Study Notes on Environmental Science

Environmental science is a multidisciplinary field that explores the interactions between humans and the natural world, covering topics such as ecology, biodiversity, climate change, pollution, sustainability, and conservation. These comprehensive environmental science notes are designed to help students preparing for undergraduate courses like B.Sc. Environmental Science, B.Sc. Ecology, B.Tech. Environmental Engineering, B.Sc. Geography, and B.Sc. Forestry, as well as postgraduate programs like M.Sc. Environmental Science, M.Sc. Sustainability Studies, M.Tech. Environmental Engineering, M.Sc. Climate Science, and M.Sc. Ecology and Biodiversity. Whether you’re studying for university exams, competitive exams like UGC NET Environmental Science, UPSC Environmental Science, GATE Environmental Science, and state PSC exams, or simply want to deepen your understanding of environmental management, sustainable development, environmental chemistry, and ecosystem restoration, these notes provide concise, well-structured, and exam-oriented material. Perfect for students, researchers, and professionals, they cover key concepts with relevant case studies and real-world applications.

  1. Fresh Water Pollution:

  1. Types of Freshwater Pollutants
    1. 1. Sediments and Suspended Solids
    2. 2. Organic Matter
    3. 3. Biological Pollutants
    4. 4. Plant Nutrients
    5. 5. Chemical Pollutants
    6. 6. Pesticides
    7. 7. Radioactive Pollutants
  2. Sources of Freshwater Pollution
    1. 1. Human Excreta
    2. 2. Manufacturing and Industrial Plants
    3. 3. Agriculture and Animal Rearing
    4. 4. Domestic and Industrial Solid Waste Sites
    5. 5. Urban Surface Water Runoff
  3. Characteristics of Domestic Waste
    1. Physical Characteristics of Domestic Wastewater
    2. Chemical Characteristics of Domestic Wastewater
    3. Biological Characteristics of Domestic Wastewater
  4. Characteristics of Agricultural Waste
  5. Effluent and Drinking Water Standards
    1. 1. Effluent Standards
    2. 2. Drinking Water Standards
  6. Consequences of Water Pollution
    1. 1. Effects on Human Health
    2. 2. Effects on the Biosphere
    3. 3. Effects on the Economy
  7. Remedial Measures for Freshwater Pollution
    1. 1. Industrial Water Treatment
    2. 2. Denitrification Techniques
    3. 3. Septic Tank and Sewage Management
    4. 4. Ozone Wastewater Treatment
    5. 5. Sustainable Agricultural Practices
    6. 6. Stormwater Management
    7. 7. Filtration and Sediment Control
    8. 8. Spill Containment and Hazardous Waste Management
    9. 9. Removal of Floating Pollutants
    10. 10. Recycling and Reuse of Wastewater
    11. 11. Use of Renewable Energy in Water Treatment
    12. 12. Encouraging Solar-Powered Transportation
    13. 13. Sustainable Dredging Practices
    14. 14. Household Wastewater Management
    15. 15. Safe Disposal of Hazardous Household Products
    16. 16. Public Awareness and Policy Implementation
  8. Case Studies of Freshwater Pollution
    1. 1. Aral Sea Crisis
      1. Background:
      2. Impacts:
      3. Remedial Measures:
    2. 2. Buriganga River, Bangladesh
      1. Background:
      2. Impacts:
      3. Remedial Measures:
    3. 3. Bangshi River, Bangladesh
      1. Background:
      2. Impacts:
      3. Remedial Measures:
    4. 4. Flint Water Crisis, USA
      1. Background:
      2. Impacts:
      3. Remedial Measures:
    5. 5. Ganga River Pollution, India
      1. Background:
      2. Impacts:
      3. Remedial Measures:
    6. 6. Sundarbans, India & Bangladesh
      1. Background:
      2. Impacts:
      3. Remedial Measures:

2. Groundwater Pollution

  1. 2.1 Introduction
  2. 2.2 Sources of Groundwater Pollution
    1. 2.2.1 Storage Tanks
    2. 2.2.2 Septic Systems
    3. 2.2.3 Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste
    4. 2.2.4 Landfills
    5. 2.2.5 Chemicals and Road Salts
    6. 2.2.6 Atmospheric Contaminants
  3. 2.3 Groundwater Remediation Techniques
    1. 2.3.1 In Situ Remediation
      1. Bioventing
      2. Enhanced Bioremediation
      3. Phytoremediation
      4. Mycoremediation
      5. Biosparging
      6. Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRBs)
    2. 2.3.2 Ex Situ Remediation
      1. Biopiles
      2. Land Farming
      3. Composting
      4. Slurry Phase Treatment
      5. Bio-slurping
  4. 2.4 Groundwater Monitoring Techniques
    1. 2.4 Groundwater Monitoring Techniques
    2. 2.4.1 Piezometers
    3. 2.4.2 Slug Tests
    4. 2.4.3 Pumping Tests
  5. 2.5 Groundwater Recharge and Artificial Recharge Techniques
    1. 2.5.1 Methods of Estimating Recharge
    2. 2.5.2 Artificial Recharge Techniques
      1. Infiltration Basins
      2. Recharge Wells
      3. Check Dams
      4. Rainwater Harvesting
  6. 2.6 Land Subsidence
  7. 2.7 Saltwater Intrusion
    1. Prevention and Mitigation Strategies
  8. 2.8 Environmental Regulatory Bodies Preventing Groundwater Pollution
    1. 2.8.1 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
    2. 2.8.2 Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) – India
    3. 2.8.3 European Environment Agency (EEA)
    4. 2.8.4 World Health Organization (WHO)
    5. 2.8.5 National Ground Water Association (NGWA)
    6. 2.8.6 International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH)
    7. 2.8.7 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
  9. 2.9 Conclusion

3. Marine Pollution

  1. 3.1 Introduction
  2. 3.2 Types of Marine Pollution
    1. 3.2.1 Ocean Acidification
    2. 3.2.2 Eutrophication
    3. 3.2.3 Plastic Debris
    4. 3.2.4 Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
    5. 3.2.5 Noise Pollution
  3. 3.3 Sources of Marine Pollution
    1. 3.3.1 Oil Spills
    2. 3.3.2 Ballast Water Pollution
    3. 3.3.3 Pollution Due to Offshore Drilling
  4. 3.4 Environmental Impacts of Marine Pollution
    1. 3.4.1 Impact on Marine Life
    2. 3.4.2 Habitat Destruction
    3. 3.4.3 Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification
    4. 3.4.4 Impact on Human Health
    5. 3.4.5 Economic and Social Consequences
    6. 3.4.6 Climate Change and Marine Pollution Interactions
    7. 3.4.7 Noise Pollution and Its Effects
    8. 3.4.8 Loss of Marine Biodiversity
  5. 3.5 Prevention and Control Measures
    1. 3.5.1 Regulatory Measures
    2. 3.5.2 Bioremediation Techniques
    3. 3.5.3 Physical Cleanup Methods
    4. 3.5.4 Reducing Plastic Pollution
    5. 3.5.5 Wastewater Treatment and Sustainable Practices
    6. 3.5.6 Public Awareness and Community Participation
    7. 3.5.7 Technological Innovations for Pollution Control
    8. 3.5.8 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Sustainable Policies
  6. 3.6 Case Studies
    1. 3.6.1 Oil Pollution in Malaysia
    2. 3.6.2 Garbage Pollution in the Sea
  7. 3.7 Conclusion

4. Soil Pollution

  1. 1. Introduction
  2. 2. Types of Soil Pollution
    1. 2.1 Organic Pollution
    2. 2.2 Inorganic Pollution
    3. Table 1: Heavy Metal Concentration in the Lithosphere, Soils, and Plants (µg/g dry matter)
    4. Table 2: Heavy Metal Content of Fertilizers (µg/g)
    5. Table 3: Persistence Time of Selected Pesticides
  3. 3. Effects, Sources, and Consequences of Soil Pollution
    1. 3.1 Effects of Soil Pollution
    2. 3.2 Sources of Soil Pollution
    3. 3.3 Consequences of Soil Pollution
  4. 4. Mechanism of Interaction of Waste with Soil
    1. 4.1 Filtration
    2. 4.2 Biological Degradation
    3. 4.3 Chemical Reactions
  5. 5. Transport Processes in Soil
    1. 5.1 Biological Process – Microbial Transformation of Heavy Metals
    2. 5.2 Physical and Chemical Transport Mechanisms
  6. 6. Specifications for Disposal of Sewage and Effluent on Land
    1. 6.1 Regulated Sludge Application
    2. 6.2 Effluent Irrigation
    3. 6.3 Monitoring Systems
    4. 6.4 Methodology of Wastewater Disposal on Land in India
  7. 7. Impacts of Land Use for Solid Waste Disposal
    1. 7.1 Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Disposal and Its Impact
    2. 7.2 Industrial Solid Waste and Its Environmental Consequences
    3. 7.3 Disposal of Hazardous Solid Waste and Its Impact on Soil
  8. Mitigation Strategies for Reducing the Impact of Solid Waste Disposal
  9. 8. Deterioration of Soil Due to Mining Activities
    1. 8.1 Surface Mining and Topsoil Destruction
    2. 8.2 Tailings and Overburden Disposal
    3. 8.3 Erosion and Land Subsidence
    4. 8.4 Impact on Soil Microbial Communities
    5. 8.5 Socioeconomic and Environmental Consequences
    6. Mitigation Measures for Mining-Induced Soil Degradation
  10. 9. Conclusion