Paper       : 12 Principles of Ecology 
                                                                                                                                   Module    : 37 Applied Ecology: Pollution 
                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Development Team 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                               Principal Investigator:                                                                                         Prof. Neeta Sehgal 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Department of Zoology, University of Delhi 
                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                              Co-Principal Investigator:    Prof. D.K. Singh 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Department of Zoology, University of Delhi 
                                                                                                                                               Paper Coordinator:                                                                                              Prof. D.K. Singh 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Department of Zoology, University of Delhi 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                               Content Writer:                                                                                                 Dr. Kapinder 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                              Content Reviewer:               Prof. K.S. Rao 
                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Department of Botany, University of Delhi 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
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                                                                                                                                                                          Principles of Ecology 
                                                ZOOLOGY                                                                                                                   Applied Ecology: Pollution 
                                                                             
                                                                             
                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Description of Module 
                                                                            Subject Name                                                                                                                            ZOOLOGY 
                                                                            Paper Name                                                                                                                              Zool 012; Principles of Ecology  
                                                                            Module Name/Title                                                                                                                       Applied Ecology 
                                                                            Module Id                                                                                                                               M37; Pollution 
                                                                            Keywords                                                                                                                                Pollution, water pollution, air pollution, noise pollution, land 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    pollution, acid rain, global warming, ozone depletion.  
                                                                             
                                                                                              Contents  
                                                                            1.   Learning Outcomes 
                                                                            2.   Introduction 
                                                                            3.   Air Pollution 
                                                                                  3.1.   Causes of air pollution 
                                                                                  3.2.  Acid rain 
                                                                                  3.3.   Consequences of air pollution 
                                                                                                                          3.3.1.   Effects on health 
                                                                                              3.4.   Green house effect and global warming  
                                                                                              3.5.   Ozone depletion 
                                                                                                                          3.5.1.   Protection of the ozone layer  
                                                                            4.   Water Pollution 
                                                                                  4.1.   Causes of water pollution 
                                                                                                                          4.1.1.   Sources of water pollution 
                                                                                  4.2.   Consequences of water pollution 
                                                                            5.   Land Pollution 
                                                                            6.   Noise Pollution 
                                                                                  6.1.   Effects of noise 
                                                                            7.   Control of Pollution 
                                                                            8.   Summary 
                                                                             
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                                                                                                                                                                          Principles of Ecology 
                                                ZOOLOGY                                                                                                                   Applied Ecology: Pollution 
                                                                             
                                                                             
                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                            1. Learning Outcomes 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                            After studying this module, you shall be able to  
                                                                                             List the major pollutants and their sources. 
                                                                                             Understand various human activities resulting in pollution and deterioration of environment 
                                                                                             Know the causes of air, water and land pollution and explain with examples. 
                                                                                             Describe the causes and consequences of noise and discuss the control of pollution. 
                                                                            2. Introduction 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                            Pollution is an undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of air, land 
                                                                            and water that will adversely affect human life land or that of desirable species directly or indirectly 
                                                                            (Odum, 1971). In general, the term pollution is used to refer introduction of harmful substance into 
                                                                            the environment by humans. According to Southwick (1976), the problem of pollution arises because 
                                                                            of human population explosion. The higher population leads to utilize excessive energy, produce more 
                                                                            waste, more sewage and exploited natural resources. Figure 1 explains the various sources that lead to 
                                                                            pollution.  
                                                                                                                                                        Antropogenic sources                                                                                                                                                                                                          Agricultural sources 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Sources of 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Pollution 
                                                                                                                                                        Industrial sources                                                                                                                                                                                                   Biogenic sources                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Figure 1: Different sources of Pollution 
                                                                            After  the  Industrial  Revolution,  human  has  developed  various  technologies  and  progressed  in 
                                                                            economic, medical, social and industrial spheres. There is significant increase in  coal production, 
                                                                            petrochemicals,  energy  generation,  pesticide,  fertilizers  etc.  which  leads  to  degradation  of  the 
                                                                            environment  due  to  release  of  large  quantities  of  gaseous,  liquid  and  solid  wastes  generated  by 
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                                                                                                                                                                          Principles of Ecology 
                                                ZOOLOGY                                                                                                                   Applied Ecology: Pollution 
                                                                             
                                                                             
                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                            industry and other human activities. The pollution directly or indirectly affects human health (Figure 
                                                                            2) by deteriorating the life support systems of our biosphere. 
                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Figure 2: Effect of pollution on human health 
                                                                            A substance or chemicals which causes the pollution is called as called as pollutant. The pollutants 
                                                                            can be divided into two types: 
                                                                            i)                Biodegradable  pollutants:  Those  pollutants  which  can  be  easily  broken  down  into  simpler 
                                                                                              elements or forms by various microbes and other decomposing organisms. For e.g. Organic waste, 
                                                                                              animals and human waste, agriculture waste etc.  
                                                                            ii)  Non-biodegradable pollutants: Those pollutants which cannot be broken down into simpler 
                                                                                              forms. For e.g. Heavy metals like lead and mercury, pesticides etc. 
                                                                            In this module we will discuss how human activities responsible for the degradation of environment by 
                                                                            creating pollution such as air, water and soil.  In addition, the higher intensity of noise and radiation is also 
                                                                            detrimental to human life and called as noise pollution and radiation pollution respectively. 
                                                                            3. Air Pollution 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                            Air pollution can be defined as the presence of undesired chemicals in the atmosphere at higher 
                                                                            concentrations which is harmful to the organisms, materials and to alter climate.  
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                                                                                                                                                                          Principles of Ecology 
                                                ZOOLOGY                                                                                                                   Applied Ecology: Pollution