Short-Term & Long-Term Effects of Chemical Pollution

Release of toxic chemicals into the environment causes chemical pollution. This pollution can severely affect the quality of air and water and the health of humans, animals and plants. Possible health effects of chemical pollution include cancer. Sugar factories, agrochemical plants, oil refineries, incinerators, metal and plastic factories, motor vehicles, radioactive spills and the use of pesticides are among the possible sources of chemical pollution.

Toxic Chemicals

• Some agrochemical plants emit toxic chemicals into the environment.

  Some of the toxic chemicals contributing to chemical pollution are dioxin, asbestos, toluene, benzene, methylene chloride, and metals such as cadmium, mercury, chromium, and lead. Automobile emissions alone release many toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, including carbon monoxide, benzene, formaldehyde and polycyclic hydrocarbons. People and animals exposed to these and other toxic chemicals may experience short- or long-term health effects. Severity depends on the concentration of chemicals and the length of exposure time.

Short-Term Effects

• Sugar factories are another common source of chemical pollution.

  Possible short-term effects of chemical pollution include headache, nausea, eye irritation, sore throat, throat inflammation, chest pain, chest congestion, and other respiratory problems. Chemical pollution can also exacerbate emphysema symptoms. A 2010 study by the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Lund University in Sweden found a direct correlation between hospital admissions for stroke and a more concentrated presence of toxic chemicals in the atmosphere.

Long-Term Effects

• Breathing air polluted with toxins can have long-term effects on humans, animals, soil and plants. Possible long-term effects on humans include immune system, respiratory and reproductive problems, neurological disorders and cancer. Long-term effects on soil may include contamination of plants and the food chain. Plants receive nutrition from soil, leading to their absorbing chemicals in the soil. Plants then pass on the chemicals to animals that ingest them, and these toxic chemicals continue to travel up the food chain.

Reducing Chemical Pollution

• To reduce chemical pollution, businesses are required to meet federal and local standards for the use, storage and disposal of toxins. Other steps to reducing pollution include replacing toxic with nontoxic materials and proper training for employees who handle chemicals. At home, people can help reduce chemical pollution by purchasing nontoxic products and properly disposing of containers that held chemicals. Reducing the use of pesticides, aerosols and other toxic substances can also help reduce chemical pollution.