IGNOU BANS-184 SOLVED ASSIGNMENT 2023-24
c. Briefly discuss the effect of Biological, Chemical, and Physical agents in water on human health.
Biological, chemical, and physical agents in water can has various effect on human health, depending on their nature and concentration. Here’s a brief discussion of the potential health effects of each category of agents:
1. Biological Agents:
– Biological agents in water primarily includes bacterias, virus, protozoa, and parasites. These microorganism can leads to waterborne diseases if ingested. Common waterborne diseases includes cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery, and gastroenteritis.
– Health effect can ranges from mild gastrointestinal discomfort to severe illness and even death, particularly in vulnerable population such as children, the elderlies, and individual with weaken immune systems.
– Proper water treatment and sanitation practice, including chlorinations and filtration, is essential to prevents the proliferation of harmful biological agents in drinking water.
2. Chemical Agents:
– Chemical contaminant in water can originates from various sources, including industrial discharges, agricultural runoffs, and naturally occurring substances. Common chemical contaminant includes heavy metals (e.g., lead, arsenic), pesticides, herbicides, industrial chemicals, and disinfection byproduct (e.g., trihalomethanes).
– The health effect of chemical agents in water can vary widely. Some chemical, like lead, can accumulates in the body over time and leads to chronic health problem such as developmental issues in children and cardiovascular problem in adult.
– Acute exposure to certain chemical can result in immediately health effect, such as nauseous, vomiting, and respiratory distress. Long-term exposure to some chemical contaminants are linked to an increased risk of cancer and other chronic diseases.
– Regular water quality testing and adherences to regulatory standard are crucial for ensure safe drinking water.
3. Physical Agents:
– Physical agents refers to the physical properties of water, such as temperature and turbidity. While they are less likely to directly causes health issue compared to biological or chemical agents, they can indirectly affects human health.
– Water temperature, for example, can impacts the growth of microorganism in water systems. Elevated temperature can promotes bacterial growth, potentially increases the risk of waterborne diseases.
– Turbidity, which indicates the cloudiness or clarity of water, can affect the effectiveness of water treatment processes. High turbidity level may reduces the efficiency of filtrations and disinfections, potentially allowing harmful agents to persists in the water supply.
In summary, the presences of biological, chemical, and physical agents in water can poses various health risks to humans. Ensure the safety of drinking water involves monitorings and treatment to mitigate these risk, as well as adherences to water quality standard and regulation to protects public health. Access to clean and safe drinking water are essentials for prevent waterborne diseases and long-term health problems.”
