Effects of air and water pollution - Research Paper Example

Effects of air and water pollution As the world urbanization and industrialization occur at a rapid rate, sodoes environmental pollution involving air and water quality pollution occur. Large amounts of potentially harmful emissions from industries around the globe find their way in to the atmosphere every single day. Likewise, millions of tonnes of wastewaters containing potentially harmful pollutants find their way into water bodies and underground water aquifers. Several bodies have been initiated with the main aim of conserving environment. Some of these bodies in clued NEMA, Centre for Sustainable Development and others. In their efforts to conserve mainly air and water pollution, they have set by-laws in conjunction with countries’ municipalities to bid those involved (Reitze 13). Despite these continued endeavours, water and air pollutions increases each day. In fact, research shows that as technology changes, the pollution increases consequently increasing the effects (Hill 20). This paper discusses in depth the effects of air and water pollution to people resulting form environmental and technological changes. Poor air quality affects human health, damages crop and animal life, and degrades fragile ecosystems. The severity and impact depends on the quantity and concentration of pollutants, the duration of exposure and the susceptibility of the sensitive receptors. Inevitable is the impact of air pollution on human health. Never the less, equal attention is necessary for all other receptors that include the ecological and the built environments, besides human health. One of the generally recognized effects of air pollution is ill health and death. Although natural processes cause air pollution, manmade causes are the most prevalent and harmful causes (Gillespie 145). Manmade causes of air pollution include power generation activities, industrial production processes and the automobile activities. Tobacco smoking, combustion of solid fuels like wood, coal and charcoal, which household commonly use for cooking and warming houses are the leading causes of indoor air quality pollution (Reitze 45). Other sources of indoor air pollutants include paints, cleaning agents, detergents, pesticides, home appliances; furniture and air conditioning systems cause significant chemical and biological indoor air pollution. Combustion of fossil fuels is the leading source of air pollution, since it contains such pollutants like sulphur dioxide, fine particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone and volatile organic matter, all of which have profound adverse effects on humans (Chiras 52). Health effects of air pollution range from chronic effects to acute effects. Among these, are minor eye irritations, irritations on the upper respiratory system, chronic respiratory illnesses, lung cancer, heart problems and deaths resulting from suffocation and exposure to noxious gases in the air. Bronchitis in adults and acute respiratory problems resulting to chocking and suffocation in children are common effects of air pollution (Gillespie 108). For people with pre-existing lung and heart conditions, air pollution is a major cause of worsening conditions. For instance, among the asthmatics, air pollution increases the frequency and severity of attack, and accounts for many deaths among people with heart conditions (Harrop 52). Overall, long-term and short-term exposure to air pollutants lead to reduced life expectancies and premature deaths. The impact of air pollution on humans depends on the concentration of the pollutant, its type, duration and concentration of exposure, and individual vulnerability to lethal exposures. Predisposing factors like poverty, age; both old age and infants, and pre-existing health complications put people in increased danger of poisoning and serious effects of air pollution. For instance, poor urban communities usually reside in poorly ventilated house congested in small slum sharks, and more likely to use dirty fossil and biomass fuels. They also are susceptible to malnutrition and lack of adequate medical attention for pre-existing respiratory and heart disorders. All these factors put them at greater risks of severe negative effects of air pollution (Harrop 60). People living near to industries or on their windward directions may also be prone to higher-level exposure to harmful exposures as chemical particles and smoke particles contaminate the air they breathe. Indirectly, air pollution also affects humans in a couple of ways. Acid rains that occur when sulphur, nitrogen, chlorine and other halogen particles in the air react with rain water, is a major cause of severe impacts on humans. It pollutes drinking water and through crops and fish, enters the food chain, accumulating through the process of bioaccumulation up the food chain. Green house gases like carbon dioxide, several oxides, ozone gas, ozone layer, and depleting compounds like hydrofluoric carbons cause global warming and lead to climate change (Hill 91). Climate change is responsible for serious problems facing humanity in the twenty first century. Instances of rising sea level, emergence of new disease strains strange to medical fields, resurgence of otherwise forgotten diseases, increased heat stresses and extreme cold temperatures, flooding, droughts, forest fires, and dwindling fresh water and other natural ecosystems are some impacts of climate change. All these negative impacts of air pollution cause suffering and misery, sometimes with high fatality rates, on humans. In the developing world, effects of air pollution are much grave because of poverty, poor planning of cities and urban zones, ignorance, and technological limitations (Reitze 163). Water pollution on the other hand occurs when pollutants in effluents from industries, agricultural lands and municipal sewer systems among other sources find their way into rivers, lakes, dams, oceans and underground aquifers. Water pollution has profound impacts on humans, mainly through its impacts on human health. Other impacts of water pollution on aquatic ecosystems indirectly affect human well-being. As hazardous substances contained in industrial sewage find their way into water bodies, they compromise the water quality both in small insignificant ways and in great visible ways (Gillespie 124). Of great significance is the introduction of pathogens and disease causing micro- organisms that are invisible to the naked human eye. When such polluted water comes into conduct with drinking water, it loses its quality. Dirty water causes serious health problems that include diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery among other serious conditions. Industrial and municipal wastes have overly polluted some urban water bodies and can cause the neighbourhoods some severe health effects (Chiras 119). In most cases, pollution of fresh waters bodies kill fish and other marine creatures, thereby interrupting the food chain that forms a part of man’s livelihood. Problems that are more serious occur when heavy metals like lead, mercury and cadmium enter into water bodies. These heavy metals enter into fish through the small microorganisms that feed on them, and accumulate through the food chain, eventually finding their way into human bodies. These cause serious problems, which include nervous breakdown, hepatitis, genetic mutations and poor brain development in unborn babies (Chiras 78). Other serious impacts include various cancers, blood disorders and chronic heart diseases. Skin allergies, vomiting and diarrhoea are the rear potent impacts of water pollution. Pesticides and fertilizers from agricultural lands cause pollution of underground water, making it have adverse impacts on the health of consumers. Bathing with contaminated water causes serious allergies and skin disorders, which may have serious financial implications, besides lowering self-esteem. Indirectly, water pollution affects humans through food chains and marine ecosystems. Excessive deposition of raw sewage and fertilizers leads to eutrophication, which degrades the aesthetic value of water, making it more turbid and unfit for any non-drinking use. Further, the growth of algae and waterweeds due to pollution of water sources with nutrient rich sediments disrupt navigation, leisure activities and fishing in polluted lake, rivers and seas (Harrop 65). Oil spillage in water bodies completely alters their functioning by changing the biological oxygen demand. This ultimately leads to death of fish and other aquatic life, which man depend on for food and biological control of pests. Pollution also makes it impossible to enjoy the warm sand beaches and great sporting grounds across lake and ocean shores. Further, the cost of rehabilitating degraded water bodies is enormous, consuming many financial resources that could be otherwise useful for other activities. Loss of ecosystem functions takes a long period to rectify, while denying human enjoyment of such services (Hill 121). Overall, the impacts of water and air pollution are far reaching, with serious implications on humans. Effects on health are the most serious of them all, as they come with serious financial and health costs to humans. Heavy investment in clearing hospital bills and cleaning the polluted waters drain many families and government agencies financially. In the less developed countries, pollution of air and water has much adverse impacts owing to the fact that their coping capacities are still low. It is therefore important that all actors including industrialist, individual families, farmers, regulatory agencies, municipal governments and the federal state must actively concert their efforts to maintaining clean and healthy environments (Hill 54). As with all unfriendly conditions, prevention is always better than cure. It is therefore necessary to ensure stringent measures in controlling pollution. Licensing of all production processes after a thorough inspection and correction of all processes to ensure that they do not pollute the environment is one of the ways to ensure sustainability of the environment. Concerted efforts to cut down on green house gases emission from industries and farmland, as well as proper disposal of gaseous, liquid and solid wastes will help make the environment a safer place to live in. Work cited Chiras, D. Daniel. Environmental Science. London: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2009. Print. Gillespie, Alexander. Climate change, ozone depletion and air pollution: legal commentaries within the context of science and policy. Boston: BRILL, 2005. Print. Harrop, Owen. Air quality assessment and management: a practical guide. Oxford: Taylor & Francis, 2002. Print. Hill, K. Marquita. Understanding Environmental Pollution. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Print. Reitze, W. Arnold. Air pollution control law: compliance and enforcement. New York: Environmental Law Institute, 2001. Print. Read More