Another type of pollution that not many talk about and you don’t get information about it, but with this we will try to explain everything about Biological Pollution, classification, forms of exposure, penetration pathways, diseases, causes, effects and main measures to prevent it
Thus, Biological Pollution is that which is produced by the different macro-organisms or pathogenic biological pollutants that break down matter, air quality, water and soil.
In this sense, biological pollutants are the set of living beings that have a life time and that when they impact the human being cause infectious problems or diseases such as parasites .
These biological pollutants are mainly:
Viruses, fungi, protozoa, worms, rickettsia, helminths, arthropods, chlamydiae, human endoparasites, bacteria, insects, organic wastes, genetic contamination and interplanetary.
Classification of biological pollution
According to the infection risk index, biological contaminants are classified into 4 groups:
Group 1:
Those contaminants that are unlikely to cause disease in the body and spread.
Group 2:
Those pathogenic contaminants such as the bacteria that cause a disease, but are unlikely to spread.
Group number 3:
Pollutants that cause a serious illness, which spreads and is put into treatment such as AIDS.
Group 4:
Contaminants that cause serious, contagious and untreated diseases such as Ebola.
On the other hand , the main routes of penetration on the human organism are: respiratory by inhalation, dermal by contact with the skin, digestive by food, drinks and smoking and parenteral by contact with wounds.
Main Diseases
Among the main diseases due to these biological contaminants are: legionellosis, tetanus, influenza, herpes, tuberculosis, anthrax, virulence, cholera, dysentery, malaria, salmonella typhi, trichinosis, hepatitis, AIDS, Ebola, marburg, amebiasis, foot deatleta , hookworm and among others.
Also, the main forms of occupational exposure or activities with the intention and unintentional of manipulating biological agents are; the processes in the industries that use these pollutants, microbiological laboratories, hospitals, food production, agricultural, sanitary works, waste disposal, wastewater treatment and any other activity that has contact with animals and their products.
Finally, biological pollution is a product of those biological pollutants or microorganisms that degrade matter or food, natural resources and interact with the environment.
The main factors that cause this type of pollution are: working conditions, lack of hygiene and sanitation, outside air, hazardous waste, organic waste, biological warfare and many other anthropogenic activities.
Likewise, the presence of nutrients, humidity and temperature are the 3 main conditions that favor the activity of these biological pollutants.
Consequences of biological pollution
The consequences of biological pollutants are on the human body producing: fever, headache, inflammation of the liver, vomiting and acute diarrhea. As well as infection, chronic fatigue, anemia, hemorrhages, allergy, toxicity, acute intoxication and a professional illness over time .
In summary, the main measures to prevent or reduce biological pollution are :
Problem information, worker training, identify, evaluate and reduce risk and physical protection systems. Also technical and safe measures in handling or transport, emergency plan in case of an accident and hygiene measures that prevent dispersion. Also use of signals in the face of biological danger, continuous sanitary control, replacement of the agents with others of lesser impact, action on the focus of contamination, on the environment and the receiver.
