Abstract

EFFECTS OF WATER POLLUTION ON HUMAN HEALTH: A REVIEW

Aisha Perveen* and Sayeda Shifa Zaidi

ABSTRACT

Water pollution in India is a major health hazard. In today’s scenario industrialization and urbanization and increasing population are rising day by day. Due to these problems garbage and wastage increases and resulting water pollution. The household waste and human sewage which contains many bacteria, viruses and fungi commonly discarded in rivers and ponds. Human habits are also responsible to the water pollution such as after religious worship many people through ash, old figurine and other things in river. The dead bodies and ashes of human beings are also polluting water. The drinking water is also polluted by waste produced by nuclear reactors. Heat pollution which is formed by cooling system of factories resulting into rise in temperature of river water which destroy organics of river and pollute the water. In India pesticides which are used to destroy insects and germs, also becomes the reason of water pollution and is hazardous to the human health. Chemical fertilizers are also the source of water pollution which affects the health of human being. Polluted water is the main cause of a number of diseases. Due to water pollution certain bacterial infections like Cholera, Botulism, Typhoid, Shigella etc. may affect human health. Viral Infections like, Hepatitis A, Polio, Caliciviruses, Astroviruses, Enteric Adenoviruses are very commonly occurring. Pollution free water is the key of healthy and disease free life. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the link between water and health, to define sources of water pollution, problems caused by these polluting agents on health and point out the proper remedy to this problem.

Keywords: Water pollution, Infections, Hepatitis-A.