Effects of Pollution - Assignment Example

Effects of Pollution By Pollution results after the contamination of natural surroundings by specific pollutants. This therefore, brings about changes in the surrounding environment, as it disturbs the balance in the environment. The effects of pollution are diverse, owing to the fact that there are different types of pollutants that are cause specific types of pollution. Nonetheless, the major types of pollution include water pollution, air pollution, and soil pollution, among others. These have a detrimental impact on human beings and all living organisms, as well as their surrounding environment. This essay discusses the effects of specific pollution with regard to human health, land, water, and land. Pollution is one of the aspects that have a detrimental effect on human health. This occurs in various ways. For instance, over the years, agriculture has experienced major technological developments in order to enhance food production. To a considerable extent this has also resulted in improvement in the standards of health and safety for those individuals working in agriculture. This is through their enhanced awareness of personal protection and awareness of hazards. However, there remains much to be done in order to improve the health status of individuals and prevent injuries that are related to agriculture. This is because agriculture continues to expose individuals to long term health risks. The modern farming practices contribute to respiratory illness and exposures. These expose individuals to several acute and chronic respiratory diseases. Mostly, people in agriculture are exposed to organic dusts, toxic gases, and biaerosols. Similarly, exposure to inorganic dusts from soil components that have silicates results in nodules and macules. Additionally, exposure to pesticides results in differernt adverse effects on humans. For instance, reproductive effects include miscarriages and preterm delivery, as well as infertility among women that are highly exposed. Furthermore, various studies show that the modern farming practices are a cause of hearing loss among the individuals exposed. Notably, the current farming practices include high levels of noise from vacuum pumps and tractors, among other machineries that exceed the standard noise levels by OSHA (Schenker, M. & Kirkhorn, 2011). Apart from modern farming practices, municipal service also does have a negative impact on human health. Municipal waste is the waste that is generated from homes, schools, small businesses, and shops. This waste is collected by local authorities, or companies working for local authorities. This waste also contains a wide variety of materials. Most local authorities dispose waste to landfill. Reuse and recycling and pre-treatment are other ways of dealing with wastes (Bridges, Bridges & Potter, 2000). Nonetheless, all the waste management options have potential adverse human health effects. There are concerns that people living close to waste sites might be exposed to a wide array of health risks. These are prone to birth defects and respiratory illnesses such as asthma, and cancers. In addition, different studies have shown that the incinerators, just like landfills, are a possible cause of cancer, birth defects, and respiratory diseases such as asthma (Bridges, Bridges & Potter, 2000). In addition, these are known to emit dioxin, which is harmful to human health. Furthermore, composting and recycling of materials has a potential for causing lung diseases such as bronchitis, and exposes people to odours and micro-organisms (Bridges, Bridges & Potter, 2000). Besides affecting human health, pollution also has significant effects on the environment. For instance, air pollution, which refers to the release of large amounts of toxic gases and solid particles by agricultural and industrial processes into the atmosphere, has a variety of diverse effects on the environment. First, air pollution is a major cause of acid rain. The burning of fossil fuels in most industrial processes, emissions from vehicles, and the extraction of metals from sulphide ores result in the release of Sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxides, among others into the atmosphere. These react with water vapour and Oxygen in the atmosphere to form various acids in the atmosphere. When the acids formed in the atmosphere dissolve with raindrops, these fall on earth as acid rain. Acid rain is known to lead to the death of fish and trees, and destruction of stone monuments through dissolution (Johnston, 1988). On the other hand, pollution is also the major contributor of the depletion of the ozone layer. Man-made chemicals such as Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) contain elements of Fluorine, Chlorine, and Carbon. These were mainly used in refrigerators, aerosols, and foam plastics, among others. When these chemicals are released into the atmosphere, they diffuse for a long time, and are able to reach the stratosphere, where there is the ozone layer. On reaching the stratosphere, these chemical substances might decompose to form chlorine atoms, which in turn react with ozone to form chlorine monoxide and oxygen (Wheeler, 2002). This process leads to the depletion of the ozone layer, as the chemical substances react with ozone in the ozone layer, hence depleting the layer. The depletion of ozone layer is known to cause cataracts and skin cancer in humans. Pollution is also a major cause of the greenhouse effect today. The main gas involved is Carbon dioxide, whose high concentration in the atmosphere is dangerous. High levels of carbon dioxide gas are produced from coal-fired generation of electricity, air transport, and all the activities that are based on the combustion of fossil fuels. It is estimated that a kilogram of fossil fuel produces three kilograms of carbon dioxide, and the more a country is developed, the more carbon dioxide it will emit in the atmosphere (Anonymous, 1999). Other greenhouse gases include methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and water. These gases absorb some of the infrared radiation from the sun, and re-emit these to the earth. Therefore, these contribute to making the earth warmer than it should be; hence the greenhouse effect is estimated to increase the earth’s temperature. Although the greenhouse effect is quite beneficial, concerns rise over the excess amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, especially carbon dioxide. Different evidence confirm that global temperatures continue to rise, and this has led to global warming and climate change, including melting of glaciers and ice caps, as well as rising of ocean levels (Anonymous, 1999). Failure to keep this situation under check will result in catastrophic consequences for the planet earth. Therefore, pollution has adverse effects, thus should be controlled. Pollution also affects water, including surface and subsurface water. Surface water is the rain water that collects in surface water bodies such as oceans, lakes, and streams, and the groundwater that discharges from the springs to the surface. Surface water contamination takes place when hazardous substances come into contact with the water. These hazardous substances might dissolve in the water or just mix physically with the water. Sediments including sands and soils at the bottom of the sea, stream or lake are also considered part of the surface water (Anthony & Phipps, 2002). Hence, when sediments are contaminated, this is also considered part of surface water contamination. Subsurface water on the other hand is the water that occurs below the surface of the earth. Like the surface water, this can also be contaminated in various ways. For instance, there can be leaching of heavy metals from soil and geologic formations into this water. Various studies have shown that the ground water in Bangladesh contains high levels of naturally occurring arsenic (Anthony & Phipps, 2002). Another way through which groundwater or subsurface water can get contaminated is when if rain water or surface water comes into contact with any contaminated soil while in the process of seeping into the ground to become underground water. This way, the surface water becomes polluted and carries this contamination to the ground water. Subsurface water can also get contaminated when hazardous substances in the form of liquids seep through the soil to the underground water (Anthony & Phipps, 2002). Nonetheless, just as contaminated surface water, contaminated subsurface water also poses various health risks to individuals, if consumed continuously in large amounts. On the other hand, different factors, including hazards, influence the productivity of land. Natural hazards are those aspects in physical environment that cause harm to human beings, and result from different forces that are extraneous to humans, thus cannot be controlled. These include storms, earthquakes, tsunamis, bush fires, volcanic eruptions, desertification, and floods, among others (Kumar et al 2005). Since these are harmful, natural disasters and process are known to make land less productive, as they cause damage or destruction of land. Lower land productivity means that the efficiency of the land in producing good produce is reduced. Different natural disasters have different effects on land and its productivity. For instance, floods reduce the suitability of land for agricultural production until the waste recedes (Johnson, 2007). On the other hand, hurricanes might wash out arable land, and can also increase the salinity of soil permanently through flash floods and storm surges. Droughts on the other hand derive the soil of its moisture, therefore, making it unsuitable for agricultural use. Furthermore, floods result in the loss of the top soil, loss of nutrients, as well as soil erosion (Johnson, 2007). This therefore, makes the land to be quite unsuitable for any productive use. Therefore, although natural disasters cannot be controlled, humans can mitigate their effects. Overall, pollution has been seen to have many effects that are adverse in nature. In addition, apart from affecting human health adversely, pollution also has a negative impact on the natural environment, including land and water, as well as climate. Given all the negative effects of pollution, it becomes important that necessary measures be taken to reduce the effects of pollution, and also prevent more pollution from occurring. This is mainly because pollution puts the life and survival of human beings at risk, and jeopardises the future of planet earth. References Anonymous (1999, 08). Global warming and the greenhouse effect. Bests Review, 100, 48. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/203460820?accountid=45049 Anthony, S. & Phipps, H. (2002). Groundwater Contaminants and Contaminant Sources. Retrieved from http://groundwater.ucdavis.edu/files/136257.pdf Bridges, O., Bridges, J. W., & Potter, J. F. (2000). A generic comparison of the airborne risks to human health from landfill and incinerator disposal of municipal solid waste. Environmentalist, 20(4), 325-334. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/221760077?accountid=45049 Johnson, D. (2007). Land Degradation: Creation and Destruction. New York: Rowman & Littlefield. Johnston, R. (1988, Jun 08). Acid rain clouds build. The Christian Science Monitor Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1034499840?accountid=45049 Kumar, S. et al (2005). Natural Disasters and Extreme Events in Agriculture: Impacts and Mitigation. New York: Springer Science & Business Media. Schenker, M. & Kirkhorn, S. (2011). Human Health Effects of Agriculture: Physical Diseases and Illnesses. Wheeler, J. (2002). Understanding ozone depletion. Supply House Times, 45(6), 149-150. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/220016665?accountid=45049 Read More