ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Flashcards
POLLUTION
ANY UNDESIRABLE CHANGE IN PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AIR, LAND, WATER OR SOIL
AGENTS THAT BRING UNDESIRABLE CHANGE
POLLUTANTS
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT, INDIA
1986
AIM - TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF ENVIRONMENT
THE EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION DEPEND ON -
THE CONCENTRATION OF POLLUTANTS
DURATION OF EXPOSURE
ORGANISM
DISADVANTAGE OF SMOKE STACKERS IN THERMAL POWER PLANTS AND SMELTERS
RELEASE PARTICULATE AND GASEOUS AIR POLLUTANTS TOGETHER WITH HARMLESS GASES SUCH AS NITROGEN, OXYGEN
WORK OF AN ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR
REMOVES 99% PARTICULATE MATTER PRESENT IN THE EXHAUST FROM THE THERMAL POWER PLANT
SCRUBBER REMOVES WHICH GAS
SO2
WHAT IS THE PARTICULATE MATTER WHICH CAUSES MORE HARM TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH?
PARTICULATE SIZE 2.5 MICROMETERS OR LESS IN SIZE (PM 2.5)
WHICH ORGANISATION PROPOSED THE PARTICULATE SIZE AS MORE HARMFUL TO THE HUMAN HEALTH?
CENTRAL POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD (CPCB)
PROBLEMS TO HUMAN HEALTH CAUSED BY INHALING PARTICULATE MATTER
BREATHING AND RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS IRRITATIONS INFLAMMATIONS DAMAGE TO LUNGS PREMATURE DEATH
MAJOR CAUSE OF AIR POLLUTION
AUTOMOBILES
CATALYTIC CONVERTERS HAVE WHICH METALS IN THEM
EXPENSIVE METALS SUCH AS PALLADIUM AND PLATINUM AND RHODIUM AS CATALYSTS
FUNCTION OF CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
THEY HAVE EXPENSIVE METALS AS CATALYSTS FITTED INTO AUTOMOBILES FOR REDUCING EMISSION OF POISONOUS GASES
WHAT HAPPENS IN CATALYTIC CONVERTERS?
THE EXHAUST WHEN PASSES THROUGH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, THE UNBURNT HYDROCARBONS ARE CONVERTED INTO CO2 AND H2O AND CO AND NO ARE CHANGED TO CO2 AND N2
VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CATALYTIC CONVERTERS SHOULD USE WHICH TYPE OF PETROL?
UNLEADED PETROL BECAUSE LEAD INACTIVATES THE CATALYST
NOISE WAS INCLUDED AS AN AIR POLLUTANT UNDER THE ACT
AIR (PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF POLLUTION) ACT, BROUGHT INTO FORCE IN THE YEAR 1981 BUT WAS AMENDED IN 1987
NOISE IS ——-
UNDESIRED HIGH LEVEL OF SOUND
EFFECTS OF NOISE ON HUMAN HEALTH
SLEEPLESSNESS
INCREASED HEART BEAT
ALTERED BREATHING PATTERN
INCREASING STRESS
REDUCTION IN THE NOISE LEVELS OF INDUSTRIES CAN BE BROUGHT BY
USING SOUND ABSORBENT MATERIALS OR BY MUFFLING NOISE
DELHI RANKED AMONG THE 41 MOST POLLUTED CITIES IN THE WORLD IN THE YEAR
1990s
ALL THE BUSES IN DELHI WERE MADE TO RUN ON CNG IN THE YEAR
2002
CNG IS BETTER THAN PETROL OR DIESEL
BURNS MORE EFFICIENTLY ONLY A LITTLE PORTION OF IT IS LEFT UNBURNT CHEAPER THAN PETROL OR DIESEL CANNOT BE SIPHONED OFF BY THIEVES CANNOT BE ADULTERED
WHICH NORMS WERE MEANT TO KEEP A CHECK ON THE POLLUTION CAUSED BY SULPHUR
EURO III
EURO III NORMS STATED THAT
SULPHUR CAN BE REDUCED BY 350 PPM IN DIESEL AND BY 150 PPM IN PETROL
AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS ARE TO BE CONTAINED AT 42% OF THE CONCERNED FUEL
MAIN GOAL - REDUCE SULPHUR TO 50 PPM IN PETROL AND DIESEL AND BRING DOWN THE LEVEL TO 35%
WHICH MASS EMISSION STANDARDS ARE NOW NOT APPLICABLE IN THE COUNTRY
BHARAT II STAGE NORMS SIMILAR TO EURO II NORMS
A SUBSTANTIAL FALL IN THE LEVELS OF CO2 AND SO2 OCCURRED IN THE YEAR
1997 TO 2005
WHICH ACT WAS LAUNCHED BY THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT TO SAFEGUARD THE WATER RESOURCES
WATER (PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF POLLUTION) ACT 1974
THE IMPURITIES IN THE WATER CONSTITUTE ABOUT ——
0.1%
THE IMPURITIES IN THE WATER CONSIST OF
SUSPENDED SOLIDS - SAND, SILT AND CLAY
COLLOIDAL PARTICLES - FAECAL MATTERS, BACTERIA, CLOTH AND PAPER FIBRES
DISSOLVED MATERIALS - NUTRIENTS LIKE NITRATE, PHOSPHATE, SODIUM AND CALCIUM
THE PRIMARY CONSTITUENT OF THE DOMESTIC SEWAGE IS
BIODEGRADABLE ORGANIC MATTER
ALGAL BLOOM MEANS
THE EXCESSIVE GROWTH OF PLANKTONIC (FREE-FLOATING) ALGAE IN THE WATER BODY DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF NUTRIENTS
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF ALGAL BLOOM ON THE WATER BODY?
IT DETERIORATES THE WATER QUALITY AND CAUSES FISH MORTALITY
HEAVY METALS ARE THOSE METALS WHOSE DENSITY IS
MORE THAN 5 G/CM^3
EXAMPLES - MERCURY, CALCIUM, LEAD AND COPPER
BIOMAGNIFICATION REFERS TO
THE INCREASE IN CONCENTRATION OF THE TOXICANT AT SUCCESSIVE TROPHIC LEVELS
BIOMAGNIFICATION IS WELL KNOWN FOR ———- AND ————-
MERCURY AND DDT
DDT CONCENTRATION IN THE AQUATIC FOOD CHAIN WATER ----- ZOOPLANKTON -------- SMALL FISH --------- LARGE FISH -------- FISH EATING BIRDS -------
0.003 PPB
0.04 PPM
0.5 PPM
2 PPM
25 PPM
NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS OF DDT IN THE FOOD CHAIN ON BIRDS
IT DISTURBS CALCIUM METABOLISM IN THE BIRDS WHICH CAUSE THINNING OF THE EGGSHELL AND THEIR PREMATURE BREAKING, EVENTUALLY CAUSING A DECLINE IN THE BIRD POPULATION
EUTROPHICATION MEANS
IT IS THE NATURAL AGEING OF A LAKE BY NUTRIENT ENRICHMENT OF ITS WATER
CULTURAL OR ACCELERATED EUTOPHICATION IS DUE TO THE ACTIVITIES OF
HUMANS
THE PRIME CONTAMINANTS OF THE WATER BODY IS
PHOSPHATES ACT AS PLANT NUTRIENTS BECAUSE
THEY OVERSTIMULATE THE GROWTH OF ALGAE
UNSIGHTLY SCUM
UNPLEASANT ODOURS
REDUCING THE OXYGEN LEVELS IN THE WATER BODY
THERMAL WASTEWATER ACTS AS A POLLUTANT BECAUSE
IT REDUCES THE OR ELIMINATES THE ORGANISMS SENSITIVE TO THE HIGHER TEMPERATURES
WHICH ASSOCIATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFEGUARDING THE ARCATA PROJECT
FRIENDS OF THE ARCATA MARSH (FOAM)
ECOSAN TOILETS IN KERALA, SRILANKA
IT RECYCLES THE HUMAN EXCRETA INTO A RESOURCE WHICH REDUCES THE NEED FOR CHEMICAL FERTILISERS
ALL THE WASTE GENERATED CAN BE CLASSIFIED INTO THREE CATEGORIES
BIODEGRADABLE
NON-BIODEGRADABLE
RECYCLABLE
ELECTRONIC WASTES INCLUDE
IRREPARABLE COMPUTERS AND OTHER ELCTRONIC GOODS
HALF OF THE E WASTE GENERATED ARE SENT TO WHICH COUNTRIES
THESE WASTES ARE SENT TO THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES LIKE INDIA, CHINA, AND PAKISTAN
METALS RECOVERED DURING THE PROCESS OF RECYCLING OF GOODS
COPPER, IRON AND SILICON
WHO INVENTED POLYBLEND
AHMED KHAN
WHAT WAS POLYBLEND?
IT WAS A FINE POWDER OF RECYCLED MODIFIED PLASTIC
USE OF POLYBLEND
IT IS MIXED WITH BITUMEN AND IS USED TO LAY ROADS
ADVANTAGES OF LAYING DOWN ROADS WITH BITUMEN MIXED WITH POLYBLEND
ENHANCED BITUMEN’S WATER REPELLANT PROPERTIES
HELPED TO INCREASE THE ROAD LIFE FACTOR OF THREE
WHO CREATED THE HARYANA KISAN WELFARE CLUB WHICH PRESENTLY HAS A MEMBERSHIP OF 5000 FARMERS?
RAMESH CHANDRA DAGAR, A FARMER IN SONIPAT, HARYANA
THE PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED WITH THE RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ACCIDENTAL LEAKAGE
SAFE DISPOSAL
NAME TWO INCIDENTS OF ACCIDENTAL LEAKAGE OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ONE IN THE THREE MILE ISLAND
AND SECOND IN CHERNOBYL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHICH DISEASE IN HUMANS
CANCER
RADIOACTIVE WASTES HAVE TO BE BURIED IN THE ROCKS ABOUT ———- m DEEP
500 m
TERM ‘GREENHOUSE EFFECT’ HAS BEEN DERIVED FROM THE ——— PHENOMENON. EXPLAIN.
GREENHOUSE PHENOMENON
IT IS USUALLY A GLASS HOUSE CONSTRUCTED TO KEEP THE PLANTS GROWING IN THE COLDER REGIONS
GREENHOUSE PHENOMENON WORKS ON WHICH PRINCIPLE?
IT WORKS ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT GLASS TRAPS THE SUNLIGHT. ONCE SUNLIGHT ENTERS IN THE GLASS IT CANNOT MOVE OUT. HENCE THE TEMPERATURE WITHIN IT RISES
WITHOUT THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF THE EARTH WOULD HAVE BEEN ———
-18 C
AT PRESENT THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF THE EARTH IS 15 C
THE MOST COMMON GREENHOUSE GASES ARE
METHANE AND CARBON DIOXIDE
DURING THE PAST CENTURY THE TEMPERATURE OF THE EARTH HAS INCREASED BY ———
0.6 C
THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE GREENHOUSE GASES TO THE ATMOSPHERE CO2 ------ CFC ------- CH4 ------- N2O -------
60%
14%
20%
6%
THE EARTH REFLECTS THE RADIATIONS IN THE FORM OF ——-
INFRARED RADIATIONS
EL NINO EFFECT IS DUE TO
THE RISE IN TEMPERATURE
THE GOOD OZONE IS FOUND IN WHICH REGION
IN THE UPPER PART OF THE STRATOSPHERE
THE BAD OZONE IS FOUND IN
THE TROPOSPHERE
THE FUNCTION OF GOOD OZONE
IT ACTS AS A SHIELD AND PROTECTS THE LIFE FROM ULTRAVIOLET RADIATIONS
THE THICKNESS OF THE OZONE IN A COLUMN OF AIR FROM THE GROUND TO THE TOP OF THE ATMOSPHERE IS MEASURED IN TERMS OF
DOBSON UNIT (DU)
THE BALANCE OF PRODUCTION AND DEGRADATION HAS BEEN DISRUPTED DUE TO
CFC - CHLOROFLUORO CARBONS
CFCs ARE WIDELY USED IN THE
REFRIGERANTS
OZONE DEPLETION MAJORLY OCCURS IN THE
STRATOSPHERE
THE DEPLETION HAS OCCURRED WIDELY IN THE ——-
ANTARCTIC REGION
THE THINNED LAYER OF OZONE FORMED IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS OZONE HOLE
A HIGH DOSE OF UV-B CAUSES INFLAMMATION OF THE CORNEA CALLED AS ——–
SNOW BLINDNESS
CATARACT
WHICH IS MORE DANGEROUS UV OR UVB?
UV-B BECAUSE IT IS NOT ABSORBED BY THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE
AND UV-B DAMAGES DNA AND MUTATION CAN OCCUR
MONTREAL PROTOCOL WAS SIGNED IN
MONTREAL, CANADA IN 1987 BUT WAS EFFECTIVE IN 1989
OBJECTIVE - TO CONTROL THE EMISSION OF OZONE DEPLETING SUBSTANCES
———– % FORESTS ARE LOST IN THE TROPICS WHILE ———- % IN THE TEMPERATE
40%
1%
IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY FORESTS COVERED ABOUT ——- % IN INDIA
BY THE END OF TWENTIETH CENTURY IT SHRUNK TO ——- %
30%
21.54%
NATIONAL FOREST POLICY (1988) OF INDIA RECOMMENDED ——— % FOREST COVER FOR THE PLAINS AND ——- % FOR THE HILLS
33%
67%
SLASH AND BURN AGRICULTURE IN THE NORTH-EASTERN STATES IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS ———
JHUM CULTIVATION
THE BISHNOI COMMUNITY IS KNOWN FOR ——
PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE WITH THE NATURE
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF AMRITA DEVI BISHNOI WILDLIFE PROTECTION AWARD
THE AWARD IS GIVEN THE INDIVIDUALS OR COMMUNITIES FROM RURAL AREAS THAT HAVE SHOWN EXTRAORDINARY COURAGE AND DEDICATION IN PROTECTING WILDLIFE
THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA IN 1980s INTRODUCED THE CONCEPT OF JAIN FOREST MANAGEMENT (JFM)
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF IT
IT WAS DONE SO AS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES FOR PROTECTING AND MANAGING FORESTS
IN RETURN FOR THEIR SERVICE THEY GET BENEFITTED BY THE FOREST PRODUCTS (RESINS, GUM, MEDICINE, FRUITS, ETC.)
IN THIS WAY THE FOREST CAN BE CONSERVED IN A SUSTAINABLE MANNER
