Bronte Wells
A pollutant is a substance or energy source that is introduced into the environment and has an undesired effect, or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource. They can be caused by human activity, such as trash, or by natural processes, such as volcanic ash. Pollutants can contaminate the air, water, or soil, and can be artificial substances, such as pesticides and PCBs, or naturally occurring substances, such as oil or carbon dioxide, that occur in harmful concentrations in a given environment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A substance or energy introduced into the environment that has an undesired effect or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource. |
| Types | Gaseous, Particulate Matter, Waterborne, Soil Contaminants, Noise, Primary, Secondary, Stock, Fund, Light, Air, Water, Soil, Noise, Fire, Climate Change, Heat, Radioactivity, Inorganic |
| Sources | Human activity, Natural processes |
| Examples | Soot, Trash, Plastics, Chemical Waste, Volcanic Ash, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur Dioxide, Ozone, Lead, Arsenic, Mercury, Cadmium, Herbicides, Industrial Chemicals, Toxins, Pesticides, Light, Noise |
| Impact | Environmental damage, Health problems, Ecological damage, Property damage |
| Regulations | Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR), European Pollutant Emission Register, Clean Air Act |
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What You'll Learn
Pollutants can be categorised as stock or fund pollutants
A pollutant is any substance or energy introduced into the environment that has an undesired effect or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource. They can be both naturally forming (e.g. minerals or extracted compounds like oil) or anthropogenic in origin (e.g. manufactured materials or byproducts).
In contrast, fund pollutants are those for which the environment has a moderate absorptive capacity. Fund pollutants do not cause damage to the environment unless the emission rate exceeds the receiving environment's absorptive capacity. Carbon dioxide, for example, is a fund pollutant that is absorbed by plants and oceans. Fund pollutants are not destroyed but are converted into less harmful substances, or diluted to non-harmful concentrations.
Pollutants can also be categorised by their zones of influence, which can be horizontal or vertical. The horizontal zone refers to the area damaged by a pollutant, and can be local (near the emission source) or regional (further from the emission source). The vertical zone refers to whether the damage is ground-level or atmospheric. Surface pollutants cause damage by accumulating near the Earth's surface, while global pollutants concentrate in the atmosphere.
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Pollutants can be natural or anthropogenic
A pollutant is a substance or energy introduced into the environment that has an undesired effect or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource. They can be both naturally forming or anthropogenic in origin.
Natural Pollutants
Some pollutants are naturally occurring, such as ozone, a gas that occurs naturally in the Earth's stratosphere. While it shields life on Earth from harmful radiation, ground-level ozone, commonly known as smog, is harmful to plants, animals, and humans. Other natural pollutants include ash and sulphur dioxide from volcanic eruptions, and carbon monoxide from wildfires.
Anthropogenic Pollutants
Anthropogenic pollutants are those that are human-caused. Humans have contributed to environmental pollution since learning to control fire and smelt metals. The Industrial Revolution, however, concentrated people in cities and resulted in increased pollution of the air and water, due to the burning of fossil fuels. Coal-fired power plants, for example, emit significant amounts of mercury into the atmosphere. Other anthropogenic pollutants include chemical defoliants, pesticides, and factory discharges. Many new chemicals, such as halogenated organic compounds, phthalates, alkyl phenols, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are manufactured for domestic, industrial, and agricultural use and inevitably end up in the environment.
Effects of Pollutants
Pollutants can have long- or short-term damage by changing the growth rate of plant or animal species, or by interfering with resources used by humans, human health, or property values. For example, organotins, used in marine anti-fouling paints, have been found to perturb the reproductive processes in marine gastropod molluscs. Pollutants can also cause disease and illness in humans, as well as kill fish and other wildlife.
Types of Pollutants
Pollutants can be categorised in various ways, such as stock pollutants and fund pollutants, or organic, inorganic, particulate, and pharmaceutical pollutants. Stock pollutants, such as persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, and non-biodegradable plastics, have low environmental absorptive capacity and accumulate in the environment over time. Fund pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, are absorbed by plants and oceans and do not cause harm unless the emission rate exceeds the receiving environment's absorptive capacity.
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Pollutants can be classified by their zones of influence: horizontal, vertical, local, regional, surface, or global
A pollutant is a substance or energy introduced into the environment that has an undesired effect or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource. They can be both naturally forming (e.g. minerals or extracted compounds like oil) or anthropogenic in origin (e.g. manufactured materials or byproducts).
The vertical zone refers to whether the damage caused by a pollutant is ground-level or atmospheric. Surface pollutants accumulate near the Earth's surface, while global pollutants concentrate in the atmosphere. For instance, surface pollutants may include chemicals that contaminate soil and groundwater, while global pollutants may include greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
Additionally, pollutants can be categorized as stock pollutants or fund pollutants. Stock pollutants have a low environmental absorptive capacity and accumulate in the environment over time. Examples include persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as PCBs, non-biodegradable plastics, and heavy metals. Fund pollutants, on the other hand, have a moderate absorptive capacity and do not cause damage unless the emission rate exceeds the environment's capacity. Carbon dioxide, which is absorbed by plants and oceans, is an example of a fund pollutant.
The classification of pollutants by their zones of influence is essential for understanding their impact and implementing effective measures to mitigate their effects. It helps in assessing the risk associated with different pollutants and developing strategies to minimize their negative consequences on human health, the environment, and various ecosystems.
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Primary and secondary pollutants
A pollutant is any substance or energy introduced into the environment that has an undesired effect or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource. Pollutants can be naturally forming (e.g. minerals or extracted compounds like oil) or anthropogenic in origin (e.g. manufactured materials or byproducts). They can also be categorised in various ways, such as stock pollutants and fund pollutants, or grouped according to more specific properties, such as organic, particulate, or pharmaceutical.
Primary Pollutants
Primary pollutants are those that are formed and emitted directly from particular sources. Examples include particulates, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur oxide. Sources of primary pollutants include fuel combustion in motor vehicles, power plants, and other industrial processes.
Secondary Pollutants
Secondary pollutants are formed in the lower atmosphere by chemical reactions. Examples include ozone and secondary organic aerosol (haze). They are harder to control because they have different ways of synthesising, and their formation is not well understood. Secondary pollutants form naturally in the environment and cause problems like photochemical smog. One major secondary pollutant, ground-level ozone, forms when two primary pollutants, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrous oxides (NOx), react with sunlight in the presence of heat.
Impact of Pollutants
Pollutants can cause long- or short-term damage by changing the growth rate of plant or animal species, or by interfering with resources used by humans, human health, or property values. Some pollutants are biodegradable and do not persist in the environment long-term. However, the degradation products of some pollutants are themselves pollutants, such as DDE and DDD, which are produced from the degradation of DDT.
Pollutants can also be defined by their zones of influence, both horizontally and vertically. Local pollutants cause damage near the emission source, while regional pollutants cause damage further away. Surface pollutants accumulate near the Earth's surface, and global pollutants concentrate in the atmosphere.
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Types of pollutants: air, water, soil, noise, etc
A pollutant is any substance or energy introduced into the environment that has an undesired effect or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource. They can be naturally forming, such as minerals or extracted compounds like oil, or anthropogenic in origin, such as manufactured materials or byproducts.
Pollutants can be categorised in various ways, such as stock pollutants and fund pollutants, or grouped according to specific properties like organic, particulate, or pharmaceutical. Stock pollutants, such as persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, and non-biodegradable plastics, have low environmental absorptive capacity, causing damage that accumulates over time. Fund pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, have moderate absorptive capacity and do not cause harm unless emission rates exceed the environment's capacity.
Air Pollutants
Air pollution is caused by harmful substances in the air, such as fumes, dust, mist, and smoke, known as suspended particulate matter (SPM). It includes pollutants like ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and wildfire smoke, which can cause respiratory problems, lung diseases, and other health issues. Transport, agriculture, and domestic heating are significant sources of air pollution.
Water Pollutants
Water pollution occurs when harmful substances contaminate water sources, including rivers, lakes, and groundwater. Pollutants can include chemicals, debris, bacteria, waste, and microplastics. Water pollution often occurs alongside soil pollution, as contaminated water seeps into the soil, and pollutants from soil can leach into groundwater. Agricultural practices, industrial waste, and improper waste management contribute to water pollution.
Soil Pollutants
Soil pollution, or land pollution, refers to the contamination of soil with materials that can harm human health and ecosystems. It is connected to air and water pollution, as pollutants from these sources can settle on the land. Soil pollutants include chemicals, litter, pesticides, heavy metals, and microplastics. Landfills contribute to soil pollution by releasing methane, a greenhouse gas, and excessive use of mineral fertilisers can also contaminate the soil.
Noise Pollutants
Noise pollution refers to unwanted or harmful sound levels that can impact human well-being and wildlife. Road traffic is the most widespread source of environmental noise pollution, affecting many individuals in Europe.
Light Pollutants
Light pollution is the impact of artificial light on the visibility of the night sky and the ecological balance of ecosystems. It includes both horizontal and vertical dimensions, affecting areas near the emission source and at a distance, as well as ground-level and atmospheric zones.
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