Tag: environmental risks of economic development

Secondary treatment is a waste water management technique which uses physical phase separation and a biological process.

Physical phase separation removes suspended solids. Biological process is employed to remove organic matter. 

Example: Bacteria and protozoa consume biodegradable soluble organic contaminants

Living organisms that respond to the change in environment are called bioindicators. Lichens are useful bioindicators for air and water pollution specially for sulphur dioxide pollution. They are also useful in the detection of toxic elemental pollutants and radioactive metals.

Noise pollution is a physical form of pollution that affects the receiver directly. dB (decibel) is a standard abbreviation used for the quantitative expression of noise. Noise or pollutant sound has a value of 80 dB and above, it harms hearing system. The WHO has fixed 45 dB as the safe noise level for a city.

Mercury is hazardous to the environment because it interferes the food chain and enters human body causing adverse effects. This process is called bio magnification.

Example is the cause of Minimata disease, caused due to the mercury pollution in Japan. Tons of Mercury was released by industries into the river water and this entered human bodies by eating the fish which already consumed mercury of river water. Many people suffered nervous disorder because of the disease caused by mercury pollution.

B.  Environment

Temperature is an important factor to consider when assessing water quality. Water temperature can affect the metabolic rates and biological activity of aquatic organisms. Water temperature should be between 22-25 degree celsius.  But the water temperature should preferably be less than 25 degree celsius because in this temperature aquatic life flourish.

Conventional farming systems share many characteristics like rapid technological innovation, large capital investments, uniform high-yield hybrid crops, extensive use of pesticides, fertilizers, and external energy inputs.

Negative effects include:

Reduction in soil organic matter may be attributed to excessive use of fertilisers.

Soil erosion because of over irrigation may lead to soil erosion

Leaching of pesticides and fertilizers into the groundwater due to extensive use of pesticides and fertilizers.

Depletion of Earth's ozone layer results in increased amount of Ultra violet radiation will reach earth's surface

Ozone is a protective blanket that is present in stratosphere which protects earth from harmful effects of UV radiations that are present in sun light.

Chlorofluorocarbons and other halogenated compounds cause ozone depletion.

Chlorofluorocarbons are anthropogenic and are released from air-conditioning, refrigeration, blowing agents in foams, insulations and packing materials, propellants in aerosol cans, and as solvents.

BOD stands for Biological Oxygen Demand. It is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic biological organisms to break down organic matter present in a given water sample. It is mostly expressed in milligrams of oxygen consumed per litre of sample. 

Though industrial development in India caused enormous improvement in India’s economy, it also proved disastrous to the environment.

Industries caused air pollution due to the smoke released from factories.

They also caused water pollution due to the draining of industrial wastes into water bodies causing hectic problems to marine and human life.

Main pollution is caused by chemical industries.