Environmental Studies · General Awareness

Pollution and Human Impact

2,864 Questions

Pollution involves the introduction of contaminants into natural environments, causing severe human impact. This hub focuses on water pollution, thermal pollution, soil contamination, and diseases like Minamata. It is a highly relevant topic for environmental studies in UPSC exams.

Water pollution sourcesOcean pollutantsHeavy metal contaminationSoil erosion impactsThermal pollution causes

Pollution and Human Impact Questions

Multiple choice economics environment pollution strategies to control environmental pollution strategies to control pollution strategies to control environmental pollution and green chemistry

______ or using fungus to metabolize contaminants and accumulate heavy metals.

  1. Bioremediation

  2. Phytoremediation

  3. Both A and B

  4. Mycoremediation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Mycoremediation is a form of bioremediation, the process of using fungi to degrade or sequester contaminants in the environment. Stimulating microbial and enzyme activity, mycelium reduces toxins in-situ. Some fungi are hyperaccumulators, capable of absorbing and concentrating heavy metals in the mushroom fruit bodies.

Multiple choice zoology pollution - a rising environmental problem sources of water pollution marine life water pollution

Rise in temperature due to heat from power plant and industries is known as

  1. Heat Pollution

  2. Thermal Pollution

  3. Waste pollution

  4. Solid Pollution
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Thermal pollution is defined as the degradation of water quality by any process that changes ambient water temperature, typically through the use of water as a coolant by power plants.

Multiple choice zoology pollution - a rising environmental problem sources of water pollution marine life water pollution

Which of the following is main factor in water pollution? 

  1. Pesticides

  2. Industrial waste

  3. Detergent
  4. NH$ _3$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
Water is an important resource for the people and the environment. It is the basis of life. Pollution of water affects drinking water, river and oceans all over the world. Water pollutants affect all living species and the complete functioning of the ecosystem that lives in the water. The major water pollutants are sewage, metals, lead, cadmium, arsenic, agrochemicals like DDT, microorganisms, plastics, detergents, oil and gasoline, inorganic chemicals, radioactive waste, sediments, plant nutrients, animal manure and plant residues, thermal pollution etc. Detergent is the waste from household, industries and firms that trigger organic pollution.
So, the correct answer is option C.
Multiple choice zoology pollution - a rising environmental problem sources of water pollution marine life water pollution

Which one of the following is a biodegradable pollutants?

  1. Cowdung

  2. DDT

  3. Lead Vapour

  4. Plastic
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The biodegradable substances can be degraded with the decomposition activity of the microbes. The cow dung is the pollutant which is the waste produced by the animals like cattle. The cow dung mainly contains the cellulosic fibres. This is a biodegradable form of pollutant which can be decomposed by the enzyme cellulase produced by the microbes. DDT is a pesticide, the lead vapour is produced due to combustion of leaded fuels and plastic is a synthetic polymer. These materials cannot be degraded.

Thus, the correct answer is option A. 

Multiple choice zoology pollution - a rising environmental problem sources of water pollution marine life water pollution

Detergents are water pollutants because they contain.

  1. Sulphates

  2. Nitrates

  3. Carbonates

  4. Phosphates
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Phosphates are used to manufacture Detergents.

When these phosphates enter water bodies, they provide nutrients resulting in algae population explosions or Eutrophication. The algae use up the entire oxygen killing other aquatic organisms.
So, the correct option is 'Phosphates'.

Multiple choice zoology pollution - a rising environmental problem sources of water pollution marine life water pollution

Thermal pollution of water bodies is due to

  1. Discharge of heat (hot water) from power plants

  2. Discharge of chemicals from industries

  3. Discharge of waste from mining

  4. Discharge of agricultural run off
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Thermal pollution refers to effluents and hot water from thermal plants or atomic reactors which bring about the rise in water temperature. Warm water contains less oxygen, resulting in increased organic loading, and replacement of green algae by blue-green algae.

So, the correct answer is option A.

Multiple choice zoology pollution - a rising environmental problem sources of water pollution marine life water pollution

Most abundant water pollutant is

  1. Detergents

  2. Pesticides

  3. Industrial wastes

  4. Ammonia
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Industrial effluents are the major water pollutants because of their ingredients. Heavy metal waste like mercury, cadmium, dirt and gravel, masonry and concrete, scrap metal, trash, oil, solvents and chemicals etc. are present in the industrial effluents. Their treatment is a long and expensive procedure as compared to domestic sewage treatment. The industrial waste is corrosive, reactive and igniting. It poses dangerous effects on the aquatic life primarily and human health thereafter. These have shown the biomagnification capability as well.

Hence, the correct answer is 'Industrial wastes'.

Multiple choice zoology pollution - a rising environmental problem sources of water pollution marine life water pollution

Water pollution is due to

  1. Agricultural discharge

  2. Sewage and other wastes

  3. Industrial effluents

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Agricultural discharge such as large quantity of agrochemicals, organic matter, sediments and saline drainage, fertilizer extract directly released in water bodies contaminate water and cause waterlogging. Sewage and untreated waste containing the high amount of organic compound and industrial effluent including organic, non-organic and reactive waste released in water have the potential to acidify water bodies, the solid waste accumulation can result in drying up of waters.

Hence, the correct answer is 'All of the above'

Multiple choice zoology pollution - a rising environmental problem sources of water pollution marine life water pollution

Most important causative pollutant is

  1. Plastic

  2. Glass junk

  3. Iron junk

  4. Detergents
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Detergents that are released from the domestic sewage, as well as the industrial effluents, are the causative pollutants because these result in the increasing the inorganic mineral quantity in the water body. Because of this, the eutrophication occurs. The dissolved oxygen in the water body is decreased and the aquatic life suffers from the hypoxia. Plastic, glass junk and iron junk persist in nature as they are non-biodegradable. Their downhill causes are less as compared to the detergents.

Hence, the correct answer is 'Detergents'

Multiple choice zoology pollution - a rising environmental problem sources of water pollution marine life water pollution

Thermal pollution, is more prevalent near

  1. Hot water springs

  2. Coal based power plants

  3. Temperate zone

  4. Tropical zones
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Thermal pollution refers to the water pollution caused by the discharge of the hot industrial effluent in the water body that destroys the ambient temperature of the water body. The thermal pollution is a major water pollution near the coal power plants that use water as the coolant so that it absorbs the thermal energy from the thermal plants and then the hot water is released in the nearby water body. The rise in temperature of the water causes severe adverse effects to the aquatic life.

Hence, the correct answer is 'Coal based power plants'