Pollutants

A substance that pollutes something.

Types of pollution

Air, soil, plastic, radioactive and water

Particulate matter

everything in the air that is not gas

Anthropogenic air

Outdoor air pollution resulting from human activity

• Production of electricity
• Burning of solid fuels
• Agriculture
• Industry
• Road transportation

Natural air

Outdoor air pollution resulting from natural events

• Airborne dust from deserts
• Smoke from wildfires
• Seaspray
• Pollen
• Volcanic ash

Plastic/Litter Pollution

accumulation in the environment of synthetic plastic products to the point that they create problems for wildlife and their habitats as well as for human populations.

whats is plastic

• Synthetic polymer made from petroleum
• Carcinogen
• Causes cancer, oxidative stress, cell damage, inflammation, and impairment of energy allocation functions6
• Can absorb toxins
• Can create perfect environment for spread of viruses

The gyres

where garbage gathers.

a current system in the ocean moving in a circular pattern

Soil pollution

the presence of toxic chemicals (pollutants or contaminants) in soil, in high enough concentrations to pose a risk to human health and/or the ecosystem.

Anthropogenic soil

Soil pollution resulting from human activity

• Accidental spills and leaks

• Gasoline, diesel at gas stations

• Manufacturing
• Mining activities
• Construction activities
• Asbestos
• Agricultural activities
• Chemical waste dumping
• Landfills
• Cracked paint chips (lead paint)

Natural soil

Soil pollution resulting from natural events

• Natural accumulation of minerals and salts
• Natural formation of minerals and salts
• Perchlorate in the presence of chlorine

5 types of soil pollution

Biological, agricultural, radioactive, urban and industrial

most common soil pollutants

petroleum, heavy metals and pesticides

effects of soil pollution

• Plants/food grown can be contaminated
• Could prevent plants from growing
• Could be harmful to humans or animals that disrupt the soil
• Kills off natural microbiota in soil
• Fungi and bacteria that bind soil die = more soil erosion
• Trash can be released during landslides, sinkholes, etc.
• Can lead to widespread famine
• Can contaminate water table
• Increased risk of fires

Radioactive Pollution

the increase in the natural radiation levels caused by human activities.

What makes something radioactive?

• Unstable nuclei
• Able to naturally release energy while trying to shed high speed particles in order to become stable

causes of radioactive pollution

• Accident
• Natural event
• Act of terrorism

2 types of contamination from radioactive pollution

Internal contaminatio

• Swallowed or breathed in radioactive materials
• An open wound or absorbed through lungs
• Accumulate in organs or are released in sweat, blood, urine, feces

External contamination

• When radioactive dust, liquid, or powder get on a person’s hair, clothing, or skin
• Can be absorbed into skin

effects of radioactive pollution

• Acute Radiation Syndrome (radiation sickness)
• Cutaneous Radiation Injury (large dose causes injury to skin)
• Cancer
• Prenatal Radiation Exposure (stunted growth, deformities, abnormal brain function, cancer later in life)
• Hair loss
• Less white blood cells

Acute radiation syndrome

Brain Thyroid gland, GI tracts, bone morrow and blood vessels, and skin

What To Do If You’re Exposed to radiation

• Get out of the area immediately
• Take off contaminated clothes
• Put them in a bag and place it far away from yourself
• Wash your body/hair

Important Radioactive Elements

caesiom, thorium,uranium,nickel, cobalt and rado

radon

• Colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas
• Huge problem in the midwest
• Specifically Iowa
• Highest indoor Radon concentration in the nation
• Glaciers deposited rocks that contain radium
• 400 Iowans die from radon each year
• Second leading cause of lung cancer in US
• Kills 21,000 people each year

Uranium decay chart

radon,radium and uranium

water pollution

harmful substances—often chemicals or microorganisms—contaminate a stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer, or other body of water, degrading water quality and rendering it toxic to humans or the environment.

Health Effects of Drinking Various Contaminants water

• Arsenic – a known human carcinogen associated with skin, lung, bladder, kidney, and liver cancer
• Lead – behavioral and developmental effects in children; and cardiovascular and kidney problems
• Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) chemicals – damage to the immune and reproductive systems
• Pesticides – neurodevelopmental effects and Parkinson’s disease

Oil Spills

• Pollute coastlines and fisheries
• Kill and injure wildlife
• Lost tourism revenue

Bioremediation

The use of either naturally occurring or deliberately introduced microorganisms or other forms of life to consume and break down environmental pollutants, in order to clean up a polluted site.