My Science School

The recent volcanic eruption in the region was hundreds of times more powerful than the Hiroshima atomic bomb, says NASA

• Tonga's eruption unleashed explosive forces equivalent to up to 30 million tonnes of TNT - hundreds of times more than Hiroshima's atomic bomb, NASA says.
• As a comparison, the U.S. atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945 was estimated to be about 15 kilotons (15,000 tonnes) of TNT.
• Mount St. Helens exploded in 1980 with 24 megatons and Krakatoa burst in 1883 with 200 megatons of energy.
• Before the eruption, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcanic island was two separate islands joined by new land formed in 2015.
• Nasa says the eruption was so powerful all the new land is gone, along with "large chunks" of the two older islands.
• Tonga says more than four fifths of the population has been affected by the tsunami and falling ash. Three people were confirmed killed in the tsunami last month.

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A new study published in journal Nature Food has found that persistently high levels of ozone pollution in Asia are costing China, Japan and South Korea an estimated $63 billion annually in lost rice, wheat and maize crops. The research used pollution monitoring data from the region and field experiments to show ozone affects Asia's crop yields more than previously thought.

The researchers found that on an average 33% of China's wheat crop is lost annually because of ozone pollution. While South Korea lost 28% of wheat. Japan lost 16%. For rice, the mean figure in China was 23%. In South Korea the figure was nearly 11%, while in Japan it was 5%. And maize crops in both China and South Korea were also affected. The crop is not grown in Japan in significant quantities. The study's authors said the findings should push policymakers to reduce emissions that produce ozone.

You may have learnt from your teachers that the ozone layer protects us from the harsh sunlight.

What is ozone?

Ozone is a highly reactive gas composed of three oxygen atoms-03. It occurs naturally in the stratosphere layer of the Earth's atmosphere. But ozone also comes from man-made sources and is found in the lowest layer of the atmosphere (troposphere). While the former affects life on Earth in positive ways, the latter does so in negative ways. Our concern in this article is the second form of ozone.

What is the ozone layer?

The atmosphere consists of a mixture of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% of other gases. Each of the five layers of our atmosphere has its own role in protecting Earth and supporting life on the planet. The second layer - the stratosphere - is the most stable region, where jets fly. It is also the region where ozone is abundant. Stratospheric ozone is formed naturally through the interaction of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation with molecular oxygen (02). The layer, found about 10 to 40 km above the ground, is the ozone layer. It is part of the stratosphere and it protects life on Earth from the harmful effects of UV rays by absorbing them. Ultraviolet rays can damage DNA, and cause sunburn, skin cancer and cataract in humans.

What is ozone pollution?

At the ground level, ozone is a highly unstable and poisonous gas which is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). This happens when pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, chemical plants, and other sources chemically react in the presence of sunlight. When the percentage of ozone at ground level reaches alarmingly high levels, ozone pollution occurs. Ozone pollution is common in urban areas because of vehicular pollutions and industries, ozone can be transported long distances by wind so even rural areas, where farming lands are found, can also experience high ozone levels. A higher percentage of ozone gives rise to health issues such as chest pain, congestion and coughing. It also affects crops and other vegetation.

How does ozone affect crop yield?

Ozone damages crops by entering leaves during normal gas exchange. As a strong oxidant, ozone causes symptoms in crops such as yellowing, cell injury, spots, and reddening. Many factors such as soil moisture, presence of other air pollutants, insects or diseases, and other environmental stresses, can increase the impact.

Ozone is the key pollutant causing the yield loss of crops such as rice and maize. Wheat is the most sensitive when it comes to ozone-caused damage. Ozone exposure could have an even bigger impact on yields of soybean, peanut and cotton.

Why is this concern in Asia?

East Asia is one of the biggest bread baskets and ricebowls in the world. It supplies 90% of the world's rice and 44% of its wheat. The researchers said surface ozone is "posing a threat to food security."

Asia is also a hotspot for ozone. While ozone levels have declined in America and Europe over the last two decades, with the introduction of stricter air quality measures, the pollutant is increasing in Asia.

Further, industry, energy and urban expansion are competing for limited land resources.

What is the solution?

The best way to bring down ozone levels is to curb the use of fossil fuels - the same action needed to bring down greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change.

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On August 13, the Environment Ministry of India notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, which prohibits specific single-use plastic items that have "low utility and high littering potential by 2022. Under this rule, the manufacture, sale, and use of a range of plastic products will be prohibited from July 1, 2022.

The new rule has also increased the permitted thickness of polythene bags. India further strengthened its fight against plastic pollution by launching a Plastic Pact in September. The Plastic Pact, the first of its kind in Asia, is a platform to promote a circular economy for plastic. It is a collaborative initiative that aims to bring together businesses, governments and NGOs to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics in their value chain. With the pact, India aims to make 100% of the plastic packaging to be reusable or recyclable before 2030.

A National Level Taskforce has also been constituted by the Ministry for taking coordinated efforts to eliminate identified single-use plastic items and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.

The State /UT Governments and concerned Central Ministries/Departments have also been requested to develop a comprehensive action plan for the elimination of single-use plastics and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and its implementation in a time-bound manner.

Directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, have been issued to all States/Union Territories inter alia for setting up for institutional mechanism for strengthening enforcement of Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016.

The Government has also been taking measures for awareness generation towards the elimination of single-use plastics and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. A two-month-long Awareness Campaign of Single-Use Plastic 2021 has been organized. The Ministry has also organized a pan India essay writing competition on the theme for spreading awareness among schoolchildren.

To encourage innovation in the development of alternatives to identified single-use plastic items and digital solutions to plastic waste management, the India Plastic Challenge – Hackathon 2021, has been organized for students of Higher Educational Institutions and startups recognized under Startup India Initiative.

Credit : Net Indian 

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The United Nations heritage body UNESCO and the Australian government got into a tiff over placing the Great Barrier Reef on the list of world heritage sites that are "in danger." Pointing to the threats the world's biggest coral reef system faces from climate change, the UNESCO committee recommended that the listing is necessary to address the issue. But the Australian governments diplomatic effort won enough support to override the UN body's recommendations. The final motion, passed by the UNESCO in July agreed not to place the Great Barrier Reef on the in danger list. The committee, however, asked Australia to deliver an updated report on the state of the reef in February 2022.

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living marine organism in the world. It was inscribed as a World Heritage site 40 years ago and remains one of the world’s most iconic natural treasures. ‘The Reef’, as it is called in Australia, meets all four natural heritage criteria. These include its extraordinary natural beauty and globally significant biodiversity. The Reef contains vast mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, coral reefs, whales, dolphins, turtles, sharks and dugongs to name just a few species groups.

Australians love the Reef and many people around the world dream of visiting Australia to see it for themselves. Prior to COVID, the Reef generated over AU$6 billion a year to the Australian economy and supported 64,000 jobs. Seventy Indigenous Traditional Owner groups have looked after the Reef for thousands of years. One quarter of the world’s marine species depend on coral reefs for at least part of their life cycle. The Great Barrier Reef has enormous social, economic, cultural, and ecological value.

In 2019, an Australian government report concluded that the outlook for the Great Barrier Reef had deteriorated from poor to very poor. The report, which is based on the best scientific data, found that climate change is the Reef’s biggest threat. 

The Reef has already experienced five coral bleaching events, the most severe and widespread being in the last five years. In 2016 and 2017, about 50 percent of the corals died. While there has been some coral regeneration, the mix of species is shifting in favor of fast growing “weedy” species that are the most vulnerable to future coral bleaching. 

The Reef is also threatened by local pressures, in particular agricultural runoff from intensive sugarcane farming and extensive grazing of livestock in the adjacent catchment. Unsustainable commercial fishing and coastal development add to the pressures. 

The 2021 recommendations regarding the Great Barrier Reef were the first time UNESCO has recommended a World Heritage site be inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger predominantly due to climate change. UNESCO referred to 1.5 °C as a critical threshold, the first time UNESCO has highlighted the long-term goal of the Paris Agreement in its recommendations for a specific World Heritage coral reef. It is also the first time UNESCO has called directly on a country to undertake corrective climate change actions.

Credit : Earth Justice 

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The icy waters surrounding Antarctica have long been recognised as a distinct ocean by scientists, the media and people across many countries. While many called this region the Southern Ocean, some scientists called it the Antarctic Ocean, or the Austral Ocean. But it had not been given a name by the National Geographic Society, a non-profit scientific and educational organisation whose mapping standards are referenced by atlases and cartographers.

Since the National Geographic began making maps in 1915, it had recognised only four oceans. It was only on June 8, 2021, the Society recognised the Southern Ocean as the world's fifth ocean! By officially naming the ocean, the National Geographic Society hopes to draw attention to the threats from pollution and climate change to the Southern Ocean ecosystem, therefore prompting conservation efforts here.

The US Board of Geographic Names, a federal body created in 1890 to establish and maintain “uniform geographic name usage” through the federal government, already recognizes the Southern ocean as occupying the same territory, but this is the first time the National Geographic has done so.

Attempts to ratify the boundaries and name of the Southern Ocean internationally have been thwarted.

The concept was proposed to the International Hydrographic Organization, which works to ensure the world’s seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted, in 2000, but some of the IHO’s 94 members dissented. Despite that, Tait said it was important that the National Geographic christen the water area.

Credit : The Guardian 

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The Amazon in South America is the largest, most diverse tropical rainforest on Earth. It has been described as the "Lungs of our Planet" because it continuously recycles carbon dioxide into oxygen. More than 20% of the world oxygen is produced in the Amazon Rainforest. But a new study published in March found that the forest is now emitting more CO2 than it is able to absorb. The researchers said it was most likely the result of each year’s deforestation and fires making adjacent forests more susceptible the next year. The trees produce much of the region's rain, so fewer trees means more severe droughts and heatwaves and more tree deaths and fires.

For generations, Amazonia, which spans more than two million square miles, was a reliable carbon sink, meaning that it naturally absorbed high levels of carbon dioxide from the air, and it played an important role in keeping the global environment stable.

However, in recent decades, humans have increasingly contributed to the degradation of the Amazon, upsetting a crucial natural balance. Of the 17% of forest reduction that occurred over the last 50 years, about 14% of that loss to the agricultural industry, which has burned the land and used it for crops and livestock, the report states.

Burning the rainforest to make room for crops or livestock can pose dangers for the climate, even decades after those fires occur. Research shows that areas that were burned as long ago as 30 years back — and the accompanying decomposing trees — were still considerable sources of carbon dioxide. Past fires and other factors like logging can also degrade nearby areas that were previously untouched and make those areas more susceptible to burning, according to the study.

Credit : npr

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More powerful, destructive, and deadlier storms will be the "new normal" as the effects of climate change take root, the top U.S. emergency management official said after massive tornadoes ravaged six states.

Meteorologists and other scientists have long warned of the growing intensity of weather events like storms, fires and flooding.

But the crisis hit the U.S. in a terrifying way when more than two dozen twisters raked across large swaths of the American heartland, leaving more than 90 people dead, dozens missing and communities in ruin.

"This is going to be our new normal," Deanne Criswell, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told CNN'S "State of the Union." "The effects that we're seeing from climate change are the crisis of our generation," she added. Criswell warned of the challenge that the United States faces in addressing such severe weather events.

In another programme, she told ABC's "This Week," "We're seeing more intense storms, severe weather, whether it's hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires. The focus I'm going to have is, how do we start to reduce the impacts of these events." The tornado that reduced several towns to rubble was a gargantuan twister. It rumbled along the ground for over 320 km, one of the longest, if not the longest on record.

What causes a tornado?

Tornadoes are whirling, vertical air columns that form from thunderstorms and stretch to the ground. They travel with ferocious speed and lay waste to everything in their path. Thunderstorms occur when denser, drier cold air is pushed over warmer, humid air, conditions scientists call atmospheric instability. As that happens, an updraft is created when the warm air rises. When winds vary in speed or direction at different altitudes- a condition known as wind shear-the updraft will start to spin. These changes in winds produce the spin necessary for a tornado. For especially strong tornadoes, changes are needed in both the wind's speed and direction.

Role of climate change

Scientists say figuring out how climate change is affecting the frequency of tornadoes is complicated. But they do say the atmospheric conditions that give rise to such outbreaks are intensifying in the winter as the planet warms. One paper published recently by scientific association AGU says its analysis "suggests increasing global temperature will affect the occurrence of conditions favourable to severe weather."

Rising global temperatures are driving significant changes for seasons that we traditionally think of as rarely producing severe weather. Stronger increases in warm humid air in fall, winter, and early spring mean there will be more days with favourable severe thunderstorm environments - and when these storms occur, they have the potential for greater intensity. Projections suggest that stronger, tornado-producing storms may be more likely as global temperatures rise, though strengthened less than we might expect from the increase in available energy. Studies have shown that the rate of increase in severe storm environments will be greater in the Northern Hemisphere, and that it increases more at higher latitudes.

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Forest fires occur in many regions of the world. In fact, some of you may have witnessed them. They are not just inevitable but even necessary for several reasons.

The benefits of forest fires

Forest fires have been an integral part of the natural forest environment, and play an important role in keeping the ecosystem going. For example, these fires help clear dead plants and allow for new ones to grow in their place. Seeds of certain plants germinate after a fire that breaks open their outer covering. Trunks of trees falling after a fire host several types of insects and reptiles, which in turn become feed for birds and animals. Animals escaping fire move to other places, resulting in the distribution of such species.

Plants and animals cope / survive

Since plants cannot move when fire envelops their surroundings, they have other means for survival. One of them is through the insulation that soil offers. Some plants (re)grow from underground stems and roots protected by the soil. Some trees are protected from damage and death by the thickness of their bark.

Many animal species (and even plants) are said to reproduce during the wet season or when the chances of fires are low. This offers the population a higher chance of survival. Many animals have a strong sense of smell that helps them detect smoke from far so they can move to safer places. Some seem to be able to hear the sounds of fire, which gives them adequate time to leave the spot. Most animals, especially large ones, flee a burning place and move to higher ground, or even to an already burnt place. However, not all animals move. Some find abandoned burrows to seek refuge in. This also has another benefit-protection from raptors that come looking for hapless animals. Animals have found ways to cope even after a fire. Since food resources become scarce after a fire, some species have adapted themselves to suppress energy use, cutting down the need for seeking food.

The situation today is grim

While it is true that forest fires are necessary and beneficial, the current scenario is not very encouraging. Due to climate change and global warming, the intensity and the incidence of forest fires across the globe have been increasing. This I means that neither plants nor animals have enough time or means to recover from a forest fire. In the long run, it could push them to extinction in a world that might no longer resemble the one their ancestors inhabited.

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In August, India notified a ban on manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of certain single-use plastic items. Now, with the launch of its Plastic Pact, India has strengthened its fight against plastic pollution.

What's the pact all about?

The Plastic Pact, the first of its kind in Asia and jointly developed by the World-Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF India) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), is a platform to promote a circular economy for plastic.

While linear economy businesses take a natural resource and turn it into a product which is ultimately destined to become waste, a circular economy employs reuse, sharing, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling to create a closed-loop system, minimising the use of resources, and the creation of waste, pollution and carbon emissions.

It is a collaborative initiative that aims to bring together businesses, governments and NGOS to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics in their value chain. During the launch, it was announced that 17 businesses including major FMCG brands, manufacturers, retailers and recyclers have committed to the pact as founding members, and nine have joined as supporting organisations.

The U.K.-based not-for-profit company Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), along with UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), will offer operational and technical support to India. Plastic Pacts in Europe, the Americas, Australia, and Africa are also supported by WRAP.

What's the target of the pact?

The Pact aims to define a list of unnecessary or problematic plastic packaging and items and take measures to address them through redesign and innovation. By 2030, 100% of the plastic packaging should be reusable or recyclable.

Why is this important?

Considerable amounts of plastic waste in India are not recycled because of lack of segregation and collection. Only 60% of plastic waste is collected and recycled in India, while the rest remains littered in the environment. The plastic recycling industry is vast and unorganised. Most of the plastic wastes are recycled into low quality materials, which again become single-use items. Environmentalists have been stressing the need for collaboration across the value chain from design and reuse to repair and recycling in order to develop impactful solutions. This Plastic Pact promises to be a step towards that.

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Step out of your house and you are welcomed by the sight of overflowing dustbins at every street comer. As populations grow and economies expand, we generate large amounts of waste. This includes liquid or solid household waste, food waste, construction waste, industrial waste, and hazardous waste (radioactive waste, electronic waste, inflammables and pharmaceuticals).

According to an estimate, in urban India, an individual produces an average of 0.8 kg of waste every day. The world generates 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, with at least 33% of that not managed in an environmentally safe manner. Poor waste management can contribute to a range of problems, including health and environmental hazards. Some waste will eventually rot, but not all. Those that rot produce smell, cause infectious diseases, and result in the accumulation of toxic substances in the food chain through the animals that feed on them. Decaying waste also generates methane gas, which contributes to the greenhouse effect. Incineration of waste is a common treatment practice followed in India. Gases from incineration may cause air pollution, while the ash may contain heavy metals and other toxins. Plastic waste often ends up in oceans posing grave threat to marine animals and coastal ecosystems.

What can you do?

Besides demanding better waste management system from your elected leaders, you can also strive to reduce waste at home. Make the 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - your mantra and strive to achieve zero-waste generation.

Reduce: Avoid unnecessary accumulation of materials. Simplify your life as much as possible. Only keep belongings that you use on a regular basis.

Reuse: If you need something, see if you can purchase it second-hand. There are a number of sites that sell used items. You can get a used bicycle or furniture from someone who is relocating. Also avoid one-time-use items such as disposable glasses or bottles.

Recycle: Before discarding something into the bin, see if you can make use of it in some way. A water bottle could become a pen stand and old newspapers could be turned into paper bags. Try to recycle things as much as possible, and this way you can also reduce your consumption.

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Today, everyone owns a cellphone - be it smartphone or not. Unlike a few years ago, each member in an urban household today owns a headphone, charger, laptop, and a pendrive. Our lives revolve around televisions, modems, desktop computers, Al assistants, and a whole lot of gadgets and their electronic accessories. Most of these devices have a short lifespan and they have to be replaced within a few years, if not months. Those that have reached their end of life often get dumped in landfills, adding to the toxic pollution and leach into our environment some way or the other.

Electronic waste or e-waste is a global problem. While we focus much of our attention on plastic, e-waste has silently grown to be the fastest growing stream of waste worldwide. According to the latest assessment by the WEEE Forum, an international expert group dedicated to tackling the global problem of e-waste, the mountain of electronic and electrical equipment discarded in 2021 will weigh more than 57 million tonnes - greater than the weight of the Great Wall of China. Earth's heaviest artificial object. Only 17.4% of this electronic waste containing a mixture of harmful substances and precious materials will be recorded as being properly collected, treated and recycled. According to the United Nations, in 2021 each person on the planet will produce on average 7.6 kg of e-waste. The WEEE report acknowledges that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a perceptible effect on our use of electronics and digital solutions, with both adults and children relying on e-products for job and schooling.

What constitutes e-waste and why is it a matter of concern?

E-waste, short for electronic waste, simply describes any electronic device or their parts that have been thrown away. Some examples of electronic and electrical waste are used and abandoned computers, tablets, televisions, cell phones, stereos, copiers, scanners, mouses, keyboards, air-conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines.

Dangerous emission

• When not recycled or disposed of properly, e-waste ends up in landfill and is often burned along with other garbage. This can cause emission of toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. Toxins from e-waste can also seep into the soil and contaminate groundwater and waterbodies. This in turn will affect plants, animals and humans.
• Some of the waste may reach unregulated recycling units where the devices are washed in acids for extraction of minute amounts of gold, silver, palladium, copper, or other precious metals and minerals present in them. This can pollute air and water. Workers engaged in this extraction in unregulated units face dangerous conditions, as they work without protective gear such as gloves or masks.
• Exposure to e-waste can cause headache, irritability, nausea, vomiting, and eye pain. Recyclers may suffer liver, kidney and neurological disorders.
• The air pollution from burning e-waste a threat for people living near landfills as they are constantly exposed to toxins. It can damage the nervous system, circulatory system, and kidney and brain development. Respiratory disorders and skin problems are the other risks.

Solutions

• E-waste collection, transportation, processing, and recycling is dominated by the informal sector which is well networked, but unregulated. If both the formal and informal sectors coordinate and work in a harmonious manner, the materials collected by the unorganised sector may be handed over to the organised sector for processing in an environment-friendly way.
• Governments should collaborate with the industry to draw up standard operating procedures and work towards reducing e-waste.
• They should encourage new entrepreneurs in the e-waste sector by providing necessary financial support and technological guidance.
• Incentives can be given to people practising safe disposal of e-waste.

What can you do to reduce e-waste?

1. Think twice: Before you ask your parents for new gadgets, think twice whether you can manage without it. Or try to use an old one.

2. Take good care of your gadgets. Follow instructions given in manuals carefully to ensure longer product life. For instance, do not use mobile while charging as it causes overheating and decreases battery life, besides proving to be life-threatening.

3. Dispose gadgets responsibly: E-waste should not be mixed with general waste or given to unauthorised collectors. Ensure your e-waste reaches regulated recycling units.

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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.

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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.

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