Effects of pollution on Human Health are extremely alarming. There are many diseases that can bring about a host of potentially fatal illnesses. From chronic bronchitis to lung cancer, air pollution has the potential to raise the risk of illness.
Air pollution and its link to the respiratory system is quite obvious. However, air pollution is also known to affect the circulatory system and the nervous system. When particular matter enters the nasal cavity, the lining gets irritated and the body may mistake it for an infection. This causes an inflammatory response, which can result in the exacerbation of any pre-existing conditions.
Human health is also severely affected by particulates in the atmosphere. The particulates can cause nasal irritation and swelling. It can also cause a runny nose.
Air pollution is additionally linked to lung damage and limited lung function
Air pollution can also have an inflammatory effect on the heart – it can elevate blood pressure and aggravate pre-existing conditions of the heart.
The risk of death significantly increases with long term exposure to polluted air. For instance, people susceptible to heart diseases are at higher risk.
Most Causes of pollution are often mainly attributed to anthropogenic causes. This means humans are liable for causing pollution. Water pollution is often defined because of the introduction of pollutants into a body of water. These can cause detrimental effects on the organisms that live in the water body or interact with the water. However, the causes of pollution can occur from natural processes or phenomena too.
When we burn fossil fuels, such as coal or oil, carbon monoxide gets released into the air and pollutes the air we breathe. When we inhale the toxic air, it deteriorates our heart’s ability to pump the oxygen and leads to various respiratory illnesses
When the industry doesn't follow the government regulations to curb air pollution, several pollutants get released into the air. From nitrogen oxide to carbon monoxide, these gases are harmful to human health. It can lead to irritation in the eyes, throat, breathing and more.
Today, climate change should be taken on priority as it is not just deteriorating the environment, but also causing population problems. Wildfires occur because of climate change, which causes smog, burns forest and causes damage. This also leads to difficulty in breathing, throat, and more.
Even today, open burning of garbage is a practice that is used in major cities. If we take the example of India's capital, Delhi, it generates about 9500 tons of waste every day and this gets burned, which leads to various health issues, such as liver issues, problems with reproductive functions, problems with the immune system, and more.
Use of chemical infused products and vehicle pollution can cause the release of harmful pollutants into the air. When vehicle pollution becomes excessive, it can create a hole in the ozone layer, which leads to smog and other various health issues.
Water is able to dissolve many substances, hence it is called the universal solvent. This is an equivalent reason why pollution occurs easily. Following are the causes of water pollution:
Many people put their waste directly into water bodies. Moreover, households may use septic tanks, which eventually infiltrate into the soil, causing pollution of groundwater which is not served by municipal treatment plants.
Some industries may directly pump their untreated wastes into water bodies like rivers. Moreover, various industries also use water as a coolant, thereby causing pollution . Increased water temperatures can cause a reduction in the levels of oxygen; which can cause the death of fish and other organisms.
Eutrophication is caused when large quantities of nutrients are introduced into a body of water, causing the rapid growth of algae. This can decrease the oxygen level within the water, rendering the fish unable to breathe. Moreover, this phenomenon also can introduce dangerous toxins into the water body, which may harm or kill most organisms, including humans
Deforestation can cause soil erosion. When these loose soil particles enter a water body, they will make the water murky. This can make the water very misty as it also has the capability to cause mechanical damage to aquatic organisms, (such as sand particles getting stuck in gills).
Agricultural run-offs include fertilizers and other chemicals which will make the water toxic. Moreover, some of these fertilizers can induce eutrophication.
Accidents can involve events such as leaks and oil spills. Oil spills, in particular, are very damaging to the environment and aquatic life. It occurs when large oil tankers, barges or drilling rigs are involved in accidents. The most well-known oil spill was that of the troubled Horizon, which occurred on 20th April 2010.
Industrialization, poor urban planning, transportation and more lead to noise pollution. While slight noise can be okay for the human ears, when the noise goes from 30-140 dB it is very harmful for the humans. Right from headaches, problems with the vision, it can lead to various issues.
Environmental noise pollution is what occurs naturally. If it goes beyond 140 dB, it can adversely affect human health. Some of the examples of environmental noise pollution include thunderstorms, sounds from animals, and more.
1. What are some of the main health issues caused by pollution?
Pollution can lead to a wide range of health problems. The most common issues include respiratory diseases like asthma and bronchitis from air pollution, infectious diseases like cholera and typhoid from water pollution, and increased stress and hearing loss from noise pollution. Long-term exposure can also lead to more severe conditions like heart disease and cancer.
2. What are the major types of pollution that impact human health?
The main types of pollution with significant health impacts are:
3. How does air pollution specifically harm the respiratory system?
When we breathe in polluted air, harmful particles and gases directly attack our respiratory system. This can cause irritation in the nose and throat, worsen conditions like asthma, and reduce overall lung function. Long-term exposure can lead to chronic diseases like bronchitis and even increase the risk of lung cancer.
4. What are the common health risks from consuming polluted water?
Drinking or using contaminated water is very dangerous. It can lead to:
5. Can noise pollution affect our health beyond just our hearing?
Yes, absolutely. While high-intensity noise can cause permanent hearing damage, constant exposure to lower levels of noise pollution can lead to serious physiological and psychological stress. This can result in problems like high blood pressure, sleep disturbances, headaches, and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
6. What is the difference between the health effects of particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants?
Both are harmful air pollutants but affect us differently. Gaseous pollutants like sulphur dioxide mainly irritate the surface of our respiratory system, causing conditions like bronchitis. Particulate Matter (PM), especially fine particles (PM2.5), is more dangerous because it can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, causing systemic inflammation and affecting the heart and other organs.
7. Why is biomagnification considered such a serious health threat to humans?
Biomagnification is a serious threat because it concentrates toxins at the top of the food chain. For example, a small amount of a toxin like mercury in the water is absorbed by tiny organisms. Fish eat many of these organisms, accumulating the toxin. When humans eat these fish, they receive a highly concentrated and dangerous dose of the toxin, which can lead to severe neurological damage and other health issues.
8. How can tiny air pollutants affect organs far from the lungs, like the heart and brain?
The smallest air pollutants, known as fine particulate matter (PM2.5), are so tiny they can pass from the lungs directly into the bloodstream. Once in the blood, they travel throughout the body and can cause widespread inflammation. This inflammation can damage blood vessels, increase blood pressure, and raise the risk of heart attacks. There is also growing evidence linking these particles to negative impacts on brain function.
9. Why are children and the elderly more vulnerable to the effects of pollution?
These groups are more susceptible for biological reasons. Children's bodies and immune systems are still developing, so they are less equipped to handle pollutants. They also breathe more air for their body size. The elderly often have pre-existing health conditions, like heart or lung disease, which are easily made worse by pollution. Their bodies also have a reduced ability to recover from environmental stress.
10. What is eutrophication, and how does it indirectly harm people?
Eutrophication is when a body of water becomes overly rich in nutrients, often from fertiliser runoff. This causes massive algae growth, or 'algal blooms.' While it doesn't poison us directly, it is harmful because: