V. Pollution (Air, Water, and Terrestrial - Causes, effects)

What is Pollution?

Pollution is contamination by a chemical or other agent that renders part of the environment unfit for intended or desired use. These uses also and very importantly include all wildlife and ecological requirements to sustain life in all its natural forms.

Pollution damages the Earth's land, water and air. It results in contamination of the earth's environment with materials that interfere with human health, the quality of life, and the natural functioning of ecosystems (living organisms and their physical surroundings).

Pollution is usually caused by human actions, but can also be the consequence of natural disasters. Pollution can also occur from disruption or damage to wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure due to severe natural events like hurricanes or flooding. Most types of pollution affect the immediate area surrounding the source, and reduce as you move away from the source.
Pollution is often caused by the garbage that people throw on the ground or into oceans, lakes or rivers.

Air Pollution
Air pollution is a major problem faced by people across the globe. A number of causes are related to the contamination of atmosphere. Polluted air leads to numerous health problems, ranging from the mild to the chronic ones. As far as human health is concerned, poor quality of air seriously affects the body's respiratory and cardiovascular system. The severity in diseases may depend upon the degree of exposure to polluted air. Given below is the complete information about the causes and effects of air pollution.

Causes
• Combustion of fuel is one of the major causes of air pollution in urban areas. Burning of fossil fuels such as natural gas and gasoline leads to the emission of carbon dioxide and other gases, which deteriorate the quality of air, making it polluted.
• Increased level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is one of the prime causes of air pollution. Power plants, exhaust fumes of automobiles, airplanes and other human activities involving the burning of gasoline and natural gas are related to the emission of this greenhouse gas.
• The chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a class of synthetic chemicals used in refrigerants and aerosol propellants, have caused hole in Earth's ozone layer. The use of this banned chemicals is related with the increasing levels of air pollution.
• Sulfur dioxide is one of the components of smog, which is related with contamination of the Earth's atmosphere. This synthetic chemical is the prime cause of acid rain.
• Air pollution is partially caused by the particulates formed by a variety of substances, such as dust, pollen and other organic materials.
• Increased road and air traffic is another reason related to the high level of air pollution.

Health Effects of Air Pollution
• Asthma is a chronic disease common among children and adults. The shortness of breath, a prime symptom of this disease, can be triggered by pollutants present in the air, such as smog.
• Lung infections
can occur when polluted air is inhaled. This can also lead to shortness of breath.
• Air pollution may influence the development of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
• Air pollution can also lead to lung cancer.
• Air pollution can result in blockage in the coronary artery or blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. This condition is diagnosed as Coronary Artery Disease.
• High level of pollution in the air can also lead to heart failure. Irregular or abnormal rhythms of heartbeat are often cited as health problems related to air pollution.

Water Pollution
Water pollution has been seriously affecting the life of humans, plants as well as animals. The eco-system of rivers, streams, lakes, seas and oceans is also getting deteriorated due to the contamination of water, through various sources. This condition also leads to the outbreak of numerous diseases, majority of them being lethal and contagious. However, before going about finding a solution to the problem, we need to look into its underlying causes. In the following lines, we have provided information on the causes and harmful effects of water pollution. Go through them and then decide on your course of action.

Causes Of Water Pollution
• Dumping of industrial wastes, containing heavy metals, harmful chemicals, by-products, organic toxins and oils, into the nearby source of water is one of the visible causes of water pollution.
• Another cause for the contamination of water is the improper disposal of human and animal wastes.
• Effluents from factories, refineries, injection wells and sewage treatment plants are dumped into urban water supplies, leading to water pollution.
• A number of pollutants, both harmful and poisonous, enter the groundwater systems through rain water.
• The residue of agricultural practices, including fertilizers and pesticides, are some of the major sources of water pollution.
• Untreated pollutants are drained into the nearest water body, such as stream, lake or harbor, causing water pollution.
• Another major source of water pollution comprises of organic farm wastes. When farm land, treated with pesticides and fertilizers, is irrigated, the excess nitrogen and poisons get mixed into the water supply, thereby contaminating it.
• Pathogens, sediments and chemical pollutants are other sources of water pollution.
• The corporeal wastes produced by humans and farmed organisms pollute rivers, lakes, oceans and other surface waters.

Harmful Effects Of Water Pollution
• A number of waterborne diseases are produced by the pathogens present in polluted water, affecting humans and animals alike.
• Pollution affects the chemistry of water. The pollutants, including toxic chemicals, can alter the acidity, conductivity and temperature of water.
• Polluted municipal water supplies are found to pose a threat to the health of people using them.
• As per the records, about 14000 people perish or incur various communicable diseases due to the consumption of contaminated drinking water.
• The concentration of bacteria and viruses in polluted water causes increase in solids suspended in the water body, which, in turn, leads to health problems.
• Marine life becomes deteriorated due to water pollution. Lethal killing of fish and aquatic plants in rivers, oceans and seas is an aftereffect of water contamination only.
• Diseases affecting the heart, poor circulation of blood and the nervous system and ailments like skin lesion, cholera and diarrhea are often linked to the harmful effects of water pollution.
• Carcinogenic pollutants found in polluted water might cause cancer.
• Alteration in the chromosomal makeup of the future generation is foreseen, as a result of water pollution.
• Discharges from power stations reduce the availability of oxygen in the water body, in which they are dumped.
• The flora and fauna of rivers, sea and oceans is adversely affected by water pollution.

Terrestial/Land Pollution
People across the globe have been facing a number of health problems caused due to the pollution of land, water and air. Talking about land pollution, it has some of the most devastating effects on both nature and living beings. Land pollution is characterized by the contamination of Earth's surface, where humans and other creatures live. One of the major causes of land pollution is human activities. Given below is complete information about the main causes and harmful effects of land pollution.

Causes of Land Pollution
• Increase in urbanization is one of the major causes of land pollution. Construction uses up forestland. This leads to the exploitation and destruction of forests. There is more demand for water. Reservoirs are built resulting in the loss of land.
• The disposal of non-biodegradable wastes, including containers, bottles and cans made of plastic, used cars and electronic goods, leads to the pollution of land.
• Agricultural wastes including the waste matters produced by crop, animal manure and residues of the farm land are one of the major causes of land pollution. The pesticides and fertilizers used by farmers to increase the crop yield, leaches into the nearby land areas and pollutes them.
• The process of mining leads to the formation of piles of coal and slag. When these wastes are not disposed through proper channel, they are accumulated and contaminate the land.
• Industrial wastes are major contributors of land pollution. Dumping of toxic materials such as chemicals and paints makes the areas surrounding the industries, look very filthy.
• Improper treatment of sewage leads to the accumulation of solids, such as biomass sludge. These solid wastes overflow through the sewage, making the entire area look dirty.
• Burning of solid fuels leads to the formation of ashes, which is yet another cause of land pollution.
• Although domestic and industrial wastes are collected and recycled or burnt in incinerators, a large amount of rubbish is left untreated. These are then dumped into grounds, leading to land pollution.
• Garbage dumped by people makes the streets unhealthy, unfit and dirty to reside in. The waste matter usually consists of leftover food, fruit and vegetable peels and other non decomposable solid materials such as glass, cloth, plastic, wood, paper etc.

Harmful Effects Of Land Pollution
• Tonnes and tonnes of domestic wastes are dumped every day. Since people do not follow proper methods for the disposal of such wastes, it leaves the places look dirty and makes them unhealthy.
• Land pollution indirectly affects the respiratory system of human beings. Breathing in polluted dust or particle can result in a number of health problems related to the respiratory system.
• Skin problems are often diagnosed due to land pollution. It is said that the improper disposal of household wastes leads to allergic reactions on the skin.
• Land pollution has been found as one of the leading causes for birth defects. Pregnant women living in unhealthy and dirty environment can incur breathing problems and a number of diseases, which may affect the health of the baby as well.
• Land pollution has serious effect on wildlife. Flora, which provides food and shelter to wildlife, are destroyed.
• Land pollution often disrupts the balance of Nature, causing human fatalities.