Air Pollution, contamination of the atmosphere by gaseous, liquid, or solid wastes or by-products that can endanger human health and the health and welfare of plants and animals, or can attack materials, reduce visibility, or produce undesirable odours. Among air pollutants emitted by natural sources, only the radioactive gas radon is recognized as a major health threat. A by-product of the radioactive decay of uranium minerals in certain kinds of rock, radon seeps into the basements of homes built on these rocks, posing a risk of lung cancer to residents.
Effects of Air Pollution
Potential pollutants may exist in the materials entering a chemical or combustion process (such as lead in petrol), or they may be produced as a result of the process itself. Carbon monoxide if inhaled in excess can cause lung problems, loss of oxygen in the blood & finally cause death .In December 1984 deadly methyl isocyanate gas was leaked from a chemical plant in Bhopal, causing the deaths of at least 3,300 people.
Water Pollution, contamination of water by foreign matter such as micro-organisms, chemicals, industrial or other wastes, or sewage. Such matter deteriorates the quality of the water and renders it unfit for its intended uses.
Effects of Water Pollution
Notable effects of water pollution include those involved in human health. Nitrates (the salts of nitric acid) in drinking water can cause a disease in infants that