Thermal Pollution

Pollution has become a common word in recent times. Everything is polluted everywhere. Sound pollution, food pollution, thermal pollution, air pollution, etc. Pollution is something harmful to the existing environment. Also, it is a global phenomenon. Due to several reasons, thermal pollution may cause and degrade the quality of life. Let's have a detailed discussion on what thermal pollution is, thermal pollution source, its harmful effects, and preventive measures. 

Thermal Pollution Meaning

Thermal pollution is pollution caused by man-made organizations by an increase or decrease in the temperature of the natural bodies. To make it clear and simple, the answer to what is thermal pollution is the degradation of the quality of life with the ejection of flames, heat, or other waste substances which may impact aquatic and terrestrial environments. 

Thermal pollution is also defined as pollution created by machinery or high-level equipment by cooling down or heating the natural bodies that release some amount of wastage in different forms continuously. This wastage gets mixed up with the natural sources and makes them polluted. The pollution caused by heat bodies is nothing but thermal pollution. It is a real problem that needs not be ignored. So it is always good to identify the sources or causes, and how it affects and what are the preventive measures to be taken, etc., about thermal pollution. 

Sources of Thermal Pollution

Thermal pollution is a real and continuous problem. So it can be eradicated from the roots. Let us understand what the root causes or the sources of thermal pollution are. 

• Cooling Agents:- especially several manufacturing units use water as cooling agents. As the large-scale industries use high-end equipment and the machines may run continuously. To cool those missionaries, the organizations use water as a cooling agent from the natural water bodies nearby. After cooling the missionaries, the heated and polluted water will get back to the National bodies like oceans, rivers come upon, etc. This polluted water May destroy the soil, air, and livelihood of human beings, plants, and animals.

(Image will be uploaded soon)

• Soil Erosion:- Soil erosion is one of the major sources of thermal pollution. The continuous soil erosion May destroy the quality of soil as well as water which in turn impacts flora and fauna. These are the major sources of food for mankind which are affecting day by day. 

• Deforestation:- In order to build huge power plants, machinery, hydroelectric plants, etc., deforestation takes place. These plants and the trees help the soil and water bodies to prevent direct exposure to sunlight. With the cutting down of these trees, the oxygen level gets decreased in the atmosphere as well as the sun directly exposed to both mean soil and water bodies. All these became another source of thermal pollution.

• Paved Surfaces:- In urban areas, the running of favourite surfaces also leads to thermal pollution. It has more impact on the Summer season. The warm ran-offs may enter into the natural water bodies.

• Natural Calamities:- certain natural calamities like geothermal vents, volcanoes, Hot springs, tsunamis, etc., are also sources of thermal pollution. Even during training seasons, the thunders also can produce a massive amount of heat and light energy which gets mixed with the soil or water. This leads to water pollution and soil pollution due to thermal pollution.

• Domestic sewage:- Whenever the sewage is discharged into various water bodies like ponds, rivers, lakes, drinking water sources, etc., the water may be directly sent to two tabs without treating them. This results in the production of polluted water, which acts as a thermal shock. The high temperature in water bodies May exhaust the water level also. 

(Image will be uploaded soon)

Harmful Effects of Thermal Pollution

Thermal pollution can be caused by various sources. Each source may deliver a large number of harmful effects. Let's have a quick view of the harmful effects of thermal pollution. 

• Because of changing temperatures in water bodies, the oxygen level may decrease. It affects the aquatic environment. 

• The consistent flow of wastage and high flames from the industries leads to an increase in the number of toxins present in the atmosphere, water, soil.

• The thermal pollution may not be significant to particular organisms. It shows its harmful effects on mankind, flora, and fauna. This leads to the loss of biodiversity. 

• As the changing temperature or hot water may not be favourable for all the organisms, Extinction of various organisms may occur. This leads to the imbalance of ecology. 

• The harmonisation also affects the reduction of reproductive systems for various organisms. Without having a healthier lifestyle, the animals may not produce the younger ones.

• Due to Thermal pollution, an increase in metabolic rate and migration of various living beings to distant places may take place. 

Preventive Measures of Thermal Pollution

To achieve a pollution-free environment, the only solution is thermal pollution prevention. Instead of searching for remedies and diagnoses, prevention is always better to stop initially. While studying thermal pollution sources, their harmful effects, and preventive measures, The necessary steps needed to take in for thermal pollution prevention are more significant and beneficial. 

• The used and heated water should not discharge from the industries directly to the water bodies. It is always good to treat them within the industry itself.

• Installation of cooling ponds and cooling towers may result better in treating the polluted water with high temperatures.

• Recycling the used water will become the best measure for thermal pollution prevention. 

• Protecting biodiversity from thermal pollution caused by man-made organisations.

Hence these are the thermal pollution sources, their harmful effects, and preventive measures discussed in detail. Eradicating the problem from the root cause itself is a great preventive measure. The conservation of soil, hate, water, energy, etc., everything is important for a sustainable and comfortable life for all living beings. So predicting natural sources itself is protecting our lives because man is purely dependent on nature.