Causes, Effects, and Facts of Water Pollution - Literature review Example

Water Pollution Order ID – 429998 Introduction One of the primary crisis’ we face today is that of pollution. Pollution may be defined as those substances in the environment that are poisonous and have a harmful impact on us. These substances have an adverse effect and contaminate or pollute the natural environment. Pollution is of different types and it includes air, water, soil, food and many more. Pollution is harmful to humans as well as all other living organisms. Some of the polluting agents include harmful gases, chemicals, dust, excessive noise, heat and light, agricultural wastes and other radio- active materials. These toxic substances damage our health and the natural ecosystem around us, thus bringing down our standard of life by making us prone to various diseases. In this paper we are going to discuss and focus our attention on ‘Water Pollution’ and make an investigation on all the contaminants that pollute water and make it unfit for use. Pollution has a close relationship with all human activity. It becomes a vicious circle because it is the different activities of humans that are a major contributor to pollution. According to (Zell, et al., 2010.), pollution density is characterized by the escalating amounts of emission pollutants through sources which are man- made. These pollutant emissions come from motorized traffic, factories and from the burning of fuels. The pollution of water is a human problem that definitely needs our immediate attention because it is harmful to us. Highlighting the fact that water pollution has become worse these days, (Chris Woodford, 2013.) states that since the Industrial revolution occurred, it has adversely impacted upon the water resources on our planet. The article by (Chris Woodford, 2013.) discusses about the different types of water pollution and the harmful effects it has on all living organisms due to the toxic substances contained in it. He further explains that it is vital to know if a source of water is polluted or not and this can be carried out through chemical and biological indicators. The other topics to be discussed in water pollution would be – a) Harmful substances that contaminate water, b) Cleanliness and Hygiene of our surroundings, c) Waste disposal and d) Planting of trees. In this discussion we would be highlighting all the dangers brought about by pollution and the diseases caused by them. It also aims to find strategies that would help us to control the situation and solutions to help us eliminate pollution at least to a good extent. (Water Pollution, Edu. Green, Web, May, 2013 and (Air Pollution, Causes, Facts and Solutions to air- NRDC, 2013) a) Harmful pollutants in water Water pollution is harmful to the health of humans as well as all other living organisms. Though these pollutants do not have an immediate effect on health, they can be quite damaging over a period of time. Long term exposure to these pollutants affects our health in different ways. Industrial wastes such as metals get accumulated in rivers and lakes where fish thrive. The toxic wastes are harmful to the marine creatures that consume them and in turn are harmful to humans because they consume the same fish. Though some of these wastes have a mild effect, there are other wastes that are extremely harmful. Metals are responsible for slow growth development and may even result in birth defects in pregnant women. Consumption of some of these metals may also result in different types of cancers. Since metals are toxic they could also cause suppression to the immune system, acute poisoning or even failure in reproduction. In a developing world, pollution of water by microbes poses a very major problem in our society. Poor quality of drinking water is also caused by Microbial pollutants that are responsible for spreading many infectious diseases that threaten both aquatic and terrestrial life. Nancy Diersing (2009) Diseases like cholera, typhoid and diarrhea are the primary causes for infant mortality. Organic materials serve to increase the aerobic algae while depleting the oxygen in the water. This results in the suffocation of marine creature resulting in mortality of these creatures in such contaminated lakes and rivers. In addition acid rain contains sulfate particles which are very harmful to marine life. Suspended particles in fresh water serve to reduce the sunlight because it prevents it from penetrating the water thus disturbing the growth and development of micro-organisms and other photosynthetic flora. Suspended particles are also responsible for decreasing the quality of water for human consumption while catering to the spread of different water- borne diseases. b) Cleanliness and Hygiene ‘Prevention is better than cure’ is a very popular saying, but one that we fail to give much importance to. The quality of water of any given place comprises of the biological, physical and chemical characteristics present in water. To check water to see if it is fit for human consumption, we can make an assessment by gauging the health of the ecosystem and the drinking water in the vicinity and also check how safe it is for human contact. Making use of water from dirty environments would surely encourage the spread of deadly diseases and thereby poor health. Environmental scientists are constantly finding ways and means of treating natural water and making it useful for consumption. Contaminated water comprises of harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and protozoa. In addition to this there are inorganic contaminants like chemicals, metals and other salts that are diluted in water. Besides these harmful substances there are wastes from industrial processes such as pesticides, herbicides, petroleum and other radioactive substances that contaminate water. Making use of such water is harmful to humans and other living organisms as it brings with it a lot of problems such as diseases, stunted growth and sometimes even death. Cleanliness and hygiene of our surroundings should be our top priority if we want to lead a healthy life. Since the environment is an important part of our lives, we need to keep it clean and protected. Keeping our homes clean by regularly sweeping, swabbing and dusting could prevent germs and insects like flies and cockroaches from contaminating our food and water. c) Waste Disposal We can keep our environment clean and healthy by disposing garbage in a garbage bin at regular intervals so that bacteria and germs cannot thrive and multiply. It is better to avoid using plastic bags for disposal because plastic is not biodegradable and would contaminate the soil or water in the vicinity. The three chief yet simple ways of disposing garbage is by reducing, recycling and reusing (3 R’s) and preventing it from accumulating. Hoarding things is another bad habit that encourages insects and germs. Unwanted things should be disposed if not being made use of. Bathrooms and washrooms should be cleaned well with disinfectants and this water should be disposed through drains that are covered. Drinking water and other water for use should be stored in hygienic containers and should always be kept covered. Stored water should be changed regularly or else it could become contaminated. Detergents and disinfectants used for cleaning should be disposed off well in closed drains that are kept away from water sources such as pumps and wells. Excess water should not be stored for long periods as this is a potent place for mosquitoes to thrive and spread diseases. Water tanks should be cleaned on a regular basis because if not the germs that breed could cause diseases. Pet animals like dogs, goats, cows and buffaloes should not be bathed near our water sources because the dirt would contaminate the water making it unfit for usage. b) Planting Trees Planting trees is a good solution to beating water pollution. Trees not only beautify our environment and give us shade, but they also help to maintain a balance between hot and cold climes. In addition trees absorb the carbon-di- oxide around us while giving us oxygen and makes the air fresh and pure. Planting trees along water sources act as buffer zones because it helps to reduce the harmful wastes that are runs offs from factories and industries and reduces water pollution to a great extent. Fertilizers and manure may contain harmful particles that could contaminate water sources and therefore planting trees and bushes around the sources of water could prevent polluting agents from easily flowing through. Planting trees along the banks of any water source also prevents erosion and flooding. Flooding encourages water stagnation and the breeding of harmful disease causing insects such as mosquitoes. Restoration such as building embankments and fencing water sources, especially if they are used for drinking purposes would prevent animals from drinking, bathing and contaminating the water. The planting of trees also help in stabilizing the banks of water courses and preventing sedimentation. Leaf litter from the trees helps to improve the biodiversity of fresh water life and prevents pollutants from seeping into the water. Cleaning out water sources at regular intervals helps to keep pollution away and keeps water pristine clear and safe for use. Discussion In a Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) study between two factions – the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.N agency for children, the UNICEF is of the opinion that approximately 5.9 billion people in the world are using water that is unsafe for drinking. (Polluted Water, 2010) Though a lot of effort is being made by different organizations around the world to provide safe drinking water, the progress made is quite slow due to the poor sanitation in many regions. About 39% of the world’s population is living with poor sanitation facilities and unless sanitation is improved, there could be hardly any progress on provisions of getting rid of pollution to water. Conclusion Water pollution is a serious matter and needs our immediate attention. Keeping our water sources clean and unpolluted would benefit humans as well as the flora and fauna around us. Water- borne diseases can be prevented if we take special care of our water sources and our surroundings by keeping them clean and free from pollutants. It is always better to be safe than sorry, so let us become more aware of the harmful effect of pollutants in our water and become more responsible by taking that extra step in keeping pollutants away from our water sources and thereby lead a healthy and disease free life. References Chris Woodford. Article on ‘Water Pollution’. Web, Feb., 2013 www.explainthatstuff.com Environmental Cleanliness and Neatness. Web, Accessed on 29th Sept. 2013 www.shvoong.com Health – Water Pollution Guide. Web, accessed on 28th Sept. 2013 www.water-pollution.org.uk/health.html Nancy Diersing (2009) Water Quality. Florida Brooks National Marine Sanctuary, Kay West , FL Planting Trees to improve water quality. www.futureforest.eu/uploads/water_management_guide.pdf Polluted Water More Deadly than war. (2010) Web. Sept. 2013 www.alternet.org/story/146101/polluted_water_more_deadly Water Pollution. Edu. Green, Web, May, 2013 www.edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/water/pollu.html ‎ Zell, H. et al. Air Pollution Research. Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology 2010, 5:5 http://www.occup-med.com/content/5/1/5 . Read More