Geography [2 Mark Question Answer]

The emission of radioactive minerals Uranium 235 Plutonium 239, make the whole surroundings radioactive after fission and carried away by wind to long distances. These are dangerous to health, as these remain as it is for a long time.

Two sources of water pollution are :

• household detergents and sewage,
• oil spills

The major connection between urbanisation and air pollution are automobiles, industries, burning of garbage and brick kilns. These sources release pollutants such as oxides of carbon, oxides of sulphur, oxides of nitrogen, and hydrocarbons, ozone, chlorofluoromethanes, etc.

The pollutants that are formed in the atmosphere by chemical interactions between primary pollutants and atmospheric constituents are known as secondary pollutants. Examples of secondary pollutants are Sulphur trioxide, Ozone, Peroxyacetyl Nitrate (PAN), Ketones, etc.

The pollutants that are directly emitted from the sources and are found in the atmosphere in the form in which they are emitted are known as primary pollutants, e.g., ash, radioactive compounds, oxides of sulphur and nitrogen etc.

Man-made sources are human activities, e.g., industries, factories, urban settlement, aircraft, nuclear experiments, automobiles, agricultural and power plants etc. are the sources of air pollution.

These are natural sources from cosmic rays, man-made sources by use of X-rays, nuclear weapons, Atomic reactors and fuel, radioactive isotopes in research laboratories are the main reasons to pollute rivers, streams and lakes etc. through sewers.

 Biomedical waste Hospital wastes contain organic materials, chemicals, metal, needles, plastics contaminate the soil and make it unfit for growth of plants etc. Third world countries are facing this problem deeply.

 Pesticide waste mixed with the soil make it harmful for natural composition of soil and natural plants which cannot be taken in food material due to toxic material and the soil is contaminated for a long time.

The thermal power plants located near the rivers use water for cooling purposes. They release the recycled hot water into the rivers leading to thermal pollution. The hot water makes the temperature of aquatic environment rise which endangers the aquatic ecosystem.

Many harmful wastes are produced by the industries which ; pollute water, e.g. Kanpur leather works continuously are polluting water of Ganga river creating a big problem. Industrial wastes mixed with water make it poisonous and unhygenic and may result in various diseases.

Industrial pollution cannot be avoided, as without it development is not possible. So it is an unavoidable problem faced by urban industrial areas, because harmful gases, garbage, etc. are emitted by industrial activities, e.g. Industries release CO, oxides of Sulphur and Nitrogen, smoke, dust, etc. to the air.

Noise from construction sites is generally far worse than noise originating from factories. This is because whatever construction takes place noise emissions levels are higher as well as the equipment is inherently noisy.

The increasing number of vehicles on the roads are a big source of noise pollution. Increasing traffic jams in congested areas lead to repeated hooting of horns by impatient drivers causing noise pollution.