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1.1 General Aspects of Environmental Pollution
Environment is the space with all living organisms and natural resources, of the
natural and created values, their mutual relations, and the total space in which man
lives and in which the settlements, the goods in general use, the industrial, and other
objects are located. Environmental pollution is most often the result of introduction
of hazards into the air, water or soil, which can reduce the quality of the environment, life and human health; pollution, on the other hand, is a harmful change in the
environment that disrupts or affects the biodiversity and survival of flora and fauna,
including the human population. The anthropogenic factor enables processes and
changes that degrade the soil, which reduces soil fertility. Worldwide, it is done in
many ways: by destruction (destruction), which reduces the land fund (erosion,
open-pit mining, and excavation of various materials, covering with various waste,
conversion into use to build various facilities), then by contamination from other
components of the environment (air and water), and eventually by degradation in
many ways in agriculture and forestry (Daughton 2005; Brack and Stevens 2001;
Blais et al. 2015). Fertile soil is reduced by various types of destruction, such as
erosion, open-pit mining and excavation of various materials; then by covering with
municipal waste and various wastes from mines, thermal power plants and metallurgical and other industrial facilities; and, finally, a conversion into land use (conversion) with the construction of water reservoirs, settlements and industrial and
infrastructure facilities (Uth 1999; Hou and Zhang 2009; Xue and Zeng 2011). In
basic, three segments are generally affected in the biosphere: air, soil, and water
ecosystems.
1.1.1 Pollution Hotspots in Environment
Air Pollutants released into the air can come from: a) natural sources such as volcanic eruptions, forest fires and chemical reactions, biological sources; b) anthropogenic sources, such as traffic, fossil fuel combustion, discharge of pollutants,
greenhouse gases, and other substances that directly or indirectly affect air quality.
That is why it is of particular interest to have data on origin, presence, and impact
of pollutants present in the air in order to take measures to reduce them. To improve
air quality, it is necessary to prepare plans and programs for undertaking protection
measures and air quality and emissions management.
The collection and processing of data on air emissions needs to be done continuously throughout the year. Through the data obtained from the emission measurements of the larger companies that emit pollutants into the air, the quantities of
pollutants for each country are monitored on an annual basis. The data provide a
basis for the preparation of reports and strategies for reducing air emissions, as well
as protection and improvement of ambient air quality.
B. Balabanova
1.1 General Aspects of Environmental Pollution
Environment is the space with all living organisms and natural resources, of the
natural and created values, their mutual relations, and the total space in which man
lives and in which the settlements, the goods in general use, the industrial, and other
objects are located. Environmental pollution is most often the result of introduction
of hazards into the air, water or soil, which can reduce the quality of the environment, life and human health; pollution, on the other hand, is a harmful change in the
environment that disrupts or affects the biodiversity and survival of flora and fauna,
including the human population. The anthropogenic factor enables processes and
changes that degrade the soil, which reduces soil fertility. Worldwide, it is done in
many ways: by destruction (destruction), which reduces the land fund (erosion,
open-pit mining, and excavation of various materials, covering with various waste,
conversion into use to build various facilities), then by contamination from other
components of the environment (air and water), and eventually by degradation in
many ways in agriculture and forestry (Daughton 2005; Brack and Stevens 2001;
Blais et al. 2015). Fertile soil is reduced by various types of destruction, such as
erosion, open-pit mining and excavation of various materials; then by covering with
municipal waste and various wastes from mines, thermal power plants and metallurgical and other industrial facilities; and, finally, a conversion into land use (conversion) with the construction of water reservoirs, settlements and industrial and
infrastructure facilities (Uth 1999; Hou and Zhang 2009; Xue and Zeng 2011). In
basic, three segments are generally affected in the biosphere: air, soil, and water
ecosystems.
1.1.1 Pollution Hotspots in Environment
Air Pollutants released into the air can come from: a) natural sources such as volcanic eruptions, forest fires and chemical reactions, biological sources; b) anthropogenic sources, such as traffic, fossil fuel combustion, discharge of pollutants,
greenhouse gases, and other substances that directly or indirectly affect air quality.
That is why it is of particular interest to have data on origin, presence, and impact
of pollutants present in the air in order to take measures to reduce them. To improve
air quality, it is necessary to prepare plans and programs for undertaking protection
measures and air quality and emissions management.
The collection and processing of data on air emissions needs to be done continuously throughout the year. Through the data obtained from the emission measurements of the larger companies that emit pollutants into the air, the quantities of
pollutants for each country are monitored on an annual basis. The data provide a
basis for the preparation of reports and strategies for reducing air emissions, as well
as protection and improvement of ambient air quality.
B. Balabanova