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With rapid industrialization, humanity has crossed multiple societal stages by leaps and bounds. There is sophisticated technology for almost everything that requires severe manual labor. But all this development and prosperity came at a cost.
The unchecked use of fossil fuels to run factories and forgeries has caused global warming. Species of plants and animals are becoming extinct. Even human beings are having a hard time coping with a hostile environment they had unknowingly helped to create. But before coming to any conclusions, it is time to step back and study the causes and effects.
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Types of Pollution
The best way to study the causes and effects of different types of pollution on our environment is by classifying them into different categories. Once we do that, we can discuss their causes and effects separately for better understanding.
Generally, there are five major types of pollution that all life forms face on this earth. These are:
- Air Pollution
- Water Pollution
- Soil Pollution
- Noise Pollution
- Ocean Pollution
In the sections below, all five of these major types of pollution will be discussed.
Causes Of Air Pollution
Air pollution is defined as any type of particles found in the air that can cause damage to both plants and animals, in both the short term and long term.
One of the major causes of environmental pollution, primarily air pollution, is caused by human industrial activities.
The major contributors to air pollution are divided into two categories:
- Primary Air Pollutants
- Secondary Air Pollutants
Primary Air Pollutants
Primary pollutants are those particles that are produced directly by their sources to cause air pollution. The classic example of primary air pollutants is fossil fuels. But keep in mind burning fossil fuels produce both primary and secondary types of air pollutants.
Secondary Air Pollutants
Secondary air pollutants are those primary air pollutants that react with other gases and particles in the atmosphere. The best example of secondary air pollutants is the smoke and fumes produced by cars. These fumes contain dangerous and highly reactive gases, including CO and derivatives of NO and CH compounds.
These toxic chemicals and harmful gases elevate in the top atmospheric layers and cause damage to the environment.
Air Pollution Through Agricultural Activities
Studies have revealed that the unchecked use of fertilizers and pesticides for farming and agricultural activities is one of the top causes of air pollution. These fertilizers often contain chemicals like Ammonia and other Nitrogenous compounds. When released into the environment, they combine with the environmental gases and produce toxic waste increasing air pollution.
Effects Of Air Pollution
Air pollution causes a plethora of diseases and complications in human beings. When exposed to a high level of air pollution, it can cause the following complications:
- Heart Attack
- Breathing problems, including wheezing and coughing
- Irritation of the nose, throat, and eyes
- Lung related problems including asthma
Animals are not immune to changes in air pollution. When they are exposed to high toxicity levels in air pollution, they are also subjected to severe diseases. These include reproductive failure, birth defects, among other syndromes. That’s why it is important to reduce air pollution as soon as possible.
Air pollution cause the following:
- Depletion of the ozone layer
- Acid rain
- Rise in temperature
- Risk to aquatic life
Causes Of Water Pollution
Water pollution is the second cause of environmental pollution and surroundings. Water is an essential part of human life.
Recently, the unabated use of natural resources and accelerated industrial activities have polluted the water bodies and caused global warming. This is posing a great threat to the existence of all life forms on the earth. Studies have shown that around 60% of the earth’s species live in water and they are directly affected due to water pollution.
Following are some major causes:
- Industrial waste from burning fossil fuels
- Groundwater Contamination
- Oil Spills
- Domestic Use of harmful chemicals
Industrial Waste
Industrial waste is one of the major causes around us. It is caused when industrial residues are thrown into water bodies without proper treatment. These chemical-laden water suffocates the life forms in water bodies and causes serious imbalance to species survival and ecosystem.
Recently, many states have taken the initiative to compel industries for treating water properly before releasing it into the environment. But it still has a long way to go before bearing any fruit.
Groundwater Pollution
Groundwater is a natural reservoir of clean drinking water that nature has set for us. But industrial waste and the use of insecticides and pesticides in agriculture have made it polluted. In some cases, it has become hazardous and can cause serious damage to life forms. In turn, this toxic water is threatening the existence of other life forms, both aquatic and terrestrial.
Oil Spills
Oil spills are accidents that occur due to the collision of oil-bearing tankers and ships. It is also caused by the bursting of underwater pipelines for oil transmission.
The oil contains toxic hydrocarbons and their derivatives. They pose a serious threat to aquatic life forms in the short run and the whole ecosystem in the long run.
Domestic Use
It may seem harmless but careless use of water for domestic use can also cause serious problems. The detergents and other cleaning agents that are used to wash clothes, utensils, etc are released into the immediate water bodies.
Effects Of Water Pollution
The effects of water pollution are both immediate and ultimate on human health as well as that of animals. They pose a serious challenge to the survival of all life forms on earth, including aquatic and land.
Here is the rundown of some of the adverse effects of water pollution:
- Death of aquatic life that could affect whole food chains
- Health complications in humans include rashes, neurological and respiratory problems, stomach as well as liver illnesses. Infants who consume contaminated water can even face blue-baby syndrome and other severe complications.
- Algal bloom harms both animals and plants
- Degradation in the quality of crops and other plant life
Causes Of Soil Pollution
Nature has its way of cleaning and purifying earth after cycles. This has ensured the existence of life on the planet. The use of toxic and highly unstable chemicals through human activities has seriously disturbed this balance. Ultimately, these are the causes of soil pollution as we know it.
Following are some of the major causes of soil pollution:
- The leakage of underground chemical repositories
- Abuse of agricultural chemicals, including pesticides, herbicides, etc
- Rain and flooding can also sweep pollutants from affected areas to clean spaces
- Over-grazing of pastures and over-farming above certain levels can cause soil pollution
- The deposition of waste in landfills and other sites can cause the production of chemicals that pose a serious threat to the integrity of the soil
Effects Of Soil Pollution
The effects of soil pollution are far-reaching and no worse than air and water pollution. Like the above-mentioned elements of nature, animals and plants are in direct contact with land and soil. We walk on it; obtain our food from it; extract other sustenance from it.
Here is a look at some of the adverse effects soil pollution causes to the planet:
- Human beings face grave risks to health and wellbeing due to polluted soil. It can cause diseases and complications that are hard to treat. Some of these include but are not limited to, skin problems, respiratory syndromes, and cancers.
- With the hampered growth of trees and herbs, animals are losing habitat and even species are going extinct. Birds and other related animals that are dependent on shelters provided by trees are the most affected.
Causes Of Noise Pollution
Any sound that is considered unpleasant and can cause disturbance to animals and plants is considered noise pollution. In recent times, the quantity of noise pollution is increasing and posing a great threat to the existence of life activities on earth.
- Industrial and commercial machinery is the biggest cause. It includes noise emanating from construction sites, traffic horns, etc.
- The use of sound systems at homes and other establishments when crossing certain limits.
Effects Of Noise Pollution
For an average Joe, it may seem absurd but noise pollution can be fatal. Here are some of the dire consequences living beings have to face due to noise pollution:
- For animals, the negative effects of noise pollution include, disturbance in sleep cycles, wellbeing, and growth. It severely affects the development of essential phases in children. For the elderly, excessive noise can disrupt heart rate and blood pressure.
- Almost the same goes for animals that are affected by noise pollution. The disruption in sleep cycles can cause declining birth rates.
Causes Of Ocean Pollution
Almost 70% of the earth’s surface is covered with oceans. They are a major source of marine and aquatic life and act as a buffer for the existence of life forms on earth. Even oceans are not immune to the pollution that is caused by human activities in the both industrial and domestic spheres.
Here is a look at some of the causes of ocean pollution:
- Dumping of sewage directly into the ocean
- The passing of toxic wastes and water from land to oceans
- Industrial chemicals that reach shorelines
- Oils spills are one of the most dangerous causes of ocean pollution
- Plastic garbage
- The noise produced from ships and marine transportation can disrupt the life cycles of marine life
- Effects Of Ocean Pollution
The effects of ocean pollution are far-reaching and too detrimental to all life forms on the planet.
- Reproductive problems in marine life leading to extinction
- Accidents of sea birds due to oil spills
- Damage to coral reefs and other marine life indicators
- Accumulation of garbage and plastics is endangering the existence of a large population of marine life, disrupting the balance
Concluding Remarks
All types of pollution are posing a great risk to all life forms on the planet. Even the depletion of the ozone layer and the loss of precious land, earth, air, and water resources have put a question mark on the survival of the earth itself. It is high time for all stakeholders to study the cause and solution for taking steps to reduce pollution. This is the only way for everyone to survive and thrive on this blue planet.
Sources:
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-causes-ocean-pollution.html
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/pollutiontypes.php
https://ecavo.com/pollution-causes-effects/