What is the Effect of Air Pollution on the Environment
Air pollution has major adverse effects on plants, animals as well as human beings. Harmful gases present in the polluted air make breathing difficult. Air pollution also leads to a lot of lung disease like asthma and lung cancer. Air pollution also damages crops. If we do not start looking after the quality of air around us, the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels will no longer be balanced and living beings will be the ones getting affected.
- Respiratory problems, e.g., sneezing, allergy, bronchitis, asthma,, tuberculosis and lung cancer.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Acid rain.
- Depletion of ozone layer.
- Global warming (green hourse effect).
- Serious ailments produced by certain metals and pesticides.
- Smog.
Global Warming
We know that an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is one of the major causes of air pollution. Scientists believe that an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide and certain other gases is responsible for a phenomenon called global warming. Global warming refers to the unnatural increase in the Earth’s surface temperature. To understand how this happens, let us first familiarize ourselves with the concept of greenhouse effect.
The phenomenon whereby the Earth’s atmosphere traps solar radiation because of the presence of gases like carbon dioxide, water vapour, and methane is called greenhouse effect. Without the natural greenhouse effect, the Earth’s surface would have been too cold to sustain life. It is the increase in the amount of greenhouse gases beyond natural limits that is a cause of worry. Figure explains how the greenhouse effect is responsible for global warming.
The causes and possible effects of global warming are summarized in table.
Causes | Possible effects |
Deforestation | Increase in Earth’s surface temperature |
| Burning of fossil fuels | Melting of polar ice caps |
| Release of methane due to the breakdown of organic matter | Rise in global sea level resulting in the flooding of low-lying coastal regions |
Acid Rain
We know that the Taj Mahal was built using white marble. If you visit this monument today, you will find patches of black dirt on it. Scientists believe that one of the major causes of spoilage of this wonder monument is a phenomenon called acid rain. Let us understand what acid rain is.
When air pollutants like oxides of sulphur and nitrogen react with oxygen and water vapour of the atmosphere, they eventually form dilute solutions of sulphuric acid and nitric acid, respectively. These acids mix with rain water and come down in the form of acid rain. Acid-forming gases and acid rain have been known to result in
- destruction of vegetation due to acidification of soil;
- accelerated leaching of rocks and soils;
- decay of limestone, marble, and other building materials; and
- damage to human respiratory system.
Depletion of the Ozone Layer
The ozone layer in the atmosphere protects both plant and animal life on Earth by absorbing
the harmful ultraviolet radiation of the sun, which may cause skin cancer. CFCs (also called freons) are responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer.
Effects on Plants
Air pollution can have lasting and harmful effects on the growth and development of plants. Some of these are discussed below.
- Photochemical smog is said to have an adverse effect on plant growth because it forms a layer on leaves and, along with dust, blocks sunlight from being absorbed by the leaf surface. This layer blocks the absorption of carbon dioxide by the leaves and also affects the functioning of stomata, thereby reducing the rate of photosynthesis.
- Acid rain damages plants and can also cause premature leaf fall.
Effects on Animals
The toxic air pollutants released into the atmosphere can cause and aggravate respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in human beings. Asthmatic patients, children, and elderly people are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution. Some of the health effects of air pollution are given below.
- Carbon monoxide easily combines with the haemoglobin in our blood and hampers the transport of oxygen within the body, which can lead to headache, drowsiness, dizziness, and nausea.
- Exposure to high levels of suspended particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, and other air pollutants irritates the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Years of exposure to these air pollutants can lead to respiratory diseases like lung cancer, asthma, and bronchitis.
Prevention of Air Pollution
Following are some of the steps that could be taken to prevent air pollution.
- Use of unleaded petrol should be encouraged.
- The exhaust gases in vehicles should be made to pass through a catalytic converter, which converts harmful carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides to harmless carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and water, before releasing the exhaust in the air.
- Less-polluting fuels like CNG (compressed natural gas) should be used.
- Regular pollution-check should be made mandatory for all vehicles.
- Coal should be made free of sulphur before being burnt in power plants. Only low-sulphur coal should be used for burning.
- Less-polluting energy resources like hydroelectric energy and nuclear energy should be encouraged.
- Use of public transport should be encouraged.
There are a number of ways by which we can reduce air pollution. Some of them are: planting more and more trees, recycling plastics, regular checking of vehicles for emission of harmful gases, etc.
