ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES-II

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES-II"

Maximillian Briggs
5 years ago
Views:

1 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES-II MODULE I ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION LECTURE 1 POLLUTION

2 CONTENTS Introduction to Pollution Pollutants Sources of Pollution Effect of Pollution on the Environment Types of Environmental Pollution

3 INTRODUCTION Ecosystem is a natural unit of living community (plants and animals) and nonliving environment. The biotic and abiotic community are constantly interacting and exchanging materials and energy between themselves. The life in an ecosystem depends upon the environment which provides energy in the form of sunlight and nutrients for the living components of the ecosystem. 3

4 In a homeostatic ecosystem there is a balance between the living organisms and the environment. Disturbance in any component of the environment is likely have a harmful effect on the ecosystem.

5 Any change in the environment which contributes to its deterioration is called POLLUTION of the environment and the agent which causes the pollution is called the POLLUTANT.

6 POLLUTANTS Any substance present in the environment in harmful concentration, which adversely alters the environment by damaging the growth rate of a species and by interfering with the food chains, is toxic and affects the health, comfort and property etc. is considered as a POLLUTANT. 6

7 Smoke from industries and automobiles, domestic and commercial sewage, radioactive substances from nuclear plants and discarded household articles like bottles, tins, broken crockery, comes under the category of POLLUTANTS.

8 CLASSIFICATION OF POLLUTANTS On the basis of their existence in nature: Quantitative Pollutants: Substance that are generally present in the environment but when their concentration get increased due to anthropogenic activity or natural phenomenon, they acquire the status of pollutants e.g. Carbon dioxide, methane etc. Qualitative Pollutants: The substances which do not normally occur in nature but are added by human beings e.g. Insecticides etc. 8

9 On the basis of form in which they are present after their release into the environment: Primary Pollutants: These are those which are emitted directly from the sources and persist in the form in which they were added in the environment e.g. ash, smoke, dust, nitric oxide, sulphur dioxide etc. Secondary Pollutants: Pollutants which are formed from the primary pollutants by chemical interaction with some constituents present in the atmosphere e.g. Sulphur trioxide, nitrogen dioxide etc. 9

10 From the ecosystem point of view: Bio-degradable pollutants: Pollutants that are quickly degraded by natural means e.g. Domestic sewage, household waste etc. Non-biodegradable Pollutants: 10 The substance that are not degraded by the nature by natural means or the process of degradation is very slow. These includes mercury salts, phenolic compounds, certain pesticides, polyethylene and some hydrocarbons.

11 SOURCES OF POLLUTION Natural Sources: Volcanic eruptions Forest fires Dust storms Bacteria, spores, cysts and pollens Organic matter decay in marshy places 11

12 Anthropogenic Sources: Industrialization Invention of Automobiles Overpopulation Deforestation Nuclear explosions Over-exploitation of natural resources Construction of buildings, roads and dams Explosives used in wars Use of fertilizers and pesticides Quarrying and mining. 12

13 EFFECT OF POLLUTION ON ENVIRONMENT Pollution affects both, the living as well as the non-living components of the environment. Brings about drastic changes in the physical environment causing community wide problems by polluting the air, water and land. Adversely affects the health of humans, animals and damaging plants and property. 13

14 Increase in noise pollution and the hazards associated with radiation pollution. Increase in environmental stress on human body Terminal increase in infectious disorders from viruses and bacteria Deterioration in the quality of water and food

15 Effect on Plants The adverse effects range from reduction in growth rate to death of the plant. Necrosis, Chlorosis, Epinasty, Abscission of leaves in plants. Deterioration of structural materials such as marble and limestone.

16 TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION Air Pollution Water Pollution Marine Pollution Soil Pollution Noise Pollution Thermal Pollution Radioactive Pollution 16

17 CONTROL OF POLLUTION AWARENESS AND PARTICIPATION OF POPULATION AFFORESTATION & REFORESTATION ALTERNATIVES OF CONVENTIONAL FUELS DVELOPMENT OF ECO FRIENDLY TECHNOLGY DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS SUSTAINABLE DVELOPMENT TREATMENT OF WATSE BEFORE DISPOSAL IN ENVIRONMENT VEHICLE POOLING EMISSION CONTROL SOLID WATE MANAGEMENT

19 Ganga Pollution The water is the most important element of the nature. River valleys are the cradles of civilization from the beginning of the world. Aryan civilization grew around the towns and villages on the banks of five rivers of Punjab and the Ganga. Varanasi which is one of the cities on the banks of the river is considered to be one of the oldest human settlement in the world. Ganga is the ninth largest river in the world with a length of 2525 km. It is a popular belief that the river Ganga is the purifier of all and its water is considered sacred by Hindus. Yamuna Ghaghara and Gandak rivers are the main tributaries of Ganga. Around 100 towns and cities lie on its banks including the famous pilgrim centres Rishikesh, Haridwar, Pryag and Varanasi.

20 Ganga is a perennial river serving as a source of irrigation and water supply in the fertile gangetic basin, but we are now led to the situation that action has to be taken to prevent the pollution of the water of the river Ganga since we have reached a stage that any further pollution of the river water is likely to lead to catastrophe. Twenty five towns on the river bank discharge 1340 million liters of sewage every day into the Ganga. Around 260 million liters of chemical effluents join the river in a day. Hundreds of tanneraries (particularly near Kanpur) and dozens of paper mills, sugar and chemical industries discharge their waste directly into river without treatment. Half burn dead bodies and dead animals are thrown into river.

21 Around dead bodies are dumped every year. 27 types of pathogenic organisms have been detected in the river water. Pesticides from agricultural lands are washed off into the river. Navigational pollution including oil spills are also common. The river stretches near Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi and Patna are the most polluted stretches. The Ganga action plan during 1986 was formally launched to improve the overall water quality of the river and its major tributaries. The programme envisaged - Providing drainage system and sewage treatment in 27 cities, persuading the industries to treat effluents properly or face the risk of closure notices, provide crematoria for hygienic disposal of dead bodies, continuous monitoring of the river water quality at strategic points etc.

UNIT III ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION. By: Dr. Priyanka Sharma Assistant Professor School of Engineering, G D Goenka University, India

UNIT III ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION By: Dr. Priyanka Sharma Assistant Professor School of Engineering, G D Goenka University, India ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION Any physical, chemical or biological change in the