Unveiling the Science Of Environment Monitoring & Testing

We are all a product of Evolution, and so is the Environment we live in. During the process of Evolution, man has constantly introduced contaminants in various forms into the Environment, polluting it and causing extreme harm to live organisms. The obvious questions that come to mind are which contaminants are harmful to living beings in what concentration? What are their chemical structures? How do we know whether they are present or absent in the Environment? Can we avoid introducing these pollutants into the Environment? Answering all these questions takes work and involves a lot of input from various science disciplines. Chemistry is one of the most important disciplines that highlights different aspects of pollution and its prevention.
Pollution in air or water can occur due to chemicals, gases, effluents, solid wastes, radioactive substances etc. While there are local government regulations for the discharge of these components in the Environment, new pollutant categories are being addressed through international regulations such as RoHS, WEEE, and REACH. WEEE/RoHS compliance aims to encourage the design of electronic products with environmentally-safe recycling and recovery in mind, thus reducing the number of hazardous chemicals used in electronic manufacture. Similarly, REACH aims to regulate the handling of chemical substances, regardless of whether they are dangerous or not.
Monitoring of the Environment has two aspects, sampling of pollutants followed by their analysis. The correctness of the calculation entirely depends on the sampling technique. The sampling technique is nothing but selecting the correct sampling point, choosing the right sampling equipment and storing the collected sample in suitable containers until it is analyzed. A mistake at any moment can lead to erroneous results and, thus, misleading conclusions. The selection of the correct analytical method is equally important. The method chosen should selectively analyze and detect the compounds of interest from a mixture of components. The analytical method should be robust and avoid interference from other substances.
Management of the Environment can be done when one knows what component is causing pollution and how its entry into the Environment can be avoided or reduced. Various chemical reactions producing the pollutants can be altered so that the contaminant is not made during a particular process. If the pollutant formation is unavoidable, the pollutant should be converted into a non-harmful product to be discharged into the Environment.
Understanding the principles of science & technology and applying them in real life can undoubtedly lead to an environment free of pollutants. Our actions today will determine how hot or pleasant the Environment will be for future generations.
Dr Nilesh S Amritkar, MD, Envirocare Labs.