Environmental Quality Parameters
The term “environmental quality parameters” refers to factors that can have a direct or indirect effect on the environment, as well as on the health of people and organisms that inhabit it. These parameters often encompass air, water, and soil quality indices, as well as waste management, climate change, and social indicators.
Air quality is a major environmental concern, particularly since hotter temperatures often bring about particulate matter pollution. The primary pollutants in the air include lead, mercury, and arsenic, which can travel long distances and are hazardous to humans and animals. In addition, ground level ozone, or smog, is a major air pollutant; it is formed from a photochemical reaction between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight. Other air pollutants include particles like dust and soot, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide. To measure air quality, government agencies and researchers rely on indicators such as suspended particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone.
Water quality is another major environmental concern, as it is essential for life, agriculture, industry, and recreation. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), water is considered polluted when it contains any type of contaminant that can cause adverse effects on human health or the environment. Thus, it is important to monitor the quality of surface water and groundwater, which are the primary sources of water for drinking, industrial use, and irrigation. Common water pollutants include pathogens, nitrates, phosphates, and heavy metals such as lead and mercury. To measure water quality, researchers measure several indicators, including concentration of dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH, salinity, and concentration of various chemical compounds.
Soil quality is also an important environmental parameter, as it is an essential part of the planet’s terrestrial ecosystems. Thus, it is important to monitor the physical and chemical characteristics of soils, as these will have direct effects on fertility, productivity, and other important biological processes. Common soil pollutants include oil, pesticides, and heavy metals, as well as organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). To measure soil quality, researchers measure indicators that provide qualitative and quantitative information, such as quantity of organic matter, electrical conductivity, and nutrient content.
Climate change is a major environmental concern, as rising temperatures, droughts, floods, and increases in extreme weather events can have serious impacts on human health, communities, and the environment. To measure climate change, researchers rely on indicators such as global average temperature, Arctic sea ice thickness, and ocean heat content.
Waste management is essential for managing household, industrial, and agricultural waste and for reducing pollution. Thus, it is important to measure the amount of waste generated, the amount recycled or reused, and the amount of energy and water consumed.
Social indicators measure the wellbeing of people, communities, and nations and assess the environmental, economic, and social conditions that are important for creating healthy and sustainable societies. Common social indicators include poverty rate, unemployment, life expectancy, literacy rate, access to health care, and access to education.
In conclusion, environmental quality parameters encompass air, water, and soil quality indices, climate change, and social indicators. It is important to monitor these parameters in order to ensure the health of people and ecosystems, as well as sustainably manage resources.
