MODULE 4| Environmental Issues and Problems: Wastes and Pollution

Pollution

contamination of the environment by humans adding any substance or energy.

Common Pollutants

heavy metals, gases, oil, sewage, noise, heat, radiation and pesticides

Pollutant

any matter or energy introduced by human activities that produces harmful effects on resident populations thus altering community structure.

Biological magnification

the increase in the concentration of a substance in successive members of a food chain.

Toxic Substances

accumulate in members of higher trophic levels as a result of biomagnification.

Trophic transfer

the movement of compounds (molecules) through trophic levels.

Water pollution

occurs when toxic substances enter water bodies such as oceans, lakes and rivers leading to the degradation of water quality and rendering it toxic to human health and the environment.

Domestic wastes

usually contain nitrates and phosphates that are responsible for eutrophication.

Nitrates & Phosphates

Responsible for eutrophication

Industrial wastes

contain large amounts of toxic chemicals.

Heavy water pollution

occurs when untreated industrial waste is irresponsibly discharged into water bodies.

Agricultural wastes

such as fertilizers, farm animal wastes, and sediments contribute to water pollution by carrying nitrates and phosphates into water through runoff, resulting in eutrophication.

Eutrophication

enrichment of nutrients that leads to the increase of algal population in a water body, affecting aquatic life.

Diseases

consuming polluted water can cause typhoid, cholera, hepatitis, methemoglobinemia, and other diseases.

Air pollution

occurs when air pollutants are released into the atmosphere, which can bring global effects and harm human health.

Industrial pollutants

release CO₂, SO₂, H₂S, and hydrocarbons.

Automobiles

the most significant contributor to air pollution.

Volatile organic compounds (VOC)

benzene, toluene, and xylene released from the use of petrol and diesel.

Burning of fuels

produces two-thirds of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere, resulting in acid rain.

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂)

a colorless gas produced by the combustion of fossil fuels at power plants and specific industrial sources.

Acid rain

results when sulfur dioxide combines with nitrogen oxides.

Agricultural activities

associated with burning forest areas and grasslands to provide pastures and croplands.

Photochemical smog

a type of air pollution formed when sunlight reacts with pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), producing harmful chemicals like ozone (O₃) at ground level.

Greenhouse effect

a natural phenomenon

Soil pollution

the presence of pollutants or contaminants in soil, in high enough concentrations to pose a risk to human health and the environment.

Soil acidification

the process by which soil becomes more acidic over time, meaning the pH level of the soil decreases.

Solid waste

includes hazardous, infectious, and mining-related wastes in solid, liquid, semisolid, or contained gaseous forms that pose health risks.

Hazardous waste

substances without safe usage that are transported into or through the Philippines for dumping or disposal

Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990 (R.A. 6969)

the law regulating toxic and hazardous waste in the Philippines.

400 million metric tons

the estimated amount of hazardous waste generated annually.

Producers (Trophic Level 1)

organisms like plants and algae that produce their own food through photosynthesis and form the base of the food chain.

Primary Consumers (Trophic Level 2)

herbivores that eat producers.

Secondary Consumers (Trophic Level 3)

carnivores or omnivores that eat primary consumers.

Tertiary Consumers (Trophic Level 4)

predators that eat secondary consumers.

Quaternary Consumers (Trophic Level 5)

top predators that are rarely preyed upon.

Decomposers

organisms that break down dead matter and recycle nutrients into the ecosystem.