He was also a senior editor with Exchange4media group’s real estate magazine 'Realty Plus', and prior to that Consulting Editor with 'Geopolitics', a magazine on defence and strategic affairs. Fertilizer use has similar impacts. Water pollution causes all water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater to get contaminated and certainly human activities are responsible for these conditions. Water pollution results in the death of smaller fishes, mollusks, bugs, insects and their larvae; these are … Thus, the entire food chain suffers as a result of soil contamination. There are many negative effects on plants by pollution and containment of water. google_ad_height = 250; -Marion Nestle. It gets into the environment through emissions from coal-fired utilities and industrial boilers. Reduced or impaired reproduction, cancer, neurological damage and more susceptibility to disease are common effects long after oil spills have been cleaned up. The effects that have been making headlines across the world include global warming, the melting of polar ice caps, the extin… Rogers's more than 10 years in conservation makes her equally at home in the outdoors. Stricter regulating of industries is needed to slow further contamination. Water is one of the most utilized natural resources by humans, animals, and plants for survival. She has grown her own art business through SEO and social media and is a consultant specializing in SEO and website development. To protect human beings, plants and other life forms, it is urgent to find out the solution of water pollution and collective efforts by individuals, society and the government are required to achieve this aim. Polluted water leads to the worst effect on human health. target_type: 'mix' A large amount of sulphide in polluted water is the reason of various respiratory diseases and drinking water contaminated with urea increases intestinal disorder. Apart from diarrhoea, and breathing problems, drinking polluted water causes skin diseases. Some time ago, the water in the Gomati River in Lucknow had become so polluted and toxic at one time that dead fish floating all through it had become a common scenario. When organic substances in the polluted water start decaying, it produces hydrogen sulphide and ammonia gas which gives the water very bad smell. Water quality is also compromised by air pollution through acid rain. When we use the natural resources and exhaust them to the fullest, the homes of many animals are lost during the process. Different species of aquatic plants and animals require different levels of water purity.When water quality falls below that those species perish. As per an estimate, almost 2.5 million people in over 34000 villages of India are suffering from cholera. Marine pollution is a diversified term. Acid rain occurs when contaminants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide combine with moisture in the air in a process fueled by sunlight. Plants usually show damage in a variety of ways, including visible signs of damage like necrotic lesion… Unless measures are taken, the very water we drink is in danger. Polluted water is like poison for human beings. Leptospirosis disease – In addition to organisms that cause disease in our body, various types of toxic substances harm our health reaching our body through water. Polluted water is also harmful for agriculture as it adversely affects the crops and the soil fertility. Mercury is the primary cause of contamination in U.S. estuaries and lakes. It has emerged as one of the most serious environmental threats in India. The effects are especially dire when the pH levels of waterways are altered. Pollutants in water runoff affect plants in two main ways. Aquatic life is even more threatened when the waters are polluted. Coastal environments continue to be imperiled by oil spills, killing wildlife and causing millions of dollars in property damage. Statistics from the Centre for Biological Diversity on the effects of the Deep Horizon spill provides a useful glimpse of the impact of pollution on aquatic life. Water pollution reduces the level of oxygen in it. Alkaline substances mixed in polluted water get accumulated in and around taps making them weak. It has also been observed that some industry associations also drain radio-active substances into the water sources which destroy organisms and plants instantly and are extremely harmful. Because oceans are part of the food chain, marine pollution affects a wide spectra of species, including humans. Polluted water makes the life of aquatic organism miserable. Composition of nitrate resulting from fertilizer and chemicals used in agricultural lands, waste dumps or pit latrines causes contamination of the groundwater. Micro-organisms present in the water gives the water unpalatable taste. _taboola.push({ The use of such water also increases the risk of having children with disabilities. High levels of nitrogen, phosphates and phosphorus into waterways can encourage the growth of invasive plants, again setting up a scenario of altered water quality. Fish and other aquatic organisms start dying due to lack of oxygen in the polluted water. According to a survey in most of the rivers, the amount of oxygen in a litre of water has decreased to 0.1 cubic centimetre only, while this average in 1940 was around 2.5 cubic centimetres. Also, animals fall prey to a variety of diseases due to drinking polluted water. Thus continuous intake of contaminated drinking water is the reasons behind various stomach related disorders and other diseases like lumps in throat, tooth decay, etc. Pesticides in water bodies can cause fish kill and through the decomposition of animal material, lower pH and oxygen levels, unsustainable for life. Around the globe more than 80 per cent of diseases are due directly or indirectly to polluted water. /* India Celebrating_300*250_New */ Neurological damage, liver damage, muscle atrophy and failure to reproduce are just a few of the physical affects of metals. It makes fish and plants deficient in their ability to regenerate and reproduce. This may lead to health issues in herbivorous animals who feed on agricultural plants and leftovers. Subscribe to our YouTube … placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', window._taboola = window._taboola || []; The specific effects vary depending on what pollutants enter the environment. According to the scientists, a large number of diseases in India can be attributed to drinking of sewage mixed water. Long-term exposure to air pollution, for example, can lead to chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer and other diseases. The oil pollutes beaches, water and plant life, which impacts animals in many ways. Whether direct or indirect, accidental or intentional, pollution of our waterways not only affects animals and plants, but the ecosystem itself. High levels of nitrogen, phosphates and phosphorus into waterways can encourage the growth of invasive plants, again setting up a scenario of altered water quality. Here are some adverse effects of water pollution. The water sometimes contains excess nutrients which causes the excess growth of plants. At some point in their life cycle, over 70 percent of terrestrial animal species are dependent upon water. Categories Save the Rivers Tags 10 ways to control water pollution, Effects of Water Pollution, ganga river … The failure of plants to grow in turn affects animals and humans dependent on these plants for food and other needs. Biological effects of radiation are generally common to man and animals. Contaminated water contains a variety of disease-causing bacteria that results in several types of ailment. degrading water quality and rendering it toxic to humans or the environment This condition also leads to the eruption of various diseases and most of them being transmittable and fatal. If the polluted water gets stagnated, it becomes a breeding ground for mosquito and many other parasites which are very common in tropical areas. The main toxic elements among them include cadmium, lead, nickel, silver, arsenic, etc. Despite all efforts of the Government in cities and towns, only 10 per cent of the total waste water is treated and rest of polluted material directly flows into ponds, rivers and ocean. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every year due to contaminated water 50 million persons become the victims of death. The acid rain can cause immediate plant and animal distress or death in high concentrations. In children, the excess of nitrate leads to the disease. More disconcerting are the potential long term effects of toxins in the environment. Ltd. | 2017 All Rights Reserved. First, they overwhelm and wash away nutrients essential to plant … The effects on sea animals: Water pollution is affecting marine life in many harmful and threatening ways. Vishal Duggal possesses over two decades of journalistic experience across print and web domains. As per an estimate, 13 children die per hour in India, due to diarrhoea caused by contaminated water. Due to rapid industrialization, water pollution has already reached dangerous levels. Hepatitis, cholera, dysentery and typhoid are the common waterborne diseases, which affect the majority of tropical area. According to the EPA, over 300 million tons of pesticides are used each year, often ending up in waterways, the majority being classified as carcinogens. By bacteria – Diarrhoea, loose motions, paratyphoid, high fever, cholera, whooping cough, gonorrhoea, syphilis, gastroenteritis, dysentery, and tuberculosis. The stress on our water environment as a result of increased industrialization, which aids urbanization, is becoming very high thus reducing the availability of clean water. Soil contamination can also occur, making entire environments unfit for life. Sources are many but the solutions are few. When deposited in water sources like pond, lakes and oceans, water plants that feed on water animals are affected. The effects of air pollution on plants and animals may be measured by the following factors: (1) interference with enzyme systems; (2) change in cellular chemical constituents and physical structure; (3) retardation of growth and reduced production because of metabolic changes; (4) … Air pollution comes from many sources such as the smoke stack in a factory, car exhaust, or off gassing from paint or producing plastic . Making self-interest their priority, man violates various established laws and regulations and drains various harmful substances coming out from the factories directly into the water sources. Pollution may muddy landscapes, poison soils and waterways, or kill plants and animals. Polluted water used for irrigation also contaminates the soil and the agricultural produce. Victim to terrible diseases like polio, cholera, patches, jaundice, fever viral... 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