WEEK TWO
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION I
- Definition of pollution
- Air pollution
- Soil pollution
- Water pollution
Definition of pollution
Pollution is the contamination of our environment with dirty, poisonous and dangerous or hazardous substances. It is also defined as the release of waste products or materials into the environment that is harmful to life.
These dirty, poisonous and dangerous or hazardous substances are called pollutants
Types of pollution
- Air pollution
- Water pollution
- Soil pollution
- Air pollution
This is defined as the release of poisonous gases into the air (or atmosphere). Examples of air pollutants are sulphur (iv) oxide, carbon (ii) oxide, hydrogen sulphide, smoke etc.
Causes of air pollution
In many domestic and industrial processes, air pollutants are released into atmosphere. The sources of these air pollution differs so also the pollutants emitted into the atmosphere.
| Pollutants | Sources | |
| 1 | Sulphur dioxide | Burning of fuel |
| 2 | Carbon mono oxide | Burning of carbon in gas e.g. car exhaust, exhaust from factory chimney |
| 3 | Carbon dioxide | Exhaust from vehicles and factory |
| 4 | Hydrogen sulphide | Industrial processes like mining |
| 5 | Dust | Coal mining, quarry activities, site work, untarred roads etc. |
| 6 | Smoke | Domestic and industrial burnings, smoking of cigarettes, etc. |
| 7 | Smog | Sunlight effect on nitrogen (ii) oxide and nitrogen(iv) oxide |
| 8 | Radioactive rays | Nuclear power plants and nuclear reactions |
- Soil pollution
Soil pollution is the contamination of the land with poisonous materials. It is a times called land pollution. The major soil pollutants are refuse, sewage, agricultural waste.
- Water pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies with poisonous substances. This is usually as a result of both domestic and industrial activities. These pollutants are
- Refuse and sewage e.g. leftover food, urine, feaces, etc.
- Industrial and agricultural waste e.g. chemicals, fertilizers, insecticides, etc.
- Oil spillage e.g. breaking of oil pipe
- Thermal or heat source
CLASSWORK 2
- Define pollution
- Mention 3 water pollutants and soil pollutants that you know
ASSIGNMENT 2
SECTIONA
- The following are pollutants except? (a) dust (b) trees (c) carbon monoxide (d) smoke
- the organization in Nigeria responsible for the protection of the environment is (a) NAFDAC (b) FEPA (c) NDLEA (d) ICPC
- Which of these brings about pollution? (a) burning (b) recycling refuse (c) landfill (d) reuse refuse
- The following are air pollutants except (a) dust (b) exhaust from cars (c) oil spillage (d) bush burning
- Agricultural waste can cause what kind of pollution? (a) noise (b) air (c) land (d) none of the above
SECTION B
- What are pollutants?
- How many types of pollution do we have? Mention them