Chemical pollution facts

Term chemical pollution primarily refers to a form of water pollution caused by presence of different harmful chemicals in water bodies.

The list of chemical pollutants is big and among other includes pesticides, pharmaceuticals, different industrial chemicals such as solvents, flame retardants and plastic softeners, etc.

Chemical pollution of water bodies can cause huge damage to our environment because many of these pollutants are highly poisonous and can in the worst case scenario wipe out entire aquatic ecosystems.

The world still hasn’t come up with the adequate monitoring system despite the fact that the global chemical pollution continues to grow because of the many "new" pollutants which have entered use in recent years.

The current methods of periodically taking samples to determine chemical concentrations in water, sediments and biota have proved to be inadequate and provide only a small part of the picture.

Chemical pollution is even spreading to Arctic and Antarctica because of increased shipping in these areas. Chemical pollutants cause even bigger damage to these areas because their degradation is much slower in colder environment. The maritime chemical transport has more than tripled in the past 20 years.

Chemical pollutants in water can easily enter food chain and cause not only damage to many animals but also to humans.

The worst type of chemical pollution is when people dump toxic waste into rivers, lakes, sea and oceans. A large part of global toxic waste ends up in our oceans where it destroys marine life.

Our industry and agriculture are the two main sources of chemical pollution.

Oil spill is also a form of chemical pollution. Oil spills are responsible for death of many fish species. Oil also sticks to the feathers of seabirds, eventually leading to their deaths.

Chemical pollution is becoming particularly worrying issue in developing countries such as China and India because thousands of their companies continue to dump untreated industrial wastewater filled with different toxic materials and other chemicals in rivers. In China, for instance, more than 40% of their rivers are considered unsafe for drinking.

The adverse health effects caused by chemical pollution are eye, nose and throat irritation, headache, allergic skin reaction, dizziness, nausea, and difficulty breathing. In worst cases (long term exposure to chemical pollution) it can even lead to cancer.

The scientists have estimated that there is more than 70,000 chemicals currently in common use and that this number is increasing by approximately 1,000 new chemicals each year.

In order to reduce level of global chemical pollution world needs to reduce the generation of waste and ensure environmentally safe waste disposal, ensure better monitoring and adequate laws as well as ensure improved level of care when using different chemicals for agriculture and industry such as for instance pesticides.

Mercury pollution facts

The largest sources of mercury pollution are power plants which emit around 50 tons of mercury pollution per year. Among other sources of mercury pollution are metal smelting, chlorine chemical plants, cement plants, etc.

Coal-fired power plants are particularly dangerous because coal is naturally contaminated with mercury, so when burned in power plants to generate electricity it also releases mercury into the air.

Mercury belongs to persistent pollutants because it doesn't break down as some other pollutants do, although it has to be said that its danger decreases significantly over time (as mercury eventually becomes covered by successive layers of sediment after being settled into the beds of rivers, lakes and oceans).

The scientists have in 2006 calculated that three times more mercury now falls out of the sky than before the industrial revolution of more than 200 years ago.

Texas is considered to be the US state most exposed to mercury pollution. This is because Texas has the largest number of dirty coal-fired plants in the country.

In United States coal-fired plants account for approximately 40% of all mercury emissions.

Gold mining is also a significant source of mercury pollution in the world. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) artisanal and small-scale gold mining releases approximately 400 metric tons of airborne elemental mercury each year.

Mercury pollution will likely continue to grow in years to come because power hungry economies of China and India rely heavily on coal power plants to drive their economies forward which will lead to an increased coal-burning.

Mercury pollution could become a serious issue in Arctic area because Arctic ice is rapidly melting up, releasing trapped mercury back into the oceans and into the food chain. For instance, the mercury levels in Arctic ringed seals and beluga whales have increased fourfold over the last 25 years.

Mercury is very dangerous neurotoxin that is able to pass through the placenta and poison fetal brain development. Exposure to mercury in the early stages of life can lead to permanent neurological and brain damage.

It is estimated that more than 6 percent of U.S. women of childbearing age have mercury levels high enough to put their developing children at increased risk for developmental problems.

The best solution to tackle mercury pollution issue is to establish much stricter mercury pollution standards for coal-fired plants.

Water pollution testing – Quick facts

Water pollution testing is a broad term which includes chemical, biological and physical testing of certain body of water.

Chemical testing usually refers to examination of pH levels in water, biochemical and chemical oxygen demand as well as the level of nutrients and metal in the water.

Biological testing on the other hand examines the level of water pollution by monitoring the condition of plants and animals in certain aquatic ecosystem

Physical testing includes measuring the temperature of water, turbidity and the concentration of total suspended solids.

The time factor is of extreme importance in water pollution testing. This is because many pollution events can be identified only in certain time, in most cases when there is a rain. This is the main reason why in many cases just grabbing the sample of water isn't enough to fully measure the level of pollutants in water.

The water is usually first being tested on-site with researchers measuring the temperature, pH levels, dissolved oxygen and oxygen reduction potential and turbidity. More comprehensive testing is done in the laboratory. However, the question about the accuracy of laboratory testing always remains open because it is very difficult to determine the extent to which the taken sample may be representative of the water quality (samples may for instance vary seasonally).

Once a sample is taken it is also important to make sure that sample container is made of materials with minimal reactivity with substances to be measured, not to mention how important it is to always clean sample container prior to taking sample. Researchers also tend to keep the samples cold in order to minimize the chance of possible chemical reactions with surrounding environment.

If you live near a potential source of water pollution such as factories, landfills and large agricultural areas it is wise to test the quality of water from time to time. Polluted water can spread many different waterborne diseases such as diarrhea.

The most obvious signs of water contaminated with pollutants include odd taste or smell, colored water which appears filthy, less effective cleaning ability of soaps and detergents, plumbing containing lead pip or solder joints, etc.

In United States water quality is monitored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This body regulates the concentrations and types of chemicals that may be found in drinking water. In United States all laboratories that conduct water testing must first obtain certificate by EPA.

Soil pollution facts

Soil pollution refers to an increased level of harmful human-made chemicals in the natural soil environment.

Industrial pollutants and pesticides are two major soil pollution sources.

Soil pollution can lead to serious water contamination and therefore create huge health issues.

Cleaning soil pollution is expensive and (usually) long-term process because it requires advanced geology, hydrology, chemistry, and even computer modeling skills.

Heavy agricultural machinery used by many formers makes soil more susceptible to pollution because it negatively affects the density and compactness of soil.

If not treated properly soil pollution could significantly reduce crop yields in years to come which could lead to future food shortages and more hunger in the world.

Soil pollution is especially big issue in China where contaminated water is often being used to irrigate very large amount of arable land.

If soil is polluted with heavy metals such as chromium and lead this can lead to higher incidence of cancer and leukemia in people.

The excessive soil pollution can also cause major problem for ecosystems by affecting the lower pyramid levels of the food chain and disrupting its proper functioning.

There are several different options used to clean polluted soil. These include excavating soil and taking it to a disposal site, aeration of soils, thermal and bio remediation, etc.

Soil pollution can also lead to soil erosion by decreasing the level of natural nutrients in the soil. Such decrease would cause reduced plant life in given region and without enough plants this would further result in soil erosion.

Even the short term exposure to some harmful chemicals in soil can lead to headaches, nausea, fatigue and skin rashes.

Contaminated soil isn't a safe place to grow food on because the poisonous chemicals may reach into human body once people digest the affected food.

Preventing soil pollution is much easier than to clean it. This is the main reason why soil needs to be constantly tested for dangerous chemicals. Only clean and healthy soil can produce healthy food.

Pollution facts

Here are some interesting facts about pollution, with the emphasis on air and water pollution.

1.Air and water pollution are two the most talked about forms of pollution.

2.The rapid environmental pollution of our planet started with the industrial revolution.

3.Fossil fuels power plants are the main reason for excessive air pollution in many parts of the world.

4.Indoor air pollution is even bigger problem than the outdoor air pollution because according to the data from the World Health Organization indoor air pollution has caused more deaths than outdoor air pollution.

5.More than 15,000 people in the world die each day because of water pollution.

6.More than billion people in the world lack access to safe drinking water.

7.Renewable energy is the key in stopping environmental pollution, together with developing environmental conscience that is. As long as fossil fuels remain dominant sources of energy we will not be able to stop the ever-growing pollution that is happening almost everywhere in our planet.

8.Air pollution is particularly serious issue in China's cities such as Beijing and Shanghai but some U.S. cities like Pittsburgh and Los Angeles are also struggling with excessive levels of air pollution.

9.The pollution is usually much worse in developing countries compared to developed countries, mostly because these countries lack basic funds to tackle pollution.

10.California has serious air pollution problem, mostly because of high traffic. It is estimated that around 60 million people in California live in areas affected with air pollution.

11.Long-term exposure to air pollution causes heart and lung damage.

12.Air pollution is major contributing factor to acid rain formation.

13.In United States around half of million deaths are each year attributed to air pollution.

14.It is estimated that air pollution each day kills three people in the city of Hong Kong.

15.Air pollution also contributes to soil and water pollution.

16.Some studies have confirmed that long-term exposure to air pollution can cause lower IQ in children.

17.The number of cars on our roads is expected to significantly grow in years to come; more cars will mean even higher levels of air pollution.

18.Smog is one of the worst forms of air pollution. It is mostly created by fossil fuel power plants (coal burning).

19.India is among countries worst affected with water pollution. This is because 80% of India's urban waste ends up in rivers such as Ganges.

20.China is world's biggest emitter of carbon dioxide, followed by United States.

21.Water pollution if not stopped could soon lead to serious water shortage in many parts of the world. We must not forget that only 3% of water on our planet is freshwater.

22.The quality water-filtering system is good way to protect yourself from water pollution as much as possible, especially multi-layered home water filtering system.

23.The industry is the main culprit behind the global water pollution issue. This is because there are many industries that not obey the rules about dumping waste which results in polluted rivers and other water bodies.

24.It is estimated that there are between 2.5-3 billion people in the world living without the adequate sanitation systems.

25.Waste water and sewage waste are the main source of different water pollutants which enter our rivers and other water bodies. It has been estimated that world at this moment generates more than 4 billion tons of industrial waste per year.

26.One of the most dangerous forms of water pollution is drinking water polluted with arsenic because arsenic is highly poisonous metalloid. Drinking water polluted with arsenic can lead to cancer and many other diseases.

27.Noise pollution is one of the most neglected forms of pollution despite causing huge environmental damage, especially in oceans. For instance, U.S. still doesn't have some federal body that would regulate noise pollution.

28.Huge oil spills like the recent Gulf of Mexico oil spill are among the worst types of pollution on our planet, particularly because their negative effects last for very long time.

29.Ozone pollution has the potential to become significant contributor to climate change because ozone is very potent greenhouse gas.

30.Ocean acidification is one of the worst types of ocean pollution. Our oceans are becoming more and more acidic because greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels burning are constantly rising.