My Science School

Over the last few years, you may have come across several news reports on how coral reefs the world over are suffering. Come, let's find out what affects these coral reefs, and how this has an impact on humans too.

What are coral reefs?

Corals are marine invertebrates living in colonies. They take calcium carbonate from the seawater and make hard exoskeletons to protect their "soft, sac-like bodies". They use the exoskeleton of their ancestors while adding new layers to it. So, over a period of time as the new layers keep getting added, it forms large underwater structures called coral reefs. Each individual coral is referred to as a polyp. Most corals have a symbiotic relationship with an algae called zooxanthellae. They live in the coral polyp's body, and through photosynthesis, provide energy for themselves and the polyp. They also give corals their spectacular colours. Without these algae, the corals are colourless.

What is killing the coral reefs?

Coral reefs are found in all the oceans. When ocean waters warm, the corals expel the algae and return to their colourless selves. This is called coral bleaching. If oceans keep warming, the corals will not allow the algae to return, and will eventually die. A recent study by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, a United Nations supported global data network, said the world's coral reefs will disappear if oceans keep warming. Coral reefs are important to several marine creatures because they provide shelter, are spawning grounds, and offer them protection from predators. So, when coral reefs die, it affects several living organisms. Not just that, they have a bearing on humans too.

Impact on humans

As natural barriers, coral reefs take the impact of waves and storm surges, and help coastal communities stay safe. Further, when coral reefs die, they cannot support marine organisms anymore, so many of those species die too. These include a variety of fish, crabs, shrimps, etc., which are consumed by humans. While the livelihoods of fishing communities are affected by the lack of such sea food, people consuming these are forced to look for other food options, which could cause an imbalance in food sources. Another important aspect is tourism. Tourism brings in plenty of money and supports several jobs directly and indirectly related to the reefs. When the reefs go, so will tourists and the money they bring in.

Picture Credit : Google

A recent study by a team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) has found a range of pharmaceutical pollutants in the Cauvery river water. The pharmaceutical contaminants included anti-inflammatories, anti-hypertensives, enzyme inhibitors, antidepressants and antibiotics. Besides pharmaceutically-active compounds, personal care products, plastics, flame retardants, heavy metals and pesticides were found mixed with the water. This is of great concern because the Cauvery is an important river in South India, extensively used for agriculture and drinking purposes in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. While highlighting the long-term impact of such pollutants on humans and ecosystems, the study called for upgrading wastewater treatment systems to address the issue. What is pharmaceutical pollution? What can we do about it? Read on... occurrence in rivers, lakes, streams, wells and drinking water. The pollution is particularly serious in India, as it is one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in the world.

Pharmaceutical pollution happens when medicinal residues from drug manufacturing plants, hospitals and homes enter waterbodies. There is a growing concern over its occurrence in rivers, lakes, streams, wells and drinking water. The pollution is particularly serious in India, as it is one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in the world.

Sources

• One of the main sources of pharmaceutical pollution are the manufacturing plants, which discharge untreated waste into the environment.
• Humans are also to blame. Our bodies don't use 100% of the drugs we ingest. Traces of pharmaceuticals exit our bodies through excretion and sweat, which enter the water supply when we shower and flush the toilet Scientists say ineffective disposal methods, such as flushing unused medicine down the toilet, should be avoided.
• Pharmaceutical products are also used in the animal husbandry, hence livestock industries too contribute to pharmaceutical pollution.

Impact

• As the chemicals make their way into terrestrial and aquatic environments, they can affect the health and behaviour of wildlife, insects, fish, birds, and more.
• An entire lifetime of exposure to pharmaceutical pollution, even in tiny concentrations, could cause health issues in humans. A study by the United Nations found that the presence of antibiotics in water contributes to the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria.
• Scientists have observed reproductive and developmental issues in fish exposed to pharmaceutical pollution.

Solution

• Drug companies should ensure that they treat their wastewater before dumping it into rivers.
• Governments should upgrade wastewater treatment facilities so they can filter out pharmaceuticals.
• People should be educated on how to dispose of unused medicines.
• Wastewater contaminant levels should be regularly monitored for corrective action.

Picture Credit : Google

A portal named "PRANA" was launched by the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) on the occasion of the second International Day of Clean Air For Blue Skies, on September 7 this year. What is this portal for?

Air pollution, a major threat

Air pollution poses a major threat to human health, besides affecting animals and plants. A type of environment pollution, it affects the quality of air around us. A mixture of solid particles, gases, and droplets that remain suspended in the air, it is primarily caused by human activities, taking the form of exhaust from vehicles, emissions from factories and vapour from aerosol cans. Dust, pollen, mould spores, and animal dander (skin flakes shed by animals) too affect air quality. Air pollution is common in large, urban cities where emissions from varied sources remain trapped.

The Central Government has launched several initiatives, including the recent PRANA, to improve air quality in the country. PRANA stands for Portal for Regulation of Air pollution in Non-Attainment cities. It has been launched for monitoring and regulation of air pollution in 132 cities across the country-the cities that come under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). The portal (prana.cpcb.gov.in) aims at providing real-time information on city wise pollution levels. It will tracking of physical as well as the support financial status of city air action plan implementation and disseminate information on air quality to the public. It also provides information on how specific cities are curbing air pollution levels, as well as data on air pollution mitigation milestones achieved since 2018. It is said that information available on this portal will help shape future policy decisions.

What is NCAP?

NCAP is the National Clean Air Programme launched in 2019 in partnership with various Ministries and States to improve air quality in over 100 cities. It is the first-ever effort in the country to frame a national framework for air quality management with a time-bound reduction target. The tentative target is to reduce Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5) concentration by 20-30% 2024 by across the country.

Non-attainment cities

These are those that have failed to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM 10 (particulate matter of 10 microns or less in diameter) or nitrogen dioxide for over five years. These were identified by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on the basis of their ambient air quality data available from 2014.

Who developed PRANA?

Knowledge Lens, a B2B product company that builds innovative solutions in niche technologies, including Big Data, Al, IoT, in collaboration with the CPCB, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Ministry of Environment. Forest and Climate Change, has developed PRANA.

Picture Credit : Google