Get notes, summary, questions and answers, MCQs, extras, and PDFs of Chapter 15 “Pollution Related Diseases” which is part of NBSE Class 11 Environment Education. However, the notes should only be treated as references and changes should be made according to the needs of the students.
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Summary
The chapter discusses various diseases related to pollution, focusing on air, water, soil, radiation, and noise pollution, as well as occupational hazards. It begins by highlighting that human health is closely linked to the environment, which includes air, water, and soil. Pollution in these areas poses significant threats to health, leading to various diseases.
Air pollution affects over a billion people globally, causing both immediate and delayed health issues. Immediate effects include respiratory problems, which can be fatal, while long-term exposure leads to chronic conditions like bronchitis, lung cancer, asthma, and emphysema. Pollutants like carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons are harmful, impairing bodily functions and even causing cancer.
Water pollution is another major concern, leading to diseases such as cholera, jaundice, dysentery, and typhoid. Polluted water can contain harmful biological agents, chemicals, and vectors like mosquitoes, which spread diseases. Chemical pollutants, such as fluoride, arsenic, and pesticides, also pose serious health risks, leading to conditions like fluorosis, cancer, and other chronic illnesses.
Soil pollution introduces heavy metals like arsenic, nickel, and lead into the food chain, ultimately affecting human health. These metals can cause severe brain damage, respiratory issues, and skin diseases. Pesticides in the soil further contribute to a wide range of health problems, including cancer and birth defects.
Radiation pollution affects the body by causing muscle softening, reducing white blood cells, and increasing the risk of cancer. Noise pollution impacts hearing and can lead to psychological issues like irritability and reduced mental efficiency.
Textbook solutions
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. Which of the following is an immediate effect of air pollution?
A. Bronchitis
B. Death by suffocation
C. Emphysema
D. Respiratory allergies
Answer: B. Death by suffocation
2. The minimum amount of fluoride above which drinking water can cause endemic fluorosis is
A. 1 mg/L
B. 56 mg/L
C. 105 mg/L
D. 2500 mg/L
Answer: A. 1 mg/L
3. Sporadic fever is associated with which of the following compounds?
A. Arsenic
B. Nitrates
C. Carbon monoxide
D. Copper
Answer: D. Copper
4. Which of the following is the source of asbestos?
A. Burning of coal
B. Bleaching of clothes
C. Cement industry
D. Metallurgical operations
Answer: C. Cement industry
5. ‘Farmer’s lung’ is caused due to
A. Grain dust
B. Asbestos dust
C. Cotton fibre dust
D. Sugarcane dust
Answer: D. Sugarcane dust
Short Answer Questions
1. What is the effect of lead on the nervous system of adults?
Answer: Lead affects the brain and nervous system in children. In adults, it interferes with the development and maturation of RBCs. High levels of lead can cause severe brain damage and loss of IQ. As a toxicant, lead accumulates in the bones.
2. Which pollutants can lead to cancer?
Answer: Suspended particulate matter, diesel exhaust, tobacco, alcohol, viruses, and genetic factors can lead to cancer. Diesel vehicles release a lot of suspended particulate matter, which is a significant factor in triggering cancers.
3. How does carbon monoxide cause heart problems?
Answer: Carbon monoxide blocks oxygen uptake, which is highly toxic to human health. This reduction in the capacity of blood to transport oxygen produces strain on the heart and can be fatal above 1000 ppm concentration.
4. Name three microorganisms commonly found in polluted water.
Answer:
- Ascaris sp. (causes Ascariasis)
- Mycobacterium tuberculi (causes Tuberculosis)
- Vibrio cholerae (causes Cholera)
5. Name two important water-related vector-borne diseases in India.
Answer:
- Malaria
- Filaria
6. Name the three main pollutants produced by burning of fuel.
Answer:
- Carbon monoxide
- Nitrogen oxides
- Sulphur dioxide
7. What is Farmer’s Lung disease? What are its symptoms?
Answer: Farmer’s Lung disease is due to the inhalation of mouldy hay or grain dust. The acute illness is characterised by general and respiratory symptoms and physical symptoms. Repeated attacks cause pulmonary fibrosis and inevitable pulmonary damage.
8. What happens, when the nitrate content of water is high?
Answer: High nitrate content of water is associated with methaemoglobinaemia, though this is a rare occurrence.
9. What are vectors? Name some diseases caused by them?
Answer: Vectors are disease-carrying insects that breed in or near water. Some diseases caused by them include malaria, filaria, arboviruses, and trypanosomiasis.
Long Answer Questions
1. Describe the consequences of high lead levels in children.
Answer: (i) It affects the brain and nervous system in children.
(ii) Loss of IQ in children.
(iii) Interferes with the development and maturation of RBCs.
(iv) As a toxicant, lead accumulates in the bones.
2. What type of respiratory problems can be caused by inhaling polluted air?
Answer: The immediate effects of air pollution are shown by the respiratory system as it may result in death by suffocation. Some of the delayed effects of air pollution are chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, asthma, emphysema, and respiratory allergies.
3. Describe the adverse effect of mercury vapour on health.
Answer: (i) It causes irritation.
(ii) It causes excitability.
(iii) It causes loss of memory.
(iv) It causes insomnia, tremor, and gingivitis.
4. Write the causative agent and symptoms of any four occupational diseases.
Answer:
- Silicosis
- Causative agent: Silica dust
- Symptoms: Dense “nodular” fibrosis in lungs, respiratory insufficiency.
- Byssinosis
- Causative agent: Cotton fibre dust
- Symptoms: Chronic cough, progressive dyspnoea, chronic bronchitis, emphysema.
- Bagassosis
- Causative agent: Bagasse or sugarcane dust
- Symptoms: Breathlessness, cough, haemoptysis, slight fever, acute diffuse bronchiolitis.
- Asbestosis
- Causative agent: Asbestos
- Symptoms: Pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory insufficiency, carcinoma of the bronchus, mesothelioma of pleura or peritoneum, cancer of the gastrointestinal tract.
5. Write the effect of noise pollution on health.
Answer: (i) Auditory fatigue related to whistling and buzzing in the ears.
(ii) Deafness most serious pathological effect of noise pollution.
(iii) Interference noise interferes with speech communication.
(iv) Psychological changes: The person becomes short-tempered, impatient, and exhibits reduced mental efficiency.
(v) A number of physiological changes in heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, etc., occur.
6. How does radiation harm our body?
Answer: The biological effects of ionising radiation may be divided into two separate groups:
- Somatic effects: It can cause softening of the muscles and affect the WBCs. Long-term effects are mainly of three types: leukaemia, malignant tumors, and shortening of life.
- Genetic effect: It brings about structural changes in chromosomes or some other genetic alterations which are associated with sterility.
Think and Answer
You know that pesticides have a very bad effect on the human body. How will you make the farmers aware about the judicious use of pesticides?
Answer: To make farmers aware about the judicious use of pesticides, I would suggest the following steps:
- Education and Training: Conduct workshops and training sessions to educate farmers about the harmful effects of pesticides on human health and the environment. Explain the importance of using pesticides only when necessary and in the correct amounts.
- Demonstration of Safe Practices: Demonstrate safe practices for handling, storing, and applying pesticides. Teach farmers about personal protective equipment (PPE) and the importance of following label instructions carefully.
- Promotion of Alternative Methods: Encourage the use of integrated pest management (IPM) techniques, which include crop rotation, biological control, and the use of organic pesticides as safer alternatives.
- Collaboration with Local Authorities: Work with local agricultural departments to disseminate information through pamphlets, posters, and radio programs in local languages to reach a wider audience.
- Community Involvement: Involve community leaders and successful farmers who have adopted safe pesticide practices to share their experiences and benefits with others.
- Regular Monitoring and Support: Set up a system for regular monitoring and provide continuous support to farmers to ensure they follow safe pesticide practices and address any concerns they may have.
Extras MCQs
1. Which pollutant is associated with causing chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, and asthma?
A. Carbon dioxide
B. Sulphur dioxide
C. Gaseous hydrocarbons
D. Lead
Answer: C. Gaseous hydrocarbons
28. Which pollutant is primarily responsible for the formation of peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) and smog?
A. Lead
B. Nitrogen oxides
C. Carbon monoxide
D. Asbestos
Answer: B. Nitrogen oxides
Extra Questions and Answers
1. What can carbon dioxide cause when present in high concentrations?
Answer: Carbon dioxide can impair reflexes, judgment, and vision. It can produce headaches and strain on the heart, and it becomes fatal above a concentration of 1000 ppm.
39. What are the occupational hazards related to air pollution?
Answer: Occupational hazards related to air pollution include diseases such as silicosis (due to silica dust), byssinosis (brown lung disease, due to cotton fibre dust), bagassosis (due to inhalation of sugarcane dust), asbestosis (due to asbestos), and lung cancer (due to inhalation of tobacco and other carcinogens in the air). These conditions are often related to specific work environments and prolonged exposure to pollutants.
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