Health Hazards & Effects Due to Air Pollution
A key point to bear in mind when discussing air pollution is that whatever is in the air will eventually make its way to the Earth. Whatever contaminates the air will contaminate the water and the soil. Consequently, the health hazards due to air pollution can have far-reaching effects. Some effects are immediate, such as acid rain deposition, causing plant damage and lake acidification. Other effects are more complex, such as non-point source pollution (NPS), causing health hazards far from the source of the pollution.
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Crop Yields
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Nitrogen deposition from energy power plants burning fossil fuels can cause reduced crop yields due to imbalances of soil chemistry and impacts on photosynthesis.
Respiratory Ailments
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Ozone, resulting from release of hydrocarbons and other greenhouse gases, is is associated with human and animal respiratory ailments.
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Acid Rain
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Sulfur emissions are converted to to sulfur dioxide in a reaction fueled by the sun, resulting in acid rain, which can render lakes and ponds unfit for aquatic life or human use.
Mercury
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Mercury, released into the environment from through human activities such as mining and the burning of fossil fuels, attacks the central nervous and reproductive systems of animals and humans who consume fish gathered from contaminated waters.
Human Impact
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A Cornell University study estimates that 40 percent of all human deaths worldwide are tied to pollution.
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References
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Kevin Dooley
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