New Orleans topography is characterized by mineral extractions like lead. The soil in this community contains large tracts of the mineral.
By its nature, lead is a very harmful substance if inhaled by humans. Most paints used by the inhabitants of New Orleans contain lead particles – a major source of air pollution.New Orleans is an area that is productive in agriculture. But this is causing more harm than good in terms of air pollution.
These agricultural activities emit a lot of dust particles, the size of which surpasses those set by the quality standards.The area is also an industrialized region with many plants generating geothermal power. These activities culminate into downwashes within the plants. These significantly emit harmful substances to the air.
Turbulences populary known as Building Wakes accelerate the rate of diffusion of these substances to the environment.In New Orleans, the emission of carbon-dioxide has resulted to air pollution. Climatical factors that have contributed to air pollution in the area include; emissions of Sulphur dioxide, dust storms and smog. The green house effect has also but to a lesser extent contributed to air pollution.
This effect leads to emissions of hydrofluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere.Factors that help reduce air pollution include the study and analysis of changing climatical trends and putting proper mechanisms on their control. However, other disasters like Hurricane Katrina occur naturally.Another climatic/ scientific means of controlling air pollution is by treating the organic elements/ compounds whose volatility to the atmosphere causes air pollution.
The most common cause of water pollution in New Orleans is floods and storms. A good example is the Hurricane Katrina that caused a lot of havoc including water pollution in the area. Other affected regions were Louisiana and Mississippi. Floods and storms have lead to the destruction of sewerage systems whose contents are drained onto the rivers and oceans.
Industrial plants also contribute to water pollution through the industrial wastes that find their way onto rivers.Both water and air pollution has adversely affected the people of New Orleans. Air pollution has led to the inhalation of dangerous chemicals such as lead and petroleum products. These have lead to people contracting cancer, kidney and liver problems/ ailments.Other infections such as high blood pressure, retarted brain development in children are also common and these are attributed to lead/ air pollution. These diseases strain/ deplete the financial resources of the people in this area in a bid to treat the ailments.
Water pollution has lead to health problems such as dysentery and cholera. It has also made the people to be displaced frome their homes since they can no longer consume the polluted water reservoirs. Most other flooded parts have been hit by molds and this has left them exposed to contracting ailments such as asthma and hypersensitivity pneumontis.Be it as it may, the government is working hard to see that pollution is brought to a halt.
REFERENCES1. Gerald Leinward, Air and Water pollution, Washington square press, 20052. Knees, Alten V, Schultze, Charles L; Pollution ,prices and public policy; Brookings Institution, 19953. John Gordon Burke, Jill Swanson Rudding, guide to Ecology Information and Organizations, HW Wilson, 1996
