Effects of Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution is driven by the unfavorable changes that occur in our environment which harms various plants, animals and humans too. Environmental pollution is caused by pollutants. Pollutants are simply any substance that can cause pollution. It can be in solid, liquid or gaseous state. It is productive in high concentration due to certain human activities and natural occurrences. 

Read More: Pollution

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Environmental Pollution: Definition

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When the ecosystem is unable to absorb and neutralise hazardous results of human activities (poisonous gas emissions) over time, it is referred to as environmental pollution.

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Different Types of Environmental Pollution

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There are various types of pollution in the environment. The most serious forms of pollution are listed below:

Air Pollution

To understand, Air pollution is a result of a mixture of solid and gas particles in the atmosphere. Pollutants emitted from automobiles, pollen, factory chemicals and dust increases the threat. Ozone, a gaseous compound of oxygen, is to blame as a major source of air pollution in modern cities. Air pollution caused by ozone is also called smog. Some of the most well-known air pollutants are sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, volatile organic compounds, and airborne particles.

Water Pollution

Insecticides and herbicides, food waste, animal waste, organic volatile compounds, heavy metals, chemical waste, and other pollutants pollute water. Water contamination occurs when dangerous substances, such as chemicals or microbes, pollute a stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer, or other body of water, decreasing the quality of the water and rendering it poisonous to humans or the ecosystem.

Land and Soil Pollution

Fossil fuels (oil, gas, and coal) have broken down practically all boundaries in modern industrialised civilizations and have become an integral part of our daily life. We rely on fossil fuels to meet our most basic requirements (such as fueling a vehicle). These are also utilised in commodities like all kinds of polymers, solvents, detergents, lubricating oils, and a wide range of industrial chemicals (specifically oil) in the power generation business.

Read More: Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

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Effects of Environmental Pollution on Life

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Effects of Environmental Pollution on Life are given below:

Effects of Air Pollution

Significant levels of gaseous pollutants have a negative impact on human health. Human activities release almost a billion tonnes of pollutants into the atmosphere.

The following are some of the most harmful and common gaseous pollutants:

• Sulfur dioxide - Sulfur dioxide is a significant contributor to lung illness.
• Oxides of nitrogen — Oxides of nitrogen emitted from bus, truck, and two-wheeler exhaust cause eye irritation.
• Carbon monoxide is a highly hazardous gas that is well-known. When it enters the bloodstream, it entirely prevents oxygen from mixing with haemoglobin.
• High levels of air pollution can raise the risk of heart disease, wheezing, coughing, and respiratory difficulties, as well as skin, nose, and throat irritation. Air pollution can cause a variety of diseases for humans such as heart attacks, asthma, and other respiratory complications.
•  Air pollution can cause a number of health problems in animals, including birth abnormalities, reproductive failure, and illnesses, just as it does in humans.

Apart from the effects on humans and livestock, air pollution has a number of environmental consequences. Acid rain is characterised by high amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids, which are produced by the combustion of fossil fuels and the release of oxides and sulphur oxides into the atmosphere. Acid rain damages trees and acidified soils and bodies of water, making fish and other marine species struggle to survive.

Effects of Water Pollution

• Chemical pollutants are found in drinking water throughout the water delivery system, ranging in concentrations from barely detectable to levels that potentially endanger human health. It's difficult to determine the health impacts of these toxins, especially when scientists are still understanding how chemicals react in the body to destroy cells and create illness.
• Toxic doses of substances can have immediate or long-term health consequences. Acute effects usually occur fairly immediately after a substantial dose of a drug. Nausea, lung irritation, skin rash, vomiting, dizziness, and even death are examples of acute health impacts.
• By far the most serious impact of water pollution is the death of marine species, which can break down the entire food chain.

Effects of Land and Soil Pollution

• Land and soil contamination have substantial consequences for humans, plants, microbes, and marine life. Polluted land and soil can cause a variety of skin ailments, respiratory issues, and even several sorts of cancer.
• These harmful compounds enter the human body by direct contact with the skin, eating fruits and vegetables cultivated in polluted soils, and breathing in particle and dust-polluted air.
• Deforestation is the biggest challenge when it comes to land loss and soil erosion. Forests and ecosystems are destroyed as a result of tree cutting and tree cover loss. Deforestation frequently causes an imbalance in the atmosphere, reducing the quantity of pollution that is naturally removed. Given that biomass accounts for the vast majority of human emissions, this is a huge issue.

Read More: Causes of noise pollution

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Things to Remember

• When the ecosystem is unable to absorb and neutralise hazardous results of human activities (poisonous gas emissions) over time, it is referred to as environmental pollution.
• Pollutants are simply any substance that can cause pollution. It can be in solid, liquid or gaseous state.
• The major kinds of pollution, usually classified by environment, are air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution.
• High levels of air pollution can raise the risk of heart disease, wheezing, coughing, and respiratory difficulties, as well as skin, nose, and throat irritation.
• Chemical pollutants are found in drinking water throughout the water delivery system, ranging in concentrations from barely detectable to levels that potentially endanger human health.
• Deforestation is the biggest challenge when it comes to land loss and soil erosion. Forests and ecosystems are destroyed as a result of tree cutting and tree cover loss.

Read More: Efects of burning fossil fuels

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