Ozone exposure

A team of scientists says the risk of dying from respiratory problems is more than 30% greater in metropolitan areas with the highest ozone concentrations than areas where ozone levels were the lowest.Ground-level ozone, along with particulate matter, is a major component of smog. Ozone is a naturally occurring gas most prevalent high in the atmosphere, where it protects against harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. However, ozone at ground level is produced when exhaust from cars, power plants,...

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Plastic bag sideeffect

Every once in a while the government here passes out an order banning shop keepers from providing plastic bags to customers for carrying their purchases, with little lasting effect. Plastic bags are very popular with both retailers as well as consumers because they are cheap, strong, lightweight, functional, as well as a hygienic means of carrying food as well as other goods. Even though they are one of the modern conveniences that we seem to be unable to do without, they are responsible for causing...

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Air pollution cleaned by fog

While it hassles commuters, morning mist removes a lot of airborne particles which are hazardous for people with respiratory health problems. The water droplets inside morning fog are of just the right size to collect and hold onto tiny air pollutant particles floating in the air. Once the fog settles back to the ground, it takes the air pollution particles with it. A dreary, foggy morning may wreak havoc on your morning commute. But now, scientists reveal that not all thick, foggy air is bad. Some...

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Atmospheric pollution

Although atmospheric pollution can have natural sources, for example volcanic eruptions, the term is usually used to refer to the gaseous by-products of man-made processes such as energy production, waste incineration, transport, deforestation and agriculture. During the last 200 years, mankind has begun to significantly alter the composition of the atmosphere through pollution. Although air is still made up mostly of oxygen and nitrogen, mankind, through its pollution, has increased the levels...

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Asia pollution

The grey, sulphur-laden skies overlying parts of Asia have a bright side — they reflect sunlight back into space, moderating temperatures on the ground. Scientists are now exploring how and where pollution from power plants could offset, for a time, the greenhouse warming of the carbon dioxide they emit.A new modelling study doubles as a thought experiment in how pollution controls and global warming could interact in China and India, which are projected to account for 80% of new coal-fired power...

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Ocean pollution

From plastic bags to pesticides - most of the waste we produce on land eventually reaches the oceans, either through deliberate dumping or from run-off through drains and rivers. This includes:-oil-fertilizers-solid garbage-sewage-toxic chemicalsMore oil from land than from spillsOil spills cause huge damage to the marine environment - but in fact are responsible for only around 12% of the oil entering the seas each year. According to a study by the US National Research Council, 36% comes down...

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Pollution solutions

objectives: Students will understand the following:1. The threat to water ecosystems is a complex problem because many factors contribute to their pollution and destruction. 2. The following factors all play major roles in the pollution and destruction of water ecosystems: PCBs, DDT, metylmercury chloride, sewer sludge, thermal effluents, radioactive wastes, destruction of marshlands, and beach erosion. 3. Methods to combat the above factors exist. 4. More methods are being developed and need...

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oil pollution

An oil spill is a release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term often refers to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters. Oil spills include releases of crude oil from tankers, offshore platforms, drilling rigs and wells, as well as spills of refined petroleum products (such as gasoline, diesel) and their by-products, and heavier fuels used by large ships such as bunker fuel, or the spill...

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Land pollution

The contamination of land usually results from its commercial or industrial usage or from the spillage or dumping of waste, including landfill. These activities may have left elevated levels of heavy metals, hydrocarbons and other compounds on the land, and possibly in the groundwater. These may have the potential to cause harm to people or to the environment. The environmental quality team is responsible for inspecting sites in the borough for sources of contamination.Land pollution the action...

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Indoor air pollution

Basically we only think of air pollution as being outdoors, but the air in your office or house could also be polluted.The sources of indoor pollution include:Biological contaminants like pollen and mold.Tobacco smoke Pesticides and household products.Gases such as carbon monoxide and random.Materials used in the building such as lead, formaldehyde and asbestos.Sick building syndrome occurs when several people are affected, but no specific source of the illness and disease are found. Indoor air...

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Climate change and urban health in the kathmandu valley

Extreme weather events are being witnessed in the Kathmandu valley as a result of climate change. Global warming is resulting in an increased length of summers with warmer days, more days with higher intensity of rainfall per day, and fewer days of rainfall.As mentioned earlier, climate change and rapid urbanization is resulting in the emergence of new vectors and viruses. A study has shown the existence of at least 12 types of mosquitoes of culex and anopheles species in the Gokama area, a suburban...

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Water quality issues

Unaccounted for water is very high in developing countries. A recent study by the south-east asian water utilities network in 40 water utilities showed unaccounted for water ranging from 10% to 48%. Leakages in poorly piped water systems and excessive use of water in the industrial sector, in residential sector, in residential areas and for recreational purposes have resulted in cities like Bankok, Chennal and Manila experiencing aquifer dropa of between 10 and 50 meters.There are some water quality...

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Ozone pollution

In our atmosphere ozone is a positive or negative layer depending on where it is found. Depending upon the distance above the planet's surface the atmosphere of the earth is divided into four layers, with ozone important in the two levels - the stratosphere and the troposphere. The level that contain the air we breath, ozone is a damaging pollutant in the troposphere. The stratosphere which lies 15-50 km above the ground contains a protective layer of ozone which filters out the harmful rays of...

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Solid waste management

Rapid urbanization presents enormous solid waste management problems. The generation of waste is often linked to income level and lifestyles. The lack of solid waste management leads to water, land and air pollution, putting people and the environment at risk. A particular health concern is that hospital waste, which is very infectious and hazardous, is often dumped with general waste in landfill sites. Scavengers looking for recyclable items are exposed to infection and other hazards.Solid waste...

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Acidification and eutrophication

The two environmental problems eutrophication of terrestrial and coastal ecosystem and acidification of soil and water are caused by the same pollutants. Acidification main cause is the airborne deposition of sulphurNitrogen compounds such as nitrogen oxides and ammonia are the dominant cause of eutrophication of eutrophication of manu ecosystems on land and at sea which also contribute increasingly to acidification.The main cause of acidification problem is the airborne deposition of sulphur,...

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Smog

Smog is also a kind of air pollution which is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. From vehicular emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes, modern smog which is a type of air pollution is derived that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine with the primary emission to form photochemical smog. Smog is also caused by large amount of coal burning in a place caused by a mixture of sulfur dioxide and smoke.A new type of smoke known as photochemical...

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Effects of noise exposure and control

The effects of noise exposure are of two types: auditory and non-auditory.Auditory fatigue appears in the 90 dB region and greatest at 4000Hz. It may be associated with side effects such as whistling and buzzing in the ears. Deafness is the most serious pathological effect. The victum is generally unware of it in early stages. The hearing loss may be temporary or permanent. Nonauditory effects are interference with speech, annoyance, effeciency and physiological changes.A variety of approach may...

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Disposal of wastes

Disposal of wastes is now largely the domain of sanitarians and public health engineers. However, health professionals need to have a basic knowledge of the subject since improper disposal of wastes consitutes a health hazard. Further the health professional may be called upon to give advice in some special situations, such as camp sanitation or coping with waste disposal problems when there is a disruption or breakdown of community health services in natural disasters.The 'solid waste' term includes...

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Radiation

Radiation is a part of man's environment. The sources of radiation to which man is exposed are divided into two groups: 1.Naturalcosmic raysenvironmental (terrestrial, atmospheric) internal (potassium-40, carbon-14) 2.Man-mademedical and dental (x-rays, radioisotopes)occupational exposurenuclear (radioactive fallout)miscellaneous (television sets, radioactive dial watches, isotope tagged products, luminious markers)The term "ionizing radiation" is applied to radiation which has the ability to...

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Environment and health

The key to man's health lies largely in his environment. In fact, much of man's illhealth can be traced to adverse environmental factors such as water pollution , soil pollution, air pollution, poor housing conditions, presence of animal reserviours and insect vectors of diseases which pose a constant threat to man's health. Often man is responsible for the pollution of his environment through urbanization, industrialization, and other human activities. In 1972 the UN conference on the human environment...

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Industrial pollution

By various sectors including government, NGO and INGO few attempts have been made in addressing the problem of industrial pollution in Nepal, such one-off efforts have been effective because of the absence of a collectively mobilized and collaborative efforts involving all concerned stakeholders in dealing with the problem.Furthermore, without scientific study of the problem itself, most activities have been undertaken. As such, WATO-Nepal is adopting a scientific and multi-stakeholders approach...

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Groundpollution

The change in the properties of groundwater due to contamiated by microbes, chemicals, hazardous, Groundwater pollution is a change in the properties of groundwater due to contamination by microbes, chemicals, hazardous substances and other foreign particles. It is a major type of water pollution. The sources of groundwater pollution are either natural (mineral deposits in rocks) or man-made. Natural sources are less harmful compared to hazardous chemicals generated by human activities. Any chemical...

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Sea pollution

In Finland at a conference Northern European nations have discussing pollution in the Baltic Sea. In the world the most polluted waterways is the Baltic sea. Nine nations which are brought together by the Baltic Sea Action Summit, share the coastline, and was chaired by the Finnish President Tarja Halonen.'Today some of the richest and most environmentally-conscious countries on earth live on the shore of the world's most polluted seas. What a tragedy. It is clear that something has to be done and...

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Pollution by liquid waste

Two bioreactors have been launched by microbial solutions, that can be enlarged or reduced in size for disposal of hazardous metalworking fluids and associated oil-contaminated materials.MSL Microcycle Technology uses a biorector unit and 'friendly bacteris' to turn toxic, exhausted metalworking fluids and oils into grey water which is safe to dispose of straight into the sewerage system. The disposal processes such as vacuum evaporation and ultra filtration which produce toxic oily waste residues...

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Light pollution

When we talk about pollution, at first we think about sound pollution, air pollution, water pollution, land pollution but we can rarely think about light pollution.The adverse effect of artificial light causes light pollution.Different types of light pollution are light trespass, glare, and sky glow.Trespass: When unwanted light enters into one's property from a source of outside's property light tresspass occurs.When the light enters the window of one's home causing problems like sleep deprivation...

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Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is caused by the unpleasent sound created by human, animal or machine, that disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life. The displeasing sound can damage physiological and psychological health. Sound pollution can cause annoyance and aggression, high stress levels, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and other harmful effects. Which in turn stress and hypertension leads to health problems. Tinnitus can lead to forgetfulness, severe depression and at time panic attacks.Animals...

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soil pollution

Soil pollution causes from the build of contiminants, toxic compounds, radioactive materials, salts, chemical and cancer-causing agent. Hydrocarbons, heavy metals(cadmium, lead, chromium, copper, zinc, mercury and arsenic), herbicides, pesticides, oils, tars, PCBs and dioxins are most common soil pollutants.Agriculture processes can also cause air pollution. Around farm centers high level of radionuclides like nitrogen and phosphorus can be found. Pesticides applied to plants can seep into ground,...

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Global Warming

When the temperature rises up, the earth heats up and there occurs global warming .The temperature increases when the greenhouse gases(carbon dioxide, water vapour, nitrous oxide, and methane) trap heat and light from the sun in the earth's atmosphere. By this many people, animals, and plants get hurt. Many creatures cannot take change so they dieGlobal warming is affecting the environment. Due to the global warming, the sea rises, and when the sea rises, the water covers many low land islands....

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water pollution

Due the increase in population, pollution has been increased nowadays. Among different types of pollutants, water pollution is one. Pure uncontiminated water does not occurs in nature. it contains impurities of vairous kinds- natural and manmade. a more serious aspect of water pollution is that caused by human activity-urbanization and industrialization. The sources of pollution resulting from these are sewage, industrial and trade wastes, agricultural pollutants, physical pollutants.Man's health...

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air pollution

As the time goes on and there is a development of different machines and machinaries and there occurs pollution. Pollution usually refers to the unwanted, undesirable substances present in the environment. In this modern society air pollution is a major problem. In urban areas pollutants contiminate air include various gases and tiny particles that can harm human health and damage the environment. Pollution occurs in different levels:personal, national, and global. The major types of pollutions...

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