Impacts of Pollutants - People, Development and Environment Notes

Effects of Pollutants on Human Health

Atmospheric pollution is a major concern of the new civilized world. This has a rigorous effect on human health and the life of other species. To give a more comprehensive picture of how different kinds of pollution impact human health, we will go over each kind of pollution one by one, with its causes and the toxicological impact it has on human health.

1. Air Pollution and its Impact on Human Health

Air Pollution: Air Pollution is defined as all the change in the quality of air due to the destructive effects of any sources which contribute to pollution. Ever since industrialisation took its place in the West, and developing countries later, air pollution has been a global issue. Some of the sources of air pollution are:

• Smoke coming out of vehicles
• Volcanoes
• Forest fires and burning of agricultural waste
• Smoke emission from industries and factories due to the burning of coal and petroleum
• Burning of fossil fuels
• Wars

All these activities lead to the release of harmful substances such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, SPM (Suspended Particulate Matter), Ozone, etc. These substances are air pollutants.

Effect of Air Pollutants on Human Health

Every material in the air which affects human health or has an intense impact on the environment can also be defined as an air pollutant. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), particle pollution, ground-level O₃, CO, sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and lead (Pb) are the six major air pollutants which harm human health and also the ecosystem. There are other pollutants that comprise suspended materials such as dust, fumes, smokes, mists, hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and halogen derivatives in the air which at the high amount cause vulnerability to many diseases such as cancers, allergies, respiratory disorders, risk of heart attacks, among others. Some of the important air pollutants and their lethal effects on different human body organs and related diseases have been discussed below-

• Particle pollutants (PM 2.5 and 10) have been linked with heart and lungs diseases. Particles of smaller size reach the respiratory organs causing early deaths in people due to lung and failure.
• Ozone is another air pollutant which has an adverse effect on human health. Exposure to excessive ozone has been linked to respiratory diseases such as asthma.
• Another air pollutant is carbon monoxide which is produced by fossil fuels. Exposure to carbon monoxide causes dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, and loss of consciousness. It has also been linked to cardiovascular diseases.
• Another main pollutant in the air is sulphur dioxide. Exposure to sulphur dioxide is linked to high risks for skin and lung diseases. Sulphur dioxide also causes eye irritation.
• Nitrogen oxides are one of the ambient air pollutants which increase the risk for serious respiratory infections. Coughing and sneezing are some of the complications induced by exposure to nitrogen oxide.
• Lead (Pb) is also an air pollutant which is released into the air by some industrial activities. It can affect different parts of the body including the cardiovascular, renal and reproductive system. Pb has also been linked with learning disabilities in case of children and infants. Pb poisoning also causes headaches, eye irritation, abdominal pain, high BP, renal dysfunction, muscle and joint pain, anaemia, etc.

2. Water Pollution and its effect on Human Health

Water Pollution: Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies due to human activities. Undoubtedly, water is essential for human living and any change in the natural ecology of water has an adverse effect on human health. Some of the sources of water pollution are:

• Sewage waste contains a lot of mineral and organic matter which pollutes water. This is one of the major sources of water pollution.
• Another main source of water pollution comes from industrial effluents. Industrial effluents contain toxic chemicals like dyes, cyanides, radioactive waste, oils, metallic waste etc.
• Detergents used in homes and industries also pollute water bodies.
• Agricultural activities that involve the use of pesticides and fertilizers also pollute water.
• Siltation has been recognised as one of the sources of water pollution. Siltation occurs when deposits of soil deposit in water causing hindrance to the movement of aquatic animals.
• Water is also polluted by wastes dispensed from thermal and atomic power plants.
• Oil spills
• Acid rains

Effect of Water Pollutants on Human Health

Any substances in the water which affects human health or has an impact on the natural and physical environment are called water pollutants. Water-borne diseases account for over three million deaths in a year, the majority of these are children. This suggests that the majority of our drinking water is not safe enough and has an adverse effect on our health. Some of the health consequences of pollutants in water are-

• Contaminated water causes water-borne diseases such as typhoid, jaundice, diarrhoea, cholera etc.
• Pesticides in water can affect the nervous system and are also seen as one of the major reason for cancers.
• Nitrates in water are very harmful to babies and are linked to the blue baby syndrome.
• Presence of lead in water can damage the nervous system.
• Arsenic causes liver damage and skin cancers.
• Fluorides in water can make teeth yellow and also cause damage to the spinal cord.

3. Soil Pollution and its effect on Human Health

Soil Pollution: Presence of toxic substances in the soil is termed as soil pollution. Some of the pollutants that contaminate soil are:

• Industrial waste
• Industrial sludge consisting of harmful substances like arsenic, calcium carbonate, mercury, lead etc.
• Urban waste such as fuel residues, street sweepings, discarded vehicles and manufactured things.
• Radioactive pollutants produced by nuclear testing labs and industries.
• Agricultural activities that involve the use of fertilizers, fumigants and pesticides.

Effect of Soil Pollutants on Human Health

These include:

• Degraded land and soil quality can lead to many respiratory diseases, skin infections etc.
• Contaminated soil also contaminates the food that grows onto causing cancers and other diseases.
• Contaminated soil also pollutes water bodies nearby which results in many water-borne diseases.

4. Some other kinds of Pollution and Effect on Human Health

Apart from these three major types of pollution, noise, light and radioactive pollution also affect human health. Noise pollution is linked to irritability, headaches, hallucinations and loss of hearing in human beings. Radioactive pollution causes diseases like cancer, infertility of soil, and cell destruction. Light pollution can also cause headaches, illusions, fatigue, stress, unclear vision, distortion, sleeping disorders and so on.