types of pollutions

Types of Pollution.

Undesirable change in the physical, chemical, and biological constituents of the environment due to the introduction of contaminants or pollutants is pollution. Pollutants may be physical substance such as dust, chemical substance such as various gases, biological substances such as pollen and energy such as radiation and sound. When naturally occurring, they are considered contaminants when they exceed natural level. Pollution has been categorized into different types. Most common types includes:

1.  Air Pollution is due to the introduction of particulates and chemical in the atmosphere or environment. Sources of air pollution may be natural such as volcanic eruption, forest fire, and dust plume and anthropogenic activities such as industrial, constructional, and agricultural activities. Air pollutants released from anthropogenic sources are of main concern because they are the leading cause of various respiratory problems.
2. Water Pollution includes both surface and ground water pollution. It is mainly due to agricultural runoff containing fertilizers and pesticides, mixing of sewage and industrial discharge directly into the water. Excess mixing of nitrate and phosphate into the water body give rise to excess growth of algae and create algal bloom. Similarly consuming nitrate mixed water give rise to disease known as blue baby syndrome.
3. Sound or noise can be pollution when it is unpleasant on hearing. Sources of sound pollution include roadway noise, aircraft noise, industrial noise as well as high-intensity sonar. Continue exposure to sound level above 60dB can bring various physical and mental disorders.
4.  Thermal Pollution is due to a temperature change in natural water bodies such as by the use of water as coolant in a power plant. This is largely anthropogenic. However, often lava forms volcano cause thermal pollution.
5.  Aesthetic Pollution is associated with visual inconvenience. For example aesthetic pollution can be visualized as the presence of overhead power lines, motorway billboards, and scarred landforms (as from strip mining), open storage of trash or municipal solid waste.
6. Radioactive contamination is still believed to be from 20th century activities in atomic physics, such as nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons research, manufacture and deployment. Excessive exposure to radioactive rays can cause cancer, often brings genetic mutation.
7.  Soil Contamination occurs due to mixing of chemicals in the soil that are released by spill or underground leakage. Hydrocarbons, heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons are among the most significant soil contaminants. These contaminants reach to inside our body slowly through food chain.
8.  Light Pollution includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference