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PHIL(CHEMISTRY),
PH.D(SCHOLAR), CSS(2010), 0322-4976417, WORLD TIMES INSTITUTE, LAHORE
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CSS NOTES
CHAPTER .NO.4
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
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PH.D(SCHOLAR), CSS(2010), 0322-4976417, WORLD TIMES INSTITUTE, LAHORE
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION may be defined as the "unfavourable alteration of our
surroundings". It changes the quality of our air, water and land which interferes with the health
of human beings and other life on earth.
Pollution is of different kinds depending on the nature of pollutant generated from different
sources.
Ex: Industry, Automobiles, Thermal power plants, farming and nuclear reactors generate
different types of pollutants causing pollution to air, water bodies and land.
Types of pollutants
1. Air pollution
2. Water pollution
3. Industrial pollution
4. Soil pollution
5. Radioactive pollution
6. Noise pollution
7. Thermal pollution
AIR POLLUTION
“The contamination of air with dust, smoke, harmful gases and other harmful substances which
lead adverse effects on life and quality of life is called air pollution.”
The air pollutants are of two types, that is, primary and secondary pollutants.
Those pollutants which are directly added into environment are called primary pollutants.
The primary pollutants are converted into secondary pollutants by reactions in the atmosphere.
EXAMPLES: sulphuric acid, nitrogen monoxide, carbonic acid, hydrofluoric acid, peroxyacetyl-
nitrate (PAN), ozone, aldehydes, ketones and peroxybenzol.
The atmosphere has several built-in self cleaning processes such as dispersion,
gravitational settling, flocculation, absorption, rain-washout, etc to cleanse the
atmosphere. However, control of contaminants at their source level is a desirable and
effective method through preventive or control technologies.
Emission rates should be restricted to permissible levels by each and every industry
Incorporation of air pollution control equipment in design of plant layout must be made
mandatory
Continuous monitoring of the atmosphere for pollutants should be carried out to know
the emission levels.
To use mechanical devices such as scrubbers, cyclones, bag houses and electro-static
precipitators in manufacturing processes. These equipments are used to remove
particulates from the exhaust gases of electric power and industrial plants. Wet scrubber
can additionally reduce sulphur dioxide emissions.
WATER POLLUTION
Water pollution may be defined as “the alteration in physical, chemical and biological characteristics
of water which may cause harmful effects on humans and aquatic life.”
Water pollution is any chemical, biological or physical change in water quality that has a harmful
effect on living organisms or makes water unsuitable for desired uses.
The following is the brief description about sources and effects of some water pollutants:
1. Infectious agents
Ex: Bacteria, Viruses, Protozoa, and parasitic worms.
Human sources
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2.Oxygen demanding wastes : This degradation consumes dissolved oxygen in water. Dissolved
Oxygen (DO) is the amount of oxygen dissolved in a given quantity of water at a particular pressure
and temperature.
The saturated point of DO varies from 8 to 15 mg/L Ex: Organic wastes such as animal manure and
plant debris that can be decomposed by aerobic (oxygen-requiring) bacteria.
Human sources: Sewage, Animal feedlots, paper mills and food processing facilities.
Effects: Large populations of bacteria decomposing these wastes can degrade water quality by
depleting water of dissolved oxygen. This causes fish and other forms of oxygen-consuming aquatic
life to die.
3. Inorganic chemicals
Ex: Water soluble inorganic chemicals:
1. Acids
2. Compounds of toxic metals such as lead (Pb), arsenic (As) and selenium (Se)
3. Salts such as NaCl in oceans and fluoride (F -) found in some soils
4. Organic chemicals
Ex: Oil, Gasoline, Plastics, Pesticides, Cleaning solvents and Detergents.
Human Sources: Industrial effluents, household cleansers and surface runoff from farms.
Effects:
1. Can threaten human health by causing nervous system damage and some cancers.
2. Harm fish and wildlife.
5. Plant nutrients
Ex: Water soluble compounds containing nitrate, Phosphate and Ammonium ions.
Human sources: Sewage, manure and runoff of agricultural and urban fertilizers.
Effects:
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1. Can cause excessive growth of algae and other aquatic plants, which die, decay, deplete
dissolved oxygen in water thereby killing fish
2. Drinking water with excessive levels of nitrates lower the oxygen carrying capacity of the
blood and can kill urban children and infants.
6.Sediment
Ex: Soil, silt, etc.
Human Sources: Land erosion
Effects:
1. Causes cloudy water thereby reducing photosynthetic activity
2. Disruption of aquatic food chain
3. Carries pesticides, bacteria and other harmful substances
4. Settles and destroys feeding and spawning grounds of fish
5. Clogs and fills lakes, artificial reservoirs, stream channels and harbours.
7. Radioactive materials:
Ex: Radioactive isotopes of:
1. Iodine
2. Radon
3. Uranium
4. Cesium and
5. Thorium
Human sources: Nuclear power plants, mining and processing of uranium and other ores, nuclear
weapon production and natural sources.
8. Heat (Thermal pollution)
Ex: Excessive heat
Human sources: Water cooling of electric power plants and some types of industrial plants. Almost
half of whole water withdrawn in United States each year is for cooling electric power plants.
Effects
1. Low dissolved oxygen levels thereby making aquatic organisms more vulnerable to disease,
parasites and toxic chemicals.
2. When a power plant starts or shuts down for repair, fish and other organisms adapted to a
particular temperature range, can be killed by an abrupt temperature changeknown as thermal shock.
2. Non point sources These pollutants cannot be traced to a single point of discharge. They are
large land areas or air-sheds that pollute water by runoff, subsurface flow or deposition from the
atmosphere.
Ex: Acid deposition, runoff of chemicals into surface water from croplands, livestock
feedlots, logged forests, urban streets, lawns, golf courses and parking lots.
4. Plants, trees and forests control pollution as they act as natural air conditioners.
5. Trees are capable of reducing sulphur dioxide and nitric oxide pollutants and hence more
trees should be planted.
6. No type of waste (treated, partially treated or untreated) should be discharged into any natural
water body. Industries should develop closed loop water supply schemes and domestic sewage must
be used for irrigation.
7. Qualified and experienced people must be consulted from time to time for effective control of
water pollution.
8. Public awareness must be initiated regarding adverse effects of water pollution using the
media.
9. Laws, standards and practices should be established to prevent water pollution and these laws
should be modified from time to time based on current requirements and technological
advancements.
10. Basic and applied research in public health engineering should be encouraged.
NOISE POLLUTION
Noise is defined as, "the unwanted, unpleasant or disagreeable sound that causes discomfort to all
living beings". Sound intensity is measured in decibels (dB), that is the tenth part of the longest unit
Bel. One dB is the faintest sound that a human ear can hear.
Types of Noise
Environmental noise has been doubling every ten years. Noise is classified as:
1. Industrial Noise
2. Transport Noise and
3. Neighbourhood noise
1. Industrial Noise: It is sound with a high intensity sound caused by industry
machines. Sources of such noise pollution is caused by machines from machines in
various factories, industries and mills. Noise from mechanical saws and pneumatic
drills is unbearable and a nuisance to the public.
The Indian Institute of Oto-Rino Laryngology, Chennai reported that increasing
industrial pollution damages the hearing ability by at least 20%.
Workers in steel industry, who work close to heavy industrial blowers, are exposed to
112dB for eight hours suffer from occupational pollution.
2. Transport Noise: Transport noise mainly consists of traffic noise from road, rail
and aircraft. The number of automobiles on roads like motors, scooters, cars, motor
cycles, buses, trucks and diesel engine vehicles have increased enormously in the
recent past further aggravating the problem of transport noise.
Noise levels in most residential areas in metropolitan cities is hovering around the
border line due to increased vehicular noise pollution. This high level of noise
pollution leads to deafening in the elderly.
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SOIL POLLUTION
WHAT IS SOIL?
The top layer of the earth's surface in which plants can grow, consisting of rock and mineral particles
mixed with decayed organic- matter and having the capability of retaining water.
OR
Life-supporting upper surface of earth that is the basis of all agricultural activities. It contains minerals
and gravel from the chemical and physical weathering of rocks, decaying organic matter (humus),
microorganism, insects, nutrients, water, and air.
Formation Of Soil
The formation of soil is due to the process of weathering of rocks. The modification of the earth crust as a
result of its interaction with atmosphere and hydrosphere is called weathering. The final products of
weathering are sand, silt, gravel and clay. There are three different types of weathering:
Physical weathering
Chemical weathering
Biological weathering
Nature and Composition of Soil
The basic components of soil are minerals, organic matter, water and air. The typical soil consists of
approximately 45% mineral, 5% organic matter, 20-30% water, and 20-30% air.
Soil Profile
Soil profile is the vertical cross section of the layers of soil present in a particular area.
(bedrock) layer that is beneath all the
other layers
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Types of Pesticides
Algicides or algaecides (for the control of algae)
Avicides (for the control of birds)
Bactericides (for the control of bacteria)
Fungicides (for the control of fungi and oomycetes)
Herbicides(e.g. glyphosate) for the control of weeds
Insecticides(e.g. organochlorines, organophosphates, carbonates, and pyrethroids) for the control
of insects - these can be ovicides (substances that kill eggs), larvicides (substances that kill
larvae) or adulticides (substances that kill adults)
Miticides or acaricides for the control of mites
Molluscicides for the control of slugs and snails
Nematicides for the control of nematodes
Rodenticides for the control of rodents
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CARBARYL
MELATHION
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PARATHION
Inorganic compounds (NiCl2, As2O3,PbO2 , e.t.c)
Unfortunately more than 90% of the pesticides don’t hit their target material rather they are contaminated
in soil and cause soil pollution. Through soil they affect human life as well as quality of life adversely.
Some of the harmful effects of pesticides are as follows:
Some arsenic pesticides can make the soil infertile permanently.
Insecticides like DDT, Dieldrin, BHC,Hepachlor may seep through the soil and can contaminate
ground water. So the drinking water supply can become poisonous.
Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) having half life near to 25 years in soil. They are the most
dangerous soil pollutants and cause eye damage, skin problem, nervous disorder, liver damage
and stomach cancer.
DDT can enter the food chain and accumulate in human fats and may lead to impotency.
Persistent pesticides can damage human tissues and interfere with the normal metabolic activities
by disturbing enzymatic function.
Chlorinated pesticides can damage soil texture and ecosystem function.
Herbicides such as dioxins can cause congenital birth defects in offsprings.
Hunting birds feeding on grains contaminated with DDT are threatened of extinction.
Organophosphate pesticides can be a reason of muscular disabilities, tremors and dizziness.
Farmers and farm workers are under great threat of pesticide poisoning due to constant exposure.
Accidental spillage and leakage in pesticide manufacturing industries cause disastrous effects on
people residing in nearby area due to air, water and soil pollution.
Contaminated soils are the potential carriers of pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms which
are dangerous for human life.
Volatile pesticides may cause air pollution in surrounding areas.
According to WHO report about 3 million people get pesticides poisoning every year and 18000 die due
to it.
3. Industrial Waste & Urban Waste
Disposal of Industrial wastes is the major problem for soil pollution.
Industrial pollutants are mainly discharged from various origins such as pulp and paper
mills, chemical fertilizers, oil refineries, sugar factories, tanneries, textiles, steel, distilleries,
fertilizers, pesticides, coal and mineral mining industries, drugs, glass, cement, petroleum and
engineering industries etc.
These pollutants affect and alter the chemical and biological properties of soil. As a result,
hazardous chemicals can enter into human food chain from the soil or water, disturb the
biochemical process and finally lead to serious effects on living organisms.
Urban wastes comprise of both commercial and domestic wastes consisting of dried sludge
and sewage. All the urban solid wastes are commonly referred to as refuse.
This refuse consists of garbage and rubbish materials like plastics, glasses, metallic cans,
fibres, paper, rubbers, street sweepings, fuel residues, leaves, containers, abandoned vehicles
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and other discarded manufactured products. Urban domestic wastes though disposed off
separately from industrial wastes, can still be dangerous. This happens because they are not
easily degraded.
4. Radioactive pollutants
Radioactive substances resulting from explosions of nuclear testing laboratories and industries
giving rise to nuclear dust radioactive wastes, penetrate the soil and accumulate giving rise to
land/soil pollution.
Radio nuclides of Radium, Thorium, Uranium, isotopes of Potassium (K-40) and Carbon
(C-14) are commonly found in soil, rock, water and air.
Explosion of hydrogen weapons and cosmic radiations include neutron, proton reactions
by which Nitrogen (N-15) produces C-14. This C-14 participates in Carbon metabolism
of plants which is then into animals and human beings.
Radioactive waste contains several radio nuclides such as Strontium90, Iodine-129,
Cesium-137 and isotopes of Iron which are most injurious. Strontium get deposited in
bones and tissues instead of calcium.
Nuclear reactors produce waste containing Ruthenium-106, Iodine-131, Barium-140,
Cesium-144 and Lanthanum-140 along with primary nuclides Sr-90 with a half life 28
years and Cs-137 with a half life 30 years. Rain water carries Sr-90 and Cs-137 to be
deposited on the soil where they are held firmly with the soil particles by electrostatic
forces. All the radio nuclides deposited on the soil emit gamma radiations.
5. Mining Activities
The major impact of mining on the environment is mainly due to the physical damage of the
landscape and the production of large volume of harmful wastes.
In general, only a small fraction of the ore is valuable, the remaining large part is waste
(tailings).
For example, in the Cu mining industry, only about a kilogram of the metal is extracted from
one-half ton rock.
The figure below summarizes the environmental impact of mining and smelting. It shows that
mining and smelting produce solid, liquid and gaseous wastes/contaminants.
These cause serious environmental damage once they are discharged to the land (terrestrial
ecosystem) and bodies of water (aquatic ecosystems) or when they are emitted into ambient
air.
In particular, they cause soil and water acidification, air, water, soil and plant contamination
by trace elements, deterioration of soil biology and fertility, and soil erosion.
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Studies have shown that trace metals remain in the soil for a long time ranging from hundreds to
thousands of years.
Cd, Ni, and Zn have a relatively shorter residence time in the soil than Pb and Cr which may
remain for several thousand years.
This simply means that it is not easy and cheap to rehabilitate an abandoned mining site. In fact,
the physical destruction of the landscape can be irreparable.
And more importantly, the health risk of the contaminants that have already entered the food
chain can remain for a long time.
Ex: Organic wastes in animal dung may be used to prepare compost manure instead of throwing them
wastefully and polluting the soil.
Proper hygienic condition: People should be trained regarding sanitary habits.
Ex: Lavatories should be equipped with quick and effective disposal methods.
Public awareness: Informal and formal public awareness programs should be imparted to educate people
on health hazards by environmental education.
Ex: Mass media, Educational institutions and voluntary agencies can achieve this.
Recycling and Reuse of wastes: To minimize soil pollution, the wastes such as paper, plastics, metals,
glasses, organics, petroleum products and industrial effluents etc should be recycled and reused.
Ex: Industrial wastes should be properly treated at source. Integrated waste treatment methods should be
adopted.
Ban on Toxic chemicals: Ban should be imposed on chemicals and pesticides like DDT, BHC, etc which
are fatal to plants and animals. Nuclear explosions and improper disposal of radioactive wastes should be
banned.S
SOLID WASTE
what are wastes?
Waste (also known as rubbish, trash, refuse, garbage, junk, & litter) is unwanted or useless materials.
In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living
organisms, metabolic waste; such as urea and sweat.
The Basel Convention on the Control of Trans boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their
Disposal, usually known simply as Basel Convention, is an international treaty that was designed to
reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations, specially to prevent transfer of
hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries (LDCs). It does not, however, address the
movement of radioactive waste. The convention is also intended to minimize the amount and toxicity of
wastes generated, to ensure their environmentally sound management closely as possible to the source
of generation, and to assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other
wastes they generate. The Convention was opened for signature on 22nd March 1989 and entered into
force on 5 May 1992.
Non-Hazardous waste
The waste which is safe to use agriculturally, economically, commercially and domestically and
is not corrosive, ignitable, reactive, toxic and radioactive is called hazardous waste. Examples
are food waste, plastics, vegetables, organic waste e.t.c.
WATERLOGGING
“The water logging may be defined as rendering the soil unproductive and infertile due to
excessive moisture and creation of anaerobic conditions”.
moisture content creates anaerobic condition in the soil. The plant roots do not get the required
nourishing food or nutrients. As a result crop growth is badly affected.
Detection of Water-logging
From the subject matter discussed above it is clear that the water logging is indicated
when the ground water reservoir goes on building up continuously.
When the storage starts building up in the initial stages the crop growth is actually
increased because more water is made available for the crop growth.
But after some time the waters table rises very high and the land gets waterlogged.
Finally the land is rendered unproductive and infertile.
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The problem of water logging develops in its full form slowly. Therefore its early
detection is possible by keeping a close watch over the yields and also on the variations
in the groundwater level.
A comparative reduction in crop yields in spite of irrigation and fertilization and early
maturity of crops indicate the symptoms of water logging.
Also when harmful salts start appearing on the fields as white incrustation or deposit it
indicates that water logging is likely to follow.
In worst cases the water-table rises so high and close to the ground surface that the fields turn
into swamps and marshes.
Solutions to the Water-Logging
The problem of water logging may be attacked on two fronts. First are preventive
measures, which keep the land free from water logging. Secondly curative measures may
be adopted to reclaim the waterlogged area. But in principle both measures aim at
reducing the inflow and augmenting the outflow from the underground reservoir.
Preventive Measures:
Preventive measures include the following:
(a) Controlling the loss of water due to seepage from the canals:
The seepage loss may be reduced by adopting various measures for example
Curative Measures:
Curative measures include the following:
(a) Installation of lift irrigation systems:
When a lift irrigation project in the form of a tube well irrigation system is introduced in the
waterlogged area the water table gets lowered sufficiently. It is found to be very successful
method of reclaiming waterlogged land. Thus a combination of a canal system and a
supplementary tube well irrigation system may be considered to be most successful and efficient
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irrigation scheme .Of course it is true that it will create some complications while assessing the
charges for irrigation water.
(b) Implementation of drainage schemes:
The waterlogged area may be reclaimed by introducing overland and underground drainage
schemes.
SALINITY
Salinity refers to the presence of soluble salts in the soil and water, including surface water and
groundwater. The salt can be in many forms including sodium chloride, calcium, magnesium,
carbonate, bicarbonate and sulphate.
Some soils and landscapes are saline in their natural state, for example inland salt lakes
and soils formed from saline parent materials. This is called natural or primary salinity.
Secondary salinity is due to human activities such as land clearing and over-irrigation.
These activities result in groundwater rising to the surface, dissolving the salts and then
depositing them in the soil.
Groundwater is a layer of soil that is saturated with water that has slowly trickled down
through the soil until it cannot go any further because it is stopped by a layer of
impermeable soil or rock (bedrock).
The presence of soluble salts in the soil, groundwater and surface water bodies is a major
land degradation problem worldwide.
Salinity exerts many economic and environmental costs. These include a reduction in
agricultural productivity, a decline in the quality of water supplies for drinking, irrigation
and industrial use, damage to urban infrastructure and the loss of biodiversity in both
terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Like many land degradation processes, including wind and water erosion, salinity is a
natural process.
However land use practices, such as clearing and irrigation, have significantly increased
the extent of the problem.
The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that, worldwide, 10 million
hectares of arable land is lost to irrigation salinity every year.
Where does the salt come from?
Salt can be found in many old, highly weathered landscapes and originates from:
weathering of rock minerals
deposition of oceanic salt onto the landscape by wind or rain
Soils formed from marine sediments left behind by retreating seas.
In undisturbed landscapes, most of the salt is slowly leached into the subsoil, beyond the
reach of plant roots
There are two main forms of salinity: dry land salinity and irrigation salinity.
Evaporation and plant uptake of the water concentrates the salt in the topsoil - where it
stays.
The main cause of rising groundwater is the clearing of deep-rooted, perennial native
vegetation and its replacement with shallow-rooted, annual crop and pasture species.
These introduced species use less water than the native vegetation, resulting in increased
groundwater recharge and water table rise.
Land clearing is the past and present cause of dry land salinity. It takes approximately 30
years from the time of clearing for dry land salinity problems to appear, although in some
areas they may appear sooner.
Why is dry land salinity such a problem?
1. The most obvious effect of salinity is the decline in agricultural productivity that is
associated with saline soils. High concentrations of salt in the soil are toxic to plants,
restrict plant uptake of water and prevent plants from taking up essential nutrients such as
calcium.
2. Stalinization of groundwater aquifers and dams that supply water for human
consumption, agricultural or industrial use
3. damage to infrastructure on farms and in regional towns including roads, buildings,
fences, railways, water pipes, water supply systems, houses, gas pipes, and gas supply
systems
4. loss of biodiversity as a result of degradation of remnant bushland, riparian vegetation,
and wetlands
5. Other land degradation problems such as wind and water erosion.
6. In addition to these economic and environmental costs, salinity also exacts a social cost.
This cost includes the emotional and health-related costs of the family farm going
bankrupt and the impact of facing the possibility the farm may not be passed onto the
next generation.
DEFORESTATION
Deforestation is the conversion of forest to an alternative permanent non-forested land
use such as agriculture, grazing or urban development.
• It is not a recent phenomenon; it is as old as the human occupation of the earth,
and one of the key processes in the history of our transformation of its surface.”
• It is a common misconception that deforestation is a recent occurrence, gaining
momentum in the tropical regions of the world since about 1950.
• But its history is long, and stretches far back into the corridors of time when
humans first occupied the earth and began to use fire deliberately, probably
some half-a-million years ago.
• Possibly as much as nine-tenths of all deforestation occurred before 1950.
Causes of deforestation
• Conversion Of Forests for other land uses, including agriculture, plantations,
pastures, settlements, roads and infrastructure.
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• Forest Fires: Each year, fires burn millions of hectares of forest worldwide. Fires
are a part of nature but degraded forests are particularly vulnerable.
• Illegal And Unsustainable Logging: Illegal logging occurs in all types of forests
across all continents – from Brazil to Indonesia – destroying nature and wildlife,
taking away community livelihoods and distorting trade. Illegally harvested wood
finds its way into major consumption markets, such as the U.S., and European
Union, which further fuels the cycle.
• Fuelwood Harvesting: Over-harvesting for domestic use or for commercial trade
in charcoal significantly damages forests.
• Mining: The impact of mining on tropical forests is growing due to rising
demand and high mineral prices. Mining projects are often accompanied by
major infrastructure construction, such as roads, railway lines and power stations,
putting further pressure on forests and freshwater ecosystems.
• Climate Change: Forest loss is both a cause and an effect of our changing
climate. Climate change can damage forests, for instance by drying out tropical
rainforests and increasing fire damage in boreal forests. Inside forests, climate
change is already harming biodiversity, a threat that is likely to increase.
Some estimates suggest that global forest area has decreased by around 1.8 billion
hectares in the past 5,000 years (a decline equivalent to nearly 50 percent of the total
forest area today). In 1990 the world had 4,128m hectares of forest covering 31.6% of
the global land area, the forest report said. By 2015 this had decreased to 3,999m
hectares, covering 30.6% – a net loss of some 129m hectares.
(FAO)
Some 46-58 thousand square miles of forest are lost each year—equivalent to 48
football fields every minute.
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Impacts of Deforestation
• Almost 80% of Earth’s land animals and plants live in forests, and many cannot
survive the deforestation that destroys their homes.
• Forest soils are moist, but without protection from sun-blocking tree cover, they
quickly dry out. Trees also help continue the water cycle by returning water vapor
to the atmosphere. Without trees forest lands can quickly become barren deserts.
This disruption leads to more extreme temperature swings. Trees also play a
critical role in absorbing the greenhouse gases that fuel global warming.
• Threat to Global Food Security
Deforestation in Pakistan
• Collection of traditional wood for cooking and heating is common in Pakistan,
and Pakistan's 'timber mafia, leads to forest degradation
• The natural forest cover which lies in the country’s north part has decreased
mostly because people living there have no other way to meet their energy
needs. The areas declared to be forests before partition have now been
eliminated.
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• The total forest cover in the Pakistan is disputed but a report by the Food and
Agricultural Organization (FAO) mark it even lower than 2.2 percent of total land.
Another report of The World Bank indicates that the situation is even worse and
that the forest cover is near 1.91 percent. Pakistan loses 42,000 hectares or 2.1
percent of its forests every year.
2.6
2.4
2.2
2
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
Year
Forest Area
DESERTIFICATION
The process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought,
deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture. Nearly one fifth of the world's land is
threatened with desertification"
When the sunlight containing visible, infrared and ultraviolet radiations fall on the
ozone layer. The ultraviolet radiations are absorbed by the ozone layer while, the
infrared radiations of shorter wavelength and visible radiations pass from the
ozone layer as well as layer of CO 2. These radiations reach the earth and warm its
objects.
When the earth and its objects are heated they start emitting the infrared
radiations of longer wavelength (while, the radiations which come from the
sunlight are of shorter wavelength infrared radiations).
These radiations of longer wavelength are trapped by the layer of CO 2 and this
layer of CO2 does not allow these radiations to go out from the atmosphere. Thus
therefore, these radiations increase the temperature of the atmosphere.
So, the greenhouse effect can be defined as:
“The heating of the earth due to trapping of the infrared radiations of longer
wavelength by the CO2 layer present in the atmosphere is called as greenhouse effect”.
Currently CO2 alone is responsible for 53% of the global warming phenomenon. About
80% of the carbon dioxide is generated from the burning of fossil fuel (Petrol, oil and
coal gas). The estimated emission of CO2 in the different regions of the world is as
follows:
US contribute 15% of the total release of carbon dioxide in the air. Russia contributes
5%. EU contribute 9% of the total out of this 3% is contributed by UK alone. China alone
contributes 30%. India is contributing 7%towards the total emission. While the
contribution of Japan is about 4%. Thus global warming is also a threat to the world and
is caused by increase in the amount of greenhouse gases.
PROF. NAVEED ASLAM DOGAR : M.SC (CHEMISTRY), M.PHIL (ENV.SCIENCES), M.PHIL(CHEMISTRY),
PH.D(SCHOLAR), CSS(2010), 0322-4976417, WORLD TIMES INSTITUTE, LAHORE
vii. More extreme weather and an increased frequency of severe and catastrophic
storms.
viii. Increased disease in humans and animals.
ix. Increased deaths from heat waves.
x. Extinction of additional species of animals and plants.
xi. Loss of animal and plant habitats.
xii. Increased emigration of those from poorer or low-lying countries to wealthier or
higher countries seeking better conditions.
xiii. Additional use of energy resources for cooling needs.
xiv. Increased air pollution.
xv. Increased allergy and asthma rates due to earlier blooming of plants.
xvi. Melt of permafrost leads to destruction of structures, landslides, and avalanches.
PROF. NAVEED ASLAM DOGAR : M.SC (CHEMISTRY), M.PHIL (ENV.SCIENCES), M.PHIL(CHEMISTRY),
PH.D(SCHOLAR), CSS(2010), 0322-4976417, WORLD TIMES INSTITUTE, LAHORE
OZONE DEPLETION
As a matter of fact, ozone absorbs harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. Ultraviolet rays can
cause cancer in the human beings and also are detrimental to the organic matter
necessary for life. Therefore ozone in stratosphere is blessing for life on earth.
In 1980, the scientists observed that there is a hole in the ozone layer of the
atmosphere. That hole was observed near Antarctica. The presence of the hole in the
ozone layer indicates that the concentration of ozone in the atmosphere is
decreasing day by day.
ACID RAIN
Acid rain, or acid deposition, is a broad term that includes any form of precipitation with
acidic components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid that fall to the ground from the
atmosphere in wet or dry forms. This can include rain, snow, fog, hail or even dust that
is acidic.
Acid rain results when sulfur dioxide (SO 2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) are emitted into the
atmosphere and transported by wind and air currents.
The SO2 and NOX react with water, oxygen and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric
acids.
These then mix with water and other materials before falling to the ground.
While a small portion of the SO 2 and NOX that cause acid rain is from natural sources
such as volcanoes, most of it comes from the burning of fossil fuels.
The above reaction explains the formation of sulphuric acid in air due to SO 2
The above reactions indicate the formation of Nitric Acid in Air due to oxides of
Nitrogen.
Burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity. Two thirds of SO2 and one fourth of
NOX in the atmosphere come from electric power generators.
Vehicles and heavy equipment.
Manufacturing, oil refineries and other industries.
Winds can blow SO2 and NOX over long distances and across borders making acid rain a
problem for everyone and not just those who live close to these sources.
4. Wet Deposition
Wet deposition is what we most commonly think of as acid rain. The sulfuric and nitric
acids formed in the atmosphere fall to the ground mixed with rain, snow, fog, or hail.
5. Dry Deposition
Acidic particles and gases can also deposit from the atmosphere in the absence of
moisture as dry deposition. The acidic particles and gases may deposit to surfaces
(water bodies, vegetation, buildings) quickly or may react during atmospheric transport
to form larger particles that can be harmful to human health. When the accumulated
acids are washed off a surface by the next rain, this acidic water flows over and through
the ground, and can harm plants and wildlife, such as insects and fish.
PROF. NAVEED ASLAM DOGAR : M.SC (CHEMISTRY), M.PHIL (ENV.SCIENCES), M.PHIL(CHEMISTRY),
PH.D(SCHOLAR), CSS(2010), 0322-4976417, WORLD TIMES INSTITUTE, LAHORE
The amount of acidity in the atmosphere that deposits to earth through dry deposition
depends on the amount of rainfall an area receives. For example, in desert areas the
ratio of dry to wet deposition is higher than an area that receives several inches of rain
each year.
Acidity and alkalinity are measured using a pH scale for which 7.0 is neutral. The lower a
substance's pH (less than 7), the more acidic it is; the higher a substance's pH (greater
than 7), the more alkaline it is. Normal rain has a pH of about 5.6; it is slightly acidic
because carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolves into it forming weak carbonic acid. Acid rain
usually has a pH between 4.2 and 4.4.
PROF. NAVEED ASLAM DOGAR : M.SC (CHEMISTRY), M.PHIL (ENV.SCIENCES), M.PHIL(CHEMISTRY),
PH.D(SCHOLAR), CSS(2010), 0322-4976417, WORLD TIMES INSTITUTE, LAHORE
REMEDIES