Environmental Pollution(Part-4 of 4) Radioactive Pollution, Form, Effect Of Radiation, Dangers And Control, Thermal Pollution Impact And Control

 Fig- Radioactive pollution

                                                 

Radioactive pollution

Radioactivity

The spontaneous emission of protons (alpha particles), electrons (beta particles), and gamma rays (short wave electromagnetic waves) caused by the dissolution of some elements’ atomic nuclei is known as radioactivity.

Radiation that's commonly thought of as being high energy and thus harmful to living things. It can also refer to infrared light and even visible light.

Radioactive pollution refers to the release of ionizing radiation into the environment as a result of human activity.

Ionizing radiation is the form of radiation that has a short wavelength and a high frequency. Ionizing radiation includes x-rays and gamma rays.

Radioactive pollution, its consequences, as well as some prevention strategies. The term 'radiation' can refer to a wide variety of forms of energy moving around as waves or particles. But when we say 'radioactive pollution,' we're being more specific. It can mean x-rays, or it can mean microwaves.

Possible sources of radioactive are,

• A nuclear power plant 
• Mining for nuclear fuel 
• Nuclear waste
• Nuclear power plant mishaps (sometimes caused by the hapless Homer Simpson) and 
• Nuclear weapons 

 

Form of Radioactive pollution

Ionizing radiation pollution

➠The molecular damage may produce short-range (immediate) or long-range (delayed) effects.

Short-range effects include burns, impaired metabolism, dead tissues and death of the organisms.

Long-range effects are mutations, increased incidence of tumors and cancer, shortening of life-span and developmental changes.

➠The actively dividing cells such as Embryo, foetus, cells of the skin, intestinal lining, bone marrow and gamete forming cells are more sensitive to radiations.

Some species of animals and plants preferentially accumulate specific radioactive materials.

➠The mutated gene can persist in living organisms and may affect their progeny. 

➠They have high penetration power and cause the breakage of macromolecules. They are often lethal.

They include X-rays, Cosmic rays and Atomic Radiations (radiations emitted by radioactive elements).

Non-Ionizing pollution

➠They cause injury to the cells of skin and blood capillaries producing blisters.

➠They affect only those components which absorb them and have low penetrability.

➠They damage eyes which may be caused by reflections from coastal sand, snow (snow blindness), directly looking towards the sun during an eclipse.

➠They include short-wave radiation such as ultraviolet rays, which forms a part of solar radiation.

Effect of radiation on human and other being

Strength of the radiation involved vs severity

➠The rate of diffusion and deposition of the radioactive pollutant in the given environmental conditions.

➠The half-life of the radioactive pollutant.

➠The tenure for which the radioactive pollutant was exposed to the environment.

Based on the strength of radiation they divided in to 𝝰, β, γ  X-rays

X–rays---    It can travel very far and pass through the body tissues except for bones. They can cause damage to the cells.

α–particles---    Generally, they cannot penetrate the skin. But if their source is inside the body, they can cause damage to bones or lungs.

β–particles---    It can penetrate the skin but cannot damage the tissues. They can cause damage to the skin and eyes (cataract).

γ–radiation---    It can easily penetrate the body and pass through it. They cause damage to cell structure, cancer.

Fig- Radioactive pollution

                                    

                                                                   

  Major radioactive pollution dangers

➠Thus can cause diseases like cancer or even death.

➠It may result in the genetic mutation affecting not only the living organism but can also result in             defective and diseases in newborn babies.

➠Exposure to radiation can result in cancer.

➠It may also result in the burning effect

➠It may also result in blistering

 

➠Redness of the skin and even damage to the tissue of the skin.

➠It may result in soil damage as well as the plant and can have the capacity to leave the soil infertile.

Radioactive pollution control

➠Production and use of radioisotopes should be minimum and only for essential use because radioisotopes once produced cannot be destroyed by any means except by the passage of time.

Fission reactions should be minimized.

➠Working places where radioactive emissions are possible should have high chimneys and good ventilation systems.

➠Industrial wastes contaminated with radionuclides are disposed of carefully in specially built tanks.

➠In nuclear reactors, closed-cycle cooling systems may be employed, so that no radiation leakage through coolant can take place.

➠Atomic explosions should not be carried out in the atmosphere.

Fig- Thermal pollution

Thermal pollution

This pollution is most often caused by heated discharge from an industrial facility or another human activity. Thermal pollution can result in disruptions in natural systems and stress, disease, or even death for affected organisms.

Thermal pollution is a rapid change in temperature in a natural body of water.

In addition to power plants, other industrial facilities such as 

Petroleum refineries Pulp and paper mills Chemical plants and Steel mills contribute to thermal pollution. 

They also use water to cool machinery and discharge water at elevated temperatures. 

Thermal pollution impact

➠The introduction of warmer water causes oxygen levels to drop, affecting aquatic life.

 

➠Warmer water encourages the growth of algae, which absorb sunlight and cause further warming.

 

➠These effects are often intensified if the discharge water contains a lot of nutrients, as is the case with agricultural runoff and untreated sewage.

 

➠Warmer temperatures can increase aquatic organisms' vulnerability to chemicals present in these wastewaters, such as ammonia, heavy metals, and pesticides.

  

➠Thermal pollution and nutrient loading can cause hypoxic “dead zones”, with very low oxygen levels. Thermal pollution also alters oxygen levels.

➠Thermal pollution is a growing concern, especially with climate change exacerbating increases in water temperature from power plants, industry, agriculture, and other human sources. 

Thermal pollution control

➠Education is the key to controlling thermal Pollution. With an understanding of all the consequences, people will make better decisions in their lifestyles that can reduce and even eliminate this type of waste product from our water sources.

➠The recent invention of eco-friendly products has made it possible to avoid the detrimental effects that thermal Pollution can have on our environment.

➠One way to reduce the impact of thermal Pollution is by controlling construction activities in areas that are vulnerable to contamination.

➠Thermal Pollution can be controlled by Coal-fired Power Plants as the industry is now taking measures to fix its environmental catastrophes.

➠Cooling ponds can be helpful in controlling thermal Pollution. They work by decreasing the temperature of the water coming from a factory or power plant before it reaches natural waterways and causes damage to marine life, like fish.

➠Better management of human excreta disposal- meaning lessening its negative impact on climate change while also preventing contamination with faecal matter and other pathogens.

Recycling and reusing are the best ways to combat thermal Pollution. 

For my readers,

Be concern with the use of electricity, without power we do nothing but we aware of that because most of the countries depend mainly about Nuclear reactor. “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle”. Thank you for reading .