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org (ISSN-2349-5162)

ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACTS

DUE TO TOXIC AND NON TOXIC
POLLUTANTS AND WASTAGES FROM
MINING AND INDUSTRIAL RELEASE
Dr.R.Giri Prasad1, Associate Professor, Dept. of Petroleum Technology, Aditya Engineering College (A)
Dr.P.Brahmaji Rao2, Professor, Dept. of Environmental Science, Acharya Nagarjuna University
E.Nandish Goud3, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Petroleum Technology, Aditya Engineering College (A)

ABSTRACT

The progress of a nation is mainly calculated by advancement in industries. Country will become physically
powerful when it is industrially superior. Agriculture has its own significance because it provides the basic
amenities of life, but it cannot take alone nation ahead. Even to revise and advance in agriculture,
industrialization is also necessary. The modern devices utilized by farmers are produced by industries.
Industries play a vital to national income; producing products like medicines, processed foods, and outfits
which are produced in industries, are used in our everyday life. Goods which are produced by industries and
ISO goods are been exported to many industries in India, and thus progressively captures global market. To
carry out survival in the world every country desires to be noticed an esteemed product for what it
manufactures, increases the global market. Major problem which has to be looked behind is the pollution
caused by industrialization, impacts an environment and health issues.

As per Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, environment includes all physical and biological
surroundings of an organism along with their interactions. Environment is thus defined as “the summing of this
i.e total amount of water present, air, land and their inter-relationships and also with the human beings, other
living organisms and materials.”

COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENT

Primarily, there are three components of environment. They are:

Abiotic or Non-living Component Biotic, biotic or living Component Energy Component.

The abiotic components is subdivided into three categories

a) Lithosphere or Solid Earth

b) Hydrosphere or Water Component

c) Atmosphere or Gaseous Envelope

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The abiotic or non-living component includes medium i.e soil, water, air and bodies of other organisms in case
of parasites and climate i.e temperature, light, wind, rainfall, snow, humidity etc. The biotic component of
environment consists of flora and fauna including man as the important factor. Abiotic and biotic components
constitute together the Biome environment. The energy component includes the solar energy, geochemical
energy, thermal energy, electrical energy, hydroelectrical energy, nuclear, atomic energy and all other form of
energy which plays an important role to maintain the real life of organisms. In all the components of
environment is a complex, self generating cycle which goes on. Moreover, there exists equilibrium among all
the components of environment which creates balance in nature. But due to some human activities the
equilibrium in nature is disturbed, causing the environmental pollution (Naik, 2005).

The four principle components of environment are Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, Biosphere and Atmosphere.
Lithosphere is the earth's outer layer. It includes the top part of the mantle and all of the crust. It is
approximately 100 km thick .The hydrosphere is the zone on earth in which water present in various forms.
The biosphere includes the thin layer below, on and above the earth's surface where, life exist. The atmosphere
is combination of gases, mainly hydrogen and oxygen, is found above earth's surface. The atmosphere extends
for about hundreds of kilometers until its density reaches the outer space (Langford, 2013).

TYPES OF ENVIRONMENT

The environment can be divided into two categories; they are

a) Natural Environment

b) Man-made or Anthropogenic Environment

Natural environment operates through self regulating mechanism i.e. any change in natural ecosystem brought
about natural process which is counter balanced by changes in other component of environment. This
mechanism is known as homeostatic environment. Thus, there exists a reciprocal relationship among various
components of environment. These components are water, air, noise, soil, forest, wild life, flora and fauna etc.

In man - made environment, man is the most important environmental agent, when it is combined with modern
technologies and are capable of modifying the environment according to his needs. Man made environment
includes technology transportation, housing etc. So, it is concluded that environment consists of an
amalgamation of different systems like physical, chemical, biological, social and cultural i.e 4 -elements an any
change in the environment caused by natural process or man-made process can effects the living organism
adversely or beneficially (Naik, 2005).

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FACTORS DAMAGING ENVIRONMENT:

The four important ecological factors which are affecting the environment are as follows: 1.Topographic or
Physiographic Factors, which consists of altitude, direction of mountain chains, plateaus, plains, lakes, rivers,
sea level and valleys etc.

2. Climate Factors or Aerial Factors, which include atmosphere, light, temperature and humidity etc.

3. Edaphic Factors, which comprise lithosphere or soil.

4. Biotic Factors, which include all types of interactions between different forms of life, for example men,
animals, plants, and micro-organisms etc. (Naik, 2005).

Environmental Pollution

For normal and healthy living is required by all living beings, including humans, livestock, plants, micro-
organisms and wildlife. The favourable unpolluted environment has a specific composition. When this
composition gets changed by addition of harmful substances, the environment is called polluted environment
and the substances polluting it are called pollutants. Environmental pollution can, therefore, be defined as any
undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of any component of the environment
(air, water, soil), which can cause harmful effects on various forms of life or property (Velan, 2011).

Pollution-Pollution is defined as deviation from natural composition of a part of environment, which results in
adverse effects on life. Pollution is usually caused by the addition of environment waste products to human
activity. When these waste products are not efficiently assimilated, decomposed or otherwise removed from
natural, biological and physical processes of the biosphere, which give adverse effects result in the pollutants,
are accumulated or converted to toxic substances.

Different Types of pollutants in Environment

Primary pollutants are defined as substances emitted directly from an identifiable source. Secondary pollutants
are substances derived from primary pollutants by chemical reactions. Pollutants need not be material
substances. Noise and even electromagnetic waves can be pollutants. In today Scenario man is a polluting
environment . There is no scope for nature decompose to any manmade material and return their elements to
cycle of nature. Such substances will remain, will cause harmful or adverse effects untiless they are
somehow dispersed or diluted from nature.

With the increase in population, creates the problem of balanced and clean environment. In industrialised
countries mainly in larger cities there is problem of disposal sewage , industrial wastes has become severe,

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which pollutes the air, water and soil (Kaushik&Kaushik, 2010). Some of the major types of pollutions are Air
pollution; Land pollution; Sound pollution; Dust pollution; Radiation pollution; Thermal pollution; Light
pollution etc. (Bheem, 2012)

Environmental pollution can therefore, be defined as any undesirable change in the physical, chemical or
biological characteristics of any component of environment ( i.e. air, water and soil) which causes harmful
effects on various forms of life or property.

IMPACTS OF INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION ON ENVIRONMENT

Environmental pollution can be defined as any unwanted change in the physical, chemical or biological
characteristics of any component of the environment (i.e air, water and soil), which causes dangerous effects on
various forms of life or property. Most rigorous pain in industrialization is environmental pollution that is
affecting our land, water and air. Poisonous gases are realeased from industrial emissions and vehicles exhaust
have contaminated our atmosphere. Release of greenhouse effect into the atmosphere has created global
warming. chlorofluorocarbon is been accountable for depletion of protective ozone layer in the stratosphere,
which makes our earth more prone to harmful ultra violet radiations. Nitrous oxide and sulphur released
from power plants and industries causing acid rain in many regions of our earth. Most of rivers in our world
have suffered huge losses due to water pollution. Larger rivers which are adjacent to major industrial is
converted into open sewers. Even though groundwater is contaimnated due to unlawful drilling of industrial
waste water. Contamination of the land with toxic heavy metals is rendering it fruitless. Heavy metals and
pesticides usage through food chain has become alarming cause for human health. Human behavior and
technological advances have not only caused regional impacts but also resulted in global environmental
instability. Technological advancement coupled with improved life style has resulted in production and
emission of uninvited substances into the environment causing global environmental problems such as acid
rain, depletion ozone layer , global warming and climate change (Kaushik & Kaushik, 2010).

IMPACTS OF INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION ON HEALTH

Health is defined as state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not affected by any diseases
or infirmity (WHO, 1948). Health is a state of being free from any disease; Health is a state of perfect harmony
between all the organs and systems of the body. The first definition of health has a basic fault in it – it tries to
define a primary state through a secondary state. Health is a primary state. It cannot be fully defined through a
secondary phenomenon.

Health is an indefinable word. Most of the people who consider themselves healthy are not. And many people
who are suffering from some known disease may be relatively healthy. Health is a concept which does not
merely relate to the absence of disease, healthy working of organs, or having good thoughts. Health is a holistic

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concept. It relates to a person as a whole. Not just the person you see, but also the person you feel (Bhatia,
2009).

Various aspects concerning protection and promotion of healthy human environment includes water, air, food,
shelter and working areas of public health aspects. For promotion of public health, varies information inputs
from a variety of fields like ecology, microbiology, pathology, entomology, epidemiology, human physiology
and engineering are also required. Public health basically deals with water supply, sewerage and sewage
disposal, drainage system, refuse sanitation, ventilation, air conditioning, and air pollution abatement and
preventing outbreak of diseases like malaria, dengue, encephalitis etc. The engineers of public health
department apply engineering principles for sanitation of environment.

Muncipal water supplied should be free from impurities,should meet drinking water quality standards
prescribed by agencies like Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), World Health Organization (WHO) or Indian
Council of Medical Research (ICMR).In ancient times ground water which is derived from wells or springs
moves through porous strata of sediments of the soil, it was largely filtered and pure. When surface waters was
used, these were made to stay in impounding reservoirs so that all impurities settled down. Then, filtration
through beds of sand and gravel followed by flocculation using alum. This process was known as coagulation.
However, the filtered and coagulated water is still not free from microbes are responsible for spreading various
diseases like cholera, typhoid, dysentery etc. Therefore, disinfection of water becomes a very important step in
public water supply systems. (Kaushik&Kaushik, 2010).

IMPACTS OF INDUSTRIAL SOLID WASTE

Solid waste consists of large number of materials including factory waste, packaging material, organic wastes,
acids, alkalis and metals etc. During some industrial processing large quantities of hazardous and toxic
materials are also produced. Main sources of industrial wastes are chemical industries, metal and mineral
processing industries. Radioactive wastes is generated by nuclear power plants. Thermal power plants produce
fly ash in large quantities. Solid wastes from other types of industries include scrap metal, rubber, plastic,
paper, glass, wood, oils, paints, asphalt, tars, dyes, scrap leather, ceramics, abrasives, slag, heavy metals,
asbestos and batteries. In some of the developed countries environmental laws and safety laws are becoming
more severe due to which disposal of hazardous wastes has become a problem. Cost of disposal wastes is
increasing. Therefore, these wastes are being exported to developing countries which do not even have
sufficient knowledge or technique for their disposal.

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IMPACTS OF WATER POLLUTION

Water pollution defined as change in physical, chemical or biological characteristics of water making it
unsuitable for designated use in its natural state. Water is an essential commodity for our survival. We need
water for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing, irrigation, and for industrial operations. Most of the water for
such uses comes from rivers, lakes or groundwater sources. Water has the property to dissolve many substances
in it; therefore, it can easily get polluted. Pollution of water can be caused by point sources or non-point
sources. Point sources are specific sites near water which directly discharge effluents into them. Major point
sources of water po llution are industries, power plants, underground coal mines, offshore oil wells etc. The
discharge from non-point sources is not at any particular site, rather, these sources are scattered, which
individually or collectively pollute water. Surface run-off water from agricultural fields, overflowing of small
drains, rain water sweeping roads and fields, atmospheric deposition etc., are the non-point sources of water
pollution. Ground water is about 0.6% of the total water available on our earth which is about 30 times more
than surface water (streams, lakes and estuaries). Ground water seems to be less prone to pollution as the soil
layer through which water passes helps to retain various contaminants due to its cation exchange capacity.
However, there less a number of potential sources of ground water pollution. Industries such as textile,
chemical, tanneries, deep well injection, mining etc., are mainly responsible for ground water pollution, which
is irreversible. Industrial effluents, Industrial wastes containing toxic chemicals, acids, alkalies, metallic salts,
phenols, cyanides, ammonia, radioactive substances, etc., are sources of surface water pollution. They also
cause thermal (heat) pollution of water. Ground water pollution with arsenic, fluoride and nitrate are posing
serious health hazards. (Kaushik&Kaushik, 2010).

IMPACTS OF WATER POLLUTION

Toxic substances polluting water are ultimately effect human health. Some heavy metals like lead, mercury and
cadmium cause various types of diseases. Mercury dumped into water is transformed into water soluble methyl
mercury by bacterial action. Methyl mercury accumulates in fish. In 1953, people in Japan suffered from
numbness of body parts, vision and hearing problems and abnormal mental behavior. This disease is called as
Minamata disease occurred due to consumption of methyl mercury contaminated fish caught from Minamata
Bay in Japan. The disease claimed nearly 50 lives and permanently paralyzed over 700 persons. Pollution
caused by heavy metal cadmium causes the disease called Itai-itai in the people of Japan. The disease was
caused by cadmium contaminated rice. The rice fields were irrigated with effluents of zinc smelters and
drainage water from mines causes diseases in bones, liver, kidney, lungs, pancreas and thyroid are affected.
Lead is released in water through water pipes it is used in plumbing. Poisoning lead effects kidneys,
reproductive system, liver, brain and central nervous system. It also causes anemia and mental retardation in
children. Nitrate ions present in the water is harmful to human health. From nitrogen fertilizers, nitrate ions
seep into water bodies from where they may bioaccumulate in the bodies of the consumers. In stomach nitrate

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is reduced to nitrite which is responsible for blue baby syndrome and stomach cancer. Young children less than
1 year when ingest excessive nitrate, nitrite is formed in their stomach by microbes is not acidic to the extent to
inhibit the microbes. Nitrite reacts with hemoglobin which is converted into non-functional oxidized form. It
causes diarrhea and vomiting child becomes slate blue, giving the baby blue baby syndrome or
methaemoglobinaemia. Nitrate in the stomach of adult humans partly converts into nitrite. Nitrite interacts with
secondary amines to produce N-nitrosamine which in experimental animals have been shown to cause stomach
cancer. In human beings, however, evidences do not show association of nitrate with cancer. Fluoride pollution
causes defects in teeth and bones, a disease called fluorosis. Pesticides reach through drinking water in humans
which causes various health problems. Organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides are more toxic.
Organochlorine pesticides accumulate in the body effects various organs especially the central nervous system.
These pesticides stimulate liver enzymes which results in rapid metabolism of drugs in the person who is on
medication. Thus, effectiveness of medicines will be reduced. (Kaushik&Kaushik, 2010).

Robb (1994) discusses the Environmental Consequences of Closure Coal Mine. Over 30,000 People lost their
due to social consequences and run down of mine buildings, the abandonment of spoil heaps and leakage of
mine waters from the unused pits as environmental consequences. The Study reveals with evidences that how
Mining has altered natural underground hydrological conditions. Author suggested possible solution to tackle
the problem of acidic, metal-laden waters. These treatments include raising the alkalinity by liming and
allowing the settlement of metal precipitate in lagoons or ponds. This method requires much land for the
lagoons.

Woodley and Moore (1967) discusses about the pollution resulting from both surface and underground mining
in India. Study prescribes some measures to tackle pollution. These are surface mine excavations, clarification
of wash water in settling ponds, reuse of wash water, soil coverage of acid-producing refuse-disposal sites, and
soil coverage of roads containing acid- producing material.

IMPACTS AIR POLLUTION

Air pollution has adverse effects on living organisms and materials. Air pollutants affect plants by entering
through stomata (leaf pores through which gases diffuse), destroy chlorophyll and affect photosynthesis. During
the day time the stomata are wide open to facilitate photosynthesis. Air pollutants during day time affect plants
by entering the leaf through these stomata more than night. Pollutants also erode waxy coating of the leaves
called cuticle. Cuticle prevents excessive water loss and damage from diseases, pests, drought and frost.
Damage to leaf structure causes necrosis (dead areas of leaf), chlorosis (loss or reduction of chlorophyll causing
yellowing of leaf) or epinasty (downward curling of leaf), and abscission (dropping of leaves). Particulates
deposited on leaves can form encrustations and plug the stomata and also reduce the availability of sunlight.
The damage can result in death of the plant. Sulphur dioxide causes bleaching of leaves, chlorosis and necrosis
of leaves. Nitrogen dioxide results in increase dabscission and suppressed growth. Ozone causes flecks on leaf
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surface, premature aging, necrosis and bleaching. Peroxyacetyl nitrate causes silvering of lower surface of leaf
which damage the young and more sensitive leaves of suppressed growth. Fluorides cause necrosis of leaf-tip
while ethylene results in epinasty, leaf abscission and dropping of flowers. Air pollutants mixing up with rain
can cause high acidity (lower pH) in fresh water lakes. This affects aquatic life especially fish. Some of the
fresh water lakes have experienced death of all fishes. Industrial air Pollutes materials, because of their
corrosiveness, particulates can cause damage to exposed surfaces. Presence of sulphur dioxide and wetness can
accelerate corrosion of metallic surfaces due to formation of sulfuric acid. Metal parts of buildings, vehicles,
bridges, wires and metallic railway tracks are also affected. Sulfuric acid also damages buildings and causes
disfigurement of statues made up of marble and limestone. Sulfuric acid formed in the atmospheric, Sulphur
dioxide and water vapours damages the leather binding of books. The pages of the books become brittle.
Sulphur dioxide can affect fabric, leather, paint and paper. Ozone in the atmosphere can cause cracking of
rubber. Nylon stockings are weakened and ultimately damaged. Tyres of various vehicles are also damaged.
These days chemicals are added to prevent damage to rubber tyre by ozone. Oxides of nitrogen and ozone can
also cause fading of cotton and rayon fibres (Kaushik&Kaushik, 2010).

IMPACTS AIR POLLUTION

Air pollution has adverse effects on living organisms and materials. Human respiratory system has a number of
mechanisms for protection from air pollution. Bigger particles (> 10 μm) can be trapped in the hairs and sticky
mucus in the lining of the nose. Smaller particles can reach trachea bronchial system and there get trapped in
mucus. They are sent back to throat by beating of hair like cilia from where they can be removed by spitting or
swallowing. Years of exposure to air pollutants adversely effects these natural defences and can result in lung
cancer, asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema (damage to air sacs leading to loss of lung elasticity and
acute shortness of breath). Suspended particulates can cause damage to tissues in lungs causes diseases like
asthma, bronchitis and cancer especially when they bring with them cancer causing or toxic pollutants
attached on their surface. Sulphur dioxide causes constriction of respiratory passage and causes bronchitis
like conditions. The suspended particulates, can form acid sulphate particles, which can go deep into the lungs
and affect them severely. Oxides of nitrogen especially irritate the lungs which causes chronic bronchitis and
emphysema. Carbon monoxide reaches lungs combines with hemoglobin of blood to form carboxy hemoglobin.
Carbon monoxide has affinity of hemoglobin i.e 210 times more than oxygen. Haemoglobin thus unable to
transport oxygen to various parts of the body. This causes suffocation. Long exposure to Carbon monoxide may
cause dizzyness, unconsciousness and even death. Many other air pollutants like benzene (from unleaded
petrol), formaldehyde and particulates like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), toxic metals and dioxins (from
burning of polythene) can cause mutations, reproductive problems or even cancer. Many other hazardous
materials like asbestoes, beryllium, mercury, arsenic and radioactive substances cause lung diseases and/or
affect other vital organs like kidney, liver, spleen, brain may also cause cancer (Kaushik & Kaushik, 2010).

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CONCLUSION
People living near the industrial dump yard area are highly affected with diseases like TB, Gastric, and Joint
pain etc. But it is a fact that people who are living there are also exposed to pollution causes the chronic
diseases which is referred earlier which makes seriously ill. Environment means surroundings, ongoing ash
dumping activity has blanketed the peripheral area with small dust particles that disturbs and makes people sick
which lead an unpleasant life. Dumping as well as the transporting activity pollutes the atmosphere making the
residents more vulnerable to respiratory problems. The residents of the area come into direct contact of the
waste drainage water making them exposed to infectious diseases especially skin disorder. They also effect
environmental problems such as land degradation, water contamination etc. The Steel plant being very close to
the survival area emits carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxides which is harmful for health and
causes respiratory problems and environmental problems such as air pollution.

Therefore effective environmental management programmes and activities must be implemented in these
polluted areas, plantation of trees , adaptation of proper waste management, emphasize on combination of
intensive labour technique and capital intensive technique, aforestation, usage of pollution control
equipments such as (ESP) Electro-State Precipitators, bag houses and ventury scrubbers.
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