• Cigarette smoke.

National Ambient Air Quality Standards

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EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION

Air Pollution affects???

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• Human health
• Animals
• Plants
• Materials
• Environment

Effect on Human health

• Main problems are related to Respiratory Track - Asthma, hay fever, and other allergic diseases.
• Irritation of the eye, nose and throat. In severe cases there may be headaches, nausea, and loss of coordination.
• Prolonged exposure can cause damage to the nervous system, digestive problems, and

in some cases cause Lung cancer.

• It lowers our resistance to colds and pneumonia.
• CO has affinity towards Hb which cause disturbance in transportation of Oxygen, impairing our concentration, slow our reflexes, and make us confused and sleepy.
• SO₂ in the air leads to diseases of the lung and other lung disorders such as wheezing

and shortness of breath.

• Chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer, heart disease, and even damage to the brain, nerves, liver, or kidneys.
• Effects of Arsenic, Asbestos, Mercury , Benzene etc.

Effect on Plants

• Pollutants enter through stomata
• Destroy chlorophyll and Affect photosynthesis
• Cuticle( Wax Layer on Leaves) is lost
• Necrosis – Damage to Leaf Structure
• Chlorosis - Loss/ reduction of Chlorophyll
• Abscission - Dropping of leaf
• Epinasty – Downward curling of Leaf
• DEATH

Effect on Animals and Materials

• Corrosion of metal surfaces, fading
• SO₂ & water form H₂S – corrosion as well as disfigurement of statues made up of limestone or Marble
• Ozone causes crackling of rubber
• Air pollutants mix with rain water and increase acidity (Acid Rain) of water body and kill fish.

Effect on Environment

• Visibility
• Pollutants in the presence of sunlight produce photochemical Smog
• Emission of Green House Gases tend to Global Warming
• CFC’s cause Ozone Depletion

• Annual Average : Annual Arithmetic Mean of minimum 104 measurements in a year taken twice a week 24-hourly at uniform interval
• 24 Hours Average : 24-hourly/8-hourly values should be met 98% of the time in a

year. However 2% of the time, it may exceeded but not two consecutive days.

• 1. The levels of air quality necessary with an adequate margin of safety, to protect

the public health, vegetation and property.

• 2. Whenever and wherever two consecutives values exceeds the limit specified above for the respective category, it shall be considered adequate, reason to institute regular / continuous monitoring and further investigations.

CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION

• Proper air pollution control devices in industries
• Using low sulphur coal
• Regular engine tune up, replacement of old more polluting vehicles
• Using mass transport system, bicycles etc
• Shifting to less polluting fuels
• Planting more trees
• No to FIRE CRACKERS in Diwali and other occasions

Pollution Control Devices

Cyclone Separator

Bag House Filter

NATIONAL AIR QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAMME (NAMP)

• Central Pollution Control Board is executing a nation-wide programme of ambient air quality monitoring known as National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP).
• The network consists of three hundred and forty two (342) operating stations covering one hundred and twenty seven (127) cities/towns in twenty six (26) states and four (4) Union Territories of the country.
• Under N.A.M.P., four air pollutants viz ., Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Oxides of Nitrogen as NO2, Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) and Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM / PM10) have been identified for regular monitoring at all the locations.
• The monitoring of meteorological parameters such as wind speed and wind direction, relative humidity (RH) and temperature were also integrated with the monitoring of air quality.

CLIMATE CHANGE

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• Weather changes all the time. The average pattern of weather called climate,
• usually remains unchanged for centuries if it is left to itself.
• People participate in activities that can change the earth and its climate.
• The various elements of climate are temperature, pressure, wind, rainfall, humidity and

clouds.

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Causes of Climate Change

• The global temperature increases the emission of green house gases and also the ozone layer depletion. The concentration of other gases in the atmosphere is also changed to certain extent.
• Ozone layer depletion also increases global temperature.

Effects of Climate Change

• Climatic change affects land forms, soil types and vegetation.
• Water resources, marine systems, human settlements, energy, industry and human health are affected by climatic change.
• Climatic change upset hydrological cycle results in floods and droughts in different regions

of the world cause sea level rise, death of humans as well as live stock.

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Control of Climate Change

• Adaptation could reduce adverse impacts of climate change and enhance beneficial impacts.

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GREEN HOUSE EFFECT

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• Short wave radiation of sun is absorbed by earth.
• The earth radiates heat energy back into space inform of longer wave radiation.
• This radiation is trapped by number of gases and thus heat is again reradiated back

to earth. This is called “green house effect”.

• The average global temperature is 15°C. In absence of green house gases this

temperature would have been −18°C.

• Green House Gases

Carbon dioxide

• It contributes 55% to global warming from green house gases produced by human activity.
• Most abundant gas in atmosphere.
• CO2 concentration in atmosphere was 355 ppm in 1990 that is increasing at

a rate of 1.5 ppm every year. As on Aug 2018, it was 406.99 ppm.

• This is due to burning of fossil fuel, deforestation and change in land use.

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Methane

• It accounts for 18% of increased green house gases.
• It stays in atmosphere for 7–10 years.
• Concentration is 1.675 ppm and increasing at the rate of 1%.
• Due to land fills, natural gas leaks, oil and gas production.

Nitrous oxide

• Responsible for 6% of human in put of green house gases.
• It stays in atmosphere for 140–190 years.
• Concentration is 0.3 ppm and increasing at a rate of 0.2% annually.
• It is released from nylon products, from burning of biomass and nitrogen rich fuels.

Chlorofluoro carbons (CFCs)

• CFCS are synthetic gaseous compounds of carbon and halogen.
• Responsible for 24% of human contribution to green house gases.
• Deplete Ozone in stratosphere.
• Atmospheric concentration is 0.00225 ppm increasing at a rate of 0.5% annually.
• Due to leaking in air conditioners, refrigerators, aerosols, etc.
• These green house gases in lower levels of atmosphere act like the glass of a green house.

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GLOBAL WARMING

• The increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere leads to global warming; also affect various climatic and natural processes.

Impacts of Enhanced Green House Effect (Global Warming)

• Global temperature increase
• Rise in sea level
• Effects on human health
• Food production
• Effect on range of species distribution

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Approaches to Deal with Global Warming

To slow down enhanced global warming following steps will be important.

• Use energy more efficiently.
• Plant more trees.
• Shift to renewable energy sources.
• Minimize water logging.
• Cut town the rate of use of CFCs and fossil fuel.
• Remove CO₂ from smoke stacks
• Reduction of N₂O emission by minimizing the use of nitrogen fertilizer in agriculture.
• Remove atmospheric CO₂ by utilizing photosynthetic algae.

Adopt sustainable agriculture

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Acid rain represents one of the major consequences of air pollution.

ACID RAIN

• The toxic gases like SOx and NOx liberated from the industrial areas which are combined with the rain water forms sulphuric acid and nitric acid. This is called acid rain.

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Measuring of Acid Rain

• Acid rain is measured using a scale called pH, pH of pure rain water = 5.6 and pH of

acid rain = less than 5.6.

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Consequences of Acidification

1.Health Problem

• Some of the toxic metals like lead, mercury, etc., are also dissolved when the water is acidic. So it creates some health problems to human beings.
• When drinking water source is such acidified lake or stream, these toxic substances

reach drinking water distribution systems.

• It affects human nervous system, respiratory and digestive system.

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2. Building Materials

Three types of building materials are damaged by acid rain.

• Galvanized steel
• Carbonate stone
• Surface coatings
1. Prolonged exposure to acid rains causes serious damage to building marble, limestone as carbonates.

• Example: Taj Mahal in Agra suffering at present due to SO2 and H2SO4 acid fumes released from Mathura refinery. Crystals of CaSO4 and MgSO4 are formed due to corrosion by acid rain.
• Acid rain corrodes statues, bridges, fences and houses.
• Dry deposition of acidic compounds makes the building dirty leading to increased maintenance costs.

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3. Impact on Terrestrial and Lake Ecosystem
• The aquatic organisms like fish, bacteria, algae, etc., may be affected and even leads to death.
• Due to the acid rain the acidity of the water bodies increases and the growth of the

plant and animal bodies affected.

• In order to the increase of acidity, the soil nature is affected and the fertility and quality of the soil will be deprived.
• In most of the places the lakes and water bodies are fishless due to acid rain (Example: Swedon and Norway lakes).

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Control Measures

• The emission of SOx and NOx is to be controlled in the source itself.
• New technologies to be adopted to avoid the emission of gases into the atmosphere.
• Natural gas is to be preferred in the place of coal.
• For electrical generation alternative energy resources may be used.

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OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

• The ozone layer is covered on the earth and it protect the harmful ultra violet radiation from the sunlight.

Ozone Formation

• Ozone is a triatomic form of Oxygen (O3). In stratosphere Ozone is formed by absorption of short wavelength UV radiations. UV radiations less than 242 nm decompose molecular oxygen to atomic oxygen (O) by photolytic decomposition.

• Where “M” in the above said reaction is the third body is used to carryout the

energy released from the reaction.

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Ozone Layer Depletion

• The chlorofluoro carbons (CFC’s) released from the refrigerators and air conditioners are destroyed the ozone layer. The CFC are breaks up into Cl’ in the presence of UV radiation.
• The each chlorine atom can attack more than 1 lakh ozone molecules and leads

hole in the ozone layer

• Thus each atom of chlorine liberated attacks 100,000 ozone molecules. Due to this Continuous attack of Cl, thinning of ozone layer takes place leads to formation of “ozone hole.”

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Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion

Impact on Climate

• Depletion of ozone layer will lead to absorption of UV radiation and it reaches the earth’s surface. Thus increases the average temperature of earth’s surface.

Impact on Human Health

• Exposure of humans to UV rays will reduce the immunity, retard physiological growth and cause further suppression of mental development.
• UV-B radiations affect DNA result in cancer.
• Melanin producing cells of epidermis will be destroyed by UV rays resulting in immuno suppression. Fair people will be at risk of UV exposure. Eye ailments such as cataract.

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Impact on Marine Life

• UV rays directly affect marine forms such as phytoplankton, fish, crabs, phytoplankton consumes CO₂.
• Decrease in population of phytoplankton would leave more amount of CO₂ in atmosphere, results in global warming.

Impact on Biotic Communities

• Yield of vital crops like corn, rice, soyabean, cotton, bean, pea and wheat will decrease and affect the whole food chain.

Impact on Materials

• Degradation of plastics, paints and other polymer will result in economic loss.

Control of Ozone Depletion

• The chemicals which are having ozone depleting property is to be stopped.
• Some other gases has to be used instead of CFCs..

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(b) WATER POLLUTION

• It is the contamination of water bodies such as oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, groundwater, and aquifers by pollutants.
• The contaminants can end up in the water by the direct or indirect application.
• It is the second most prevalent type of environmental pollution, after air pollution.

Water Pollution Sources

• Point sources are direct discharges to

a single point (sources is known);

• Examples include Municipal and

industrial discharge pipes.

Non-point sources are diffused across a broad area and their contamination cannot be traced to a single discharge point (sources is unknown).

• Examples include runoff of excess fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides from

agricultural lands and residential areas; oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban

runoff and energy production; and sediment from improperly managed construction

sites, crop and forest lands, and eroding stream banks, acid rain.

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Major Categories of Water Pollutants

• Infectious Agents
• Bacteria, Viruses, Protozoa, Parasitic Worms
• Source: Human and animal waste
• Oxygen-Demanding Waste
• Organic debris & waste + aerobic bacteria
• Source: Sewage, feedlots, paper-mills,

food processing

• Inorganic Chemicals
• Acids, Metals, Salts
• Sources: Surface runoff, Industrial effluent, household cleansers
• Radioactive Materials
• Iodine, radon, uranium, cesium, thorium
• Source: Coal & Nuclear Power plants, mining, weapons production, natural

• Plant Nutrients
• Nitrates, Phosphates,
• Source: Sewage, manure, agricultural and

landscaping runoff

• Organic Chemicals
• Oil, Gasoline, Plastics, Pesticides, Solvents, detergents
• Sources: Industrial effluent, Household

cleansers, runoff from farms and yards

• Eroded Sediment
• Soil, Silt
• Heat/Thermal Pollution
• Source: Power plants, Industrial

Types of Water Pollution

Surface water pollution

• Surface water includes water that is found naturally on the earth’s surface. They

include lagoons, rivers, oceans, and lakes.

• Contamination of such water features results from the dissolving or mixing of the water with pollutants. It can be accidental, such as oil spills in the ocean or intentional,

like industries eliminating their wastes into rivers or sea.

Groundwater pollution

• It occurs when the hazardous chemicals

and particles applied on the surface by humans seep into the ground by rainwater.

• The contaminants pollute underground water

features such as underground rivers and waterbeds. As a result, wells and boreholes might become contaminated. The most common cause of this type of pollution is the use of pesticides and fertiliser on farms.

Chemical pollution

• Chemicals are the most common type of water contaminants. They affect both

surface and underground water bodies. Industries and farming activities are the leading cause. Solvents and metals used in industries can pollute rivers and lakes. Weed, insects, and fungi control in farms using pesticides is the other cause of soil

^24-Novc^-2o³ ntamination. Chemical contamination also results from petroleum spills.

Nutrients pollution

• Even though nutrients are essential for plant and aquatic life,an excess of it is dangerous.
• Wastewater and fertilisers have a high content of nutrients required for plant growth. Consequently, they cause rapid and uncontrolled growth of vegetation and algae on the water surface when they end up in the water. It also uses up all the oxygen leading to the destruction of marine life.

Oxygen depletion pollution

• The depletion of oxygen leads to the death of aerobic microorganisms but promotes the

thriving of anaerobic organisms.

• Certain anaerobic microorganisms contaminate the water by producing toxins such as sulphides and ammonia. All these are harmful to humans and aquatic life.

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Microbiological pollution

• It is a natural type of contamination of water, as it results from natural existing microorganisms such as protozoa, viruses, and bacteria.
• Water containing some of these microorganisms can cause diseases such as cholera and

bilharzia.

Suspended matter

• Some contaminants do not dissolve in water and are too large to mix with water

molecules. They include can, straws, and other large objects.

• When suspended, they form a layer on the surface of the water, preventing oxygen penetration leading to oxygen depletion pollution.

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Effects of Water Pollutants

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• Depletion of dissolved oxygen
• Eutrophication
• Pathogen….spreading diseases
• Bio-magnification
• Genetic deformities
• Blue baby Syndrome
• Arsenic Poisoning
• Fluorosis
• Minamata disease
• Itai-Itai

Eutrophication

• Most of the fertilizer used in the agricultural area releases large amount of nutrient into the water bodies and lakes are called as nutritious lake or Eutropic lake.
• Due to increase of nutrient content in the water, the growth of algae and other plants increases in many times.
• The sediments are filled in lakes and becomes

dry. The storage capacity will reduced.

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Mechanism

• The algal bloom absorbs the oxygen content in the water.
• While the bloom flourishes, the oxygen content becomes lesser and lesser.
• At one stage, the plants begin to destroy themselves producing unpleasant

odour and taste.

Depletion Of Oxygen

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• Low DO and High Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD).
• Biodegradable and organic waste leads to Oxygen

depletion DO levels less than 4 mg /l disastrous.

• Polluted waters have 0 DO

Pathogen Spread

• Stagnant water and other untreated water provide a habitat for the mosquito and a host of other parasites and insects that cause a large number of diseases especially in the tropical regions.
• Among these, malaria is undoubtedly the most widely distributed and causes most damage to human health.

Fluorosis

• Weakening of bone due to fluoride is called fluorosis.
• The presence of fluoride in drinking water is essential

for human health (upto 3 ppm). If the concentration exceeds the normal level, it react with the calcium present in the human body and gives calcium fluorides.

• The formation of yellowish colour in the teeth and weak strength of bone is due to the effect of fluoride in water.

Arsenic Poisoning

• High levels of arsenic above the permissible levels of 50 parts per billion (ppb) are found in the alluvial plains of Ganges covering six districts of West Bengal.

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• Arsenic contamination of drinking water causes a disease called arsenicosis, for which there is no effective treatment.

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• Arsenic contamination is by far the biggest mass poisoning case in the world putting 20 million people from West Bengal and Bangladesh at risk though some other estimates put the figure at 36 million people.

Biomagnification

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Minamata Disease

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• First detected in 1956
• In Minamata, Japan, mercury was used in the industrial production of acetaldehyde.
• Discharged into the nearby bay and was ingested by organisms.
• Fish and other creatures in the sea were soon contaminated and eventually residents of this area who consumed the fish suffered from MeHg (methyl mercury) intoxication

ITAI-ITAI

• Itai-itai disease ("ouch ouch sickness"),
• Was the documented case of mass cadmium poisoning in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, starting around 1912.
• The cadmium poisoning caused softening of the bones and kidney failure. The disease is named for the severe pains (Japanese: itai) caused in the joints and spine.
• The cadmium was released into rivers by mining companies. This

Cadmium contaminated water was used to irrigate rice fields.

Blue Baby Syndrome

• Blue Baby Syndrome or Methemoglobinemia is caused by decreased ability of blood to carry oxygen, resulting in oxygen deficiency in different body parts.
• Infants are more susceptible than adults.
• The disease can be caused by intake of water and vegetables high in nitrate, exposure to chemicals containing nitrate, or can even be hereditary.
• As different parts of the body get deprived of oxygen, clinical symptoms of oxygen starvation start to appear, the main being cyanosis (derived from ‘cyano’, meaning dark blue; from Greek, kyanos).
• The lips or even the skin start to take on a blue colouration, hence the common name, the blue baby syndrome/ disease.

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• Pesticides. The organophosphates and the carbonates present in pesticides affect and damage the nervous system and can cause cancer.
• Some of the pesticides contain carcinogens that exceed recommended levels. They contain chlorides that cause reproductive and endocrinal damage.
• Lead. Lead is hazardous to health as it accumulates in the body and affects the central

nervous system. Children and pregnant women are most at risk.

• Petrochemicals. Benzene and other petrochemicals can cause cancer even at low exposure levels.
• Chlorinated solvents. These are linked to reproduction disorders and to some cancers.
• Other heavy metals. –Heavy metals cause damage to the nervous system and the kidney, and other metabolic disruptions.

Control and Prevention of Water Pollution

Bringing Awareness

Measure 1 is bringing awareness among people. So people must be against of dumping wastes and sewage in to fresh water. They must force the government to go for an alternate way like treating the sewage before dumping. And people who dump wastes must be penalised.

Leakages from Drainage Pipe Lines

Leakages from drainage pipe lines must be avoided. If this enters fresh water it causes water pollution. So leakages must be avoided by repairing immediately.

Industrial Wastes

Industrial wastes are the main cause of water pollution. They often dump all these wastes in to near by lakes or rivers. So government must pass strict orders not to dump wastes in to rivers. They must be provided with other options like treatment of that wastes before

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DON’T Use too much Pesticides

Farmers must take care and see that they don't use too much pesticides. This will prevent runoffs of the material into nearby water sources.

Avoid Paint and Petroleum to Sinks

Do not throw paints or petroleum products in to your toilets or sinks. Since paints and petroleum products cannot be treated they should not be dumped to sewage water as it results in long lasting effects

Avoid Oil Spills in Oceans

Oil spills in ocean are one of the major contributors of water pollution. So ships must transport oil only when weather conditions are good. During storms ships must not be allowed to transport oil which might result in shipwrecks and eventually oil spills.

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(c) SOIL POLLUTION

Definition:

• 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.

• Soil is the thin layer of organic and inorganic materials that covers the Earth's rocky surface.
• The organic portion, which is derived from the decayed remains of plants and animals, is concentrated in the dark uppermost topsoil.
• The inorganic portion made up of rock fragments, was formed over thousands of years by physical and chemical weathering of bedrock. Productive soils are necessary for agriculture to supply the world with sufficient food.

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There are many different ways that soil can become polluted, such as:

• Seepage from a landfill
• Discharge of industrial waste into the soil
• Percolation of contaminated water into the soil
• Rupture of underground storage tanks
• Excess application of pesticides, herbicides or fertilizer
• Solid waste seepage

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The most common chemicals involved in causing soil pollution are:

• Petroleum hydrocarbons
• Heavy metals
• Pesticides
• Solvents

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Types of Soil Pollution

• Agricultural Soil Pollution
1. pollution of surface soil
2. pollution of underground soil
• Soil pollution by industrial effluents and solid wastes
• pollution of surface soil
• disturbances in soil profile
• Pollution due to urban activities
• pollution of surface soil
• pollution of underground soil

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Sources or Causes of Soil Pollution

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• Polluted water discharged from factories
• Runoff from pollutants (paint, chemicals, rotting organic material) leaching out

of landfill

• Oil and petroleum leaks from vehicles washed off the road by the rain into the

surrounding habitat

• Chemical fertilizer runoff from farms and crops
• Acid rain (fumes from factories mixing with rain)
• Sewage discharged into rivers instead of being treated properly
• Over application of pesticides and fertilizers
• Purposeful injection into groundwater as a disposal method
• Interconnections between aquifers during drilling (poor technique)
• Septic tank seepage
• Lagoon seepage
• Sanitary/hazardous landfill seepage
• Cemeteries
• Scrap yards (waste oil and chemical drainage)
• Leaks from sanitary sewers

Pollution in soil is associated with

1. Indiscriminate use of fertilizers
2. Indiscriminate use of pesticides, insecticides and herbicides
3. Dumping of large quantities of solid waste
4. Deforestation and soil erosion
5. Indiscriminate use of fertilizers
• Soil nutrients are important for plant growth and

development. Plants obtain carbon, hydrogen and

oxygen from air and water.

• But other necessary nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur and more must be obtained from the soil. Farmers generally use fertilizers to correct soil deficiencies.

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• Fertilizers contaminate the soil with impurities, which come from the raw materials used for their manufacture. Mixed fertilizers often contain ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃), phosphorus as P₂O₅, and potassium as K₂O. For instance, As, Pb and Cd present in traces in rock phosphate mineral get transferred to super phosphate fertilizer.
• The over use of NPK fertilizers reduce quantity of vegetables and crops grown on soil

over the years. It also reduces the protein content of wheat, maize, grams, etc., grown on that soil.

• The carbohydrate quality of such crops also gets degraded. Excess potassium content in soil decreases Vitamin C and carotene content in vegetables and fruits.
• The vegetables and fruits grown on over fertilized soil are more prone to attacks by insects and disease.

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2. Indiscriminate use of pesticides, insecticides and herbicides

• Plants on which we depend for food are under attack from insects, fungi, bacteria, viruses, rodents and other animals, and must compete with weeds for nutrients. To kill unwanted populations living in or on their crops, farmers use pesticides.

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• The first widespread insecticide use began at the end of World War II and included DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and gammaxene.
• Insects soon became resistant to DDT and as the chemical did not decompose readily, it persisted in the environment.

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• Since it was soluble in fat rather than water, it biomagnified up the food chain and disrupted calcium metabolism in birds, causing eggshells to be thin and fragile. As a result, large birds of prey such as the brown pelican, ospreys, falcons and eagles became endangered.

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• The most important pesticides are DDT, BHC, chlorinated hydrocarbons,

organophosphates, aldrin, malathion, dieldrin, furodan, etc.

• 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.
• Pesticides not only bring toxic effect on human and animals but also decrease the fertility of the soil.
• Some of the pesticides are quite stable and their bio- degradation may take weeks and

even months.

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3. Dumping of solid wastes

• In general, solid waste includes garbage, domestic refuse and discarded solid materials such as those from commercial, industrial and agricultural operations.
• They contain increasing amounts of paper, cardboards, plastics, glass, old construction material, packaging material and toxic or otherwise hazardous substances.

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4. Pollution Due to Urbanization

• Clogging of drains: Causing serious drainage problems including the burst / leakage

of drainage lines leading to health problems.

• Barrier to movement of water: Solid wastes have seriously damaged the normal movement of water thus creating problem of inundation, damage to foundation of buildings as well as public health hazards.
• Foul smell: Generated by dumping the wastes at a place.
• Increased microbial activities: Microbial decomposition of organic wastes generate

large quantities of methane besides many chemicals to pollute the soil and water flowing on its surface

• When such solid wastes are hospital wastes they create many health problems: As they may have dangerous pathogen within them besides dangerous medicines,

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EFFECTS OF SOIL POLLUTION

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Agricultural

• Reduced soil fertility
• Reduced nitrogen fixation
• Increased erodibility
• Larger loss of soil and nutrients
• Deposition of silt in tanks and reservoirs
• Reduced crop yield
• Imbalance in soil fauna and flora

Industrial

• Dangerous chemicals entering underground water
• Ecological imbalance
• Release of pollutant gases
• Release of radioactive rays causing health problems
• Increased salinity
• Reduced vegetation

Urban

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• Clogging of drains

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• Inundation of areas

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• Public health problems

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• Pollution of drinking water sources

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• Foul smell and release of gases

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• Waste management problems

CONTROL OF SOIL POLLUTION

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Reusing of materials

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

This 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.

Reforesting

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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.

ROLL OF AN INDIVIDUAL IN PREVENTION OF POLLUTION

HOW CAN AIR POLLUTION BE PREVENTED:

HOUSEHOLD:

• An individual should avoid smoking at home as residual gas and particles from

cigarette smoke that settle can cause serious health problems to even the person smoking and every individual present at home.

• Gas stoves that are not well ventilated with hoods to outside (can increase exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide and formaldehyde).
• An individual must use craft supplies in well-ventilated areas.
• An individual must make sure your gas stove is well-ventilated.
• An individual must have car emissions tested regularly.
• An individual must minimize air freshener use as they contain chemicals that are harmful to one`s health.
• An individual must use carbon monoxide detectors.

PUBLIC PLACES:

• Cars and trucks are responsible for around half of the air pollution in the world. The

best way to approach a reduction in vehicle-related air pollution is to drive less and exercise smart driving habits.

• A reduction in air pollution also comes when individuals make a strong effort to save energy. Whenever fossil fuel is burned, air pollution takes place. This means using less gasoline, natural gas, and electricity (that comes from burning power plant materials) greatly helps.
• Use eco-friendly or biodegradable materials instead of plastic which are made up of highly toxic substances injurious to your health. Take very good care of your pets and their wastes.
• Do not litter in public places. Anti-litter campaigns can educate the populace.

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HOW CAN WATER POLLUTION BE PREVENTED:

HOUSEHOLD:

• DO NOT pour fat from cooking or any other type of fat, oil, or grease down the sink.

Keep a “fat jar” under the sink to collect the fat and discard in the solid waste when full.

• DO NOT dispose of household chemicals or cleaning agents down the sink or toilet.
• DO NOT flush pills, liquid or powder medications or drugs down the toilet.
• Avoid using a garbage disposal. Keep solid wastes solid. Make a compost pile from

vegetable scraps.

• Install a water efficient toilet.
• Run the dishwasher or clothes washer only when you have a full load. This conserves

electricity and water.

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• Use the minimum amount of detergent and/or bleach when you are washing clothes or dishes. Use only phosphate-free soaps and detergents.
• Minimize the use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers. DO NOT dispose of these

chemicals, motor oil, or other automotive fluids into the sanitary sewer or storm sewer systems. Both of them end at the river.

PUBLIC PLACES:

• Never throw rubbish away anyhow. Always look for the correct waste bin. If there is none around, please take it home and put it in your trash can. This includes places like the beach, riverside and water bodies.
• Use water wisely. Do not keep the tap running when not in use. Also, you can

reduce the amount of water you use for washing and bathing.

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• Do not throw chemicals, oils, paints and medicines down the sink drain, or the toilet. In many cities, your local environment office can help with the disposal of medicines and chemicals. Check with your local authorities if there is a chemical disposal plan for local residents.
• Buy more environmentally safe cleaning liquids for use at home and other public places. They are less dangerous to the environment.
• If you use chemicals and pesticides for your gardens and farms, be mindful not to overuse pesticides and fertilizers.
• This will reduce runoffs of the chemical into nearby water sources. Start looking at options of composting and using organic manure instead.

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HOW CAN LAND POLLUTION BE PREVENTED:

• Don’t use garbage bags—just empty your trash into the garbage bin.
• If you don’t like that approach, get yourself some recycled or biodegradable, compostable garbage bags.
• Request that your daily newspaper not is wrapped in plastic when delivered. (Or cancel your newspaper subscription and go totally online for your news fix– you’ll save hundreds of trees as well.)
• Take your own plastic or metal container to the restaurant to take home your leftovers when you’re eating out. Sure they’ll look at you funny, but remember you’re an eco-trend-setter!

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• Ask your favorite dry-cleaners to eliminate the plastic wrap on your clothes. Don’t

forget to choose an ecofriendly, non-toxic dry cleaner too.

• Buy biodegradable products.
• Store all liquid chemicals and waste in spill-proof containers.
• Eat organic foods that are grown without pesticides. Look out for fertilizer or pesticide free products when you go to the market.
• Don’t use pesticides if you can.

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1. Air Pollution

London Smog

London smog often called as big smoke or great smog was severe air pollution happened at London during 5th–9th December, 1952 and then dispersed with climatic change. A thick layer of smog (smoke + fog) was formed throughout the London city,

because of the cold weather combined with windless condition, anticyclone (stagnant air trapped under warm air layer), airborne pollutants from coal burning.

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Initially, the event was not considered as a major one even though it caused disruption due to lack in visibility and also penetrated indoor areas. But later it was found that within that short period (5 days) 4,000 people died and more than 1,00,000 people were ill because of the effect of smog on respirators tract.

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Same type of smog appeared in

• Glasgow (UK) – 1909 – killed 1000 people
• Meuse Valley (Belgium) – 1930 – killed 600 people
• Donora (Pennsylvania) – 1948 – killed 20 people and sickened 7,000 people

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Effects

1. Decreased visibility leading to accidents.
2. Irritation of eyes, skin and respiratory tract.
3. Suffocation in breathing.
4. Pneumonia – Inflammation of lungs.
5. Bronchitis – Inflammation of respiratory tube.

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Amongst the worst Industrial Disasters of its time.

• Occurrence: 3^rd December 1984.
• Place of occurrence: Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Company: Union Carbide Corporation.
• Chemical: Methyl Isocyanate (40 tons)
• People Affected- >500,000
• People Died- ~40,000

About 550,000 people were exposed to the gas. A government affidavit in 2006 stated the leak caused 558,125 INJURIES including 38,478 TEMPORARY PARTIAL INJURIES and approximately 3,900 SEVERELY AND PERMANENTLY DISABLING INJURIES

Bhopal Scenario

Union Carbide Corporation Plant

About Union Carbide Corporation(UCC)

• Started in 1969 in bhopal
• Phosgene, Monomethlyamine, Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) and the pesticide carbaryl, also known as Sevin.
• Taken over by DOW Chemicals in 2001.
• DOW refused Union Carbide’s Liabilities in Bhopal, India.

All safety system fails due to poor maintenance.

Gas Vent Scrubber

Gas Vent Scrubber Stack

MIC STORAGE TANK

Picture shows the tank as it is today.

TANK SAFETY FEATURES

inert

• A Nitrogen line was connected to the tank to transfer the product by pressurization of the headspace.

• The tank was fitted with a pressure relief valve and rupture disc. The vent line from the valve exhausted into a scrubbing tower filled with caustic soda (NaOH). This would neutralize the MIC to form Sodium isocyanate. Any residual gas from the scrubber was sent to a 30 m tall flare stack where it would be burned off.

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• There was an external coiled jacket on the vessel through which coolant (freon / chloroform) was re-circulated. This was to keep the vessel contents at 0 C and thus prevent any adverse exothermic reactions occurring.
• Tanks were not to be filled above the 50 % mark so that in the event of dangerous

chemical reactions occurring, solvents could be pumped in to quench the reactions.

ACCIDENT DESCRIPTION

Pipe Cleaning Procedure

As part of routine procedures, the pipes leading from the MIC distillation column to the storage tanks were regularly flushed with pressurized water. MIC and any associated products can be quite corrosive and could form corrosion deposits in the pipe. These deposits would contaminate the MIC in the tanks and could initiate unwanted reactions. During cleaning, valves in the product lines were to be closed and a blank or slip-blind placed in the product line leading to the storage tank to prevent contamination.

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However the valves, although closed, were not sealing properly because of corrosion and the maintenance crew forgot about the blank. It appears that about 1000 kg of water plus metal debris entered tank 610.

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Assuming all the previously described safety features were operative, this should not

have been a catastrophic occurrence.

Effects onHumanHealth.

• Respiratory Disorders – Irritation to the lungs, causing coughing and/or shortness of breathing. Higher exposure caused build up of fluids (pulmonary enema). Caused Asthma.

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• Cancer Hazard – Caused mutation (genetic changes). It caused cancer.

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• Reproductive Hazard – Association between exposure to Methyl isocyanate and miscarriages. It may damage the growing fetus. May also affect fertility in men and women.

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• After Effect- Traces of many toxins were found in the Brest Milk of mothers and were in turn transmitted to the recipient babies.

Animal Slaughter

2,000 buffalo, goats, and other animals died.

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Gange’s River Pollution

Ganga river is India’s largest and the most sacred river which supplies water to more than 43% of India’s population across 11 states. Approximately 500 million people or more, rely on the Gangas water directly or indirectly.

River Ganga acted as a main source of navigation and communication since ancient times. About 47% of total

irrigated land in India is situated on Ganga basin alone.

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EFFECT OF POLLUTION IN GANGA RIVER

• One person in the Ganga Basin dies every 60 seconds of diarrhea and eight out of every 10 Indians suffer from amoebic dysentery each year.
• 80 per cent of all health problems in India and one-third of all deaths are said to be attributed to Ganga . River.

TAMILNADU

• The Noyyal Riveris a small river in Western Tamil Nadu, and a tributary of Kaveri River and flows through many villages and the cities

of Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode and Karur

• Orathuppalayam Dam, is located on the Noyyal River in Tirupur District. The

dam was built in 1992. It has an ayacut of

over 10,000 acres in Tirupur and Karur Districts. It was used by the farmers only for five years as it became a storage tank for textile effluents after that.

• 70.5% people effected by skin disease,26.67% effected by eye irritation and other disease.

TRICHY-UYYAKONDAN CANAL

• The 1,000-year-old Uyyakondan canal, built by Raja Raja Cholan and renovated by Kulothunga Cholan, has an ayacut of 32,000 acres and feeds 36 tanks.
• Several open drains and sewage from houses were let out directly into the canal on the 7-km stretch between Palakkarai and Ariyamangalam.
• Agriculture was very effected by the

polluted water in downstream of our city.

MINAMATTA DISEASE

• From 1932 to 1968, Chisso Corporation, a company located in Kumamoto Japan, dumped an estimated 27 tons of mercury compounds into Minamata Bay.
• When Chisso Corporation dumped this massive amount of mercury into the bay, thousands of people whose normal diet included fish from the bay, unexpectedly developed symptoms of methyl mercury poisoning.
• The illness became known as the "Minamata Disease".

WHAT WAS IT?

• Minamata Disease is a poisoning disease of central

nervous system caused by

methylmercury compound, which was produced as by-product in the process of manufacturing acetaldehyde at Chisso Co., Ltd. in Minamata City and Showa Denko Co., Ltd. located upstream of Agano River, and was discharged with the factory effluent and polluted the environment, and then, through the food chain, it was accumulated in fish and shellfish.

• Consequently Minamata Disease occurred when the inhabitants ate high amount of

these seafoods.

THE ACETALDEHYDE MANUFACTURING PROCESS TO HUMAN BODY

SCHEME OF HOW THE METHYL MERCURY COMPOUND IS TRANSMITTED FROM

Here we see an image of an outwardly healthy mother bathing her fetal- poisoned 16 year old daughter, Tomoko Uemura, physically crippled since birth due to environmental industrial mercury poisoning in the local Minamata, Japan, water supply.

Here, fishing on the Bay of Minamata. This scene has changed very little over the centuries. However, the pollution has changed the relationship that the people of Minamata have with the sea and their mainstay of fish.

SYMPTOMS…

• Not until the mid-1950's did people begin to notice a "strange disease".
• Victims were diagnosed as having a degeneration of their nervous systems.
• Numbness occurred in their limbs and lips. Their speech became slurred, and their vision constricted.
• Some people had serious brain damage, while others lapsed into unconsciousness or suffered from involuntary movements.

A small fishing boat cruises throught the bay in Minimata, Japan May 27, 1998. In 1932, Chisso Co. Began using

Minimata’s bay as a repository for its organic mercury waste, creating the worst case

of industrial pollution Japan has ever known.

Minamata disease victim fisherman Jinichi Hamatsuki, 83, untangles fishing nets and ropes on his boat in Modo village, near Minamata, Japan May 27, 1998.

Methylmercury, an organic mercury compound released in factory wastewater and the cause of Minamata disease.

The Chisso factory and its wastewater routes