Geography [2 Mark Question Answer]

Electrostatic precipitators have been the air pollution control technology of choice for power generation and industrial processes throughout the world. ESPs are highly efficient dust collectors with proven collection efficiencies of up to 99.99% with guaranteed outlet emissions with minimal pressure loss. In an electrostatic precipitator, particles suspended in the air stream are given an electric charge as they enter the unit and are then removed by the influence of an electric field.

An important process by which chemicals can affect living organisms is bio-magnification. Many pesticides, such as DDT, aldrin and dihedron have a long lifetime in the environment. They get incorporated into the food chain and ultimately reach all the tissues of plants and animals. They get modified into higher trophic levels. Bio-accumulation or biological magnification can also be seen in the case of heavy metals like lead, mercury, cadmium, etc.

It is the process of depletion of oxygen from water bodies occurring either naturally or due to . human activities. The process of eutrophication takes place due to introduction of nutrients and chemicals through discharge of domestic sewage, industrial effluents and fertilizers from agricultural field. Algae and phytoplankton use carbon dioxide, inorganic nitrogen and phosphate from the water as food. This cause death of most of the aquatic organisms, draining water of all its oxygen.

Source reduction is definitely good for the environment. It is actually a better alternative than recycling, incineration and land filling. In the case of source reduction, if you don’t produce the waste in the first place then there is nothing to recycle, incinerate or landfill Source reduction means fewer resources are used in the production of a product.

Plastics are recycled by plastic manufacturers. Plastic is non-biodegradable. The bonds of carbon in plastic are impossible to break down through a physical or chemical process. They have to be incinerated, recycled or buried in landfills. The plastic bags which are extensively used in India are made from recycled plastic. The recycled plastic bags are harmful because the melting of plastic and plastic products breaks some polymer chains into smaller units which are harmful.

In the modem industrial world, the waste has become an environmental and public health hazard. Waste can be effectively managed by using the following three strategies:
(a) Reducing the waste (b) Reusing the waste and (c) Recycling the waste.

The recycling symbol with the three arrows represents the three steps in the recycling process, (i) Collection and processing of recyclable materials,
(ii) Manufacturing of those materials into new products, and
(iii) Products Sold to consumers which then starts the process over again.

When grass, leaves, food waste, manure and woody material are placed of the ground, micro-organisms from the ground begin to eat the material. The breakdown of this material is speed up with assistance from air (oxygen), water, and sunlight. Generally it will take several months for the material to become compost and that will also depend on how often you turn the pile of material.

Several incidents around the world have demonstrated the potential harm of accumulation of waste to human health. Some materials are as follows which harm people every day:
Lead: affects blood system, behavioural disorders and can also cause death.
Cadmium: cardiovascular diseases and hypertension, kidney damage Mercury: Nerve and brain damage, kidney damage.