Pollution: A Global Threat

Pollution: A Global Threat

Pollution is an important problem surfacing across the globe that poses a threat to all living things and destroys vital elements of essential bionetworks. It is defined as the contamination of the Earth's environment by materials that interfere with human health or the natural functioning of ecosystems. Fortunately, with improvements in technology and the efforts of environmental activists, the complicated issue of global pollution is receiving a growing amount of attention.

Even though some environmental pollution is the end result of natural phenomena like volcanic eruptions, most has been bought on by human behavior. The most recognized forms of pollution consist of air pollution, water pollution, soil contamination, and radioactive contamination. Modern and much broader concerns regarding pollution are comprised of thermal pollution which is an aspect of water pollution, noise pollution, and light pollution. Solutions to these problems will require a large amount of creative problem solving and the support of many people around the world.

To begin, soil contamination is a build up of man-made toxic chemical compounds, pathogens, salts, or radioactive materials that change the natural soil environment. This form of contamination is normally caused by pesticides and herbicides, ruptures in underground storage tanks, polluted surface water that penetrates the land, or the contact of industrial waste products with the soil. Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides damage the natural processes occurring within the soil and destroy useful organisms such as bacteria, fungi, as well as other crucial microorganisms.

The most common chemicals involved are petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents, pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals such as lead. All of these chemicals are interconnected with rising levels of industrialization and increased usage. Worries over soil contamination begin with health concerns, either from direct contact or from secondary contamination of water sources. Mapping out contaminated soil is one solution for cleansing and calls for extensive labor in the fields of hydrology, geology, chemistry and computer modeling.

The most important concern is the reality that people are in direct contact with soils at residences, parks, schools and playgrounds everyday. In addition to drinking contaminated water as a result of polluted soil, the inhalation of vaporized soil contaminants is another form of intake. Health consequences from exposure to soil contamination are very harmful depending on the pollutant type, passageway of ingestion and susceptibility of the people or animals exposed. Chromium and a number of the pesticide and herbicide compounds are carcinogenic to everyone. Lead is extremely hazardous to young children posing a high threat of damage to the developing nervous system and brain, while all age groups are vulnerable to kidney damage.

Constant exposure to benzene is linked to a higher frequency of leukemia. Mercury and cyclodienes induce higher numbers of kidney damage with some cases being irremediable. Cyclodienes are also connected to liver toxicity. Organophosphates and carbamates can bring on a chain reaction of responses leading to neuromuscular obstruction. Numerous chlorinated solvents depress the central nervous system and also provoke liver and kidney irregularities. For both the aforementioned as well as other chemicals, an entire range of additional health effects include nausea, headache, fatigue, skin rash and eye irritation. Additionally, a large quantity of soil contaminants can be fatal from high levels of exposure.

With the most extensive level of soil contamination, the United States has actually been the leader in identifying and applying regulations for soil cleanup. Other industrialized countries have a large quantity of contaminated areas but are behind the United States in implementing cleanup procedures. Developing countries may soon be the next generation experiencing serious problems of soil contamination. An obvious solution is to educate and reach out to these developing countries to compliment the existing fight on poverty and disease.

Each year in the United States, thousands of sites undergo soil contamination cleanup using microorganisms termed as microbes that "consume" toxic chemicals in soil. Further solutions include straightforward excavation along with costly state-of-the-art soil vapor extraction. Worldwide there are progressing efforts in creating and identifying new sites for soil contamination, predominantly in industrial countries besides the United States, and moreover, countries that are deficient in the technology and money to sufficiently protect their soil.

Continuing, there are several major categories of air pollution including: acid rain, smog, holes in the ozone layer, and the greenhouse effect. Each of these problems poses serious consequences for human health and overall well-being as well as for the environment. Air pollution affects human health in many ways with by both short-term and long-term implications. Different groups of people are affected by air pollution in diverse ways. Some people are much more susceptible to pollutants than others. Young children and the elderly generally suffer more than the average adult. People with health troubles such as heart and lung disease and asthma are also more vulnerable to pollutants in the air. However, the degree a person is affected by air pollution depends on the extent of their exposure to the pollutants and also the concentration of the chemicals.

A model of the short-term effects include but are not limited to upper respiratory infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis as well as irritation to the throat, nose, and eyes. Headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions are other symptoms. Short-term pollution can also cause aggravation of conditions such as asthma and emphysema. The long-term effects from exposure to pollution can include chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer, heart disease, and even damage to the brain, nerves, liver, or kidneys. Consistent exposure to air pollution affects the lungs of developing children and may worsen medical conditions in elderly people. Worth noting, an estimated half a million people are killed every year in the United States as a result of directly polluting their own air by simply smoking cigarettes. Medical conditions caused by air pollution are a billion dollar toll on society each year in lost productivity in the workplace and healthcare costs.

Water pollution has many sources and traits. Humans as well as farmed life produce wastes that enter surface waters such as oceans, lakes and rivers. These wastes increase the solids in the water resulting in an increased concentration of viruses and bacteria likely leading to health hazards.