Pollution

Pollution is the introduction of unwanted substances to the environment while the substance or particle being introduced into the environment is referred to as a pollutant.

Pollution itself can be separated into two main categories, namely, primary and secondary pollution.

Primary Pollution

Primary pollution is caused by an air pollutant emitted from a source directly into the atmosphere. The source can be a natural process such as a volcanic eruption or may be influenced by humans through industrial activities and other emissions.Examples of primary pollutants include carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter.

Secondary Pollution

Secondary pollution on the other hand is usually caused by a pollutant that is already in the atmosphere and has a chemical or physical interaction with other primary pollutants to form another pollutant. Acid rain is an example of secondary pollution. It is caused when sulphur dioxide reacts with rain and becomes the secondary pollutant of acid rain.

Differences Between Primary And Secondary Pollution

• Primary pollutants are caused by an air pollutant that is emitted directly into the atmosphere whereas secondary pollutants are formed in the atmosphere after a chemical or physical interaction between primary pollutants.
• Primary pollutants are characterised with direct pollution effects on living beings and ecosystems and indirect effects when forming into secondary pollutants whereas secondary pollutants are chemical products that are usually highly reactive.
• Primary pollutants can be directly controlled through the reduction of emissions whereas secondary pollutants have a more complicated controlled process where chemical reactions have to be interrupted.

Causes of Pollution

Some types of pollution can be of natural causes such as:

• Respiration
• Decomposition
• Wildfires
• Volcanoes

Some types of pollution can be of man made causes such as:

• Energy Production
• Vehicular Emissions
• Resource Extraction
• Domestic Waste