WASTE CREATED BY ANTHROPOGENESIS AND ITS EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Contents Introduction Oil spill Mining activity Garbage Conclusion Reference

Waste can be defined as any unwanted materials, which are disposed off or are required to be disposed.

They are generated during the extraction and processing of raw materials and consumption of final product and other human activities

Anthropogenic contamination of the environment may be defined as the chemical and biological contamination caused by the action of human.

INTRODUCTION

Its increase is intimately associated with the rise in global population, industrialisation, urbanisation, and intensive agricultural practises. Some of the waste created by anthropogenic activities are:1) Oil spill2) Mining activity3) Garbage

Contd..

An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbons into the environment due to human activity. And it is a form of pollution.

Oil spill

Reduction in dissolved oxygen – oil films are able to retard significantly the rate of oxygen uptake by water.

Reduction in light penetration – oil slick decreases the light intensity up to 90%

Smothering – Smothering coats of oil have killed lichens and algae along the shore line.

Physical effects of oil in water

Mining is the extraction of minerals and metal from the earth.

The environmental effect of mining includes erosion, formation of sink hole, loss of biodiversity and contamination of soil, ground water and surface water by various chemicals from mining processes.

Mining

Soil erosion occurs when the mining has stopped and there are no trees to protect the soil.

Cont.. Surface burning is the

combustion of mined waste material which produce smokes, haze, heat or venting of hazardous gases, it destroys the surrounding vegetation and pollute the nearby area.

Mining especially coal may result in release of Methane & CO2, a dangerous green house gas which is responsible for Climate Change.

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) or Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) water that is discharged from mining and mine related operations contains high levels of dissolved iron and aluminum sulfates in conjunction with pH values less than 4.5.

it is produced when oxygen dissolved in water reacts with pyritic materials found in association with most coal deposits. AMD degrades the water quality of stream and supplies often to the point of eliminating all biological activity within the stream contaminated with AMD.

Garbage It is very harmful to our

environment because of the way it is currently being disposed

It possess dangerous risk to our land, water and air

Landfill disposal if leaked, will contaminate surface and ground water which in turn will travel to the nearest ocean or lake and poison the wildlife there.

Incinerating trash has bad effect on the environment as it contributes to air pollution which causes global warming.

Sewage water poured into ocean poison fish and other marine life.

Land fills overfilling with garbage destroy profitable land. It takes many year to regain the nutrients and land destroyed.

Anthropogenic waste is exclusively created by man

It is created by his activity like mining and accidentally like oil spill, jeopardizing the environment in ocean

Garbage can be recycled and its production can be reduced by looking for minimum packing at the stores, choosing aluminum, tin and paper because it can be recycled.

Oil spill can be removed from the sight using various bacteria known as super germ which helps in breaking components of crude oil , it is eco-friendly. Example: Pseudomanas

Conclusion

1997,H.Kuar, Environmental chemistry, 4th revised and enlarge edition, Krishna Prakashan Media pvt.ltd. Pp55-64

1996, R.N.P, Course in mining geology, oxford and IBH publication, Pp 398-415

websites:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining

References