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Environmental Pollution and its Effects on Human
HealthDr. Izharul Haq FarooqiProfessor and Incharge
Environmental Engineering Section Department of Civil Engineering
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
Enviromental Pollution
Effects of Pollution
Common issues of Surface and Ground waterPathogenic (Bacteriological) Pollution
Salinity
Toxicity (micro-pollutants and other industrial pollutants)
Surface Water• Eutrophication
• Oxygen depletion
• Ecological health
Ground Water• Fluoride
• Nitrate
• Arsenic
• Iron
• Sea water intrusion
Pollution Continued….
Fish Die
BOD Effects on Water Quality
All streams have some capability to degrade organic waste. Problems
occur when stream is overloaded with biochemical oxygen-demanding
waste.
Air Pollution
Introduction
Air pollution may be described as contaminationof the atmosphere by gaseous, liquid, solidwastes or by-products that can endanger life,attack materials and reduce visibility.
Air pollution worldwide is a threat to humanhealth and the natural environment.
It may also be defined as the presence of matterin atmosphere at concentrations, durations, andfrequencies that adversely affect human healthand environment.
Introduction
Air pollution can be caused due to the burning of wood, coal, oil, petrol, or by spraying pesticides.
Some of the questions which might cometo mind while thinking about air pollution are:◦ Are we doing something about solving these problems?
◦ Do we know enough about the conditions under which apollution episode occurs?
◦ What are the regulations?
◦ How to control emissions?
Should we worry about Air Pollution?
Air pollution affects every one of us. Air pollution can cause health problems and in an
extreme case even death. Air pollution reduces crop yields and affects
animal life. Air pollution can damage monuments. Air pollution can cause significant economic
losses. In short, air pollution does not only damage air;
it also damages environment on earth’s surface and their inhabitants.
Accidents and Episodes 1930 -3 day fog in Meuse Valley, Belgium
1931 -9 day fog in Manchester, England
1948 -Plant emissions in Donora, Penn, US
1952 -4 day fog in London, England
1970 -Radionuclide emissions, Three Mile Island, US
1984 -Release of Methyl isocynate in Bhopal, India
1986 -Radionuclide releases, Chernobyl, Ukraine
1997 – Haze disaster in Indonesia
2001 – Wildfires in Sierra Nevada, US
2001 – Enormous clouds of dust in New York during Collapse of World Trade Center, US
2002 – Violent dust storm in Queensland, Australia
2005 - Jilin chemical plant explosions, Jilin city, China
2007 – Wildfires in TALLAHASSEE Florida, US
2008 - Kingston Fossil Plant coal fly ash slurry spill, Kingston, US
Pre-Industrial EraEarly-Industrial Era
Early 20th Century Late 20th Century
Eras of Air Pollution
Early 21st Century
Air Pollutant Contaminant that affects human life, plant life, animal
life and property could be termed as an air pollutant.
Air pollutants are classified into two categories:
Primary pollutants: These pollutants are
emitted from a source directly into the
atmosphere.
e.g. Sulfur dioxide and Hydrocarbons
Secondary pollutants: These are formed
due to the chemical reaction among two or
more pollutants.
e.g. Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN )
Common Air Pollutants
→ Indoor
Radon
Combustion by-products
CO, CO2, SO2, Hydrocarbons, NOx
Particulates, Polyaromatic hydrocarbons
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)
Volatile organic compounds
Asbestos
Formaldehyde
Biological contaminants
Pesticides
→ Outdoor
SO2
CO, CO2
Oxides of Nitrogen
Ozone
Total Suspended particles
Lead
Particulates
Volatile organic compounds
Toxic Air pollutants
The air pollution problem is encountered in both indoor as well as outdoor.
Sources of Air Pollutants
Indoor Outdoor
Physical Forms of an Air Pollutant
Gaseous form
o Sulfur dioxide
o Ozone
o Hydro-carbon vapors
Particulate form
o Smoke
o Dust
o Fly ash
o Mists
Toxic Air Pollutants
Toxic air pollutants may originate from natural sources as well as from manmade sources such as stationary and mobile sources.
The stationary sources like factories and refineries serve as major contributors to air pollution.
The Clean Air Act of 1990 provides a list of 189 chemicals to be regulated under the hazardous air pollutant provisions of the act.
The list of hazardous air pollutants can be found in the EPA website.
(http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/188polls.html)
Sources of Toxic Air Pollutants
Toxic Air Pollutants
The toxic air pollutants released from industrial facilities, in the United States, are reported to the public via the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)
USEPA “Major” sources are defined as sources that emit 10 tons per
year of any of the listed toxic air pollutants, or 25 tons per year of a mixture of air.
“Area” sources are defined as sources that emit less than 10 tons per year of a single air toxic, or less than 25 tons per year of a mixture of air toxics.
Units for measurement of Air Pollution
There are two units of measurement. They are as follows:
µg/m3 and ppm (parts per million)
At 25°C and 1 atm
At 00 C and at a pressure of 76 cm of Hg, volume of the air is 22.41 l/mol.
To obtain volume at any temperature, use gas law
P1V1/T1 = P2V2/T2
Sources of Air Pollution
Natural Sources Volcanoes Coniferous forests Forest fires Pollens Spores Dust storms Hot springs
Man-made Sources Fuel combustion - Largest
contributor Chemical plants Motor vehicles Power and heat generators Waste disposal sites Operation of internal-
combustion engines
Natural Sources vs. Man-made Sources
Pollutants released from natural sources like volcanoes, coniferous forests, and hot springs have a minimal effect on environment when compared to that caused by emissions from man-made sources like industrial sources, power and heat generation, waste disposal, and the operation of internal combustion engines.
Fuel combustion is the largest contributor to air pollutant emissions, caused by man, with stationary and mobile sources equally responsible.
Sources of PM and PM Precursors
Mobile Sources
(vehicles)
VOCs, NO2, PM
Stationary Sources
(power plants, factories)
NO2, SO2, PM
Area Sources
(drycleaners, gas stations)
VOCs
Natural Sources
(forest fires, volcanoes)
PM
The Role of Inversions
An inversion is an extremely stable layer of the atmosphere that forms over areas. Temperature inversions trap pollutants close to the ground. These inversions involve layers of hot air sitting above cooler air near ground level. When particles accumulate in the air layer, they are unable to rise into the atmosphere where winds will disperse them.
What Adverse Health Effects Have Been Linked to PM?
Premature death Lung cancer Development of chronic lung disease Heart attacks Hospital admissions and visits for heart and
lung disease Respiratory symptoms and medication use in
people with chronic lung disease and asthma Decreased lung function Pre-term birth Low birth weight
http://www.epa.gov/airnow//health-prof/EPA_poster-final_lo-res.pdf
Health Effects of Exposure to Ozone and PM2.5
• coughing
• nose and throat irritation
• chest pain
• reduced lung function
• increased susceptibility to
respiratory illness
•aggravation of asthma
•children and people with chronic
lung disease are particularly at
risk
• increased risk of cardiac arrest
and premature death
• aggravation of asthma
• respiratory related hospital
visits
• reduced lung function and
chronic bronchitis
• work and school absences
• children and people with
chronic lung disease are
particularly at risk
Ozone PM2.5
Greenhouse Effect, GlobalWarming and climatic change: The greenhouse effect is a naturally occurring process that aids the heating of the earth's surface
and atmosphere. • The heating of the ground by sunlight causes the
Earth's surface to become a radiator of energy in the long wave band (infrared radiation).
This emission of energy is generally directed to space.
However, only a small portion of this energy actually reaches back the space.
The majority of the outgoing infrared radiation is absorbed by a few naturally occurring atmospheric gases known as the greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO2);
• methane (CH4);
• nitrous oxide (N2O);
• chlorofluorocarbons (CFxClx);
• and tropospheric ozone (03).
Status of Air Pollution in Delhi
Facts about Delhi Smog
United Airlines canceled its flights to India’s capitalbecause of poor air quality. Visibility was so badthat cars crashed in pileups on highways and trainshad to be delayed and canceled.
The airborne particles and toxic chemicals that makeup the smog have choked the 19 million residents ofthe metropolitan area, where merely breathing the airwas, at its worst, like smoking 50 cigarettes in aday. Hospitals reported a 20 percent surge inpatients with pollution-related illnesses, and doctorshave declared a public health emergency.
Delhi’s chief minister went as far as to call his city a“gas chamber”:
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SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT
OVERVIEW
Kinds of Wastes
Waste Generation
Solid Waste in India
Solid Waste management methods
What are Wastes?
Waste (also known as rubbish, refuse, garbage, junk) is unwanted oruseless materials. In biology, waste is any of the many unwantedsubstances expelled from living organisms, metabolic waste; such as ureaand sweat.
Kinds of Wastes
Solid wastes: wastes in solid forms, domestic, commercial and industrial wastesExamples: plastics , bottles, cans, papers, scrap iron, and other trash
Liquid Wastes: wastes in liquid form Examples: domestic washings, chemicals, oils,waste water from ponds, manufacturing industries and other sources.
Bio-degradable :can be degraded (paper, wood, fruits and others)
Non-biodegradable :cannot be degraded (plastics, bottles, old machines, cans,
Styrofoam containers and others)
Hazardous wastes: Substances unsafe to use commercially, industrially, agriculturally,or economically and have any of the following properties- ignitability, corrosivity,reactivity & toxicity.
Non-hazardous : Substances safe to use commercially, industrially, agriculturally, oreconomically and do not have any of those properties mentioned above. Thesesubstances usually create disposal problems.
Classification of wastes according to
their origin and type
Municipal Solid wastes: Solid wastes that include householdgarbage, rubbish, construction & packaging materials, traderefuges etc. are managed by any municipality.
Bio-medical wastes: Solid or liquid wastes including containers,products generated during diagnosis, treatment & research activitiesof medical sciences.
Industrial wastes: Liquid and solid wastes that are generated bymanufacturing & processing units of various industries like chemical,petroleum, coal, metal gas, sanitary & paper etc.
Agricultural wastes: Wastes generated from farming activities.These substances are mostly biodegradable.
Fishery wastes:Wastes generated due to fishery activities.
E-wastes: Electronic wastes generated from any modernestablishments. They may be described as discarded electricalor electronic devices. Some electronic scrap components, suchas CRTs, wires, circuits, mobile, computers etc.
Sources of Wastes
Households
Industry
Sources of Wastes
Agriculture
Fisheries
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Sources of Wastes
STRUCTURE OF
SOLID WASTE
Solid Waste
Refuse Trash
Bulky wastes (TV, refrigerators goods,
Broken furniture, etc.)
Garbage Rubbish
non-degradable (glass, rubber,
Metals, plastics non-metal set)
Vegetables, Meats, food
Wastes and other readily
Degradable organic wastes slowly degradable (paper, wood
Products, textiles etc.)
WASTE GENERATIONS RATES OF SOME ASIAN COUNTRIES
MSW GENERATION FROM THE METROPOLITANS OF INDIA
Solid Waste in India
7.2 million tonnes of hazardous waste
One Sq km of additional landfill area every-year
Rs 1600 crore for treatment & disposal of these wastes
In addition to this industries discharge about 150 million tonnes of high
volume low hazard waste every year, which is mostly dumped on open low
lying land areas.
Growth of Solid Waste In IndiaWaste is growing by leaps & bounds
In 1981-91, population of Mumbai increased from 8.2 million to 12.3 million
During the same period, municipal solid waste has grown from 3200 tonnesto 5355 tonne, an increase of 67%
City like Bangalore produces 2000 tonnes of waste per annum.
Waste collection is very low for all Indian cities.
Waste Collection in India
Primarily by the city municipality
-No gradation of waste product e.g. bio-degradable, glasses, polybags, paper shredsetc
-Dumps these wastes to the city outskirts
Local raddiwala / kabadiwala
-Collecting small iron pieces by magnets
-Collecting glass bottles
-Collecting paper for recycling
How solid waste affected us in recent years?In Mumbai (2005) clogged the sewage line due to large no. of plastic bags.
Blast in the Bhusan Steel factory at Noida, caused due to imported scrap from Iran
Reduction in the number of migratory birds due to consumption of contaminatedfoods
animals dying on streets and farmland due to consumption of plastic bags, whichblocks the food movement in their stomach
HEALTH IMPACTS OF SOLID WASTE
Exposure to hazardous waste can affect human health, children being more vulnerable to these pollutants.
Improperly operated incineration plants cause air pollution and improperly managed and designed landfills attract all types of insects that spread disease.
Direct handling of solid waste results in chronic diseases with the waste workers.
1.LAND FILL
It is the most traditional method of waste disposal.
Waste is directly dumped into disused quarries, mining voids or borrow pits.
Disposed waste is compacted and covered with soil
Gases generated by the decomposing waste materials are often burnt to generate
power.
It is generally used for domestic waste.
ADVANTAGES
Landfill site is a cheap waste disposal option for the local council.
Jobs will be created for local people.
Lots of different types of waste can be disposed of by landfill in comparison to other wastedisposal methods.
The gases given off by the landfill site could be collected and used for generating power.
DISADVANTAGES
The site will look ugly while it is being used for landfill.
Dangerous gases are given off from landfill sites that cause local air pollution and contribute toglobal warming.
Local streams could become polluted with toxins seeping through the ground from the landfillsite.
Once the site has been filled it might not be able to be used for redevelopment as it might betoo polluted.
LAND REQUIRED FOR DISPOSAL OF MSW EMMISION OF METHANE FROM LANDFILL
2. INCINERATION
Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of solidwaste at 1000C.
waste materials are converted into ash, flue gas, and heat.
The ash is mostly formed by the inorganic constituents of the waste and gases dueto organic waste.
the heat generated by incineration is used to generate electric power.
ADVANTAGES
Minimum of land is needed compared to other disposal methods.
The weight of the waste is reduced to 25% of the initial value.
No risk of polluting local streams and ground waters as in landfills.
Incineration plants can be located close to residential areas.
Gases are used to generate power.
DISADVANTAGES
Expensive
Required skilled labour.
The chemicals that would be released into the air could be strong pollutants and
may destroy ozone layer (major disadvantage).
high energy requirement.
COMPACTION:
The waste is compacted or compressed. It also breaks up large or fragile items of
waste.
This process is conspicuous in the feed at the back end of many garbage collection
vehicles. Deposit refuse at bottom of slope for best compaction and control of
blowing litter.
PYROLYSIS:-
Pyrolysis is defined as thermal degradation of waste in the absence of air to
produce char, pyrolysis oil and syngas, e.g. the conversion of wood to charcoal also
it is defined as destructive distillation of waste in the absence of oxygen. External
source of heat is employed in this process.
1 2
3
The 3 R’s
REDUCE
You can help by PRECYCLING. 1/3 of all garbage is packaging.
Buy things that are in packages that can be recycled or are made of recycledmaterials.
When you buy something small, say no thanks to a bag.
REUSE
Many things can be reused before you throw them out.
Use coffee cans and cottage cheese containers for storage
Use backs of paper or backs of used envelopes for jotting notes
Put leftovers in resalable containers instead of using wraps and foil
Use old clothes as rags for cleaning instead of paper towels
Have a garage sale or donate clothes, books or toys that you don't use anymore
RECYCLE
Each year we use:
25 billion plastic containers
30 billion bottles & jars
65 billion aluminum cans
100 billion pounds of paper
CONCLUSION: It is found that with increase in the global
population and the rising demand for food andother essentials, there has been a rise in theamount of waste being generated daily by eachhousehold. Waste that is not properly managed,especially excreta and other liquid and solidwaste from households and the community, area serious health hazard and lead to the spread ofinfectious diseases.
