All processes in the biosphere are interconnected. Humanity is only a small part of the biosphere, and man is only one type of organic life. For centuries, man has sought not to adapt to the natural environment, but to make it convenient for his existence. Now we have realized that any of our activities has an impact on the environment, and the deterioration of the biosphere is dangerous for all living beings. A comprehensive study of man, his relationship with the outside world has led to the understanding that health is not only the absence of disease, but also the physical, mental and social well-being of a person. Health is a capital given to us not only by nature from birth, but also by the conditions in which we live.
Currently, human economic activity is increasingly becoming the main source of pollution of the biosphere. Gaseous, liquid and solid industrial wastes are entering the natural environment in increasing quantities. Various chemicals contained in waste, entering the soil, air or water, pass through ecological links from one chain to another, ultimately ending up in the human body. It is almost impossible to find a place on the globe where pollutants are not present in varying concentrations. Even in the ice of Antarctica, where there are no industrial production, and people live only at small research stations, scientists have discovered various toxic (poisonous) substances from modern production. They are carried there by atmospheric currents from other continents.
Substances that pollute the natural environment are very diverse. Depending on their nature, concentration, and time of action on the human body, they can cause various adverse effects. Short-term exposure to small concentrations of such substances can cause dizziness, nausea, sore throat, and cough. The entry of large concentrations of toxic substances into the human body can lead to loss of consciousness, acute poisoning and even death. An example of such an action could be smog that forms in large cities in calm weather, or emergency releases of toxic substances into the atmosphere by industrial enterprises. Similar signs are observed during radioactive contamination of the environment. Chemical compounds that are highly active in biological terms can cause long-term effects on human health: chronic inflammatory diseases of various organs, changes in the nervous system, effects on the intrauterine development of the fetus, leading tovarious abnormalities in newborns.
In addition to chemical pollutants, there are also biological pollutants in the natural environment that cause various diseases in humans. These are pathogenic microorganisms, viruses, helminths, and protozoa. They can be found in the atmosphere, water, soil, and in the body of other living organisms, including the person himself.
Open water sources are especially polluted: rivers, lakes, ponds. There are numerous cases where contaminated water sources caused epidemics of cholera, typhoid fever, and dysentery. In hot countries, diseases such as amoebiasis, schistomatosis, echinococcosis and others are widespread, which are caused by various parasites that enter the human body with water. Man, invading nature, often violates the natural conditions for the existence of pathogenic organisms and himself becomes a victim of natural focal diseases.
Other routes of infection are also possible. Thus, in some hot countries, as well as in a number of regions of our country, the infectious disease leptospirosis, or water fever, occurs. In our country, the causative agent of this disease lives in the organisms of common voles, which are widespread in meadows near rivers. The disease leptospirosis is seasonal, more common during periods of heavy rain and hot months (July - August). A person can become infected if water contaminated with rodent secretions enters his body.
Since the environmental problem is of great concern, I would like to believe that our offspring will not be as exposed to negative environmental factors as they are currently. However, we still do not realize the importance and globality of the problem that humanity faces regarding environmental protection. All over the world, people strive to reduce environmental pollution as much as possible. But, of course, not all ways to overcome this problem have been solved, and we should take care of the environment ourselves and maintain the natural balance in which humans are able to exist normally.
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