WATER POLLUTION

WATER POLLUTION
Presence of impurities in water in such quantities and of such nature as to make it less fit or
unfit for a stated purpose.
Extent of Water Pollution:
Has reached alarming proportion
Surface water, underground water and sea water are all polluted to a greater or lesser
extent.
Water evaporates as pure water
First contamination during condensation, cloud formation and raining
Rainout & washout of atmospheric pollutants
Run off over land contaminates water with constituents of soil & residues left over the
soil
Agricultural run off
Run off from solids & hazardous waste disposal sites
Soil erosion
Disposal of wastes into water bodies
Solid and hazardous wastes
Industrial & municipal effluents
Drainage from agricultural fields
- Siltation of flood plains, river beds, lakes & estuaries

Water Pollution Continues.

Contaminants affecting health of water bodies & reducing utility
value of water resources

Biodegradable organic matter

Suspended, colloidal and dissolved solids
Nutrients (N2 & P)
Pathogens
Acids & bases and ionic species like fluorides
Inorganic toxic substances (cyanides)
Thermal pollution
Soaps & detergents
Radionuclides
Pesticides
Colour and odour causing substances
Volatile organic compounds
Recalcitrant & refractory organic pollutants

Effects of Water Pollution

1. Eutrophication : Nitrates and phosphates from fertilizers and detergents in the water
bodies act as nutrients and accelerate the growth of algae which forms a mat or bloom on
the water surface. This increased productivity is called eutrophication.
a. The bloom producing algae cut off light to submerged plants
b. On their death they increase the organic loading of water body which further results in
depletion of oxygen and hence death of aquatic animals and water begins to stink.
c. The water also becomes unfit for drinking, industrial and recreational use. Therefore,
addition of excess of fertilizers to the fields be avoided.

2. Contamination of food chain

- Toxic chemicals like Hg, As, Pb , Non degradable pesticides and radioactive wastes
reach human & animals bodies through food chains & cause poisoning, disease and death.
- Japans Minimata bay is a famous example of disaster of eating mercury polluted fish
causing large number of deaths. Such deaths have also been reported from Sweden and
Canada.
- Pathogens cause diseases of human & domestic animals
- Reduction of productivity of the phytoplanktones
- Destruction of coral reefs from temp. changes

Measurement of water pollution

Water pollution is measured by
- Biological monitoring based on the population of critical species sensitive to pollution.
Mostly employed for drinking water checking.

Most Probable Number (MPN)

Biological testing quality of water indicates the absence or presence of pathogens in it.

Pathogens are disease producing micro-organisms which cause a number of water borne
diseases like typhoid, cholera, hepatitis, dysentery, jaundice etc.

Intestinal discharge of infected persons contain billions of these pathogens which if

allowed to contaminate water bodies may cause the above water borne diseases.

Since faecal contamination of water is responsible for a number of diseases, faecal

contamination is detected by micro biological examination of water supplies where faecal
colliform bacteria are used as indicator organisms since colliform bacteria is always present
in association with faecal matter.

We use the most probable number (MPN) tube test for measuring the colliform number
in water.

Here at different dilutions the water samples are incubated with faecal bacteria specific
culture media and establish whether the faecal bacteria is present or not in the incubated
sample by observing production of gas and change of pH and colour change.

Thus density of colliform bacteria is accepted to be microbiological water quality

parameter in almost all situations.

Physico-Chemical Monitoring based on actual physical & chemical parameters such as

pH value
Odour
Turbidity
COD
BOD
Total solids, suspended solids,
dissolved solids and volatile solids

Iron
Nitrate nitrogen
Chloride
Sulphates
Potassium
Sodium
Calcium

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD):

- BOD indicates the quality of waste water and is used to measure the water pollution by
organic wastes
- BOD refers to the amount of oxygen needed by bacteria in decomposing the organic
wastes present in the water
- It is oxygen required in milligrams for 5 days to metabolise waste present in one litre of
water at 20oC.
- BOD is higher in polluted water. Lesser value of BOD indicates comparatively clean
water. A weak organic waste has BOD less than 1500 mg/litre, a strong one has higher than
this.

THERMAL POLLUTION
Addition of hot effluents & waste heat which can cause undesirable changes in the natural
environment is thermal pollution.
Thermal power plants, nuclear power plants, refineries, steel mills etc. are the major
sources of thermal pollution.

For their operations, power plants utilize only 1/3 rd of the energy provided by fossil fuels,
the remaining 2/3rd is lost in the form of heat to water which is used for cooling.

Cold water, generally, drawn from some nearby water body is passed through the plant &
returned to the same water body with temp. 10-16oC higher than the initial temp. Excess of heat
reaching such water bodies cause thermal pollution of water.
Effects of Thermal Pollution:
Warmer water contains less oxygen (14 ppm at 0oC, 1 ppm at 20oC). Hence the dissolved
oxygen content of the water is decreased.
High temperature becomes a barrier for oxygen penetration into deep & cold waters
Toxicity of pesticides, detergents & chemicals in the effluents increases temperature
The composition of flora & fauna changes because the species sensitive to increased
temperature due to thermal shock get replaced by temp. tolerant species.
Discharge of heated water near the shares can disturb spawning and can even kill young
fishes.

Fish immigration is affected due to formation of various thermal zones.

Control of Thermal Pollution

Cooling ponds, spray ponds and cooling towers can be employed for control of thermal
pollution.

Marine Pollution

Today sea is the sewer of the World

Main source of marine pollution are rivers which bring pollutants from their drainage
basins, catchment areas i.e. coastline where human settlements in the form of hotels, industry,
agricultural practices have been established & oil drilling & shipment.
Rivers carry sewage sludge, industrial effluents, synthetic detergents, agrochemicals, solid
wastes, plastics, metals & waste heat released by industries.
Another important source of marine pollution is the leaking of toxic substances,
radioactive wastes which are stored in containers & dumped in deep sea
Tankers transporting oil contribute to oil pollution significantly, oil in sea water can
spread over a large area of the sea, remain dispersed or get absorbed on sediments.
Phytoplanktons, zooplanktons, algal species, various species of invertebrates, coral reefs, fish,
birds and mammals are affected by oil pollution.
Leakage from oil tankers near Alaska in 1989 caused damage to coral reefs & resulted in
the death of about 390 thousand birds. During 1991 Gulf war 200 million gallons of oil spread
in the Persian Gulf badly affected marine ecosystem.

Control of Marine Pollution

Toxic pollutants from industries & sewage treatment plants should not be discharged in
coastal waters.
Run off from non-point sources should be prevented to reach coastal areas.
Developmental activities on coastal areas should be minimized.
Oil & grease from service stations should be minimized.
Oil ballast should not be dumped into sea.
Ecologically sensitive coastal areas should be protected by not allowing drilling.

Noise Pollution

A loud, unpleasant sound or unwanted sound is called noise.

Sound is mechanical energy from a vibrating source & it can propagate through a
medium like air, liquid or solid.
Sound wave is a pressure perturbation in the medium through which sound travels.
There is a wide range of sound pressures which encounter human ear. Noise is the amount
of sound energy that cannot be tolerated by organisms.
The Degree of noise is measured in term of decibel. Man can hear at 10 dB. A peaceful
environment exists at 25 dB. Normal conversation occurs at 35-60 dB. Noise level upto 65
dB is well tolerated. Noise above 80 dB causes discomfort in man & at 120-140 dB it
produces pain.

Noise standards recommended by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

Area
Industrial
Commercial
Residential
Silence zone

Noise level in dB
75
65
55
50

Sources of Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is a result of modern industrialized urban life and congestion. Main
sources are; Transportation (like air, road, rail transportation), industrial operation,
agricultural machines (tractors, harvesters, tubewells, lawn mowers) defence
equipments (tank, artillery, rocket launching, explosions, shooting practices) domestic
gadgets (pressure cooker, mixers, grinders, exhaust fans, desert coolers, air conditioners,
vacuum cleaners) entertaining equipments, public address systems, construction work &
use of crackers on festive occasions.
High levels of noise have been recorded in some of the cities of the world. In
Nanjing(China) noise level of 105 dB, Rome 90 dB, N. York 88 dB, Calcutta 85 dB,
Mumbai 82 dB, Delhi 80 dB have been recorded.

Effects of Noise
1. Interferes with mans communication
2. Hearing damage : Noise can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss. Depends on
intensity & duration of sound level. Auditory sensitivity is reduced with noise level of over
90 dB in the midhigh frequency for more than a few minutes.
3. Physiological & psychological changes: Continuous exposure to noise pollution affects
the functioning of various systems of the body. Results in hypertension, insomnia, gastrointestinal & digestive disorders, peptic ulcers, blood pressure changes, behavioural changes
& emotional changes

Control of Noise Pollution

1. Reduction in source of noise heavy vehicles & old vehicles should not be allowed to ply
in the populated areas
2. Proper oiling will reduce the noise from the machinery
3. Use of sound absorbing silencers
4. Noise making machines should be kept in containers with sound absorbing media
5. Through law: Legislation can ensure that sound production is minimized at various
social functions. Unnecessary horn blowing should be restricted.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Solid wastes
All the wastes arising from human and animal activities that are normally solid and
discarded as useless or unwanted.
Encompasses the heterogenous mass of throwaways from residences and commercial
activities as well as more homogenous accumulations of a single industrial activity.

Types and sources of solid wastes:

Classified into three main categories:
1. Municipal wastes
2. Industrial wastes
3. Hazardous wastes (including hospital wastes)

Municipal Wastes:

Solid wastes generated in residential & commercial areas by activities other than
industrial production are termed as Municipal Waste.
Includes all types of solid & semi solid waste products like food wastes, rubbish like
polyethylene bags, empty metal and aluminium cans, scrap metals, glass bottles, waste paper,
cloth/rags, ashes and residues, demolition and construction wastes like debris & rubbles,
wood, concrete etc.
Also includes special wastes such as street sweeping, roadside litter, dead animals and
abandoned vehicles etc.

Industrial Wastes:

Wastes which arise from industrial activities & typically include factory rubbish, packing
material, organic wastes, acids, alkalis and metals.
Main source of industrial wastes are chemical industries, metal & mineral processing
industries
Radioactive wastes generated by Nuclear power plants
Fly ash produced in large quantities by thermal power plants
Solid wastes from other types of industries include scrap metal, rubber, plastic, paper,
glass, wood, oils, paints, tars, dyes, scrap leather, ceramics, heavy metals, asbestos, batteries
etc.

Hazardous Wastes:

Wastes that pose a substantial danger immediately or over a period of time to human,
plants or animals life are classified as hazardous wastes.
A hazardous waste exhibits any of the following characteristics (i) Ignitability (ii)
corrosivity (ii) reactivity (iv) toxicity
Hazardous waste grouped into five categories (i) radioactive substances (ii) chemicals (iii)
biological wastes (iv) flammable wastes & (v) explosives.
18 categories of hazardous solid wastes under Waste Management & Handling Rules, 1989
of EP Act, 1986 have been identified by Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India
A person handling any of these hazardous wastes beyond stipulated quantity has to seek
authorization or consent of regulatory agency primarily State Pollution Control Board.

Hospital Wastes (Biological Wastes)

Ministry of Environment and Forests has accorded due priority to hospital wastes and
rules are being made for their effective and safe disposal.
The solid wastes generated in hospitals can be categorized into (a) general wastes
(b) biomedical wastes
General Wastes include wastes from packing materials, garbage, kitchen waste which is not
infectious or hazardous in nature. Such wastes can be handled along with the municipal
wastes and disposed off at the common dumping site.
Biomedical Wastes
Generated from the hospital activities including laboratories and other associated areas
Potentially dangerous/infectious and can be classified into (i) chemical wastes (ii)
pathological wastes (iii) highly infectious wastes (iv) sharp objects (v) pharmaceutical wastes
(vi) laboratory wastes

Management of Solid Wastes

-

Reduction in raw material use

Reuse of solid waste materials
Recovery of materials/metals
Generation of energy/biogas
Conversion into useful products such as fertilizers, fuel pellets etc.

Vermicomposting

Increase in crop for improving fertility and health of the

soil
Increase in retention of soil moisture
Increase in nutrient value of organic waste

Composting
Due to shortage of space for landfills in bigger cities, the biodegradable yard waste is
allowed to degrade or decompose in an oxygen rich medium.
A good quality nutrient rich & environmentally friendly manure is formed which
improves soils fertility

Incineration
(iii) Incineration refers to control burning of wastes at high temperature at 500-1200 oC in a
specially designed furnace.
Ashes and gases are the products of incineration.
Four basic unit operations are included in an incineration system.
o First stage involves preparation, storage and transportation of wastes to the incinerator in
a physical form conducive to the combustion process
o Incinerator furnace is designed on the basis of physico-chemical properties of the wastes.
Under controlled conditions of combustion, the toxic organics are thermally oxidized to form
flue gases.
o Cooling of these gases directly through quenching and dilution devices or indirectly by
employing waste heat recovery systems & special type of boilers.
o Final step removes the pollutants in the flue gases by subjecting them to venturi
scrubbing, mass transfer operations, filtration etc. to reduce the emission to acceptable levels
before letting them out into the atmosphere.

SW Management elements
Incineration..

Heat recovery efficiency 70%

Amount of steam produced varies from 1.0 to 3.5 kg/kg of MSW

Disposal of Solid Wastes

(i)
Sanitary landfills
(ii)
Composting
(iii) Incineration
Sanitary landfills
- In a sanitary landfill, garbage is spread out in thin layers, compacted & covered with
clay or plastic foam.
- The solid wastes in landfills undergo a series of bio-chemical decomposition, (biological
decay either aerobically or anaerobically & chemical oxidation)
- Results in the production of gases like methane & CO 2 & liquids (leachates) in the
landfill areas.
- Methane produced by anaerobic decomposition is collected & burnt to produce
electricity or heat.
- Liquids released due biochemical reactions of solid wastes in landfill areas referred as
leachates.
- Leachates can easily percolate through the solid wastes & can pollute underground
water.
- In the modern landfills the bottom is covered with an impermeable liner usually several
layers of clay, thick plastic and sand. The liner protects the ground water from being
contaminated due to percolation of leachate. Leachate from bottom is pumped & sent for
treatment.

Sanitary landfills

Role of an individual in prevention of pollution

Think globally act locally.
Help more in pollution prevention than pollution control.
Use ecofriendly products
Cut down the use of CFCs as they destroy the ozone layer.
Use the chemicals derived from peaches and plums to clean computer chips and circuit
board instead of CFCs.
Use CFC free refrigerators.
Reduce dependency on fossil fuel especially coal or oil.
Save electricity by not wasting it when not required
Adopt and popularize renewable energy resources
Improve energy efficiency.
Promote reuse and recycling wherever possible and reduce the production of wastes
Use mass transport system for short visits, use bicycle or go on foot.
Decrease the use of automobiles.
Use pesticides only when absolutely necessary and that too in right amounts. Wherever
possible integrated pest management, including alternate pest control methods (biological
control) should be used.
Use rechargeable batteries. It will reduce metal pollution.
Use less hazardous chemicals wherever their application can be afforded.
The solid waste generated during one manufacturing process can be used as a raw
material for some other processes.

 Use low phosphaste, phosphate-free or biodegradable dish washing liquid, laundry

detergent and shampoo. This will reduce eutrophication of water bodies.
Use organic manure instead of commercial inorganic fertilizers.
When building a home, save as many trees as possible in the area
Plant more trees as trees can absorb many toxic gases and can purify the air by
releasing oxygen.
Check population growth so that demand of material is under control.

POLLUTION - CASE STUDIES

The Bhopal Gas Tragedy

Worlds worst industrial accident occurred in Bhopal, M.P., India on the night of 2 nd &
morning of 3rd Dec. 1984 at Union Carbide Company which used to manufacture Carbaryl
pesticide using methyl isocyanate (MIC).
Due to accidental entry of water in the tank, the reaction mixture got overheated &
exploded because its cooling system had failed. Other safety devices also did not work or
were not in the working condition.
Forty tons of MIC leaked into the atmosphere which might have contained 40 Kg. of
phosgene as an impurity.
2,50,000 persons got exposed to MIC. About 5100 persons were killed (2600 due to direct
exposure to MIC & other 2500 due to after-affects of exposure). An estimated 65,000 people
suffered from severe eye, respiratory, neuromuscular, gastrointestinal & gynecological
disorder. About 1000 persons became blind.
It cost about 570 millions in clean up & damage settlements. Tragedy could have been
averted had the company spent about $1 million on safety measurements.

The Love Canal Tragedy

Occurred in Suburb of Niagara falls, New York. Love canal was built by William Love
which was later dug up and was used to dump sealed steel drums of chemical wastes by
Hooker Chemicals & Plastic Co. between 1942-53.
In 1953, the dump site was covered with clay & top soil by the company & sold to the
City Board of Education, which built an elementary school on this site. Houses were also
built near to the school.
In 1976, the residents started complaining of foul smell. Children playing in the canal
area received chemical burns.
In 1977, the corroded steel containers started leaking the chemicals into storm sewers,
basement of homes & the school playground. About 26 toxic organic compounds were
identified.
The dump site was covered with clay & the leaking wastes were pumped to new
treatment plant. The affected families were relocated.

Arsenic Pollution in ground water

West Bengal & Bangladesh are severely contaminated by the toxic heavy metal arsenic.
First report of arsenic pollution in West Bengal came in 1975 and that in Bangladesh
in 1993. Common people were found to be ingesting low doses of arsenic for 10-14 years
after which white or black spots called melanosis started mottling the skin. Later on
these spots converted into leprosy like skin lesions, eventually rotting into gangrenous
ulcers. Long exposures often lead to bladder & lung cancer.
In West Bengal 40 million out of 90 million people have exposure to arsenic threat due
to contaminated water. The 24 paraganas, Hooghly & Murshidabad districts and also
Behala and S. Eastern fringes of Kolkata lie in Arsenic Risk Zone.
Excessive use of lead arsenate and Cu arsenite as pesticides in high yielding varieties
of summer paddy & jute crops are the major causes of arsenic pollution.
Arsenic contaminated tubewells in the state are being painted red while safe water
tubewells are painted green for use by people.

Charnobyl Nuclear disaster

Worst nuclear disaster in the history of human civilization occurred at

Chernobyl Ukraine in USSR.

The accident occurred on 26th April, 1986 at the reactor of the Chernobyl power
plant designed to produce 1000 MW electrical energy. The explosion caused the 1000
tonne steel concrete lid of the reactor 4 to blow off. Fire started at the reactor due to
combustion of graphite rods & the reactor temperature soared to more than 2000oC.
Fuel & radioactive debris spread out in a volcanic cloud of molten mass of the core
and gases which drifted over most of the northern hemisphere badly affecting
Poland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

More than 2000 people died. People suffered from ulcerating skin, loss of hair,
nausea & anemia. It was feared that some 5,76,000 people exposed to radiation
would suffer from cancer specially thyroid cancer & leukemia.