Air Pollution: Human Influence on Environment

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Introduction

Air pollution, as the name suggests, is the condition by which the atmosphere becomes contaminated by other foreign substances thus becoming unsuitable for living things and the environment. High concentration of different pollutants in the air causes a number of adverse effects to both living things and the environment.

Some of these effects in the case of living things include discomforts, illnesses, and death. Air pollution also instills serious damages on both built environment and the natural environment, among other aspects of life.

This research paper examines at least twelve topics under the subject of air pollution in an attempt to bring valuable insight on the complex issue and its vast impacts on humans and the environment.

The Importance of Air

This topic is of great interest as far as this subject is concerned, simply because it revolves around one of the most important things which humans need to know about the air they breathe and the role it plays in their lives.

This topic is significant in that, it highlights some of the ways through which humans and other living things benefit from air as a key necessity of life.

Living things, comprising of human beings, plants and animals cannot survive without air used for breathing and photosynthesis purposes, among other processes of life (Gurjar, Molina & Ojha, 2010).

The earth’s atmosphere comprises of a mixture of various gases such as oxygen, argon, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide among others. Even though oxygen is arguably said to be the most important gas when it comes to supporting life, all these gases do play a significant role in a number of ways.

These ways include, but are not limited to, reduction of extreme temperatures, warming of the earth’s surface, and absorption of ultraviolet solar radiation.

The excessive release and accumulation of pollutants in the atmosphere over the time has contaminated the air, thus triggering complex issues on human health and the environment.

Air Pollutants

This particular topic is of interest since it raises serious concerns on the issue of air pollutants and the role they play in raising unfavorable conditions on living things and the environment.

This topic is also important in a number of ways, one of them being that it helps people understand the many aspects in life that could pass out as air pollutants.

Air pollutant is a phrase applied to refer to various substances in the atmosphere that are likely to generate harmful conditions to people and the surrounding environments. As it would be observed, air pollutants can be in the form of liquids, solids and gases.

For easy understanding, pollutants of air are grouped into primary and secondary pollutants. The first class comprises of those pollutants which result from a direct emission of a particular process.

A good example here is the burning of fossil fuels in motor vehicles, where carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere as the main pollutant. Secondary pollutants on the other hand, are not produced directly, but would tend to form in the atmosphere whenever there is a reaction or interaction of primary pollutants.

As it would be observed, there are various primary pollutants that are directly associated with human activities. Examples of these include, but are not limited to, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, ammonia, persistent free radicals, particulates, sulphur dioxide, and odors.

Examples of secondary pollutants are peroxyacetyl nitrate and ground level ozone, among other harmful gaseous products. All these pollutants do play a significant role in the air pollution process.

Historical Explanation on Air pollution

This topic is of great interest in this subject in that, it gives a deeper insight on the impacts of air pollution on human health and environment based on historical observations.

The topic is also very important because it helps us understand some of the factors that have necessitated the complex issue of air pollution which has become a serious global issue in the current world.

Industrialization and globalization are two aspects of modern development that have played a key role in the advancement of high levels of air pollution witnessed in the world today (Heck, Farrauto & Gulati, 2012).

Before the wake of modern industrialization and globalization, the systems of nature would successfully maintain the cleanness of the atmosphere.

The various cycles of life taking place in the atmosphere and on the earth’s surface, ranging from evaporation and precipitation cycles, to the transpiration and photosynthesis processes took place freely.

This however, would change abruptly with heightening industrialization and urbanization, where more hazardous wastes or substances emitted from various processes of human activities started going into the atmosphere in levels that could not be controlled by the systems of nature.

Those activities, however, have led into adverse effects of air pollution.

Sources of Air Pollution

This topic is of great significance and interest as far as the issue of air pollution is concerned. There is no way we can address this particular issue affecting the global community without examining the various contributing factors that are directly linked to it.

Therefore, the importance of this topic is that it provides a further understanding on the main sources of air pollution in the current world. There are various sources associated with the issue of air pollution which has transcended into a matter of debate allover the world.

These sources of air pollution are divided into four major groups which include natural sources, stationary sources, area sources, and mobile sources. Natural sources constitutes of aspects such as volcanoes, dust, and fires.

Stationary sources are things such as factories, power plants, and oil refineries, among other industrial facilities and projects. Area sources would include smaller sources of pollution which can only be effective when combined with other players.

The last category of sources; mobile sources, would consist of all types of automobiles. As a matter of fact, these are arguably the most dominant players responsible for the excessive air pollution observed in the world today, accounting for more than half of the overall air pollution.

Health Impacts of Air Pollution

This topic is of interest to me because it touches a major area of concern on this subject. The topic is also significant in that, it examines air pollution as an important risk factor for many health conditions and behaviors affecting humans today.

Some of the adverse health effects directly associated with air pollution include issues such as heart diseases, respiratory infections, and cancer of the lungs, among other serious health complications (Haines, Kovats & Campbell-Lendrum, 2006).

These health conditions are normally characterized by excessive coughing, aggravation of cardiac and respiratory conditions, and difficult in breathing among other complications. As it would be observed, the effects of bad or poor quality air on human health are far reaching and therefore cannot be overestimated.

These health issues can always result to increased medical costs, increased medication and medical attention, and premature death.

According to a current report courtesy of the World Health Organization (WHO), the adverse effects of bad air have claimed more than 3 million human lives worldwide.

This raises concern on the increasing levels of air pollution in the world as something which calls for serious attention from global policy makers, especially those who are aligned to this field.

Environmental Impacts of Air Pollution

Just like the one addressed in the above paragraph, this topic is also of great interest to the subject matter of this research paper. This is simply because it revolves around another major area of concern as far as the complex issue of air pollution is concerned.

The most important thing with this topic is that it provides an in-depth insight on the impacts of excessive air pollution on both built and natural environments. There are various ways through which air pollution damages the environment.

For instance, crops and trees can be permanently destroyed through the effects of ground-level ozone. Excessive pollution of air also leads to ozone depletion, following the emission of harmful gases and man-made chemicals into the atmosphere.

This has led to high levels of ultraviolent radiation in the air, whose harmful effects have been realized allover the world, especially through the issue of skin cancer, which is directly linked to excessive exposure to harmful radiations.

There is also the effect of acid rain, where harmful amounts of acidic substances are released into the atmosphere and end up bringing serious effects on soil and water later on, when they come back to earth in the form of rain.

This in turn makes the environment and water bodies unsuitable for wildlife and the aquatic life, respectively. Excessive air pollution can also trigger eutrophication of water systems, thus leading to deaths of animals, fish and plants.

Aerosols and Visibility

This topic is also of significant interest to this research work based on the stand it takes in explaining the facts surrounding the subject matter. This topic introduces a very important aspect of air pollution known as aerosol, with a further focus on how these specific substances are formed in the air.

However, of great importance here is the fact that, the topic does not only introduce the concept of aerosols, but it also explains how this pollutant tends to affect human visibility in regions where they it is commonly observed. Air pollution aerosols constitutes of smoke and smog.

These substances are normally characterized with a lifetime of not less than two minutes, a duration which is enough to raise serious visibility problems on humans. Aerosols can result from either primary aerosols or from a reaction of chemicals and gases.

Among other serious health effects, aerosols are known to cause serious impacts on human visibility in places where they frequently occur.

For these reasons, the emission of aerosols in the air has become a major issue of concern allover the world and it is one of the many issues that need to be addressed and controlled as far as air pollution is concerned.

Effects of Air Pollution on Children

Like the other topics that have been addressed so far, this particular topic also revolves around the complex issue of air pollution in the world, and this makes it a subject of interest in this research paper. The topic is also important in that, it observes the impacts of this overwhelming issue on children.

Young children are said to be highly exposed to the vast effects associated with air pollution. Apart from the many health problems observed earlier that do affect humans in general, there are others which are specifically known to affect children, as a result of exposure to excessive air pollution.

Some of these health complications include pneumonia and asthma, among other serious respiratory infections. The fact that children spend much of their time outdoors makes them prone to many risks of bad air or atmosphere resulting from the effects of hazardous gases and particulates in the atmosphere.

In just another perspective, issues of low initial birth weight are observed to be common in regions where humans are highly exposed to contaminated air.

As it would be observed, many developed and developing countries have introduced strong protective measures to help protect their future generations from the heightening effects of air pollution.

The Relationship between Air pollution and global warming

This topic is of great interest in that, it tackles one of the most serious issues of the modern times arising from excessive pollution of the atmosphere.

However, the importance of this topic in this subject is that, it introduces the highly debated issue of global warming as the most serious implication of air pollution affecting the global populations.

This topic also addresses with a considerable emphasis some of the serious effects linked to this international crisis on humans. Climate change is said to have become an issue of concern allover the world, considering the damaging issues it presents on environment and living things.

Greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, are major contributing factors towards the issue of global warming.

As it would be observed, the world has witnessed excessive emission of these gases over the years as a result of excessive use of automobiles, among other human activities that rely on fossil fuel as the main source of energy.

The continuous application of such activities for the last one and half centuries has produced enough greenhouse gases in the air, thus raising their levels in the atmosphere to a point which cannot be controlled by nature.

Mitigating the Effects of Air Pollution on Human Health and Environment

This topic is of great interest and importance to this subject since it explores some of the approaches that can be applied in slowing down the adverse effects of air pollution on human health and the environment.

The global air pollution is a serious issue that needs to be addressed with immediate effect and concern by all countries in the world.

This can be achieved by ensuring that effective control and mitigation measures are applied where necessary, to help lessen the intensity by which this issue is affecting living things and the environment.

One effective way which has been used in an attempt to achieve this important goal is by limiting the use of fossil fuels by industries and automobiles.

This has been achieved through the use of alternative sources of power or energy such as solar batteries and electricity in powering these machines that have previously been powered through burning of fossil fuels, which is considered to be one of the heaviest pollutants of the atmosphere today.

Another effective way of mitigating the effects of air pollution on both humans and the environment is through the use of cleaner fuels such as biodiesel and bioethanol.

Ways of controlling air pollution

This is another topic which is of great importance here for it examines the various ways that have been used by the international communities in an attempt to control air pollution and its adverse effects on human health and the environment.

I have found great interest in this topic, because it raises much concern on various potential as well as existing control measures, thus giving important information on how they are used to control air pollution.

Effective use of land and protection of environment through modern technological approaches are some of the approaches used in controlling air pollution.

Other significant approaches here would include things that can be achieved on a personal level, such as conservation of resources, recycling, and less driving or flying to minimize the extent by which fossil fuels are burned to release harmful gases into the air.

A number of physical processes aimed at removing airborne particulates and substances from airstreams are also performed in some regions using modern equipments.

This would include the use of things such as scrubbers, baghouse filters, cyclones, and electrostatic precipitators, among other modern equipment that have been designed for these specific roles.

The ultimate use of internal-combustion engines in some countries has also proved to be a satisfactory long-term solution to the complex issue of air pollution.

Legal Regulations on Air Pollution

The main significance of this topic is that, it revolves around the many legal regulations that have been introduced worldwide in an attempt to combat air pollution and its adverse effects on human health and the environment.

This topic is also important in that, it gives a concise explanation of how these regulations are enforced through the required channels in ensuring that air pollution is fully controlled and mitigated across the world.

Primary regulation, which comprises the use of permissive rules and regulations, is another approach which has proved to be useful in controlling the adverse effects of air pollution in the world (Jacobson, 2009).

The many effects that are directly associated with air pollution have raised increasing alarm of what could become of the matter if it was ignored by the international community.

This overwhelming concern has resulted into the development of significant legislations on the quality of air, as enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency.

A good example here is the Air Pollution Control Act, 1955, which has undergone various developments through a series of new laws over the years. Through such regulatory acts, the Environmental Protection Agency plays a key role in maintaining air quality in the world.

Conclusion

Air pollution has become a major topic of concern allover the world, owing to the many effects it brings on living things and the entire natural environment.

As it is evident from this paper, this overwhelming issue has plagued the global human communities for many years since the industrial revolution when massive cases of air pollution than nature could cope with were first observed.

As it would be observed, many projects have so far been undertaken with the aim of combating this complex issue. However, there is still room for more intervention to limit the effects of air pollution on human health and the environment.

References

Gurjar, B., Molina, L., & Ojha, C. (2010). Air pollution: health and environmental impacts. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press.

Haines, A., Kovats, R., & Campbell-Lendrum, D. (2006). Climate change and human health: impacts, vulnerability, and mitigation. The Lancet, 367(95), 150-159.

Heck, R., Farrauto, R., & Gulati, S. (2012). Catalytic air pollution control: commercial technology. New Jersey: Wiley Publishers.

Jacobson, M. (2009). Review of solutions to global warming, air pollution, and energy security. Energy & Environmental Science, 2(2), 148-173.

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