POLLUTION
Introduction to the pollution
Pollution is the introduction of harmful substances into the environment, leading to adverse effects
on ecosystems, human health, and the climate. It’s in various forms including air, water, soil and
noise pollution. Pollution occurs through industrial activities, agricultural practices, urbanisation, and
waste disposal are major contributors. The effects of pollution are far reaching results in health
issues, loss of biodiversity, and climate change. Pollution requires a collective effort to implement
sustainable practices, reduce waste, and promote cleaning techniques.
What is pollution?
Pollution is the contamination of the environment by harmful substances, which can negatively
impact air, water, soil and living organisms. Basically pollution is unwanted things in the air which
negatively impact human health , biodiversity and ecosystem.
There are so many subtypes of pollution but I’m discussing air water and noise pollution.
1. Air pollution:- air pollution is contamination of air due to presence of pollutants( substance
that pollute air) such as ammonia, co2, cfcs, co etc these are the pollutants that released
from vehicles, appliances such as air conditioner, refrigerator, generators etc. climate’s
temperature are fluctuating because of air pollution. Deforestation of forests leads to
decrease in level of oxygen which causes heat.
2. Water pollution:- water pollution refers to the contamination of water bodies such as rivers
lakes, oceans and groundwater, by harmful substances. This can occur through various
sources such as agricultural run off, sewage, plastic waste, hospital waste, industrial waste
etc pollutants include chemicals, heavy metals, pathogens etc. preventing water pollution
involves sustainable agricultural practices, waste management and public awareness
initiatives.
3. Noise pollution:- noise pollution is unwanted sound in environment or harmful levels of
noise in the environment. Noise pollution occurs through industrial activities, transportation,
construction etc. it can leads to carious health issues such as stress, headache, sleep
disturbances, dangerous for heart patient. It also impacts wildlife by disruption
communication, mating, and feeding behaviours.
Currents trends on pollution:-
For air pollution:- as urbanization is growing so vehicle emissions remains a major source of air
pollution so efforts are being made to promote public transportation and electric vehicles to reduce
this impact. For industrial pollutants technology introduces scrubbers and filters are being adopted
to minimize pollutants. Growing awareness about the health effects of air pollution has led to
cleaner air initiatives and policies.
For water pollution:- increasing awareness of microplastics and their pervasive presence in water
bodies leads to research and regulatory efforts to reduce plastic use and improve waste
management. Regulations on industrial discharges are becoming stricter with a focus on reducing
heavy metals and chemical pollutants. In many regions water scarcity becomes a bigger problem
which leads to water purifications and recycling technologies.
For noise pollution:- As cities are urbanizing which also rising traffic that leads to increase in
unwanted sound in the environment so government redesign urban spaces to reduce congestion and
promote public transportation. In many regions government implementing stricter noise regulations,
including limits on construction hours and noise levels. Some smart cities are using smart technology
to monitor noise levels in real time.
Why is pollution relevant to research?
It helps assess the extent of pollution and its effects on ecosystems, human health and biodiversity.
Research provides the scientific basis for environmental regulations and policies for reducing
emissions, treating waste, and restoring contaminated sites. This innovation is vital for sustainable
development. Research raises awareness about pollution issues promoting community engagement
and knowledge for cleaner practices. Understanding pollution contributes to broader discussions on
climate change as many pollutants are related to each other. So researching on pollution is a relevant
point for our environment.
METHODOLOGY
➢ How will you do your study
As I mentioned earlier my topic is pollution and it’s subtypes so I
used some websites to get the information I also used some research
articles from google scholar and some news reports(like some survey
report) from trusted source . I’ll also analyze my data through
descriptive studies such as charts, tables (highest value, lowest
value). I’ll handle ethical issues by mentioning each website’s url
and reports that I’ll use in my research project.
➢ What variables you will use
I’m using subtypes of pollution such as air pollution, water pollution
and noise pollution as my variables.
➢ Describing variables
Air pollution:- how air pollution is being measured like air pollution is
measured by AQI(air quality index) so I am using the data of last ten
years.
Water pollution:- for water pollution I’m using the factors that affect
water pollution like laundary is responsible for water pollution by
22%
Noise pollution:- for noise pollutiom I’m doing the same thing as I
used for water pollution.
❖ As I’m taking information from websites and google scholar so
I’m doing secondary studies.
So in this I’ll mention the links and editor names from where I
get the the information for my variables.
Literature review :-
How air pollution is increasing:-
Air pollutants come from a variety of sources, including human-caused
emissions – like fossil fuel use in vehicles and cooking – and natural sources,
such as dust storms and smoke from wildfires and volcanoes. [1]
How is air quality measured?
Pollutants tied to human and environmental health impacts include PM2.5,
PM10, ground-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. The greater the
density of pollutants in the air, the higher the Air Quality Index (AQI), a scale
that runs from zero to 500. An AQI of 50 or below is considered safe, while
readings above 100 are deemed unhealthy. According to UNEP partner IQAir,
only 38 of 117 countries and regions averaged healthy AQI readings in 2021.[1]
How is air quality calculated?
Air quality databanks process readings from governmental, crowd-sourced and
satellite-derived air quality monitors to produce an aggregated AQI reading.
These databases may weigh data differently based on reliability and the type of
pollution measured.[1]
Some news about air pollution:-
(Updated – June 08, 2024 08:20 pm IST!!)
Researchers and artists joined forces for a so-called “painting with light”
international project to make invisible air pollution in India visible,
demonstrating the health risks posed to the population.[2]
Air pollution is the leading global environmental risk factor. By painting with
light to create impactful images, we provide people with an easy-to-understand
way of comparing air pollution in different contexts — making something that
was largely invisible visible,” said Francis Pope, an environmental scientist from
Birmingham University and co-creator of the project with artist Robin Price.[2]
Research work:-
Air-quality monitoring carried out in seven major Indian cities in industrial and
residential areas between 1995 and 2000. Suspended particulate matter (SPM)
levels in Indian cities are in the range 50 to 550 μg/m3. NOx values are high in
Delhi’s residential areas, with values of 33 μg/m3 in 1995 and 34.6 μg/m3 in
2000, while in an industrial area values of 29.4 μg/m3 were found in 1995,
increasing to 33.7 μg/m3 in 2000. SO2 values are very high in Pune city, ranging
from 43.3 μg/m3 in residential to 43.69 μg/m3 in an industrial area in 2000.[3]
Over the past years the development and urbanization in Delhi has led to
increase in air pollution. This has led to study and research in this area. We
have used data mining to analyze the existing trends in air pollution in Delhi
and make prediction about the future. The data mining techniques used are
linear regression and multilayer perceptron. We have seen the trends of
various air pollutants like sulphur dioxide(SO 2 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ),
particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O 3 ).[4]
For water pollution:-
Water quality is a Complex subject, which Involves physical, Chemical,
hydrological And biological Characteristics of water And their complex and
Delicate relations. From The user’s point of view, The term “water quality” Is
defined as “those Physical, chemical or Biological Characteristics of water By
which the user Evaluates the Acceptability of water”. For example for drinking
water should Be pure, wholesome, And potable. Similarly, For irrigation
dissolved Solids and toxicants are important, for outdoor bathing pathogens
are important and water Quality is controlled accordingly. Textiles, paper,
brewing, and dozens of other industries Using water, have their specific water
quality needs.[5]
Webster’s dictionary defines monitoring as (1) to check and sometimes to
adjust for quality Or fidelity,
(2) to watch, observe or check, especially for a special purpose
(3) to keep track Of, regulate or control (as a process for the operation of a
machine). Note that both (1) and (3) involve adjustment, regulation, or control,
which fit well with the various types of Monitoring information. A distiction can
be made between different monitoring activities:
Survey: short term observation(s) on water quality (in present context) to fulfil
definite Objective(s);
Surveillance: a continued programme of surveys systematically undertaken to
provide a Series of observations in definite time period;
Monitoring: continuous surveillance undertaken to fulfil set of objectives. [5]
News about water pollution:-
The condition of the river can be attributed to the discharge of pollutants from
industries and drainage systems across the city that are being channelled
through the Conolly canal; efforts to de-silt the waterbody, which started
around 20 years ago, proved futile. [6]
Kallai, which flows through the heart of Kozhikode city, was deemed as the
most polluted river in Kerala in a recent report of the Central Pollution Control
Board (CPCB). The river pushed Karamanayar in Thiruvananthapuram, which
was the most polluted river as per the 2022 report, to the second position in
2023.[6]
Feb 25, 2024 06:42 AM
The new law to prevent and contain water pollution has received approval
from President Droupadi Murmu and will come into effect immediately in
Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and the Union territories, and in any other state
that adopts the Act, the environment ministry said on Saturday. [7]
Research:-
To explain variations in water quality, an Ordered Probit model is estimated, in
which poll percentage in parliamentary elections, a proxy for the intensity of
informal regulation, is taken as one of the main explanatory variables. Rainfall,
industrialization, irrigation intensity and fertilizer use are some of the other
explanatory variables used in the model to control for the influence of these
factors. As expected, river water quality is found to be positively related with
rainfall, and negatively related with industrialization, irrigation intensity and
fertilizer use. [8]
The water quality of these rivers is compromised by the presence of various
contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, organic waste, chemical waste,
and direct discharge of sewage.The pollution levels have risen as a result of the
chemical industry’s output of 30984 metric tonnes in 2019-2020. Over the
years, the agriculture sector has used 3,50,000 Mt of DDT.The water has
become unfit for any human consumption, thus posing a possible threat of
diseases outbreak. [9]
Reference:-
[1]:- https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/how-air-quality-measured
[2]:- https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/global-
project-paints-evidence-of-air-pollution-in-india/article68254930.ece
[3]:- by A.K singh, H.K gupta, p singh, v.B gupta & R.C sharma
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00128-007-9220-9?li=true
[4]:- by shweta taneja, nidhi sharma, kettun oberoi, yash navoria
[5]:-
https://cpcb.nic.in/openpdffile.php?id=UmVwb3J0RmlsZXMvTmV3SXRlbV8xM
TZfR3VpZGVsaW5lc29mIHdhdGVycXVhbGl0eW1vbml0b3JpbmdfMzEuMDcuM
DgucGRm
[6]:- https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/kallai-is-the-most-
polluted-river-in-state-cpcb-report/article68389957.ece
[7]:- https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/new-law-to-prevent-water-
pollution-gets-president-s-approval-101708800955784.html
[8]:- Bishwanath Goldar , Nandini Banerjee
c https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301479704001410
[9]:- Ahmed Shabbir Khan, Ankur Anavkar, Ahmad Ali, Nimisha Patel and Hina
Alim
https://www.biotecheview-on-current-status-of-riverine-pollution-in-india
year AQI
2013 36.16
2014 36.07
2015 35.64 here AQI is in microgram per cubic meter. All these graphs
2016 38.41 shows the fluctuation over last ten years.
2017 40
2018 72.5
2019 58.1
2020 51.9
2021 58.1
2022 9
2023 54.4
AQI
Mean 44.57090909
Standard Error 5.084149067 mean:- the average of a set of number, calculated by adding up all the numbers and dividing by the total number of values
here mean of air
Median 40 pollution is 44.57091 which is average of air pollution over last ten years.
Mode 58.1
Standard Deviation 16.86221483 standard error:- In statistics a sample mean deviates from the actual mean of a population this deviation is the standard error of the mean.
Sample Variance 284.3342891
Kurtosis 1.065113513 median:- it simply means middle number found by ordering all data points and picking out the one in the middle are two middle numbers.
Skewness -0.4888620158
Range 63.5 mode:- in statistics the mode is the number that occcurs most often. 58.1ug/m^3 is the measure that occurs most over last ten years.
Minimum 9
Maximum 72.5 standard deviation:- it describes the square root of the mean of the squares of all the values of a series derived from the arithmetic mean.
Sum 490.28
Count 11 sample variance:- it is a measure of the degree to which the numbers in a list are spread out.
Largest(2) 58.1
Smallest(1) 9 kurtosis:- a statistical measure used to describe the distribution of observed data around the mean.
skewness:- it is a measure of assymmetry or distortion of symmetry distribution it is basically degree of asymmetry observed in a probability
distribution.
range:- it is the difference between the highest observation and lowest observation.
minimum and maximum:- data with lowest value and the data with highest value.
sum:- addition of all observations.
count:- the number of observations in data set.
causes water pollution
carwash 0.00%
roads near rivers 3.10%
hotels 1.00%
domestic sewage 9.40%
industries 22.90%
garbage dumping 11.50%
laundry 22.90%
farming 29.20%
these graphs shows the things that cause
water pollution.
water pollution
Mean 0.125
Standard Error 0.03970156528
Median 0.1045 mean:- the average of a set of number, calculated by adding up all the numbers and dividing by the total number of values
Mode 0.229 here 0.125 is the average of pollution by different sources.
Standard Deviation 0.1122929841
Sample Variance 0.01260971429 standard error:- In statistics a sample mean deviates from the actual mean of a population this deviation is the standard error of the mean.
Kurtosis -1.644428623
Skewness 0.3459574768 median:- it simply means middle number found by ordering all data points and picking out the one in the middle are two middle numbers.
Range 0.292
Minimum 0 mode:- in statistics the mode is the number that occcurs most often.
en here
58.1ug/m^3
0.229% occurs
is themost.
measure that occurs most over last ten years.
Maximum 0.292
Sum 1 standard deviation:- it describes the square root of the mean of the squares of all the values of a series derived from the arithmetic mean.
Count 8
Largest(2) 0.229 sample variance:- it is a measure of the degree to which the numbers in a list are spread out.
Smallest(1) 0
kurtosis:- a statistical measure used to describe the distribution of observed data around the mean.
skewness:- it is a measure of assymmetry or distortion of symmetry distribution it is basically degree of asymmetry observed in a probability
distribution.
skewness:- it is a measure of assymmetry or distortion of symmetry distribution it is basically degree of asymmetry observed in a probability
distribution.
range:- it is the difference between the highest observation and lowest observation.
minimum and maximum:- data with lowest value and the data with highest value.
sum:- addition of all observations.
count:- the number of observations in data set.
causes noise pollution
traffic 78%
railway/metro 3%
aircraft 3%
industries 2%
construction 4%
loudspeaker 3%
ambulance/police vans 2%
loud music notes 4%
data analysis for noise
Mean 0.12375
Standard Error 0.0937880875 mean:- the average of a set of number, calculated by adding up all the numbers and dividing by the total number of values
Median 0.03 here 0.123 is the average of pollution by different sources.
Mode 0.03
Standard Deviation 0.2652727707 standard error:- In statistics a sample mean deviates from the actual mean of a population this deviation is the standard error of the mean.
Sample Variance 0.07036964286
Kurtosis 7.980521166 median:- it simply means middle number found by ordering all data points and picking out the one in the middle are two middle numbers.
Skewness 2.823834707
Range 0.76 mode:- in statistics the mode is the number that occcurs most often.
en here
58.1ug/m^3
0.03% occurs
is the
most.
measure that occurs most over last ten years.
Minimum 0.02
Maximum 0.78 standard deviation:- it describes the square root of the mean of the squares of all the values of a series derived from the arithmetic mean.
Sum 0.99
Count 8 sample variance:- it is a measure of the degree to which the numbers in a list are spread out.
Largest(2) 0.04
Smallest(1) 0.02 kurtosis:- a statistical measure used to describe the distribution of observed data around the mean.
skewness:- it is a measure of assymmetry or distortion of symmetry distribution it is basically degree of asymmetry observed in a probability
distribution.
skewness:- it is a measure of assymmetry or distortion of symmetry distribution it is basically degree of asymmetry observed in a probability
distribution.
range:- it is the difference between the highest observation and lowest observation.
minimum and maximum:- data with lowest value and the data with highest value.
sum:- addition of all observations.
count:- the number of observations in data set.
Conclusion:-
1) Reduce single-use plastics - opt for reusable bags, bottles and containers.
2) Promote public transport - use buses, trains, or carpoling to reduce
vehicle emissions.
3) Support clean energy – advocate for renewable energy sources like solar
and wind.
4) Waste management – practice recycling and composting to minimize
landfill waste
5) Use eco friendly plastics – choose biodegradable and non-toxic cleaning
supplies.
6) Plant trees – trees absorb co2 and improve air quality.
7) Advocate for regulations – support policies that limit emissions and
promote environmental protection.
8) Educate others - raise awareness about pollution and sustainable
practices in your community.
9) Conserve energy – use energy efficient appliances and turn off lights
when not in use.
10)Participate in clean-up events – join local efforts to clean parks, rivers,
and beaches.
Sources and reference –
(i) Introduction to the pollution- https://chatgpt.com/c/671f290d-
7d50-8004-b525-2d0d15d2ede9
(ii) What is pollution/ sub types - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollution
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_pollution
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise_pollution
(iii) Current trends on pollution-
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41086-z
(iv) Pollution relevant to research- -
https://chatgpt.com/c/671f290d7d50-8004-b525-2d0d15d2ede9
(v) Methodology- (whole topic in my own words)
# literature review:-
[1]:- https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/how-airquality-
measured
[2]:- https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-
andenvironment/globalproject-paints-evidence-of-air-pollution-
inindia/article68254930.ece
[3]:- by A.K singh, H.K gupta, p singh, v.B gupta & R.C sharma
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00128-007-92209?li=true
[4]:- by shweta taneja, nidhi sharma, kettun oberoi, yash navoria
[5]:-
https://cpcb.nic.in/openpdffile.php?id=UmVwb3J0RmlsZXMvTmV
3SXRlbV8xM
TZfR3VpZGVsaW5lc29mIHdhdGVycXVhbGl0eW1vbml0b3Jpbmdf
MzEuMDcuM DgucGRm
[6]:- https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/kallai-isthe-
mostpolluted-river-in-state-cpcb-report/article68389957.ece [7]:-
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/new-law-toprevent-
waterpollution-gets-president-s-approval-
101708800955784.html
[8]:- Bishwanath Goldar , Nandini Banerjee c
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301479
704001410
[9]:- Ahmed Shabbir Khan, Ankur Anavkar, Ahmad Ali, Nimisha Patel
and Hina Alim https://www.biotecheview-on-current-statusof-
riverine-pollution-in-india
Descriptive studies:- data from google search.
