Background of the Study
The hazard of pollution is the world’s deadliest and massive slow poison that is killing human
beings, animals and plants, and even it is not noticed till last decades. Pollution, the unwanted
introduction of various contaminants in to the various types of environment has played disaster
with life and environment both. It is widely said that environment is life and pollution is death. It
is absolutely right. Wherever there is modicum of pollution, the spread of diseases are obvious
there. Some of the pollution caused diseases are so fatal which ultimately lead to the human
beings to the deep trench of suffering/ illness.
Environmental contaminants are there everywhere. Among the most studied environmental
contaminants, lead, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls and pesticides have been found to impact
mental health. In particular, exposure to environmental contaminants has been related to
executive functions and emotional/ behavioral maladjustment in children, and cognitive
variability in elders (Lanoix & Plusquellec, 2013).
Over the last three decades there has been increasing global concern over the public health
impacts attributed to environmental pollution, in particular, the global burden of disease. The
World Health Organization 2 estimated that about a quarter of the diseases facing mankind today
occur due to prolonged exposure to environmental pollution. Most of these environment- related
diseases are however not easily detected and may be acquired during childhood and manifested
later in adulthood (WHO, 2012).
Air pollution collectively describes the presence of a diverse and complex mixture of chemicals,
particulate matter, or of biological material in the ambient air which can cause harm or
discomfort to humans or other living organisms. The sources of air pollution can either be natural
(e.g., volcanic eruptions) or manmade (e.g., industrial activities), and air pollution emerges as a
serious health problem especially in rapidly growing countries. Millions of people worldwide are chronically exposed to airborne pollutants in concentrations that are well above legal safety
standards.
Therefore, morbidity and mortality attributable to air pollution continue to be a growing public
health concern worldwide. Air pollution ranks eighth among the leading risk factors for mortality
and accounts for 2.5% of all deaths in developed countries (Hassan, 2011). Health effects due to
chronic exposure are very similar to those reported for acute exposure. There are several reports
of increased mortality; however, most cases involve mainly elderly individuals where respiratory
and cardiovascular problems are already the principle cause of death (Briggs, 2014).
To emphasize the link between environmental pollution and public health in an urban setting,
United Nations Environment Programme 3 commissioned a pilot study of the Dandora municipal
waste dumping site in Nairobi, Kenya. Environmental samples (soil and water) were analyzed to
determine the content and concentrations of various pollutants (heavy metals, polychlorinated
biphenyls and pesticides) that are known to affect human health. Researchers have known since
the 1970s that high levels of air pollution can harm both cardiovascular and respiratory health,
increasing the risk of early death from heart and lung diseases. The effect of air pollution on
cognition and mental well-being, however, has been less well understood. Now, evidence is
mounting that dirty air is bad for your brain as well (www.unep.org/urbanenvironement).
Over the past decade, researchers have found that high levels of air pollution may damage
children's cognitive abilities, increase adults' risk of cognitive decline and possibly even
contribute to depression (Kirsten, 2012).