Air Pollution
Environmental pollution is the
contamination of the physical and biological components of the
atmosphere to such an extent that normal environmental processes are
adversely affected. Air pollution is contamination of environment by
addition of chemical substances, noxious gases, particulate matter etc
which disturb its natural physical and chemical composition.
Air pollution comes from both natural
and man-made sources Such as combustion, construction, mining,
Agriculture, automobiles, industrialisation and warfare. Common gaseous
air pollutants include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
chlorofluorocarbans (CFCs) and nitrogen oxides along with particulate
matter or fine dust.
Consequences of Air pollution.
Pollution causes not only physical
disabilities but also psychological and behavioral disorders in human
beings such as headache, bronchitis, asthama, irritation of eyes,
cardiovascular problems etc. Animals and plants are also affected by
pollution.
The World Health Organization estimates
that about two million people die prematurely every year as a result of
air pollution, while many more suffer from breathing ailments, heart
disease, lung infections and even cancer. Fine particles or microscopic
dust from coal or wood fires and unfiltered diesel engines are rated as
one of the most lethal forms of air pollution caused by industry,
transport, household heating, cooking and coal or oil-fired power
stations.
Indoor Air Pollution
In addition to outdoor air pollution,
Indoor air pollution is now viewed seriously by many health
organizations as one of the greatest risk to human health as most of the
people spend about 90% of the time indoor either in home or office.
Polluted indoor air quality imposes both short term ( Irritation of
eyes, headache, nausea, allergic reactions, asthma) and long term
(chronic bronchitis, heart disease, lung cancer, liver and kidney damage
) effects on health.
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a term
referring to the air quality within and around buildings as it relates
to the health and comfort of building occupants. More than three billion
people worldwide continue to depend on solid fuels, including biomass
fuels (wood, dung, agricultural residues) and coal, for their energy
needs. Cooking and heating with solid fuels on open fires or traditional
stoves results in high levels of indoor air pollution. Indoor smoke
contains a range of health-damaging pollutants, such as small particles
and carbon monoxide.
Indoor Air Pollution is prevalent both
at urban and rural levels. Urban Indoor Air pollution can be experienced
in poorly ventilated compact buildings such as Apartments, Auditoriums,
theatres, hospitals, schools, colleges etc due to human gatherings and
modern life style commodities as Air Conditioners, Vacuum cleaners room
fresheners, sprays, disinfectants, paints, smoking habit etc. Rural
Indoor Air Pollution is mainly due to use of traditional stoves using
organic fuel (Coal, wood) for cooking which release large amount of
smoke and CO which affects respiratory process.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) can be affected
by microbial contamination, gases including Radon, CO, CO2, Volatile
Organic Compounds as formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, xylene,
toluene, particulate matter, pollen and fungal spores, pesticides etc or
any mass or energy stress that can induce adverse health conditions.
Most of indoor pollutants are carcinogenic and neurotoxins.
IAQ can be improved by proper
ventilation, use of filters and exhaust fans up to some extent.
Alternative means to tackle Indoor Air Pollution
Some plants which can be grown indoor
(shade loving plants ) can be safely exploited as good source of
reducing indoor air pollution. Plants by virtue of their ability to
photosynthesize can absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide gas through
stomata and release oxygen as a by product so make the air suitable to
breathe in by human beings. Plants give off extra water as water vapour
through stomata by physiogical process transpiration thus causing
coolness and increase humidity in the surrounding environment. so plants
are able to the function of air purifier and also act as substitute to
air conditioners up to some extent. Plants are more effective at
filtering pollutants than air purifiers and filters which consume
electricity. Added bonus when plants are used as purifiers is that they
are beautiful and provide natural aesthetic scenario ( greenery) which
induce calmness and peace to the interior. Plants are inexpensive,
require no electricity to operate.
Studies performed by NASA indicate that
houseplants remove indoor air pollutants. Most houseplants have probably
developed from plants that grow in the understory of rainforests and
under canopy of huge trees like Banyan Ficus etc. These plants must be
able to survive the high concentrations of mold and mildew and prevent
attack to their own leaves. They have adapted by developing microbes on
the root system that serves the purpose of biodegrading mold and mildew
and are also able to, effectively biodegrade common indoor pollutants
like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and benzene, which are by products
of cleaning and household products, and provide protection against
airborne fungal spores.
As per NASA reports plants together with
medium in which they are grown are able to remove 99. 9% toxins from
polluted indoor air particularly VOCs. It is not the foliage but
associated soil bacteria which develop in rhizosphere of these potted
indoor plants are capable of biodegrading toxic chemicals when activated
by plant root growth.
There are about 50 plants which can be
grown indoor which have probably developed from plants growing in
understorey of rainforests and under canopy of huge trees. Names of Some
commonly used plants suitable for Indian environmental conditions is
mentioned below: Anthurium, Begonia, Asplenium, Dieffenbachia, Dracaena,
Rubber plant, Fittonia, Maranta, Monstera, Syngonium, Alocasia,
Philodendron, Pothos, Bamboo palm, Poinsettia, Peace lily, Azalea, Areca
palm, Bosten fern, Dwarf date palm etc To keep the inner environment
healthy and free of pollutants it is advisable to put the potted indoor
plants in the room or meeting hall, hospitals, schools at a place where
sunlight enters for sometime during day hours. However, important
questions exist as to whether plants can actually affect indoor air
sufficiently. Some scientists and interior scapers say that National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) research demonstrates the
efficacy of plants as indoor air cleaners
It was initially assumed that the plants
removed the chemicals by uptake through the leaves and photosynthetic
processes But by research measuring the amount of pollutants in presence
of plants with leaves and after removing leaves indicate that it is
actually not the leaves but rhizosphere microflora ( soil bacteria ) of
these plants are able to degrade and decompose the pollutants. The
scientists identified several common soil bacteria isolates in the
root-soil zone which are capable of biodegrading toxic chemicals when
activated by plant root growth
As plants
remove pollutants and make the environment clean, awareness should be
created among masses for their cultivation, propagation and appreciation
For maintenance and gardening of Indoor plants proper care should be taken
The plants should be grown in pots with light potting mixture having soil, sand and fertilizers.
The pots should be placed where at some fraction of sunlight enters. The plants can be brought out once a week for few hours.
The plants should be properly watered
and cleaned. Water logging should be avoided as soil microflora actually
degrade the indoor pollutants.
The fertilizers should be supplied as per need of specific plant.
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