Problems of environmental pollution briefly. Large-scale problems of our time: pollution of our environment

Environmental pollution— air, water and soil pollution through the production of millions of tons of waste by people and farm animals.
30 terrifying facts about modern environmental pollution.

1. Pollution is one of the biggest killers, affecting the lives of more than 100 million people around the world.
2. More than 1 billion people do not have access to clean drinking water.
3. 5,000 people die every day due to poisoning from contaminated water.
4. More than 1 million seabirds and 100 million mammals die every year due to environmental problems.
5. Approximately 46% of lakes in America are extremely polluted and dangerous for swimming, fishing and life in the water.





6. In a great catastrophe, the cause of which was high level Thick smog that occurred in London in 1952 killed approximately four thousand people within a few days due to high concentrations of pollution.
7. The US produces 30% of the world's waste, 25% of which ends up in natural resources.
8. Every year, 1.5 million tons of nitrogen pollution flows from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico.
9. Every year about one trillion gallons of unrefined Wastewater and industrial waste is dumped into waters.
10. Pollution natural ecology Because of children, only 10%, but almost 40% are prone to all the diseases in the world.





11. More than 3 million children under 5 years of age die every year due to environmental factors.
12. China is the world's largest producer of carbon dioxide.
13. Almost 80% of urban waste in India is dumped into the Ganges River.
14. Environmentalists most neglect the noise type of pollution.
15. The amount of money invested in nuclear testing is enough to finance 8,000 hand pumps for villages without access to clean water.





16. Ocean acidification is the worst type of pollution. The oceans are becoming increasingly acidic, creating a greenhouse effect from fossil fuels.
17. Animal waste contributes to heavy pollution soil During the monsoon, water flows through fields, carrying dangerous bacteria from livestock waste into underwater rivers and streams. Then they collect this same water from their wells.
18. People in Beijing are suffocating, air pollution exceeds the norm by 40 times.
19. Fish die in lakes abnormally filled with algae.
20. More than a hundred types of pesticides in the air, water or soil in any area can cause birth defects, gene mutations or cancer.





21. There are more than 500 million cars in the world. By 2030, their number will increase to 1 billion - this means that the level of environmental pollution in cities will double.
22. Large oil spills like those in the Gulf of Mexico are the worst kind of pollution due to oil spills into water bodies that spread everywhere.
23. People using household chemicals produce 10 times more toxic substances per 4000 square meters than the amount allocated by farmers.
24. 88% of children in China suffer from various diseases respiratory tract, especially those living in areas with huge levels of plastic waste.
25. Antarctica is the cleanest place on Earth and is protected by anti-pollution laws to ensure that the area is not affected by environmental problems.





26. Americans buy more than 29 million bottles of water every year. Only 13% of these bottles are recycled each year.
27. The deadly 2011 tsunami in Japan created debris over a 112-kilometer radius that consisted of cars, plastic, corpses and radioactive waste.
28. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which develops due to indoor air pollution, is responsible for the deaths of more than 1 million people per year.
29. Public transport and the use of modern, environmentally friendly cars can help you reduce air pollution and save money.
30. In Mexico alone, 6,400 people die every year due to air pollution.

Ecology is affected by every creature on the planet. People need to understand that they do not have to do something global to stop environmental pollution. For example, try using more often public transport, not a car that is not needed everywhere to get somewhere. In addition, pollution of the natural environment causes hundreds of diseases in adults and especially children. If air pollution levels do not decrease, our future will consist of smog, resulting in high mortality due to suffocation. The living world will slowly and painfully die. People need to unite, become one and solve problems related to environmental pollution. So that in the future one can live in a peaceful and clean environment.

Anthropogenic pollution of the environment

Environmental pollution is understood as an undesirable change in its properties as a result of anthropogenic input of various substances and compounds. This pollution leads to harmful effects on the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, buildings, structures and materials, and ultimately on humans themselves. The main source of such pollution is the return to nature of a huge mass of waste that is generated in the process of production and consumption. human society. According to scientists, in 1970 they amounted to 40 million tons, and by the end of the 20th century. their volume can reach 100 billion tons. The entry into the environment of chemical substances synthesized by mankind and previously not existing in nature is especially dangerous. Exists a large number of pollution and their types. Let's look at some of them.

Soil pollution occurs as a result of irrational environmental management. This contamination can arise from illiterate management Agriculture, land disturbances during construction and mining. As a result, little productive and unproductive lands appear. In extreme cases, a landscape of so-called “bad lands” (badlands) arises, which currently occupy 1% of the land surface. Industrial and agricultural waste can be an important cause of soil pollution. household waste, improper application of fertilizers. The main pollutants are heavy metals and their compounds, fertilizers, pesticides, and radioactive substances.

Pollution of the hydrosphere occurs primarily as a result of the discharge of wastewater into rivers, lakes and seas. Their total volume reaches 1 thousand km 3 per year. To neutralize them by dilution, about 10 thousand km 3 of clean water is required. The most polluted rivers are the Rhine, Danube, Seine, Tiber, Mississippi, Ohio, Volga, Dnieper, Don, Dniester, Nile, and Ganges.

Pollution of the World Ocean is growing, into which about 100 million tons of waste ends up. The most polluted seas are the Mediterranean, Northern, Irish, Baltic, Black, Azov, Japanese, Java and Caribbean. Oil pollution causes great harm. 3-4 million tons of oil and petroleum products enter the World Ocean annually, and according to some estimates, much more (up to 16 million tons). It is believed that 1/3 of the surface of the World Ocean is covered with an oily film. Oil pollution is especially high in the Northern, Mediterranean, Caribbean Seas, Persian and Mexican Gulfs.

Atmospheric pollution occurs primarily as a result of the combustion of mineral fuels. The main atmospheric pollutants are oxides of carbon, sulfur and nitrogen. The annual release of acid gas into the atmosphere is estimated at 100-150 million tons. Its emissions are associated with the formation of so-called acid rains, which cause great harm to the natural and animal world, reduce productivity, destroy buildings, architectural monuments, and negatively affect on the health of the people. Acid rain-qi became most widespread in Europe and North America. For example, in Scandinavia, which receives acid precipitation mainly from Great Britain and Germany, salmon, trout and other fish have disappeared from 20 thousand lakes. In many countries of Western Europe and in some regions of Russia, forests are dying due to acid rain.

Currently, environmental pollution has reached such an extent that urgent measures need to be taken. There are three main solutions environmental problems. The first is the creation of treatment facilities, the use of low-sulfur fuel, the destruction and processing of garbage, the construction of chimneys with a height of 200-300 m or more, land reclamation, etc. The second direction of overcoming environmental pollution is the development and application of environmental (“clean”) production technology, development negotiable methods water supply, etc. This path has special meaning, since it not only reduces, but prevents environmental pollution. The third way is a deeply thought-out, rational placement of “dirty” industries that have an adverse impact on the environment.

Environmental policy

Environmental pollution and unsustainable use of natural resources impede the development of production and threaten people's lives. Therefore, a massive public movement began in defense of nature. Most economically developed countries and some developing countries have begun to implement public environmental policies. Environmental laws were adopted, government bodies on environmental protection. As a result, in the 80s. Environmental pollution in some regions of the world is gradually decreasing. However, in most countries the environmental situation continues to remain tense. The efforts of individual countries were not enough to implement environmental policy. The efforts of the entire world community are needed. In the UN system there is special program submersible environment (UNEP), etc. Geographers from many countries, including Russia, are taking part in this work.

Man is an animal that left its natural habitat and at the same time created its own - the so-called cultural environment. However, although we do not live in natural conditions, we still depend on nature and probably will always depend on it. WITH early years The fact that “man” and “nature” are inseparable concepts from each other must settle in our heads, and we must maintain the harmony of these relations.

The atmosphere, the water of the World Ocean, the condition of the soil - all this directly affects our lives. The question arises: if everyone knows that pollution of the natural environment can lead to the death of all humanity, why every year the volume Is the harmful impact on our planet only increasing?

Environmental pollution - global problem humanity, which is discussed from all sides in the world community. Many organizations and groups are being created whose goal is to prevent an impending disaster or combat the consequences of a disaster that has already occurred.

In general, environmental problems - this is not only a modern phenomenon, but it was in recent decades that it acquired colossal proportions. However, environmental problems are one of the most ancient human problems, associated primarily with the thoughtless and simply barbaric activities of people. It is worth saying that even in the primitive era, forests were mercilessly cut down, animals were exterminated, the landscape was changed to please people who were exploring new habitats and looking for resources.

And even in those days these actions did not go unpunished. The climate changed, environmental disasters occurred. Then, with the growth of the Earth's population, the migration of peoples and increased mining, chemical pollution of the surrounding world came to the fore.

We cannot assess what contribution past generations have made to the current environmental situation, but the most accurate and detailed analysis any vital condition important indicators of our planet. Therefore, it is necessary to use strength new technologies to monitor the current state and develop programs that can improve the environmental situation on the planet. So far, everything suggests that the appearance of man is the most important ecological catastrophy Earth. Thus, with the development of industry, with an increase in its scale, the state of each environmental indicator worsens, for example, chemical composition air, water and soil.

Classification of natural pollutants

There are several types of pollution, identified by source and direction:

• Biological. The source is living beings. Can occur due to natural causes or as a result of human activity.
• Physical. Change physical characteristics environment. This includes: noise, heat, radiation and other pollution.
• Mechanical. Pollution through the accumulation of undisposed garbage and waste.

Often, types of pollution combine to create a complex problem that must be solved.

Without constant gas exchange, the life of not a single living creature on the planet is possible. The atmosphere is a participant in a wide variety of natural processes. It determines the temperature of the earth, and with it the climate, protects from cosmic radiation, and also affects the terrain.

It is known that the chemical composition of the atmosphere changed throughout historical development Earth. Nowadays, a situation has arisen in which the composition of part of the volume of the atmosphere is determined by emissions created by the aggregate industrial enterprises. Due to this, the air composition is heterogeneous and strongly depends on geographical location. Thus, in a large industrial and densely populated city located on a plain, the content of various impurities is much higher than in a mountain village, whose residents are mostly involved in agriculture.

The main sources of chemical pollution of the atmosphere:

• Chemical industry enterprises;
• Fuel and energy facilities;
• Transport.

Due to the activity of these pollution factors, salts of heavy metals such as mercury, copper, chromium and lead accumulate in the atmosphere. It even got to the point that they became permanent elements of the chemical composition of the air in cities, whose main activity is the work of large enterprises in the heavy or chemical industries. For surrounding nature The enterprises in these industries are the most dangerous.

Needless to say, even today power plants emit hundreds of tons into the atmosphere every day. carbon dioxide, as well as ash, dust and soot. Huge carbon dioxide emissions are believed to be the main cause global warming on the planet.

Almost every family owns a car. The city is jam-packed with cars different brands and models. However, there is a price for convenience and freedom of movement: currently, in cities and other populated areas, the content of various harmful substances in the air, which are part of machine exhaust, has sharply increased. Due to various production fuel additives, volatile lead compounds are formed in gasoline, which are easily released into the atmosphere. In addition, a car is a source of dust, dirt and ash, which, when settled, also pollute the soil.

The gas envelope of the earth is also greatly affected by poisonous gases - by-products production of chemical industry enterprises. Waste from chemical plants is very difficult to dispose of, and the little that is still decided to be released into the atmosphere, for example, oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, will cause the next acid rain and can even completely change the chemical composition of the air in the surrounding area, reacting with other components atmosphere.

Also carbon dioxide emissions and carbon monoxide Numerous forest and peat fires contribute to the atmosphere, which can be caused by both natural factors and anthropogenic activities.

Soil is called thin layer lithosphere, which was formed as a result of metabolic processes between living and nonliving systems.

Most of these dangerous compounds are lead compounds. It is known that during the production process from lead ore approximately 30 kg of metal per ton. Car exhaust also contributes, containing large amounts of lead that settles in soils. It disrupts the natural relationships in the existing ecosystem of the earth. In addition, waste from mines also leads to increased levels of copper, zinc and other hazardous metals in the soil.

Power plants, radioactive waste from nuclear power plants and other nuclear enterprises are one of the reasons for the release of radioactive isotopes into the soil.

An additional danger is that all of the listed substances and compounds can enter the human body with products grown on poisoned soil, which will at least lead to a decrease in immunity.

Dangerous discharges into water

The scale of hydrosphere pollution is much greater than you can imagine. Oil spills and debris in the world's oceans are just the tip of the iceberg. Its bulk is hidden in the depths, or rather, dissolved in water. Catastrophic water pollution causes enormous harm to its inhabitants.

However, water can also become polluted due to natural reasons. As a result of mudflows and floods, magnesium is washed out from the soil of the continents, which ends up in the ocean, causing harm to its inhabitants. But natural pollution- this is a tiny part if we compare the scale of the impact with the anthropogenic one.

Because of human activity The following enter the waters of the World Ocean:

The source of pollution is fishing boats, large farms, oil platforms, extracting resources in the shelf zone, hydroelectric power plants, chemical industry facilities, as well as sewage drains.

Acid rain, being the result of anthropogenic activity, affects the soil, dissolves the soil and washes out heavy metal salts, which, once in the water, poison it.

There is also physical pollution of water, more specifically thermal pollution. Enormous volumes of water are used in the process of generating electricity, for example, to cool turbines. And then the waste liquid, which has an elevated temperature, is disposed of in water bodies.

Also, water quality may deteriorate due to its contamination by household waste in populated areas. This has a detrimental effect on the flora and fauna of water bodies and can even lead to the extinction of entire species. The protection of water from pollution is primarily associated with the construction of modern treatment facilities.

Ways to combat environmental pollution

This problem should become a priority for all states of the world. Even the most powerful state alone cannot cope with such a task. Nature has no state borders, planet Earth is ours common Home, which means taking care of it, maintaining order in it is our common and most important responsibility. Protecting our planet is only possible through joint efforts.

In order to stop or reduce the release of toxic substances into the environment, strict sanctions should be introduced to enterprises that discharge waste into the environment, and the implementation of the imposed ones should be monitored. In addition, enterprises that emit gases into the atmosphere must be required to install filters that reduce the percentage of toxic substances released into the air. It is necessary to oblige all states to impose large fines for leaving garbage in places not designated for it, as, for example, this has been successfully done in Singapore.

What other methods should you use?

We all need to remember that environmental pollution natural environment and human health are dependent. In short, the worse the environmental situation, the more diseases people are susceptible to. We noticed that in Lately Are there more reports of cancer? This fact is also associated with the deplorable environmental situation on the planet. The earth is our home, its protection and protection is the task of each of us. In order not to look out the window at a picture more suitable for illustrations for books in the post-apocalypse genre, we need to join forces in a mission to improve the environmental situation on the planet. Together we can do this.

The most common type of negative human impact on the biosphere is pollution, which is associated in one way or another with the most acute environmental situations. Pollution call the entry into the natural environment of any solid, liquid, gaseous substances, microorganisms, energy (in the form of sound waves, radiation) in quantities harmful to human health, animals, the condition of plants and other forms of life.

polluter- this is a substance, a physical factor, a biological species that is present in the environment in quantities beyond the limits of their natural content in nature. In other words, a pollutant is everything that is present in the environment in the wrong place, at the wrong time, or in the wrong quantity.

Any substance or factor can become a pollutant under certain circumstances. For example, sodium cations are necessary for the body to maintain electrolytic balance, conduct nerve impulses, and activate digestive enzymes. However, in large quantities, sodium salts are poisonous; yes, 250 g table salt is a lethal dose for humans.

Consequences of pollution of any type can become:

– disruption of life support systems at the local, regional, global levels: climate change, reduction in the natural rate of circulation of substances and energy necessary for the normal functioning of humans and other living beings;

– harm to human health: the spread of infectious diseases, irritation and diseases of the respiratory tract, changes at the genetic level, changes in reproductive function, cancerous degeneration of cells;

– damage to vegetation and wildlife; decreased productivity of forests and food crops, harmful effects on animals, which leads to their extinction;

– damage to property: corrosion of metals, chemical and physical destruction of materials, buildings, monuments;

– unpleasant and aesthetically unacceptable effects: unpleasant smell and taste, decreased visibility in the atmosphere, soiling of clothing.

Pollution of the natural environment can be controlled at the input and output. Input controls prevent a potential pollutant from entering the environment or dramatically reduce its entry. For example, sulfur impurities can be removed from coal before it is burned, which will prevent or dramatically reduce the release of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, which is harmful to plants and the respiratory system. Output control aims to eliminate waste that has already entered the environment.

Classification of pollutants

Distinguish natural and anthropogenic sources of pollution. Natural pollution is associated with the activity of volcanoes, forest fires, mudflows, and the release of polymetallic ores to the surface of the earth; the release of gases from the bowels of the earth, the activity of microorganisms, plants, animals. Anthropogenic pollution is associated with human economic activities.

Classification of anthropogenic (technogenic) impacts caused by environmental pollution includes the main categories:

1.Material and energy characteristics of impacts: mechanical, physical (thermal, electromagnetic, radiation, acoustic), chemical, biological factors and agents, their various combinations. In most cases, such agents are emissions (i.e. emissions - emissions, sinks, radiation, etc.) from various technical sources.

2.Quantitative characteristics of impact: strength and degree of danger (intensity of factors and effects, mass, concentration, “dose-effect” characteristics, toxicity, permissibility according to environmental and sanitary standards); spatial scales, prevalence (local, regional, global).

3.Temporal parameters of impacts according to the nature of the effects: short-term and long-term, persistent and unstable, direct and indirect, having pronounced or hidden trace effects, reversible and irreversible, actual and potential, threshold effects.

4.Impact categories: various living recipients (capable of perceiving and reacting) - people, animals, plants, as well as environmental components, which include: the environment of settlements and premises, natural landscapes, soil, water bodies, atmosphere, near-Earth space; structures.

Within each of these categories, a certain ranking of the environmental significance of factors, characteristics and objects is possible. In general, in terms of the nature and scale of current impacts, chemical pollution is the most significant, and the greatest potential threat is associated with radiation. Recently, a particular danger has been posed not only by the growth of pollution, but also by their total impact, which often exceeds the final effect of a simple summation of impacts, which has a “peak” effect - synergy. As for the objects of influence, the person comes first.

Sources anthropogenic environmental pollution is caused by industrial enterprises, energy, agriculture, construction, transport, food production and consumption, and the use of household items.

Sources of technogenic emissions can be organized And unorganized, stationary and mobile. Organized sources are equipped with special devices for the directed removal of emissions (chimneys, ventilation shafts, discharge channels), emissions from unorganized sources are arbitrary. Sources also differ in geometric characteristics (point, linear, area) and in operating mode - continuous, periodic, burst.

The sources of chemical and thermal pollution are thermochemical processes in the energy sector - fuel combustion and associated thermal and chemical processes. Associated reactions are associated with the content of various impurities in the fuel, with the oxidation of air nitrogen and with secondary reactions already in the environment.

All these reactions accompany the operation of thermal stations, industrial furnaces, engines internal combustion, gas turbine and jet engines, metallurgy processes, roasting of mineral raw materials. The greatest contribution to energy-dependent environmental pollution comes from energy and transport. On average, in the fuel thermal power industry, about 150 kg of pollutants are emitted per 1 ton of standard fuel.

Let's consider the balance of substances of an “average” passenger car with a fuel consumption of 8 liters (6 kg) per 100 km. With optimal engine operation, combustion of 1 kg of gasoline is accompanied by the consumption of 13.5 kg of air and the emission of 14.5 kg of waste substances. Up to 200 compounds are recorded in emissions. The total mass of pollution - on average about 270 g per 1 kg of gasoline burned, in terms of the entire volume of fuel consumed by passenger cars in the world, will be about 340 million tons; for everything road transport– up to 400 million tons.

By scale pollution may be local, local, characterized by a high content of pollutants in small areas (city, industrial enterprise); regional when large areas are affected (river basin, state); global when pollution is detected anywhere on the planet (biosphere pollution) and cosmic(garbage, spent spacecraft stages).

As a rule, many anthropogenic pollutants are no different from natural ones, with the exception of xenobiotics, substances alien to nature. These are artificial and synthetic compounds produced by the chemical industry: polymers, surfactants. In nature there are no agents for their decomposition and absorption, so they accumulate in the environment.

Distinguish primary and secondary pollution. At primary In pollution, harmful substances are formed directly during natural or anthropogenic processes. At secondary pollution, harmful substances are synthesized in the environment from primary substances; the formation of secondary pollutants is often catalyzed by sunlight (a photochemical process). As a rule, secondary pollutants are more toxic than primary pollutants (phosgene is formed from chlorine and carbon monoxide).

All types of environmental pollution can be combined into groups: chemical, physical, physicochemical, biological, mechanical, informational and complex.

Chemical pollution associated with the release of chemicals into the environment. Physical pollution associated with changes in the physical parameters of the environment: temperature (thermal pollution), wave parameters (light, noise, electromagnetic); radiation parameters (radiation and radioactive). Shape physical and chemical pollution is aerosol (smog, smoke).

Biological contamination is associated with the introduction and reproduction of organisms undesirable for humans into the environment, with the penetration or introduction of new species into natural systems, which causes negative changes in biocenoses. Contamination of the environment with materials that have an adverse mechanical effect without physical and chemical consequences (garbage) is called mechanical contamination. Complex pollution environment – thermal and and informational, caused by the combined effect of various types of pollution .

Some pollutants acquire toxic properties after entering the body through the process of chemical transformations that occur there. The same substance or factor can cause multiple effects on the body.

The effect of pollutants on the human body manifests itself in different ways. Poisons act on the liver, kidneys, hematopoietic systems, blood, and respiratory organs. Carcinogenic and mutagenic effects – as a result of changes in the information properties of germ and somatic cells, fibrogenic– appearance of benign tumors (fibromas); teratogenic– deformities in newborns; allergenic– causing allergic reactions: damage to the skin (eczema), respiratory tract (asthma); n neuro- and psychotropic effect associated with the effect of a toxicant on the central nervous system of the human body.

According to the mechanism of action of the pollutant on the body, they are distinguished:

– irritating substances that change the pH of the mucous membrane or irritate nerve endings;

– substances or factors that change the ratio of oxidative and reduction reactions in the body;

– substances that irreversibly bind to organic or inorganic compounds that make up tissues;

– fat-soluble substances that disrupt the functions of biological membranes;

– substances that replace chemical elements or compounds in the cell;

– factors influencing electromagnetic and mechanical oscillatory processes in the body.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION– the introduction of new, uncharacteristic physical, chemical and biological agents or exceeding their natural level.

Any chemical contamination is the appearance of a chemical substance in a place not intended for it. Pollution arising from human activity is the main factor in its harmful effects on the natural environment.

Chemical pollutants can cause acute poisoning, chronic diseases, and also have carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. For example, heavy metals can accumulate in plant and animal tissues, causing toxic effects. In addition to heavy metals, particularly dangerous pollutants are chlorodioxins, which are formed from chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons used in the production of herbicides. Sources of environmental pollution with dioxins are by-products of the pulp and paper industry, waste metallurgical industry, exhaust gases from internal combustion engines. These substances are very toxic to humans and animals even at low concentrations and cause damage to the liver, kidneys, and immune system.

Along with environmental pollution by new synthetic substances, great damage to nature and human health can be caused by interference in natural cycles of substances due to active production and agriculture. economic activity, as well as the generation of household waste.

At first, human activities affected only living matter land and soil. In the 19th century, when industry began to rapidly develop, the sphere industrial production significant masses began to get involved chemical elements, extracted from the bowels of the earth. At the same time, not only the outer part began to be exposed earth's crust, but also natural waters and atmosphere.

In the middle of the 20th century. some elements began to be used in quantities that are comparable to the masses involved in natural cycles. The low efficiency of much of modern industrial technology has led to the formation huge amount waste that is not recycled in related industries, but is released into the environment. The masses of polluting waste are so large that they pose a danger to living organisms, including humans.

Although chemical industry is not the main supplier of pollution (Fig. 1); it is characterized by emissions that are most dangerous for the natural environment, humans, animals and plants (Fig. 2). The term “hazardous waste” applies to any kind of waste that may cause harm to health or the environment when stored, transported, processed or discharged. These include toxic substances, flammable wastes, corrosive wastes and other reactive substances.

Depending on the characteristics of mass transfer cycles, the polluting component can spread over the entire surface of the planet, over a more or less significant area, or have a local character. Thus, environmental crises, resulting from environmental pollution, can be of three types - global, regional and local

One of the global problems is the increase in carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere as a result of man-made emissions. Most dangerous consequence This phenomenon can be caused by an increase in air temperature due to the “greenhouse effect”. The problem of disrupting the global carbon mass exchange cycle is already moving from the environmental sphere to the economic, social and, ultimately, political spheres.

In December 1997 in Kyoto (Japan) it was adopted Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(dated May 1992) (). The main thing in Protocol– quantitative obligations of developed countries and countries with economies in transition, including Russia, to limit and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, primarily CO 2, into the atmosphere in 2008–2012. Russia's permitted level of greenhouse gas emissions for these years is 100% of the 1990 level. For EU countries as a whole it is 92%, for Japan - 94%. The US was supposed to have 93%, but this country refused to participate in the Protocol, since reducing carbon dioxide emissions means lower levels of electricity generation and, therefore, stagnation of industry. October 23, 2004 The State Duma Russia has decided to ratify Kyoto Protocol.

Regional-scale pollution includes many industrial and transport wastes. First of all, this concerns sulfur dioxide. It causes the formation of acid rain, which affects plants and animals and causes diseases in the population. Technogenic sulfur oxides are distributed unevenly and cause damage to certain areas. Due to the transfer of air masses, they often cross state borders and end up in territories remote from industrial centers.

IN major cities and industrial centers, the air, along with carbon and sulfur oxides, is often polluted with nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emitted by automobile engines and chimneys. Smog formation is often observed. Although these pollutions are local in nature, they affect many people living compactly in such areas. In addition, damage to the environment is caused.

One of the main environmental pollutants is agricultural production. Significant masses of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are artificially introduced into the cycle system of chemical elements in the form mineral fertilizers. Their excess, not absorbed by plants, is actively involved in water migration. The accumulation of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds in natural bodies of water causes increased growth of aquatic vegetation, overgrowing of water bodies and pollution of them with dead plant debris and decomposition products. In addition, an abnormally high content of soluble nitrogen compounds in the soil entails an increase in the concentration of this element in agricultural food products and drinking water. It can cause serious illness in people.

As an example showing changes in the structure of the biological cycle as a result of human activity, we can consider data for the forest zone of the European part of Russia (table). In prehistoric times, this entire area was covered with forests; now their area has decreased by almost half. Their place was taken by fields, meadows, pastures, as well as cities, towns, and highways. The decrease in the total mass of some elements due to the general decrease in the mass of green plants is compensated by the application of fertilizers, which involves significantly more nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in biological migration than natural vegetation. Deforestation and soil plowing contribute to increased water migration. Thus, the content of compounds of certain elements (nitrogen, potassium, calcium) in natural waters increases significantly.

Table: MIGRATION OF ELEMENTS IN THE FOREST ZONE OF THE EUROPEAN PART OF RUSSIA

Table 3. MIGRATION OF ELEMENTS IN THE FOREST ZONE OF THE EUROPEAN PART OF RUSSIA(million tons per year) in the prehistoric period (at gray background) and currently (on a white background)
	Nitrogen		Phosphorus		Potassium		Calcium		Sulfur
Precipitation	0,9	0,9	0,03	0,03	1,1	1,1	1,5	1,5	2,6	2,6
Biological cycle	21,1	20,6	2,9	2,4	5,5	9,9	9,2	8,1	1,5	1,5
Receipts from fertilizers	0	0,6	0	0,18	0	0,45	0	12,0	0	0,3
Harvest removal, forest cutting		11,3	0	1,1	0	4,5	0	5,3	0	0,6
Water runoff	0,8	1,21	0,17	0,17	2,0	6,1	7,3	16,6	5,4	4,6

Organic waste is also a water pollutant. Their oxidation requires additional oxygen. If the oxygen content is too low, the normal life of most aquatic organisms becomes impossible. Aerobic bacteria, which require oxygen, also die; instead, bacteria develop that use sulfur compounds for their vital functions. A sign of the appearance of such bacteria is the smell of hydrogen sulfide, one of their metabolic products.

Among the many consequences of the economic activities of human society, the process of progressive accumulation of metals in the environment is of particular importance. The most dangerous pollutants include mercury, pigs and cadmium. Technogenic inputs of manganese, tin, copper, molybdenum, chromium, nickel and cobalt also have a significant impact on living organisms and their communities (Fig. 3).

Natural waters can be contaminated with pesticides and dioxins, as well as oil. Oil decomposition products are toxic, and the oil film, which isolates water from air, leads to the death of living organisms (primarily plankton) in the water.

In addition to the accumulation of toxic and harmful substances in the soil as a result of human activity, land damage is caused by the burial and dumping of industrial and household waste.

The main measures to combat air pollution are: strict control of emissions of harmful substances. It is necessary to replace toxic starting products with non-toxic ones, switch to closed cycles, and improve gas purification and dust collection methods. Great importance has the optimization of the location of enterprises to reduce transport emissions, as well as the competent application of economic sanctions.

Greater role in protecting the environment from chemical pollution International cooperation begins to play a role. In the 1970s ozone layer protecting our planet from dangerous activities ultraviolet radiation Sun, a decrease in O 3 concentration was detected. In 1974 it was established that ozone is destroyed by atomic chlorine. One of the main sources of chlorine entering the atmosphere are chlorofluorocarbon derivatives (freons, freons) used in aerosol cans, refrigerators and air conditioners. The destruction of the ozone layer occurs, perhaps, not only under the influence of these substances. However, measures have been taken to reduce their production and use. In 1985, many countries agreed to protect the ozone layer. Exchange of information and joint research on changes in atmospheric ozone concentrations continue.

Carrying out measures to prevent the entry of pollutants into water bodies includes the establishment of coastal protective stripes And water protection zones, abandonment of toxic chlorine-containing pesticides, reduction of discharges from industrial enterprises through the use of closed cycles. Reducing the risk of oil pollution is possible by increasing the reliability of tankers.

To prevent pollution of the Earth's surface, preventive measures are needed - to prevent contamination of soils with industrial and domestic wastewater, solid household and industrial waste, sanitary cleaning of the soil and the territory of populated areas where such violations have been identified is necessary.

The best solution to the problem of environmental pollution would be waste-free production that does not have wastewater, gas emissions and solid waste. However, waste-free production today and in the foreseeable future is fundamentally impossible; to implement it, it is necessary to create a unified cyclic system of flows of matter and energy for the entire planet. If the loss of matter, at least theoretically, can still be prevented, then environmental problems in the energy sector will still remain. Thermal pollution cannot be avoided in principle, and so-called clean energy sources, e.g. wind power plants, still cause damage to the environment.

So far, the only way to significantly reduce environmental pollution is low-waste technologies. Currently, low-waste industries are being created in which emissions of harmful substances do not exceed maximum permissible concentrations (MPC), and waste does not lead to irreversible changes in nature. Complex processing of raw materials, combination of several industries, and use of solid waste for the production of building materials are used.

New technologies and materials, environmentally friendly fuels, and new energy sources are being created that reduce environmental pollution.

Elena Savinkina