Water and Air Pollution

Water pollution

 

In this article of "Water and Air Pollution" at "Home Learning Hub-Great Home Learning For All" we are going to discuss water pollution, main types of water pollution, sources of water pollution including point source and non-point source pollution, causes of water pollution, sewage and waste water, eutrophication, diseases caused by water pollution, solutions of water pollutions, air pollution, types of pollutants, common air pollutants, causes of air pollution, effects of air pollution and solutions of air pollution.

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"Water and Air Pollution"

Outline:

Water Pollution
Main Types of Water Pollution
Sources of Water Pollution
Causes of Water Pollution
Eutrophication
Diseases Caused By Water Pollution
Solutions of Water Pollution
Air Pollution
Types of Pollutants
Common Air Pollutants
Causes of Air Pollution
Effects of Air Pollution
Solutions of Air Pollution

Water Pollution:

Water is a liquid which is necessary for the life of all living organisms including plants and animals. The term pollution can be defined as any undesirable change in the environment. The term pollutant can be defined as a substance that has undesired effects on the environment or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource.

Contamination of water bodies including oceans, ground water, lakes and rivers because of the direct or indirect discharge of pollutants which degrade quality of water and purity of water is called water pollution.

Main Types of Water Pollution:

Major types of water pollution include surface water pollution and ground-water pollution. In surface water, water resources are oceans, lakes and rivers. On the other hand, groundwater is the water stored underground in aquifers. Surface water pollution is more obvious than groundwater pollution.

Sources of Water Pollution:

Point-source pollution:

If the source of pollution is specific and single then it is known as point-source pollution such as a pipe from a factory. They are located at specific places and are easy to regulate, monitor and identify.

Nonpoint-source pollution:

If the source of pollution is not specific and water pollution happens from many different scattered sources then it is known as nonpoint-source pollution such as broad and diffuse areas. They are difficult to identify and control and are much more expensive to clean up.

Causes of Water Pollution:

• Agricultural activities

• Sediment eroded from lands

• Fertilizers and pesticides

• Bacteria from livestock and food processing wastes

• Excessive nutrients in water

• Industrial effluent

• Ocean and marine dumping

• Oxygen depleting entities

• Underground storage and tube leakages

• Atmospheric deposition

• Chemical waste

Eutrophication:

The term eutrophication can be defined as the enrichment of water bodies with nitrates and phosphates that are inorganic nutrients and this results in excessive plant or algal growth.

Impacts of eutrophication include increased algal or plant growth which impacts people and the environment, proliferation of plants often impairs swimming, fishing and recreational boating, and decay of plants and algae results in the reduction of dissolved oxygen in water hence killing other aquatic organisms.

Diseases Caused By Water Pollution:

Diseases caused by drinking contaminated water are typhoid fever, cholera, bacterial dysentery, enteritis, infectious hepatitis(Type B), poliomyelitis, amoebic dysentery, giardiasis, cryptosporidium, schistosomiasis and ancylostomiasis.

Solutions of Water Pollution:

1. Effective way for the protection of groundwater is pollution prevention

2. Prevent contamination of ground-water

3. Cleanup

4. Purify drinking water by using reservoirs and purification plants

5. Exposure of clear plastic containers to sunlight

6. Nano-filters

Air Pollution:

The term air pollution can be defined as the contamination of the atmosphere that is air, which disturbs the natural composition and chemistry of air irrespective of indoor or outdoor. It can also be defined as any biological, chemical or physical change in environment which is dangerous or harmful for living organisms is termed as air pollution.

Types of Pollutants:

Primary pollutants:

The term primary pollutant can be defined as those pollutants which are a direct result of the process such as emission of sulfur dioxide from factories.

Secondary pollutants:

Secondary pollutants are those pollutants which are caused by intermingling and reactions of primary pollutants such as formation of smog and acid rain.

Common Air Pollutants Around Us:

• Carbon monoxide

• Nitrogen dioxide

• Particulate matter

• Sulfur dioxide

• Lead

• Ground-level ozone

Causes of Air Pollution:

• Forest fires

• Volcanic eruptions

• Wind erosion

• Pollen dispersal 

• Evaporation of organic compounds

• Natural radioactivity

• Burning of fossil fuels

• Agricultural activities

• Exhaust from factories and industries

• Mining operations

• Indoor air pollution

Effects of Air Pollution:

• Formation of acid rain

• Harmful effects on wildlife

• Depletion of ozone layer

Solutions of Air Pollution:

1. Use public transportation instead of private

2. Conserve energy such as switching off light and fans when going out

3. Understand the concept of 3Rs that is reduce, reuse and recycle

4. Use energy efficient devices

5. Emphasis on clean energy sources

"Home Learning Hub-Great Home Learning For All"

"Water and Air Pollution"

Water Pollution
Main Types of Water Pollution
Sources of Water Pollution
Causes of Water Pollution
Eutrophication
Diseases Caused By Water Pollution
Solutions of Water Pollution
Air Pollution
Types of Pollutants
Common Air Pollutants
Causes of Air Pollution
Effects of Air Pollution
Solutions of Air Pollution