Air_Water_Pollution

Air/Water Pollution Paper Melene Scott ENV/100 January 10, 2013 Crystal Stawiery Air/Water Pollution Paper There are many types and sources of air pollution. Air pollution is various chemicals such as gases, liquids, and solids that are present in the atmosphere in high enough levels to be harmful to humans, other organisms, or materials. There are two types of air pollutants known as primary and secondary air pollutants. Primary air pollutants are harmful chemicals that enter directly into the atmosphere due to either human activities or natural processes. Secondary air pollutants are harmful chemicals that form in the atmosphere when primary air pollutants react chemically with one another or with natural components on the atmosphere. The major classes of air pollutants is particulate matter which are dusts better known as solids and mists better known as liquids that are suspended in the atmosphere. Particulate matter scatters and absorbs light, therefore it reduces visibility. It can also corrode metals and erode buildings and sculptures. It eventually will settle out, but can remain suspended for many years. By inhaling the particles it introduces the chemicals into the body, but the smaller particles are worse because they get deeper into the lungs. I am going to discuss two types of air pollutants which are carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, poisonous gas. It is produced by the incomplete burning of fossil fuels. The primary sources of carbon monoxide are cars, buses, trucks, some industrial processes, and small engines. Carbon monoxide interferes with the ability to carry oxygen. It slows down one’s reflexes and also causes drowsiness. In high concentrations, carbon monoxide can cause death. Sulfur dioxide is produced by chemical interactions between sulfur and oxygen. Sulfur dioxide primary source comes from burning fossil fuels. Sulfur dioxide contributes to acid precipitation as sulfuric acid. Secondary pollutants that result from reactions with sulfur dioxide can harm plant life and irritate the humans respiratory system. Water pollution is any change in the quality of water that may have a harmful effect on any living thing that drinks, uses, or lives in it. When people drink water that is polluted it has serious harmful effects on their health. There are many different classes of water pollutants. I am going to focus on two types of water pollution which are the disease-causing agents and the oxygen-demanding wastes. The disease-causing agents are bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasitic worms that enter sewage systems and untreated wastes. Oxygen-demanding wastes are wastes that can be decomposed by oxygen that requires bacteria. When huge populations of decomposing bacteria are converting these wastes it can deplete oxygen levels in the water. When this happens it causes other organisms in the water to die. Water pollution is mostly caused by human activities. The most important water pollution is pathogenic organisms. The main source of theses pathogens comes from untreated or improperly treated human wastes. An example of infectious agents would be bacteria, viruses, and parasites. The sources of infectious agents come from human and animal excreta. Animal manure and plant residues are examples of oxygen-demanding wastes. The sources of oxygen-demanding wastes are sewage, paper mills, and food processing. Water is the basis of life on earth. Good water quality sustains healthy ecosystems and leads to improved human well being. On the other hand, poor water quality would be how waterborne diseases cause death of more than 1.5 million children each year. The quality of life resources are threatened by pollution. It is because of humans that water pollution has gotten to be so bad. Two million tons of sewage is drained into the water. It is a lot cheaper to protect water resources than to clean up after pollution. Maintenance and protection of aquatic environments ensure sustainability of their ecosystems. For example, wetlands filter off nutrients and toxic substances from water. To sum everything up, air and water pollution is bad for the environment. I believe that it has gotten out of control and nothing can be done to clean up the universe. Al we can do as people is cutback on a lot of things and move forward to make it better. References water polution faq. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.lenntech.com/water-pollution-faq.html World Water Today. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.unwater.org