Different types of pollutions | NTA UGC NET | Paper 1

General Effects of Pollution:

(i) Effect on Plants:

Photochemical smog’s, sulphur–dioxide (obtained from copper and lead smelter) and hydrogen fluo­ride (obtained from fertiliser manufacturing and aluminum reduction) cause injury to the plants and thereby reduce their growth and vegetation.

In some cases, even when pol­lution levels have been not high enough to produce notice­able injury, the retardation in growth rate may occur. On the whole, the pollutants (air or water pollutant or radiation) bring about complex changes in the plant ecosystem, hav­ing effects on one species leading to effects on the other.

(ii) Effect on Animals:

Air pollutants cause eye and respiratory irritation in animals as well as in human beings. Water pol­lutants can endanger aquatic life killing millions of fishes and other animals every year. Sewage, toxic chemicals and diseased animals can make water unfit for use by farm ani­mals.

There are some types of pollutions known to have adverse effects on animals at levels that do not appear to affect human health. Thermal pollution in rivers and lakes can kill fishes. Pesticide levels can reduce reproduction rates through mechanisms like interference in calcium metabo­lism.

(iii) Effect on Human Beings:

Human beings are probably the most concerned about the direct and indirect effects of pol­lution. Sufficiently high levels of pollutants are toxic or even lethal (sufficient to cause death.) to every human being, although there is a wide range of sensitivities among the human population.

It is seen that many diseases are water borne and can be checked through the purification of municipal and individual water supplies. Still, the drinking water of most of the world’s population is considerably less safe than that of the devel­oped nations due to inadequacies in public health pro­grammes.

(iv) Effect on materials:

Pollutants can cause deterioration of materials and constructions. 

Air pollutants like SO2 and H2S04 gas can corrode metals and building materials increasing the frequency of repair and replacement. 

Water pollutants, like suspended particles or dissolved inorganic compounds can also adversely affect pumps, industrial equipment’s and bridges. 

The supersonic aircrafts capable of producing sonic booms with pressures of over 100 M/m2, even its noise, can damage buildings and break windows.

India’s white marvel, the Taj Mahal, is slowly turning brownish-yellow because of air pollution, says an Indo-US study which also identifies the pollutants responsible for the effect.

It says Taj is changing colour due to deposition of dust and carbon-containing particles emitted in the burning of fossil fuels, biomass and garbage. The study confirms what has been suspected for long — that Agra’s poor air quality is impacting India’s most celebrated monument.

There are several factors: heavy traffic, wood–burning crematoriums, smoke from neighboring factories,MSW ( municipal solid waste) burning and Agra’s growing population, the last of which demands more and more water. As the Yamuna River dries up, it risks sliding the Taj Mahal off its picturesque banks into a sea of mud.