Impact of Pollutants on Human Health MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Impact of Pollutants on Human Health - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is 'Radon'

Key Points

• Radon:
  • Radon is a radioactive gas that can be found indoors, particularly in homes and buildings constructed on soil with natural uranium deposits.
  • It is a significant indoor air pollutant because it can accumulate to high levels and pose serious health risks, including lung cancer.
  • Radon is colorless, tasteless, and odorless, making it difficult to detect without proper testing equipment.

Additional Information

• Mercury:
  • Mercury is a toxic element that can be found in certain household items like thermometers and fluorescent bulbs.
  • While it poses health risks, it is not considered a prominent indoor air pollutant as it is not typically found in gaseous form indoors.
• Helium:
  • Helium is an inert, non-toxic gas commonly used in balloons and as a cooling agent in various applications.
  • It does not pose significant health risks and is not considered an indoor air pollutant.
• Argon:
  • Argon is another inert gas used in various industrial and scientific applications.
  • Like helium, it is non-toxic and does not contribute to indoor air pollution.

The correct option is 'A - I, B - II, C - III, D - IV'.

Key Points

• Vector-borne diseases are transmitted by vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.
  • Example: Malaria
    • Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are transmitted through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes.
• Water-borne diseases are caused by pathogens in contaminated water.
  • Example: Cholera
    • Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, often spread through contaminated drinking water.
• Air-borne diseases are spread through the air by droplets or dust.
  • Example: Tuberculosis
    • Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, which spreads through the air when people with active TB cough, sneeze, or speak.
• Soil-transmitted diseases are caused by pathogens in the soil.
  • Example: Hookworm infection
    • Hookworm infection is caused by a type of parasitic worm that lives in the small intestine and is acquired through contact with contaminated soil.

Therefore the correct pairing is:

A - I: Vector-borne diseases - Malaria

B - II: Water-borne diseases - Cholera

C - III: Air-borne diseases - Tuberculosis

D - IV: Soil-transmitted diseases - Hookworm infection

The correct option is 'A - III, B - IV, C - II, D - I'.

Key Points

• Water borne diseases (Due to ingestion of polluted water) - Typhoid
  • These diseases are caused by consuming water that is contaminated with pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites.
  • Typhoid is a common waterborne disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi, which is typically spread through contaminated drinking water and food.
• Water washed diseases (Due to lack of cleaning water) - Trachoma
  • These diseases result from insufficient use of water for personal hygiene.
  • Trachoma is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, and it is the world's leading cause of preventable blindness.
• Water based diseases (Due to contact with polluted water) - Schistosomiasis
  • These diseases are caused by organisms that spend part of their life cycle in water.
  • Schistosomiasis is caused by parasitic worms, and people become infected when they come into contact with contaminated water.
• Water related diseases (Due to habitation of disease causing parasites in polluted water) - Malaria
  • These diseases are associated with water but are not necessarily transmitted through direct contact with water.
  • Malaria is transmitted through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes that breed in stagnant water.

Key Points 

• Blue baby syndrome, also known as methemoglobinemia, is a condition in which the blood is unable to carry sufficient oxygen due to the presence of high levels of methemoglobin. Methemoglobin is a form of hemoglobin that has been oxidized and can no longer bind to oxygen.
• Nitrates are a common cause of blue baby syndrome, particularly in infants. Infants are more susceptible to nitrates because their digestive systems are not fully developed and they have a higher proportion of fetal hemoglobin, which is more easily oxidized to methemoglobin.
• Nitrates can enter the body through drinking water, food, or medications. High levels of nitrates in drinking water can be a problem in areas where fertilizers are used extensively or where there is contamination from sewage or animal waste.
• Symptoms of blue baby syndrome include bluish skin, lips, and nails, as well as shortness of breath, lethargy, and irritability. In severe cases, blue baby syndrome can lead to seizures, coma, and even death.
• Treatment for blue baby syndrome typically involves administering oxygen and methylene blue, a medication that helps to convert methemoglobin back to hemoglobin.
• To prevent blue baby syndrome, it is important to ensure that infants are not exposed to high levels of nitrates. This can be done by testing drinking water for nitrates and using alternative sources of water, such as bottled water, if necessary.
• It is also important to avoid giving infants medications that contain nitrates, such as some cough syrups and teething gels.

Key Points 

The following statements are true about Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs):

• (A) They are extremely widespread and occur from the tropics to the Arctic.
• (B) They often accumulate in food webs and reach toxic concentrations.
• (D) They are widely used as flame retardants and in deodorants.
• (E) Some chemicals used in making non-stick, waterproof and stain-resistant products are categorized as POPs.
• Statement (C) Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are examples of POPs is not true. VOCs are not POPs.

Therefore, the correct answer is (3) (A), (B), (D) and (E) Only.

Below is the explanation of the correct answer:

Therefore the correct code is 1. A-IV, B - III, C - I, D - II

The correct answer is Oxides of Nitrogen.
Important PointsPhotochemical smog depends on primary pollutants as well as the formation of secondary pollutants.

• These primary pollutants include oxides of nitrogen, particularly nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and volatile organic compounds.
• The relevant secondary pollutants include peroxyl-acyl nitrates (PAN), tropospheric ozone, and aldehydes.
• An important secondary pollutant for photochemical smog is ozone, which is formed when hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) combine in the presence of sunlight.

Additional Information

• Photochemical smog is a type of air pollution that is characterized by the presence of certain chemicals that are formed when sunlight interacts with nitrogen oxides and at least one volatile organic compound (VOC) in the atmosphere.
• Nitrogen oxides come from car exhaust, coal power plants, and factory emissions.
• VOCs are released from gasoline, paints, and many cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing, and hobby products.
• When sunlight hits these chemicals, they form airborne particles and ground-level ozone—or smog.
• The chemical reactions involved in the formation of photochemical smog were first elucidated in the 1950s by Arie Haagen-Smit, a chemistry professor at the California Institute of Technology.
• Photochemical smog often appears as a brownish haze and can be particularly prevalent in the summer or at warmer times of the year.

Humans as well as animals are at a high risk of being exposed to a number of infectious diseases. The modes of transmission for different infectious diseases are diverse. Waterborne diseases are transmitted by coming in contact with or by the consumption of  contaminated food or water.

Schistosomiasis/Bilharzia:

• It is a water-borne disease which is considered as one of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
• It is an acute and chronic parasitic disease caused by parasitic worms) of the genus Schistosoma.
• The parasites that cause schistosomiasis live in certain types of freshwater snails.
• The infectious form of the parasite, known as cercariae, emerge from the snail into the water. One can get infected when the skin comes in contact with contaminated freshwater.
• This disease is prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas, especially in poor communities without access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.
• The devastating impact of this disease is second only to Malaria.

Hence, it is clear from the given points that Schistosomiasis, a common water contact disease, is spread by Cercaria.

Smog, community-wide polluted air. Its composition is variable. The term is derived from the words smoke and fog, but it is commonly used to describe the pall of automotive or industrial origin that lies over many cities. The term was probably first used in 1905 by H.A. Des Voeux to describe atmospheric conditions over many British towns.

Statement I: Sunlight is a pre-requisite for the formation of photochemical smog in urban areas.

Explanation:

• Photochemical smog is a brownish-gray haze caused by the action of solar ultraviolet radiation on the atmosphere polluted with hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen.
• It contains anthropogenic air pollutants, mainly ozone, nitric acid, and organic compounds, which are trapped near the ground by temperature inversion. These pollutants and also some others can affect human health and cause damage to plants.
• Photochemical smog often has an unpleasant odor due to some of its gaseous components.
• Photochemical smog, which is also known as “Los Angeles smog,” occurs most prominently in urban areas that have large numbers of automobiles.
• Thus, the statement I is correct.

Statement II: Photochemical smog is a recurring phenomenon in the winter and summer seasons in urban areas of India.

Explanation: 

• Photochemical smog is a recurring phenomenon in the winter season in urban areas of India.
• During the winter months, the speed of the wind is slow and is mostly stagnant, this causes smoke and fog to accumulate at a place. The cooler air traps the pollutants and does not allow them to disperse in the atmosphere. This increases the pollution at ground level where people are breathing. The phenomenon is called inversion.
• Thus, statement II is incorrect.

∴ Option 3 is the correct answer.

Air Quality Index (AQI):

• An AQI is defined as an overall scheme that transforms weighted values of individual air pollution-related parameters (SO₂, CO, visibility, etc.) into a single number or set of numbers.
• It is a scale designed to help one understand what the air quality around one means to one's health.

The following are pollutants are included in AQI:

Carbon Monoxide (CO):

• CO production originates from sources having incomplete combustion.
• It is considered as an important pollutant under this scheme, due to its toxicity and appreciable mass in the atmosphere.

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂):

• The major source of NO₂ is combustion processes.
• A significant quantity of NO₂ is present in rural and urban environments.

Particulate Matter (PM): PM₁₀ and PM_2.5:

• Ambient PM concentrations lead to an increase in mortality and hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases.

Ozone:

• It is a secondary pollutant formed in the atmosphere that has serious health impacts.
• It is formed in the atmosphere by photochemical reactions in the presence of sunlight and precursor pollutants.
• It leads to bronchitis, heart disease, emphysema, asthma and reduces lung capacity.

Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂):

• It is soluble in aqueous media and affects mucous membranes of the nose and upper respiratory tract.

Lead (Pb):

• Pb is a toxic metal and its exposure through all routes result in increased blood lead level.

Ammonia (NH₃):

• Inhalation of high levels of NH₃ causes irritation to the nose, throat and respiratory tract.
• Increased inhalation may result in cough and an increased respiratory rate as well as respiratory distress.

The correct answer is: B, C, D Only
Important Points

B. They absorb thermal radiations emitted by earth:

• This is correct.
• Greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere absorb thermal radiation emitted by the Earth's surface, thus trapping heat and leading to an increase in the planet's temperature, a phenomenon known as the "greenhouse effect".

C. Water vapour is a green house gas:

• This is correct.
• Water vapor is indeed a greenhouse gas and it plays a key role in the natural greenhouse effect. It is the most abundant greenhouse gas in the Earth's atmosphere.

D. Green house gases cause global warming:

• This is correct.
• The increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere due to human activities enhances the greenhouse effect and leads to global warming and climate change.

Additional InformationA. They are generally of light green colour:

• This is incorrect.
• The term "Greenhouse gases" doesn't refer to the color of the gases.
• The term "greenhouse" is used because these gases trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, similar to the way a greenhouse traps heat.

E. Ammonia (NH3) is a green house gas:

• This is incorrect. While ammonia can impact air quality and the nitrogen cycle, it is not typically classified as a greenhouse gas.
• The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (O3)

Explanation to the above two statements:

• An asphyxiant is a substance that can cause unconsciousness or death by suffocation (asphyxiation).
• Asphyxia can be classified from a forensic point of view into four main categories: suffocation, strangulation, mechanical asphyxia, and drowning.
• Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, and tasteless flammable gas that is slightly less dense than air. It is toxic to animals that use haemoglobin as an oxygen carrier (both invertebrate and vertebrate) when encountered in concentrations above about 35 ppm, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities, and is thought to have some normal biological functions. 
• Haemoglobin is a protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen to your body's organs and tissues and transports carbon dioxide from your organs and tissues back to your lungs. If a haemoglobin test reveals that your haemoglobin level is lower than normal, it means you have a low red blood cell count (anaemia).

Therefore,  Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)

• CO is a chemical asphyxiant which means that it reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen. Asphyxiation, or suffocation, occurs when the blood does not deliver enough oxygen to the body. CO gas is absorbed through the lungs into the bloodstream.
• Carbon monoxide has a 210 times greater affinity for haemoglobin than oxygen. A small environmental concentration will thus cause toxic levels of carboxyhemoglobin.
• Carbon monoxide is colourless, odourless, and tasteless, but highly toxic. It combines with haemoglobin to produce carboxyhemoglobin, by binding to the site in haemoglobin that normally carries oxygen, leaving it ineffective for delivering oxygen to bodily tissues. Concentrations as low as 667 ppm may cause up to 50% of the body's haemoglobin to convert to carboxyhemoglobin. 
• A level of 50% carboxyhemoglobin may result in seizure, coma, and fatality. In the United States, OSHA limits long-term workplace exposure levels above 50 ppm.
• The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may resemble other types of poisonings and infections, including symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, and a feeling of weakness.
• Affected families often believe they are victims of food poisoning. Infants may be irritable and feed poorly. Neurological signs include confusion, disorientation, visual disturbance, syncope (fainting), and seizure.

Therefore Option 1 is the correct answer.

Key Points

 The mixture of petrol and ethanol to reduce the emission of carbon monoxide is known as Gasohol.

Gasohol:

• Gasohol is a blend of gasoline and ethanol. Ethanol is a type of alcohol that is made from corn or sugarcane.
• Gasohol is typically a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline. However, there are also gasohol blends that contain up to 85% ethanol.
• Gasohol is blended with gasoline to reduce the emission of carbon monoxide.
• Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is produced when gasoline is burned. It is a major contributor to smog and can be harmful to human health.
• Gasohol reduces the emission of carbon monoxide because ethanol burns more cleanly than gasoline.
• Gasohol is also blended with gasoline to improve the octane rating of gasoline.
• Octane rating is a measure of how resistant gasoline is to knocking. Knocking is a type of engine misfire that can damage the engine.
• Gasohol has a higher octane rating than gasoline, so it can help to prevent knocking.
• Gasohol is used in many countries around the world.
• It is particularly popular in Brazil, where it is used in over 90% of the gasoline that is sold.
• Gasohol is also used in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Vehicular pollution is the emission of harmful material into the environment by motor vehicles.

Primary pollution from motor vehicles is pollution that is emitted directly into the atmosphere, whereas secondary pollution results from chemical reactions between pollutants after they have been released into the air.

A pollutant is a substance or energy introduced into the environment that has undesired effects or damages to the usefulness of a resource.

Vehicular pollutants are those fuels that emit from the motor vehicles and harm or pollute the environment.

The following are the major pollutants associated with motor vehicles:

1. Carbon monoxide (CO):

   • ​​It is an odorless and colorless gas formed by the combustion of fossil fuels such as gasoline.

   • Cars and trucks are the sources of nearly two-thirds of this pollutant.

   • It blocks the supply of oxygen to the brain and other parts of the human body while breathing.

   • Newborn children and people with chronic illnesses are more susceptible to the effects of CO.

2. Hydrocarbons (HCs) are products of incomplete combustion process which can occur during the operation of the internal combustion engines.

3. Particulate matter: These particles of soot, metals, and pollen give smog its murky color. Among vehicular pollution, fine particles pose the most serious threat to human health by penetrating deep into the lungs.

4. Ozone: The primary ingredient in urban smog, ozone is created when hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides—both of which are chemicals released by automobile fuel combustion—react with sunlight. Though beneficial in the upper atmosphere, at the ground level ozone can irritate the respiratory system, causing coughing, choking, and reduced lung capacity.

5. Sulfur dioxide: Motor vehicles create this pollutant by burning sulfur-containing fuels, especially diesel. It can react in the atmosphere to form fine particles and can pose a health risk to young children and asthmatics.

Chlorofluorocarbon

• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are nontoxic, nonflammable chemicals containing atoms of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine.
• They are used in the manufacture of aerosol sprays, blowing agents for foams and packing materials, as solvents, and as refrigerants.

Conclusion

Hence, we can conclude that Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) does not use in the vehicles so it is not a vehicular pollutant.

The correct answer is: Both Statement I and Statement II are false.Key Points 

Statement I: "Acute health effects are caused due to prolonged exposure to a chemical."

• This statement is false.
• Acute health effects are generally caused by exposure to high concentrations of a harmful substance over a short period of time.
• This could include anything from a few seconds to a few hours. Acute health effects can be immediately noticeable after exposure and can range from minor symptoms, such as skin irritation or nausea, to serious health conditions, such as severe burns or poisoning.

Statement II: "Chronic health effects occur when an individual is exposed for a very short period."

• This statement is also false.
• Chronic health effects are caused by long-term or repeated exposure to a harmful substance, often over several years.
• These are health effects that don't appear immediately after exposure but rather develop over time.
• They can include conditions such as cancer, lung disease, or damage to the nervous system.
• This prolonged exposure could occur at low or moderate levels of the harmful substance, not just high levels.

In summary, both statements are false because they essentially swap the definitions of "acute" and "chronic" health effects. Acute effects result from short-term exposure, while chronic effects result from long-term exposure.