Air pollution has a huge impact on many parts of the environment. We have already discussed how air pollution affects climate change, but it is not the only area that poor air quality leaves a mark on. So, how does air pollution affect water pollution? Read this article to find out.
- The relationship between air pollution and water pollution
- How does air pollution affect water quality and aquatic wildlife?
- The takeaway
The relationship between air pollution and water pollution
Water pollution may often be caused by air pollution. It is so, because many toxic elements fall from the sky directly into water. As a result, rivers and lakes might seem clean while in reality being contaminated with acids.
The phenomenon is remarkably dangerous during the thaw. Snow falls from the clouds, therefore it is strongly affected by the pollutants in air. When it finally melts, it is often released into groundwater. As a result, the aquatic systems suffers a large shock.
How does air pollution affect water quality and aquatic wildlife?
When the acids from air reach the groundwater, its quality deteriorates. The effect is often invisible – the chemical composition of water bodies changes, but the consequences are not perceivable by the human eye. As a result, we often do not realize that the water is contaminated.
This is a huge problem, since we often rely on groundwater for many uses, for instance for drinking. If the water is not properly analyzed, and consumed as a result, our health might suffer. What is more, the effects are often not instant, so it is almost impossible to track the reason behind our health issues.
Polluted water has many negative effects for aquatic wildlife as well. Since air pollution affects animals, it is not surprising that water pollution also threatens the aquatic flora and fauna. Acid contamination may lead to massive extinctions of the animals in a particular river or lake. It is exceptionally visible during the thaw – when large amounts of chemicals from the air are released into groundwater, many animals die.
The takeaway
Air pollution has a huge negative impact on water quality. It is so, because the toxic particles in air fall onto the ground and into the rivers and lakes. As a result, many animals die and humans suffer from drinking contaminated H2O. Therefore, it is crucial to reduce air pollution – it will improve the water quality as well.
Read also: How does air pollution affect plants?