Effects of Ozone Depletion, Water and Noise Pollution

Effects of Ozone Depletion

When the ozone layer is depleted, the ultraviolet radiations of the sun can reach the earth's surface in greater proportion. This results in damage to animal and plant life on the earth. Ultraviolet rays cause skin cancer and cataracts in human beings. The ozone hole is seen in the stratosphere above Antarctica.

Main Sources of Water Pollution

There are two main sources of water pollution: natural and manmade sources. They can be further categorized into various types. Mineral from land that are washed off due to heavy rains, dead animals, animal waste, ash, chemical after forest fires, sulfur compounds after an earthquake, etc. are natural sources of water pollution. City sewage and industrial waste are the manmade sources of water pollution. These pollutants can be broadly classified into domestic sewage, industrial waste, radioactive waste, agricultural runoff, oil spills, and thermal pollution.

Impact of Noise Pollution on the Human Body

1) Auditory effects: The effect results in auditory fatigue and deafness. 2) Non-auditory effects: Communication interference, sleep interference, concentration interference, annoyance, ill temper, violent behavior, mental disorientation. 3) Physiological effects: Nausea, fatigue, anxiety, visual disturbance, insomnia, hypertension, cardiovascular disease.

Degradable vs. Non-Degradable Pollutants

Degradable Pollutants

1) Degradable pollutants can degrade on their own after some time. 2) They are usually acted upon by microorganisms to reduce them to inorganic substances. 3) They are not accumulated in nature. 4) They emit foul odor when they are being decomposed.

Non-Degradable Pollutants

1) Non-degradable pollutants cannot degrade on their own. 2) They are not acted upon by microorganisms and hence are not reduced to inorganic substances. 3) They accumulate in nature and remain there for a long period of time. 4) They may not emit foul odor as they are not decomposed.

Primary vs. Secondary Pollutants

Primary Pollutants

1) Primary pollutants are emitted directly from the sources. 2) They are found in the atmosphere in the form in which they are emitted. 3) Ash, smoke, dust, radioactive compounds, oxides of sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen are primary pollutants.

Secondary Pollutants

1) Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly but formed due to chemical reaction. 2) They are formed in the atmosphere by chemical reaction between primary pollutants and the atmospheric constituents. 3) SO3, O3, hydrogen cyanide, ketones, etc. are secondary pollutants.