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The 12 types of pollution (and their negative effects on the environment)
There are many ways to negatively alter ecosystems through pollution . Some of them are very obvious and others not so much, but there is no doubt that they generate severe consequences for living beings.
Below are the different types of pollution that exist, as well as their negative effects on the environment and on the health of people, animals and plants. As a species we have a duty to minimize them as much as possible, although there are some that are much more threatening than others.
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1. Air pollution
In this type of pollution, particles and chemical substances are released into the air . The particles can spread through the atmosphere, and are measured in micrometers. On the other hand there are many polluting gases such as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides.
2. Water pollution
Water pollution affects rivers, lakes, seas and groundwater . This type of pollution is characterized by the release of substances that dissolve in the water and that put different forms of life at risk. Water can also be polluted by acidifying it, which is what happens when it comes into uncontrolled contact with carbon dioxide.
3. Soil contamination
Soil contamination goes unnoticed by many people . However, it already affects large areas of the planet, and consists of the release of chemical products that seep into the ground. Herbicides, pesticides and discharges of different kinds such as manure and industrial waste are some of the main causes.
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4. Garbage pollution
Garbage pollution is closely linked to the previous types of pollution . Garbage accumulations are increasing in many metropolitan areas of the planet, and landfills contain waste that is scattered throughout the environment. The wind dissipates particles through the air, but the filtration of chemical substances through the subsoil when it rains is more serious.
5. Space pollution
Space pollution is off planet . This is all the debris that orbits the Earth as a result of human activity in space. Old satellites or remains of spacecraft spin around in an uncontrolled way, being able to enter the atmosphere or collide with satellites that are operational.
5. Radioactive contamination
Radioactive contamination is one of the most serious that exists . Nuclear power plants, as well as nuclear bombs, emit pollution that is brutally harmful to life and that takes millennia to disintegrate. Chernobyl or Fukushima are examples of the brutality that their consequences can generate
6. Electromagnetic pollution
Electromagnetic pollution is not seen, although its negative effects can be very harmful . It is generated due to human activity due to the operation of high voltage towers, electrical appliances, mobile phones, etc. The electromagnetic waves they generate are one of the most significant dangers that this type of contamination can produce in the different forms of life.
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7. Noise pollution
Noise pollution refers to noise that comes from human activity . This is high intensity sound that comes from factories, airplanes, ambulances, etc., and can affect human and animal health. They cause stress, affecting general health, but they can also cause hearing loss.
8. Visual pollution
Visual pollution is that which alters the perception of the landscape through sight . There are many examples: quarries, landfills, roads, landfills, industrial chimneys, billboards, etc. Most of them represent a type of contamination that has a great impact on the land due to its irreversible impact.
9. Light pollution
Light pollution can be easily observed at night in big cities . In fact, it is even easier to observe from space, since the large light sources stand out in the dark. They prevent us from seeing the stars, but the most serious thing is that they also affect people’s circadian rhythm.
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10. Thermal contamination
The temperature that the water can reach as a result of human activity also pollutes . Thermal pollution is closely linked to unconventional uses such as cooling a plant that generates nuclear energy. Such drastic changes can have a serious impact on the surrounding ecosystem.
11. Genetic contamination
Genetic contamination affects the genes of different species . It basically consists of introducing genes into a population that had evolved without them. This may be due to the interbreeding of invasive species in habitats far from their own or by the interbreeding of wild individuals with other transgenics. This type of pollution puts biological diversity and the future of many species at risk.
12. Biological contamination
Biological contamination is typical of human activity and other living beings . There are many examples of this type of pollution, such as feces and other waste substances. They can cause infections or other threats to life. For example. when they come into contact with water, many pathogenic bacteria can proliferate, which in turn deplete the oxygen in the medium.
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Bibliographic references
- Gilden, R.C., Huffling, K. y, Sattler, B. (2010). Pesticides and health risks. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 39 (1), 103-110.
- Landrigan, P.J., Fuller, R., Hu, H., Caravanos, J., Cropper, M.L., Hanrahan, D., Sandilya, K., Chiles, T.C., Kumar, P. y Suk, W.A. (2018). Pollution and Global Health – An Agenda for Prevention. Environ Health Perspect., 126 (8), 084501.
- Speth, J.G. (2004). Red Sky at Morning: America and the Crisis of the Global Environment New Haven: Yale University Press.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.