Any physical chemical or biological change in the natural composition of air is termed as air pollution.

Many deaths and respiratory diseases are occurred due to air pollution, though many techniques have been invented to control air pollution.

Sources of Air Pollution

Anthropogenic:

1. Motor vehicles.

2. Combustion.

3. Chemical processes (Paper mills, Cements etc.).

4. Petroleum industry.

5. Oil refiner aries.

6. Metallurgical process.

7. Agricultural activities.

8. Nuclear energy systems.

9. Waste deposition and landfills, generate methane.

Natural Sources

1. Methane emission by the digested food of animals.

2. Pine trees which emit Volatile Organic Carbons.

3. Dust from natural sources.

4. Smoke and CO2 from forest fires.

Air Pollutants are of 2 types

Primary Air Pollutant:

Those, which are directly, emitted from identifiable sources e.g. S02, Oxides of N, C02, Halogen compounds, Organic compounds and radioactive compound.

Secondary Air Pollutants:

These are produced in the air by two or more primary pollutants e.g. Ozone formaldehyde, PAN, Photochemical smog, Acid mist like H2S04.

Pollution from Ports Compared to Refineries, Power Plants, and Cars

Affects of Air Pollution

Environmental impact:

A. Smog formation (Smoke + fog)

N02 + HC Hv PAN + 03

Smog is produced when fuels are burnt. It refers to black smogy air which forbids breathing properly.

B. Acid rain:

Oxides of S and N gets oxidized in the atmosphere and after coming into contact with moisture gets converted into acid. They return to earth in the form of acid rain. It is harmful for metals, wildlife etc.

C. Global warming:

Due to industrial smoke the amount of C02, CH4, NOx, CFCs etc. rises and it results into the trapping of more and more heat around the globe which accelerates the pace of global warming.

D. O3 layer depletion:

Manmade activities have depleted the Ozone layer allowing more UV rays to pass through that affects our health and damages flora and fauna too.

Impact on Vegetation

It affects photosynthesis, causes:

(a) Chlorosis: It is redness in green pigment called chlorophyll.

(b) Necrosis: It is killing of tissues.

(c) C. Abscission: It is shedding of leaves from the plant.

(d) Epinasty: It is downward curvature of the leaf is termed as epinasty.

Health impact of air pollution:

Various diseases such as Hay fever, Asthma, allergic diseases, irritation of eyes, loss of co-ordination, damage to nervous system, and inflammation of skin are some of the diseases caused due to polluted air.

Control of Air pollution

1. Industries should be set up after proper environmental studies.

2. Industries should use low sulphur coal.

3. Removal of NO2 during the composition process.

4. Vehicles should use LPG and CNG in place of other fuel.

5. Use of biological filters (bio-scrubbers)

6.planting more trees

Pollutant A pollutant is a waste material that pollutes air, water or soil, and is the cause of pollution.

Three factors determine the severity of a pollutant: its chemical nature, its concentration and its persistence. Some pollutants are biodegradable and therefore will not persist in the environment in the long term. However the degradation products of some pollutants are themselves polluting such as the products DDE and DDD produced from degradation of DDT

Types of pollutants STOCK POLLUTANTS Pollutants that the environment has little or no absorptive capacity are called stock pollutants (e.g. persistent synthetic chemicals, non-biodegradable plastics, and heavy metals). Stock pollutants accumulate in the environment over time. The damage they cause increases as more pollutant is emitted, and persists as the pollutant accumulates. Stock pollutants can create a burden for future generations by passing on damage that persists well after the benefits received from incurring that damage have been forgotten.

FUND POLLUTANTS Fund pollutants are those for which the environment has some absorptive capacity. Fund pollutants do not cause damage to the environment unless the emission rate exceeds the receiving environment's absorptive capacity (e.g. carbon dioxide, which is absorbed by plants and oceans). Fund pollutants are not destroyed, but rather converted into less harmful substances, or diluted/dispersed to non-harmful concentrations.

NOTABLE POLLUTANTS Notable pollutants include the following groups:

Heavy metals

Persistent organic pollutants Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons Volatile organic compounds Environmental xenobiotics Zones of influence Pollutants can also be defined by their zones of influence, both horizontally and vertically.

HORIZONTAL ZONE The horizontal zone refers to the area that is damaged by a pollutant. Local pollutants cause damage near the emission source. Regional pollutants cause damage further from the emission source.

VERTICAL ZONE The vertical zone is referred to whether the damage is ground-level or atmospheric. Surface pollutants cause damage by concentrations of the pollutant accumulating near the Earth's surface Global pollutants cause damage by concentrations in the atmosphere

Regulation INTERNATIONAL Pollutants can cross international borders and therefore international regulations are needed for their control. The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, which entered into force in 2004, is an international legally binding agreement for the control of persistent organic pollutants. Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR) are systems to collect and disseminate information on environmental releases and transfers of toxic chemicals from industrial and other facilities.

EUROPEAN UNION The European Pollutant Emission Register is a type of PRTR providing access to information on the annual emissions of industrial facilities in the Member States of the European Union, as well as Norway.

UNITED STATES Clean Air Act standards. Under the Clean Air Act, the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are standards developed for outdoor air quality. The National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants are emission standards that are set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which are not covered by the NAAQS.

Clean Water Act standards. Under the Clean Water Act, EPA promulgated national standards for municipal sewage treatment plants, also called publicly owned treatment works, in the Secondary Treatment Regulation. National standards for industrial dischargers are calledEffluent guidelines(for existing sources) andNew Source Performance Standards, and currently cover over 50 industrial categories. In addition, the Act requires states to publish water quality standards for individual water bodies to provide additional protection where the national standards are insufficient.

RCRA standards. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulates the management, transport and disposal of municipal solid waste, hazardous waste and <lanting more trees. The major component of the biosphere is air with-out which no life can survive (except some lower forms of Bacteria).

There are mainly following types of pollutions:

1. Air Pollution

2. Water Pollution

3. Chemical Pollution

4. Land Ozone-sphere Pollution

5. Land and Soil Pollution

6. Food Contaminants

7. Noise Pollution

8. Modern Pollutions

1. Air Pollution:

The major component of the biosphere is air with-out which no life can survive (except some lower forms of Bacteria).

Without air of good quality there cannot be a healthy life. Yet clean air is a rare commodity today. Air pollution is as old as industrialisation.

Discharges from industrial premises to the atmosphere are often more or less continuous during working hours. Polluted air contains solid and liquid particles such as dust carbon, hydrocarbons etc.

It may also contain gases which are poisonous or abnoxious in nature-sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitro-gen, hydrocarbon vapours and other substances. The most harmful element is benzopyrene.

Sources of Air Pollution:

Firstly, air pollution may arise due to basic needs of individuals which includes domestic fire and domestic incineration which is required for cooking and heating.

It is a weak and inevitable source of air pollution. Secondly, air pollution is caused by vehicles such as road vehicles, air crafts, ships, railways and other combustion engines.

With constantly increase in transportation in towns and cities with hot climate; the problem of air pollution is assuming greater importance.

No doubt the number of motor vehicles in Indian cities is far less than in cities in the West, the pollution level to almost the same. This is mainly due to lack of mainte-nance of Indian cars and the absence of any effective deterrent to plying such cars on city roads.

Thirdly, industry is the principal source of air pollution and it covers all types of units which consume energy in any form.

It includes coal, oil, natural gas, electricity or nuclear fission. Dark smoke emitted by industries pollutes the air in large scale.

Thermal power plants pollute the air substantially. Thermal power plants in India are entirely coal fired and although the coal used in these plants is low in sulphur, it has a high ash constant-often up to 40 per cent.

So pollution from these plants comes mainly as fly ash although sulphur dioxide emission is also substantial.

2. Water Pollution:

Fresh water is necessary for life, but now it has become a scarce-commodity and it is getting scarcer everyday as communi-ties, industries and agriculturists discharge their filth, muck and harmful wastes into the nearest sink.

Sources of Water Pollution:

In India, there are many sources of water pollution. Firstly community wastes for human settlements give rise to water pollution.

Contrary to common belief, it has been estimated that the community wastes account for four times as much waste water as industrial effluents.

Most of these wastes are discharged into the water sources. Secondly industrial effluent directly entering into a stream or through a municipal sewer or through discharge on land meant for irrigation causes water pollution.

Thirdly anything stored on earth, such as, any raw material, solid refuse of a mine or quarry on any land may cause pollution by rain washing it into stream.

Fourthly the use of fertilizers also causes water pollution when unused nitrogenous fertilizer is drained out of soil into lakes and rivers. Fifthly, water pollution may also be caused by air pollutants.

Even groundwater is not free from pollution. It is being pollution due to pump trade or sewage effluent into underground strata.

But ground water may be polluted due to seepage or percolation from the surface. Human wastes may cause pollution by seepage from improperly constructed or improperly placed septic tanks, or leaking sewer lines.

Industrial wastes, including highly poisonous chemicals, may be introduced to the groundwater either by intention or accident.

3. Chemical Pollution:

When any material whether it is green, edible or dispersed, is left exposed on place, then due to reaction with light, it will start emitting gases which mix with air to pullute the air.

Similarly whether a particular material is organic or inorganic, after being chemically reacted, it gets mixed with the air and as a result it takes the shape of chemical pollution.

This pollution not only affects the living being like man and animals but also cause a great damage to the ecology itself.

4. Land Ozone Pollution:

Due to various chemicals and smokes etc. emitted in the process of industrialization, the land ozone pollution has occurred.

5. Land and Soil Pollution:

Land is the natural resource in which we get all our food. The upper surfaces of the land are full of fertility where various plants are grown.

The richness of the soil depends on various micro-organisms. Among these micro-organisms various fungus etc. are harmful for plants weeds are also harmful for crops. In order to destroy them various insecticides are used.

These insecticides cause a lot of soil pollution. Various dams and canals made for irrigation purposes cause lot soil erosion. This apart increasing population, animals and dusts also contribute to the pollu-tion of soil.

6. Food Contaminants:

Due to various chemicals, bacteria etc. there occurs food contamination which is caused by period of time, temperature, moisture, radioactive fallout, poisonous plants etc.

7. Noise Pollution:

Noise is an unwanted sound without agreeable musical quality. Noise as pollutant produces contaminated environment which becomes a nuisance affects the health of a person, his activities and mental abilities.

Sources of Noise Pollution:

Sources of noise pollution may broadly be classified as (a) Industrial and (b) Non-industrial.

The industrial pollution may include noises from various industries operating in cities, like transportation, vehicular movements such as car, motor, truck, train, tempo, motor cycle, aircraft, rockets, defence equipments, explosions etc.

Among the non-industrial sources, important ones are the street noise due to hawkers use of loudspeakers, thunder, demonstration etc.

However, the list is not exhaustive as the number is on the increase with the industrial and technological advancement.

8. Modern Pollutions:

It is an age of atoms. Various radioactive substances including computers, televisions and videos, tube lights and ionic effects are causing pollutions. Immense heat, noise etc. are caused by these.

The various types of pollutions that we have discussed so far have caused a threat to the existence of human race, plants and animals.

Air pollution

Garbage family

Landfill and methane

Noise pollution

Smoker's hand Ads by Google

Pollution is a major concern " This entire planet is our home. We are the only species that systematically destroy our own habitat."Marianne Williamson

Pollution prevention is an exceptionally major global concern because of the harmful effects of pollution on the persons health and on the environment. Environmental pollution comes in various forms, such as: air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, etc..

Everyone is a stakeholder as we are all inhabitants of this one and only mother earth. Each person has something to contribute to advance an effective pollution prevention awareness initiatives. Environmental protection is caring for ourselves, loving our children and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.

"If we heal the earth, we heal ourselves."

You and I should therefore accept personal responsibility for the success of the environmental protection programs of our respective community by cooperating and actively participating in making the atmosphere pollution free. Help stop pollution today. Although on an individual basis we can help combat pollution in our own immediate environment, efficient control can be best institutionalized through legislation. Thus, most countries have already addressed the issue by passing some form of pollution prevention measures.

Averting the onset of pollution in any area, i.e. be it on air, water or land, could be the start and the simplest preventive solution to the problem. This calls for a conscientious effort to adopt good practices or habits by the people, the passage and the proper implementation of appropriate government laws and the strict compliance especially by potential industrial pollutants.

If there are no pollutants, there will be no pollution. And yet, this is easier said than done. Certain bad habits are entrenched and industrial development somehow carries with it the concomitant burden of pollution. The cost to business and its commercial ramifications make this rather simple preventive approach quite complicated and more difficult to implement.

Street trash

Drinking polluted water

Stop global warming

Clean earth

Happy family

Happy family, too!

cardinal feasting on a mulberry Source: Paloma De Los Santos onto God's marvelous creations! How can we help? The good news is that there is hope. This seemingly difficult situation does not deter environmental protection advocates to pursue their dream for a more pollution-free earth. Kudos to Greenpeace and all similar organizations all over the world as they bear for us the campaign torch on environmental issues.

Everyone can help by self education and by adopting good and healthy practices. It is also important that we help raise awareness about the significance of environmental issues, their dire consequences and what can be done.

One person alone cannot save the planets biodiversity, but each individuals effort to encourage natures wealth must not be underestimated.- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Every action or inaction of any person in regard to her or his surroundings has an effect- be it good, neutral or bad- on the environment. Nature already provides for our needs.Whatever we do to it gets back to us. If we are friends of the earth, it will also be friendly to us. By becoming aware and doing the right action, we choose to be part of the solution. What comes to mind now to serve as reminders include the following:

Stop smoking or at least follow the No Smoking sign. Use unleaded gasoline in your cars. Keep your car properly maintained to keep it in good running condition to avoid smoke emissions. Share a ride or engage in car pooling. Instead of using your cars, choose to walk or ride a bicycle whenever possible. With this eco-friendly practice, you will also be healthier and happier by staying fit. Never use open fires to dispose of wastes.

Adopt the 3Rs of solid waste management: reduce, reuse and recycle. Inorganic materials such as metals, glass and plastic; also organic materials like paper, can be reclaimed and recycled. This takes into account that the proven solution to the problem of proper waste management (especially in third world countries) is proper disposal (in waste bins for collection and not in the street where it could fall into drains), waste segregation and collection, and recycling. Start composting brown leaves in your yard and green scraps from your kitchen. It will reduce waste while improving your yard and garden soils. Reconnect with nature. Live green by using green power supplied abundantly and freely by wind and the sun. Hang your laundry to dry to minimize use of gas or electricity from your dryers. Enjoy fresh air from open windows to lessen the use of air conditioning system. Patronize local foods and goods. In this manner, transporting goods and foods prepared with GMOs which uses fuel from conventional energy sources will be minimized. Use eco-friendly or biodegradable materials instead of plastic which are made up of highly toxic substances injurious to your health. Create your green space. Value your garden. Plant more trees and put indoor plants in your homes.They clean the air, provide oxygen and beautify your surrounding. Thus, care for them and by protecting them, especially the big trees around and in the forest, you protect yourself and your family, too. Have a proper waste disposal system especially for toxic wastes Take very good care of your pets and their wastes. Never throw, run or drain or dispose into the water, air, or land any substance in solid, liquid or gaseous form that shall cause pollution. Do not cause loud noises and unwanted sounds to avoid noise pollution. Do not litter in public places. Anti-litter campaigns can educate the populace. Industries should use fuel with lower sulphur content. Industries should monitor their air emissions regularly and take measures to ensure compliance with the prescribed emission standards. Industries should strictly follow applicable government regulations on pollution control. Organic waste should be dumped in places far from residential areas. Say a big "NO" to GMOs or genetically modified organisms. Genetically engineered crops are not only bad for the environment since they require massive amount of fungicides, pesticides, and herbicides; but GMO altered foods are also health risks and negatively impact farmers' livelihood.

Help stop pollution. Join the Earth Day celebration every April 22nd and consider making it an everyday practice for the rest of your earthly life.

Consider these . . . Breathing is life. We know that we will survive without food for several weeks and without water for few days, but without oxygen, we will die in a matter of minutes. The oxygen, the air we breathe sustains us. So, let us make today and everyday a good day for everyone. Allow the earth to have more clean air. Help control pollution.

"You're not going to make me have a bad day. If there's oxygen on earth and I'm breathing, it's going to be a good day." ~Cotton Fitzsimmons

"Negative thinking destroys your brain cells and causes global warming." Source: The Scientific Institute of GetOverIt!

We have a moral and spiritual bond to the planet that God made the source of all living things that our own survival depends upon. Many urban dwellers have lost their spiritual bond to the earth when they lose a connection to the natural environment. They can lose their inner peace too. Fr. Shay Cullen

Final thoughts

Let me leave you with the following excerpts from Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now".

". . . The pollution of the planet is only an outside reflection of an inner psychic pollution: millions of unconscious individuals not taking responsibility for their inner space."

"Are you polluting the world or cleaning up the mess? You are responsible for your inner space; nobody else is, just as you are responsible for the planet. As within, so without. If humans clear inner pollution, then they will also cease to create outer pollution."