Every year, more than 12 million individuals worldwide die as a result of their unhealthy living or working environment. The environment can have a significant impact on health in a variety of ways, from the air we breathe to the state of the roads we travel on. The concentration of chemicals inside the target organ and the amount of time spent exposed determine the toxicological effects. The likelihood of living in a polluted environment and having contaminated water is higher for people with low incomes. In addition, the risk of pollution-related health issues is higher for children and pregnant women. Environmental toxins can result in diseases like Minamata disease, Yokkaichi asthma, Itai-itai disease, Blue baby syndrome, Pneumoconiosis, Asbestosis, Silicosis, Emphysema, and Sick Building Syndrome. This article will explain to you Environment Issues and Health Effects which will be helpful in preparing the Environment Syllabus for the UPSC Civil Service exam.

Iodine - 131

• Iodine-131 is a significant radioisotope of iodine and it is also known as radioiodine.
• Its half-life for radioactive decay is approximately eight days.
• It is connected to the production of natural gas, medical diagnosis and treatment, and nuclear energy.
• It is one of the most feared fission products when unintentionally released into the environment and is frequently utilized in small dosages in thyroid and cancer treatments.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Iodine - 131

Lead - Toxicology Effects

• Lead is a lustrous, bluish-white metal. It is ductile, extremely malleable, soft, and a poor conductor of electricity.
• Each of the three series of naturally occurring radioactive elements produces lead isotopes as a byproduct.
• Lead is dangerous for people and can target important internal organs, which has resulted in several cases of lead poisoning.
• High lead exposure levels can harm the kidneys and the brain in addition to causing anemia and weakness. High levels of lead exposure can be fatal.
• Since lead can pass through the placental barrier, pregnant women who are exposed to it also put their unborn child at risk.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Lead - Toxicology Effects

Mercury - Toxicology Effects

• Mercury (Hg), often known as quicksilver, is a chemical element that belongs to Group 12 of the periodic table and is a liquid metal.
• Mercury is a component found in a variety of devices, including thermometers, barometers, manometers, sphygmomanometers, float valves, mercury switches, mercury relays, fluorescent lights, and more.
• Any form of mercury is harmful, and the GI tract, renal, and nervous systems are the most often affected organ systems by mercury toxicity.
• Ingestion of mercury, inhalation of mercury vapor, and skin absorption of mercury can all result in mercury poisoning.
• Methylmercury is formed when mercury enters living things and subsequently concentrates up the food chain.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Mercury Toxicology Effects

Fluorine Toxicology Effects

• Fluorine (F) is the lightest halogen element and the most reactive chemical element.
• Its extreme capacity to attract electrons (it is the most electronegative element) and the small size of its atoms are both responsible for its high level of chemical activity.
• Fluorine affects young children's brain development in addition to the irritation of the eyes, noses, and bone and tooth decay.
• Future cognitive performance may suffer if fluoride exposure occurs before birth. Low IQ scores are caused by fluoride levels that are too high.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Fluorine Toxicology Effects

DDT

• Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, or DDT, is an organochloride that is a colorless, flavorless, and nearly odorless crystalline chemical substance.
• It was initially created as an insecticide, but its effects on the environment made it notorious.
• Toxic pesticides such as BHC, PCB, DDT, and others are not easily degraded and have a long life in the environment.
• As a result, their concentration in water and soil increases with each application.
• For many years, DDT was sprayed on marshes to control mosquitoes.
• During the second half of World War II, DDT was employed to prevent the spread of the insect-borne diseases typhus and malaria among both civilians and military personnel.

*To know more about the topic, click this link DDT

Lead in Paints

• Paint containing lead is known as lead paint or lead-based paint.
• Lead is added to paint for various reasons such as to speed drying, boost durability, maintain a decent look, and resist corrosion-causing moisture.
• It is one of the primary risks to human health and the environment brought on by paint. Modern homes are filled with hazardous chemicals.
• The most common cause of lead poisoning is inhaling lead dust while opening or closing windows.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Lead in Paints

Transfat

• Trans-unsaturated fatty acids, often known as trans fats or trans fatty acids (TFAs), are a type of unsaturated fat that has been linked to a range of detrimental health effects.
• Over 5,000 000 deaths worldwide due to coronary heart disease are linked to trans fat, widely known as the worst kind of fat in food.
• Transfats are formed during the process of adding hydrogen atoms to oils, which is preferred by the industry because it prevents the oil from turning rancid and ensures a longer shelf life.
• Transfats have been linked to a slew of serious health issues ranging from diabetes to heart disease to cancer.

*To know more about the topic, click this link TRANSFAT

High Caffeine in Energy Drinks

• Energy drinks are a matter of controversy due to their high caffeine concentration.
• The majority of these brands contain up to 320 ppm of caffeine. These drinks are promoted as a quick source of energy.
• Energy drink consumption that is high in caffeine has been linked to short-term cardiovascular side effects such hypertension and palpitations.
• Smaller quantities of caffeine in energy drinks did not cause these cardiovascular adverse effects (less than 200 mg).

*To know more about the topic, click this link High Caffeine in Energy Drinks

Pesticide in Human Blood

• Pesticides are made to eliminate pests. In India, the use of pesticides is widespread, yet the cost to human health is high.
• Moreover, pests multiply quickly in tropical regions due to favorable environmental conditions. Pesticides can reach the bloodstream through the throat, nasal passage, and lungs.
• The blood loaded with pesticides will circulate all over the body causing serious effects.
• Pesticide exposure can have genotoxic effects, disturb the endocrine system, raise the chance of breast cancer, endometriosis, hypospadias, and cryptorchidism, as well as other adverse health impacts.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Pesticide in Human Blood

Diseases Caused By Environmental Degradation

Minamata Disease

• Minamata disease is a neurological condition brought on by severe mercury poisoning.
• In the technical sense of the word, Minamata disease is not truly a disease; rather, it is a neurological syndrome brought on by environmental and industrial pollution.
• This indicates that the central nervous system is impacted by pollutant poisoning.
• Methylmercury is the specific pollutant that causes this condition.
• Ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, generalized muscle weakness, loss of peripheral vision, and damage to hearing and speech are some of the signs and symptoms.
• In severe cases, coma, death, paralysis, and insanity all occur within a few weeks of the commencement of symptoms.
• Cerebral palsy may result from a congenital type of illness that can also harm fetuses in the womb.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Minamata Disease

Yokkaichi Asthma

• Yokkaichi asthma is the term used to describe cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, and bronchial asthma in people as well as various environmental changes.
• These are typically attributed to sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions that were visible as smog over the city of Yokkaichi in Japan, between 1960 and 1972.
• Large amounts of sulphur oxide were emitted during the burning of crude oil and petroleum, causing serious cases of disease among the local population.
• The refineries and petrochemical processing facilities that were constructed in the region between 1957 and 1973 are generally recognized as the causes of sulphur oxide pollution.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Yokkaichi Asthma

Itai-itai Disease

• Itai-itai disease was initially identified in Japan in the 1960s and is caused by exposure to cadmium (Cd), which is a result of human activities associated with industrialization.
• Osteomalacia with severe bone pain is a defining feature of Itai-Itai illness, which is also linked to renal tubular dysfunction.
• As the bone deteriorates, the discomfort finally becomes incapacitating, increasing the likelihood of fractures.
• Anemia, kidney failure and coughing are among more consequences that might result in mortality.
• Itai-itai Disease is also referred to as ouch ouch disease.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Itai-itai Disease

Blue Baby Syndrome

• Blue Baby Syndrome, sometimes known as Infant methemoglobinemia is a disorder where a baby's skin turns blue.
• Insufficient oxygen levels in the blood cause blue baby syndrome.
• Some infants are born with methemoglobinemia (congenital), whereas others develop it later in life (acquired).
• Normally, the heart pumps blood to the lungs, where it is oxygenated. The heart is used to pump the blood back throughout the body.
• Blood may not be properly oxygenated if the heart, lungs, or blood are not functioning properly. The skin turns blue as a result of this.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Blue Baby Syndrome

Pneumoconiosis

• The word "pneumoconiosis" refers to a group of interstitial lung diseases where interstitial fibrosis has developed as a result of dust exposure.
• The three most prevalent types are coal miners' lungs, silicosis, and asbestosis.
• Depending on the degree and severity, it may result in death within months or years, or it may never show symptoms.
• It is typically an occupational lung disease brought on by prolonged exposure to dust while working in the mining, textile industry, shipbuilding, ship repair, and/or shipbreaking industries, as well as in sandblasting, industrial jobs, rock drilling, or agriculture.
• It is among the most severe occupational diseases in the world.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Pneumoconiosis

Asbestosis

• Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease brought on by breathing in asbestos fibers.
• Asbestosis is one of over 200 different types of pulmonary fibrosis, as well as interstitial lung disease.
• Asbestos fibers never disintegrate once they enter the body, and the body has a very difficult time getting rid of them.
• Long-term contact with these fibers can result in lung tissue damage and breathing difficulties.
• Mild to severe asbestosis symptoms can occur, and they typically don't show up for many years after the original exposure.
• Asbestosis is commonly an occupational disease that affects workers in the asbestos industry due to their vulnerable exposure.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Asbestosis

Silicosis

• Silicosis is the most common among those who work in the quarrying, industrial, or construction industries.
• Silica (SiO2/silicon dioxide) is a crystal-like material that can be found in sand, rock, and quartz in large quantities.
• Shortness of breath, cough, fever and bluish skin are all symptoms of this progressive lung disease caused by long-term inhalation of silica.
• It's one of the most common work-related ailments in the world. It has also been recorded in people who have had non-occupational exposure to silica dust from both industrial and non-industrial sources.
• Because free silica is odorless, non-irritant, and has no immediate health effects, huge levels of it may go unnoticed, but long-term exposure has been linked to pneumoconiosis, lung cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis, and other lung illnesses.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Silicosis

Emphysema

• Emphysema is the term used to describe the destruction of delicate lung tissue brought on by cigarette smoking and air pollution.
• The lungs' air sacs (alveoli) are harmed in those with emphysema.
• The air sacs' inner walls deteriorate and disintegrate over time, resulting in the creation of fewer, larger air gaps as opposed to more, smaller ones.
• Emphysema symptoms typically appear between the ages of 40 and 60, despite the fact that the lung damage that results from the disease develops gradually.
• Smokers of cigarettes and pipes are also prone to developing emphysema, although cigarette smokers are more likely to do so.
• The risk rises with time for tobacco consumption for all categories of smokers.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Emphysema

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)

• Sick building syndrome (SBS) is a group of diseases connected to a person's home or place of employment.
• The Sick Building Syndrome was first reported in the 1970s.
• The World Health Organization reported in 1984 that up to 30% of new and renovated buildings may have IAQ issues severe enough to result in health concerns.
• Poor indoor air quality is a major factor in sick building syndrome.
• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system faults are usually identified as the root of sick building syndrome.
• The outgassing of some building materials, volatile organic compounds (VOC), mold, inadequate ozone exhaust ventilation, light industrial chemicals used inside, and inadequate fresh-air intake air filtration have also been suggested as other causes.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)

Conclusion

Globally, the threat posed by environmental degradation to human health is tremendous. Human health is already suffering from negative effects of this degradation, and things could get much worse over the next 50 years. Environmental and health policies should go hand in hand because of how closely they are related to one another. However, because they are not marketed, health impacts are difficult to value financially. Numerous valuation studies have been carried out in both developing and developed nations using various techniques to capture the health benefits from better environmental quality in order to address this dilemma.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Which of the following is a major cause of air pollution?

A) Deforestation
B) Industrial emissions
C) Agricultural practices
D) Waste disposal

2. What is the main consequence of water contamination?

A) Respiratory diseases
B) Cardiovascular diseases
C) Waterborne diseases
D) Cancer

3. How does climate change affect public health?

A) It leads to increased pollution levels
B) It causes extreme weather events
C) It reduces food security
D) All of the above

4. Which of the following diseases is primarily caused by air pollution?

A) Malaria
B) Asthma
C) Tuberculosis
D) Diarrhea

5. What is the main health risk associated with deforestation?

A) Increased exposure to diseases
B) Higher rates of cancer
C) Respiratory diseases
D) Lack of clean water

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Evaluate the impact of environmental issues on public health and the role of the government in mitigating these effects.

Answer: Environmental issues such as air and water pollution, climate change, and deforestation pose significant threats to public health, leading to diseases like asthma, respiratory disorders, and waterborne diseases. The government plays a critical role in mitigating these effects by implementing policies to reduce pollution, improve waste management, promote sustainable agriculture, and invest in renewable energy. It also plays a key role in public health education and awareness campaigns, as well as in enforcing environmental laws and regulations to safeguard public health.

Q2: How does climate change contribute to the spread of diseases and what measures should be taken to address this issue?

Answer: Climate change influences the spread of diseases by creating conditions that favor the breeding of vectors like mosquitoes, which transmit diseases such as malaria and dengue. Extreme weather events, like floods, can also increase the risk of waterborne diseases. To address this issue, governments should focus on climate adaptation strategies, such as improving healthcare infrastructure, developing early warning systems for diseases, and promoting environmental protection practices to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change impacts.

Q3: Discuss the importance of sustainable practices in agriculture and their impact on reducing health risks related to environmental pollution.

Answer: Sustainable agricultural practices, such as organic farming, crop rotation, and the use of natural pesticides, can significantly reduce the environmental and health risks associated with conventional farming methods. These practices help decrease the use of harmful chemicals, reduce soil degradation, and lower the carbon footprint of agriculture. By minimizing environmental pollution, sustainable agriculture also reduces the health risks associated with the consumption of chemical-laden food and the exposure to contaminated water and air.

Previous Year Questions on Environmental Issues and Health Effects

1. UPSC CSE Mains 2020 (GS Paper 2):

Question: "Analyze the environmental challenges affecting public health in India. Discuss the measures needed to address these challenges."

Answer: India faces various environmental challenges such as air and water pollution, deforestation, and the effects of climate change, all of which significantly impact public health. Measures such as stricter enforcement of pollution control laws, promotion of renewable energy, improved waste management systems, and better access to healthcare can address these challenges. Government initiatives should focus on reducing emissions, protecting water resources, and implementing policies that support sustainable development and public health.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2019 (GS Paper 3):

Question: "Discuss the role of environmental health in addressing the challenges of public health in urban areas."

Answer: Environmental health plays a critical role in mitigating health challenges in urban areas, where pollution, overcrowding, and poor sanitation are significant issues. Urban planning, improved waste management, clean air initiatives, and access to clean drinking water are essential for reducing the health risks associated with urbanization. Policies focused on green spaces, renewable energy, and pollution reduction can help improve environmental health and promote sustainable living in urban settings.