Air pollutants
Carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide are examples of air pollutants, which cause major damages to the environment. These pollutants are associated with many health problems that affect the respiratory organs. They also affect properties contributing to rusting of metal in vehicles and roofing materials.
They are classified as air pollutants because they affect the air. Carbon monoxide, which is processed by plants, is a hazardous substance emitted to the environment. Thus, it is classified as a primary pollutant because it is the most common pollutants in the environment. Carbon monoxide causes suffocation when inhaled in large quantities (Donald, 2001).
This happens in most cases, especially where people use coal to warm their houses. Carbon monoxide is emitted when coal burns in oxygen. Once emitted in abundance, it leads to death through suffocation. However, this happens when its release in the environment is relatively high.
For example, a house which lacks sufficient air circulation can cause carbon monoxide to accumulate thus affecting the occupants. In the environment, the impact of carbon monoxide is felt overtime, since it leads to respiratory problems. Consequently, Nitrogen oxide also constitutes primary pollutant.
This owe to the fact that, its production is in mass. The main sources of Nitrogen oxide emissions are; power plants and motor vehicles. Nitrogen oxide gas is produced by plants during the process of the nitrogen cycle, and despite being a pollutant; its production cannot be regulated.
In relation to the layers of the atmosphere, these two gases contribute to the destruction of the Ozone layer. The destruction takes place in such a way that it cannot be felt or noticed. However, prolonged process causes global warming. Nitrogen oxide, for example, is produced on a daily basis from plants, and thus, it cannot be controlled.
Consequently, products manufactured from industries emit these gases. The gas emitted diffuses into the environment, producing effects such as; corrosion of Ozone layers of the atmosphere which shelters the earth from dangerous rays of the sun (Donald, 2001).
The excessive emission of sun rays results in the development of skin problems brought about by ultra- violet rays, a good example of a problem caused by this phenomenon is the being skin cancer. Skin Cancer and related cases have increased sharply in the current years.
Water pollutants
The most common water pollutants include; pesticides and chlorine. Pesticides get into the water systems when they are being applied to plants. These substances are swept by rain water into water bodies, absorbed into the soil, and in some cases, find their way through soil layers to the underground water (Parks, 2007).
However, the latter option might take a longer duration of continuous usage. Chlorine is believed to be a solution to contaminated water, but in the real sense, it pollutes the water by introducing chemicals. When chlorine interacts with decomposing vegetation, it results in toxic substances considered to form part of the causal agents of cancer.
Consequently, pesticides also play a destructive role to aquatic life. The damages they cause include; suffocating the breeding eggs, and poisoning the plants and animals that thrive in the sea or other water bodies (Parks, 2007).
Chlorine, on the other hand, leads to the formation of chloroform when it interacts with the dead and decomposing plants in water. The normal use of chloroform is to suffocate animals that are being used in experiments. When chlorine is used in a mild form, it serves as a drug that induces the coma, before an operation is conducted.
Reference List
Donald, R. L. (2001). Air pollution. New York: Children’s Press.
Parks, P. J. (2007). Water pollution. Detroit: KidHaven Press.