Pollution of air is one of the main environmental problems experienced by the contemporary world. Air is a resource without which the life on earth is impossible. The quality of atmospheric air affects the well-being and health of people, animals, as well as the plant world. However, it is prone to severe pollution more than any other natural resource is. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the causes and effect of atmospheric pollution.
Causes
In general, atmospheric contamination means that air contains various substances or elements that are dangerous for nature and living beings. These substances are gases and particles that can get into the air in different ways. One of the main causes of pollution is burning of fossil fuels. During this process, elements of anthropogenic origin enter the atmosphere (Seinfeld and Pandis 121). In the air, an oxidation reaction occurs during which the harmful pollutants are released into the atmosphere. In addition, hot gases further contaminate the air and all chemicals from the fuel are released into the layer in an increased amount.
Agricultural activities also affect the quality of air. In the course of various operations, farmers and manufacturers actively use fertilizers and pesticides (Seinfeld and Pandis 121). They enter the atmosphere leading to its contamination. Moreover, they often react with other pollutants that are already present in the air, which aggravates the situation.
Mining is another cause of atmospheric pollution. During this process, companies use special equipment that produces a lot of dust. The dust gets into the atmosphere where it additionally increases air heating, and all the chemicals start reacting further (Vallero 413). There are other reasons for air pollution such as traffic fumes, indoor air pollution, and other factors. However, they cause delayed results while the aspects described above lead to immediate contamination.
Effects
The effects of the atmospheric pollution are various, and they affect not only the living beings but also the flora and other elements of the natural environment. One of the main negative outcomes of air contamination is respiratory problems experienced by people. Since the quality of air has been rather poor in the majority of parts of the earth for a long time, many children are born with heart and lung illnesses (Tan 5). In addition, humans develop different diseases of the respiratory tract that also undermine their immune system.
Another important effect is global warming. When chemicals are burnt in the atmosphere, they increase the temperature of the environment and affect the ozone layer. Due to this process, sea levels also grow (Tan 4). In addition, in cold regions, ice starts melting because of warmer temperatures. It results in ruining the natural habitats of animals.
Some of the consequences of air pollution are delayed. In particular, the atmospheric contamination always leads to acid rains that additionally affect the natural environment. In addition, people exposed to air pollutants for a long time gradually develop allergies and allergic reactions to chemicals and dust (Vallero 54). All of these factors have a cumulative effect leading to a significant decrease in the health and well-being of humans and animals and affect the state of nature.
Conclusion
Thus, it can be concluded that the atmospheric pollution is a dangerous process. The causes of it lie in the human daily activities and operations. The consequences of air contamination are also various. They include the development of different health problems in humans and animals and result in a destructive effect on the environment.
Works Cited
Seinfeld, John H., and Spyros N. Pandis. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: From Air Pollution to Climate Change. 3rd ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2016.
Tan, Zhongchao. Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gases: From Basic Concepts to Engineering Applications for Air Emission Control. Springer, 2014.
Vallero, Daniel. Fundamentals of Air Pollution. 5th ed., Academic Press, 2014.