Pollution Related Diseases: NBSE Class 11 Environment

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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.

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

Q. Which pollutant can impair reflexes, judgment, and vision at concentrations above 1000 ppm?

A. Nitrogen oxides
B. Carbon dioxide
C. Sulphur dioxide
D. Formaldehyde

Answer: B. Carbon dioxide

Q. What pollutant is primarily responsible for respiratory tract irritation and is a contributor to acid rain?

A. Sulphur dioxide
B. Lead
C. Arsenic
D. Hydrocarbons

Answer: A. Sulphur dioxide

Q. Which water-borne disease is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae?

A. Typhoid
B. Cholera
C. Amoebic dysentery
D. Poliomyelitis

Answer: B. Cholera

Q. What effect does lead have on children?

A. Causes lung cancer
B. Causes chronic bronchitis
C. Loss of IQ and brain damage
D. Impairs respiratory system enzymes

Answer: C. Loss of IQ and brain damage

Q. Which pollutant causes inflammation in the airways leading to asthma and emphysema?

A. Ozone
B. Carbon monoxide
C. Arsenic
D. Nitrogen oxides

Answer: A. Ozone

Q. Which chemical is associated with methaemoglobinaemia when found in high concentrations in water?

A. Lead
B. Nitrate
C. Mercury
D. Fluoride

Answer: B. Nitrate

Q. Which disease is directly linked to consuming seafood contaminated with algal toxins?

A. Hepatitis
B. Malaria
C. Gastroenteritis
D. Diarrhoea

Answer: A. Hepatitis

Q. What adverse health effect is associated with the inhalation of suspended particulate matter?

A. Bronchiolitis obliterans
B. Reduced lung elasticity
C. Brain damage
D. Fainting

Answer: B. Reduced lung elasticity

Q. Which of the following pollutants is known to cause dental and skeletal fluorosis when present in high concentrations in drinking water?

A. Lead
B. Arsenic
C. Fluoride
D. Mercury

Answer: C. Fluoride

Q. Which pollutant causes respiratory distress and lung cancer when found in the soil and accumulates in the food chain?

A. Arsenic
B. Mercury
C. Lead
D. Chromium

Answer: D. Chromium

Q. What health problem is caused by high levels of arsenic in drinking water?

A. Respiratory distress
B. Skin lesions and black foot disease
C. Birth defects
D. Brain damage

Answer: B. Skin lesions and black foot disease

Q. Which pollutant is linked to both respiratory problems and the reduction of pulmonary action?

A. Ozone
B. Sulphur dioxide
C. Formaldehyde
D. Nitrogen oxides

Answer: A. Ozone

Q. Which chemical pollutant is reported to induce tumors and cause chromosomal alterations, brain damage, and cancer?

A. Arsenic
B. DDT
C. Lead
D. Mercury

Answer: B. DDT

Q. Which disease is primarily caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi?

A. Typhoid
B. Cholera
C. Poliomyelitis
D. Tuberculosis

Answer: A. Typhoid

Q. What is the most serious pathological effect of noise pollution?

A. Auditory fatigue
B. Deafness
C. Interference with speech
D. Psychological changes

Answer: B. Deafness

Q. Which occupational disease is caused by the inhalation of silica dust?

A. Asbestosis
B. Byssinosis
C. Silicosis
D. Farmer’s lung

Answer: C. Silicosis

Q. Which pollutant is known to cause leukaemia, malignant tumors?

A. Arsenic
B. Lead
C. Ionising radiation
D. Asbestos

Answer: C. Ionising radiation

Q. What is a genetic effect of radiation pollution?

A. Leukaemia
B. Sterility
C. Shortened life
D. Auditory fatigue

Answer: B. Sterility

Q. Which occupational disease is caused by the inhalation of cotton fibre dust?

A. Asbestosis
B. Byssinosis
C. Bagassosis
D. Silicosis

Answer: B. Byssinosis

Q. Which pollutant causes asbestosis when inhaled?

A. Silica
B. Arsenic
C. Asbestos
D. Carbon monoxide

Answer: C. Asbestos

Q. What effect does hydrogen sulphide have on human health?

A. Causes cancer
B. Causes nervous disorders
C. Causes respiratory distress
D. Causes lung cancer

Answer: C. Causes respiratory distress

Q. Which occupational disease is caused by the inhalation of mouldy hay or grain dust?

A. Asbestosis
B. Farmer’s lung
C. Bagassosis
D. Byssinosis

Answer: B. Farmer’s lung

Q. What health problem is associated with the inhalation of cane fibre dust?

A. Byssinosis
B. Bagassosis
C. Silicosis
D. Siderosis

Answer: B. Bagassosis

Q. Which pollutant causes interference with blood’s ability to transport oxygen?

A. Carbon monoxide
B. Hydrogen sulphide
C. Lead
D. Chlorine

Answer: A. Carbon monoxide

Q. What health impact is associated with asbestos exposure?

A. Cancer of the gastrointestinal tract
B. Nervous disorders
C. Hyperpyrexia
D. Psychological changes

Answer: A. Cancer of the gastrointestinal tract

Q. Which type of occupational hazard is linked to hyperpyrexia and heat cramp?

A. Chemical agents
B. Mechanical agents
C. Physical agents
D. Biological agents

Answer: C. Physical agents

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.

Q. How does sulphur dioxide affect the human body?

Answer: Sulphur dioxide impairs enzyme function in the respiratory system, causes asthma, respiratory tract irritation, and acts as an allergic agent.

Q. What are the effects of oxides of nitrogen on health?

Answer: Oxides of nitrogen cause asthma, impair functions of enzymes in the respiratory system, and cause bronchiolitis obliterans.

Q. What is the impact of gaseous hydrocarbons and other volatile organic compounds on health?

Answer: Gaseous hydrocarbons and other volatile organic compounds cause a change in the structure of DNA, which may result in lung cancer.

Q. What are the effects of photochemical oxidants on the human body?

Answer: Photochemical oxidants cause impaired visual activity, chest discomfort, and reduced pulmonary action.

Q. What are the main pollutants from fuel exhaust and their effects on human health?

Answer:

• Carbon monoxide: Blocks oxygen uptake, highly toxic to human health.
• Nitrogen oxides: Irritation of respiratory tract, ozone precursor, contributes to acid rain.
• Sulphur dioxide: Irritation of respiratory tract, contributes to acid rain.
• Monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Toxic and carcinogenic for human beings.
• PAHs (e.g., phenanthrene, fluoranthene): Mutagenic and carcinogenic for human beings.

Q. What are the health problems caused by suspended particulate matter?

Answer: Suspended particulate matter causes lung irritation, impaired visual activity, and can reduce the elasticity of lungs. These particulates can easily enter the respiratory system, get deposited in the airways and alveoli, and absorb different hydrocarbons, including carcinogenic PAHs and nitro-PAHs.

Q. How does lead affect human health, particularly in children?

Answer: Lead affects the brain and nervous system in children, causes a loss of IQ, interferes with the development and maturation of RBCs, and accumulates in the bones as a toxicant.

Q. What are the adverse effects of mercury on health?

Answer: Mercury causes irritation, excitability, loss of memory, insomnia, tremor, and gingivitis.

Q. What is the impact of tobacco smoke on health?

Answer: Tobacco smoke generates a wide range of harmful chemicals and is a major cause of ill health. Both smokers and non-smokers suffer from burning sensations in the eyes and nose, throat irritation, bronchitis, severe asthma, cancer, etc.

Q. How does ozone affect the human respiratory system?

Answer: Ozone causes inflammation in the airways, leading to typical respiratory problems, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain, asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.

Q. What are the diseases and disorders due to water pollution?

Answer: The worst sufferers of water pollution are human beings. Polluted water is the major cause of the spread of epidemics and several dangerous diseases such as cholera, jaundice, dysentery, gastroenteritis, typhoid, paratyphoid, diarrhoea, skin diseases, etc.

Q. What are the diseases caused by biological agents in polluted water?

Answer:

• Ascariasis: Caused by Ascaris sp.
• Tuberculosis: Caused by Mycobacterium tuberculi
• Typhoid: Caused by Salmonella typhi
• Cholera: Caused by Vibrio cholerae
• Amoebic dysentery: Caused by Entamoeba histolytica
• Poliomyelitis: Caused by a virus
• Anthrax: Caused by Bacillus anthracis

Q. What are the effects of fluoride in drinking water?

Answer: The presence of fluoride above 1 mg/L in drinking water is known to cause endemic fluorosis. Excess levels of fluoride in drinking water cause a humped back, knock-knee syndrome, and both skeletal fluorosis and dental fluorosis.

Q. How does arsenic in water affect human health?

Answer: In the human body, arsenic gets absorbed through the lungs and skin. In mild concentrations, it causes nausea, fainting, vomiting, and burning pain in the stomach. In higher doses, it causes diarrhoea, conjunctivitis, skin lesions, black foot disease, severe gastroenteritis, and in lethal doses, it causes death due to shock and vascular failure.

Q. What are the potential effects of pesticides on human health?

Answer: Pesticides are toxic to human beings. Sufficiently large quantities of DDT, dieldrin, aldrin, and mirex can induce tumors, cause chromosomal alterations, brain damage, and cancer. Pesticides can also cause impotency in man.

Q. What diseases are caused by heavy metals in soil pollution?

Answer:

• Lead: Severe brain damage.
• Mercury: Severe brain damage.
• Arsenic: Severe damage to the skin.
• Molybdenum: Abnormality in bones, diarrhoea, depressed growth, anaemia, gout.
• Chromium: Respiratory distress, lung cancer, dermatitis.
• Boron: Vomiting, diarrhoea, dermatitis, lethargy.

Q. What are the biological effects of ionising radiation?

Answer: The biological effects of ionising radiation may be divided into somatic and genetic effects. Somatic effects include softening of the muscles and affecting WBCs, while long-term effects are leukaemia, malignant tumors, and shortening of life. Genetic effects bring about structural changes in chromosomes, some of which are associated with sterility.

Q. What are the effects of noise pollution on the human body?

Answer: Noise pollution causes auditory fatigue, deafness, interference with speech communication, psychological changes (such as becoming short-tempered, impatient, and reduced mental efficiency), and a number of physiological changes in heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure.

Q. What are some occupational hazards and diseases?

Answer: Some of the major occupational diseases include:

• Silicosis: Due to inhalation of silica dust.
• Byssinosis: Due to inhalation of cotton fibre dust.
• Bagassosis: Due to inhalation of bagasse or sugarcane dust.
• Asbestosis: Due to inhalation of asbestos dust.
• Farmer’s lung: Due to inhalation of mouldy hay or grain dust.

Q. What are the effects of air pollution on human health?

Answer: The effects of air pollution on the body are both immediate and delayed. Immediate effects are shown by the respiratory system and may result in death by suffocation. Some of the delayed effects of air pollution include chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, asthma, emphysema, and respiratory allergies. Air pollution can also cause diseases like bronchiolitis obliterans, impaired enzyme function in the respiratory system, and changes in DNA structure that may lead to lung cancer.

Q. What are the diseases caused by carbon dioxide pollution?

Answer: Carbon dioxide can impair reflexes, judgment, and vision. It can also produce headaches and strain on the heart. At concentrations above 1000 ppm, carbon dioxide is fatal.

Q. How does sulphur dioxide affect human health?

Answer: Sulphur dioxide impairs enzyme function in the respiratory system, causes asthma, leads to respiratory tract irritation, and acts as an allergic agent.

Q. What are the impacts of oxides of nitrogen on human health?

Answer: Oxides of nitrogen can cause asthma, impair the functions of enzymes in the respiratory system, and lead to bronchiolitis obliterans.

Q. What health problems are caused by suspended particulate matter?

Answer: Suspended particulate matter causes lung irritation, impaired visual activity, and can reduce the elasticity of the lungs. These particulates can easily enter the respiratory system, deposit in the airways and alveoli, and absorb carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-PAHs, posing serious health concerns.

Q. What are the consequences of lead pollution on children?

Answer: In children, lead affects the brain and nervous system, leads to a loss of IQ, and interferes with the development and maturation of red blood cells (RBCs). Lead, as a toxicant, also accumulates in bones.

Q. What are the adverse effects of mercury vapour on human health?

Answer: Mercury vapour causes irritation, excitability, loss of memory, insomnia, tremor, and gingivitis.

Q. What are the effects of tobacco smoke on health?

Answer: Tobacco smoke generates a wide range of harmful chemicals and is a major cause of ill health. Both smokers and non-smokers can suffer from burning sensations in the eyes and nose, throat irritation, bronchitis, severe asthma, and cancer due to exposure to tobacco smoke.

Q. What are the health impacts of ozone pollution?

Answer: Ozone causes inflammation in the airways, leading to respiratory problems such as shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain, asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.

Q. How does water pollution impact human health?

Answer: Water pollution is a major cause of the spread of epidemics and dangerous diseases such as cholera, jaundice, dysentery, gastroenteritis, typhoid, paratyphoid, diarrhoea, and skin diseases. The impact of water pollution on the human body can be due to biological agents, chemical toxins, or diseases caused by mosquitoes and other vectors that use water as their habitat.

Q. What are the diseases caused by water-borne bacterial infections?

Answer: Water-borne bacterial infections can cause diseases such as typhoid, cholera, paratyphoid, bacillary dysentery, and fever.

Q. What are the health problems caused by excessive fluoride in drinking water?

Answer: Excess fluoride in drinking water, above 1 mg/L, is known to cause endemic fluorosis. It can also lead to skeletal fluorosis, dental fluorosis, humped back, and knock-knee syndrome.

Q. How does arsenic affect human health?

Answer: In the human body, arsenic gets absorbed through the lungs and skin. In mild concentrations, it causes nausea, fainting, vomiting, and burning pain in the stomach. In higher doses, arsenic can cause diarrhoea, conjunctivitis, skin lesions, black foot disease, severe gastroenteritis, and in lethal doses, death due to shock and vascular failure.

Q. What are the diseases caused by chemical agents found in polluted water?

Answer: Chemical agents in polluted water can cause a variety of diseases. Fluoride can cause endemic fluorosis and skeletal and dental fluorosis. High nitrate content in water is associated with methaemoglobinaemia. Arsenic can cause nausea, fainting, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, death. Copper can cause sporadic fever, uremia, coma, and hypertension. Pesticides are toxic and can cause tumors, chromosomal alterations, brain damage, cancer, and impotency in humans.

Q. What are the health risks associated with pesticides in polluted water?

Answer: Pesticides are toxic to human beings and can induce tumors, cause chromosomal alterations, brain damage, cancer, and in some cases, impotency.

Q. What are the effects of soil pollution on human health?

Answer: Soil pollution, especially due to heavy metals like arsenic, nickel, lead, and mercury, leads to their accumulation in the food chain through bio-magnification. This can cause brain damage (lead), skin damage (arsenic), abnormal bone growth (molybdenum), respiratory distress and lung cancer (chromium), and other severe health issues such as vomiting, diarrhoea, dermatitis, and lethargy.

Q. How does radiation pollution affect human health?

Answer: The biological effects of ionising radiation are divided into somatic and genetic effects. Somatic effects include softening of the muscles, effects on white blood cells (WBCs), and long-term effects such as leukaemia, malignant tumors, and shortening of life. Genetic effects involve structural changes in chromosomes, which may be associated with sterility.

Q. What are the effects of noise pollution on the human body?

Answer: Noise pollution can cause auditory fatigue, deafness, interference with speech communication, psychological changes like short-temperedness and impatience, and physiological changes in heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure.

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.