Chemical pollution of the environment

Chemical pollution is the presence or increase in our environment of chemical pollutants that do not occur in nature or are found in amounts that exceed their natural background values. Most of the chemicals that pollute the environment are created by humans as a result of various activities in which toxic chemicals are used for various purposes.

Sources of chemical pollution

Chemical intoxication is caused by exposure to chemical pollutants and can have immediate or delayed effects, appearing weeks or even months after exposure. Severe chemical poisoning can result in the death of a person who inhales increased amounts of such substances. 

Chemical compounds are the main sources of chemical contamination. These are organic or inorganic chemicals. 

The most common chemical pollutants are compounds that are used over large areas and are persistent. This means that they do not easily degrade in nature. Examples are most pesticides, herbicides, insecticides used in agriculture and horticulture, and chlorinated solvents used in many industrial processes.

According to the chemical structure, the following types of chemical pollution can be distinguished:

• natural and anthropogenic origin;
• organic and inorganic compounds.

Organic compounds always contain carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds. And most inorganic compounds do not contain carbon.

Examples of chemical pollutants

Chemical pollutants mainly arise from various human activities, such as the production, handling, storage, and disposal of chemicals. Occurs in industrial areas, oil refineries, coal-fired power plants, construction, mining and metallurgy, transportation, agricultural use of pesticides and insecticides, and domestic activities.

The chemical industry is another example because the waste from its production ends up in the runoff into water bodies. That is why waste streams from the chemical industry are now strictly controlled and treated before being released into the environment. 

But protection of the environment from chemical pollution has not always been carried out. Therefore, many rivers and surface water bodies are polluted with numerous waste streams from various chemical plants as well as other industrial sources. Although measures have been taken to reduce this type of pollution, its effects are still observed.

Household chemicals include many chemical products and mixtures. They easily become chemical pollutants when they enter the environment. Even common detergents are chemical compounds that can contaminate the environment! You can read on the labels of detergents that they contain many potentially dangerous chemicals.

Consequences of chemical pollution

Chemical contamination can be caused by a variety of chemicals from a variety of sources. It can cause a variety of health effects, from simple digestive problems to chemical intoxication and sudden death by poisoning. 

The effects are usually related to exposure to large amounts of chemicals. Chemical contamination leads to a variety of serious illnesses mainly due to the following reasons:

• From eating poisonous food;
• From drinking heavily contaminated water;
• From breathing in highly polluted air. 

Chemical intoxication has serious health consequences. It causes immediate symptoms and illness, or it has delayed effects that may take weeks or months after exposure. It depends on the type of contaminant and the amount to which the person is exposed. 

Various chemical contaminants can accumulate in aquatic sediments over long periods of time. This means that if no testing is done, chemical contamination of water can pose a serious risk to the health of the ecosystem.

It eventually leads to mild to fatal chemical intoxication in humans after eating contaminated fish or seafood. However, there are tips for preventing unwanted effects. They should be followed to minimize exposure to chemical contamination.