7

Environmental
QUARTER 3 - WEEK 1-2
Science
Pollutants In the Environment
(Air, Water, and Land Pollution)
Quarter 3- Week - Pollutants in the Environment

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any work of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the
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Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand

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copyright holders. Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to
use these materials from their respective copyright owners. The publisher and
authors do not represent nor claim ownership over them.

Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Bebiano Santillas

Development Team of the Module

Writers: Joanna C. Bayagosa

Sweetzel Manalo

Editors:

Reviewers:

Illustrator: Raul C.Rejuso III, T-II / Cogon National High School

Layout Artist:
 Supplementary Learning Module for Grade 7- STE
LESSON
POLLUTANTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

As society advances, the environment is continuously degrading because

of pollution. Pollution happens when waste, chemicals, or other harmful
substances contaminate our environment. Unfortunately, this happens because
of human activities, and these “pollutants” can harm us and all living things on
Earth. In this module, you will learn about the different pollutants found in our
environment. This knowledge will help you value our environment and protect it
from destruction.

Describe the pollutants in the environment (Air et al.)

At the end of this module, the learners should be able to:

 Describe the pollutants in the environment.
- air
- water
- land
 Explain what pollutants are.
 Cite ways to reduce the pollutants in the environment.
Directions: Read and answer the following questions. Write the letter of your
answer.

1. What do you call the material produced naturally or artificially that harms the
environment?
A. Agent B. Pollutant C. Trash D. Toxic Chemical

2. Which of the following happens when there is a sudden unfavorable change in

the characteristics of air, water, and land?
A. Contamination C. Impurity
B. Ecological Imbalance D. Pollution

3. Where can we find the pollutant Carbon Dioxide?

A. Air B. Oil C. Radiation D. Water

4. Which of the following best describes biodegradable pollutants?

A. An example of this material is domestic sewage.
B. These are materials that decompose slowly through natural or artificial
methods.
C. Massive quantity of these materials causes harm to the environment.
D. A material that quickly decays and piles up and may result in damaging
the
ecosystem.

5. The following are examples of non-biodegradable pollutants EXCEPT:

A. DDT B. Metallic oxides C. Paper D. Salt

How did you find the test?

Please check your answers at the answer key
section and see how you did. Got a low score?
Don’t worry. It only means that there are more
things that you can learn from this module. Keep
going!
 Simplify the following expressions to get the corresponding letters for each
box and form the word related to the last topic discussed.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z1
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

(18/6) (4*3+3) (56/4) (6*2+7) (30/6) (36/2) (10*2+2) (1*1) (50/2-5) (36/4) (30/2) (70/5)

(80/5) (40/2-2) (45/3) (4*4+4) (10/2) (9/3) (4*3+8) (27/3) (45/5+6) (6*3-4)

(3*3) (2*5+2) (27/3) (26/2) (2/2) (4*5) (25/5) (18/6) (2*3+2) (2/2) (7*2) (2*2+3) (10/2)

(18/3-1) (7*2) (11*2) (20/2-1) (36/2) (2*10+5) (20/5+9) (2*5+3) (10/5) (10*2-6) (40/4)

Directions: Word search. Find the following words.

RADIOACTIVE IODINE ZINC

CARBON DIOXIDE OZONE WASTES
FERTILIZERS SMOKE IRON
PESTICIDES IRON

C A E B I O D I N E L
A B K L R P W E S H K
R A D I O A C T I V E
B P A D N S T U G A ST
O F E R T I L I Z E R
N O T S A S L M I H O
D D S T T B T R N O L
I O M O H I R O C L M
O Z O N E O C S L N S
X A K L K O N I M A O
I N E M L F O L D T N
D R X E A W A S T E S
 E D O N G A S L T O S

Directions: Identify the type of pollution and its leading causes in the images
below.

1.
Pollution: __________________________
Main Causes:
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________

2.

Pollution: _
Main Causes:
__________________________________
__________________________________
1.
__________________________________

3.
Pollution: __________________________
Main Causes:
__________________________________
__________________________________
_________________________________

4.
Pollution: __________________________
Main Causes:
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________

5.
Pollution: __________________________
Main Causes:
__________________________________
__________________________________
 __________________________________
Guide questions:
1. Which various forms of pollution have you recognized from the images
above? What are the leading causes of these pollutions?
2. Provide examples of how you can reduce the amount of pollution in the
environment.

We are all aware of the global pollution problem. When trash,

chemicals, or other hazardous materials contaminate or foul our
environment, pollution takes place. This problem is primarily due to human
activities and is caused by various hazardous chemicals.
One of the results of human activity is pollution. These elements or
chemicals hurt the environment and its inhabitants, lowering living
standards. The environment is home to a wide variety of pollutants that
harm it. Various categories of contaminants consist of:
 Deposited matter: household garbage, tar or dust, smoke, soot, and smoke.
 Gases: halogens (chlorine, bromine, and iodine), carbon monoxide, carbon
dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and sulfur.
 Metals: Lead, zinc, iron, and chromium are among the metals.
 Industrial contaminants, such as cyanide compounds and benzene, ether,
acetic acid, etc.
 Pollutants used in agriculture: fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, and
pesticides.
 Photochemical pollutants: peroxyacetyl nitrate, aldehydes, ethylene, ozone,
and oxides of nitrogen.
 Radioactive materials and radioactive fallout from nuclear tests are
examples of radiation pollution.

Classification of Pollutants

A. Pollutants can be classified based on their natural disposal:

1. Non-degradable Pollutants
These are the pollutants that naturally occur in biological processes
break down slowly. These are inorganic substances like mercuric salts,
aluminum cans, metallic oxides, salts (especially chlorides), and DDT
 (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane). These might keep building up in the
surroundings.

2. Biodegradable Pollutants
Among them are home sewage systems that break down quickly in
the natural world and can break down quickly in the natural or artificial
world. When these accumulate in significant quantities, the rate of
deposition outpaces the rate of disposal decomposition, leading to severe
issues.

B. Pollutants can also be classified based on the form in which they persist after
their release into the environment.
1. Primary Pollutants: include those harmful substances emitted directly from
some identifiable sources. These include:
a. Sulfur compounds: SO2, SO3, H2S produced by the oxidation of fuel.
b. Carbon compounds: Oxides of carbon (CO+CO2) and hydrocarbons.
c. Nitrogen compounds: NO2 and =NH3.
d. Halogen compounds: Hydrogen fluoride (HF) and hydrochloric acid (HCl).
e. Particles of different sizes and substances: You can find these are hanging
in midair. More fine particles, such as those of metals, carbon, tar, pollen, fungi,
bacteria, silicates, and others are found below the diameter of 100 u.
3. Secondary Pollutants are created as a confluence of atmospheric primary
emitted pollutants. Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) and ozone (O 3) is produced when
nitrogen oxides, oxygen, and waste hydrocarbons from gasoline undergo a
photochemical reaction in direct sunlight. Ozone (O3) and peroxyacetyl nitrate
(PAN) are two harmful elements of smog that harm the lungs and cause smarting
of the eyes, are both present.
 Smog is produced when fog mixes with smoke and chemical fumes to form a
thick, black layer.

Types of Pollution

1. Air Pollution
Air pollution refers to the atmospheric release of pollutants,
chemicals, hazardous gases, particulates, and biological molecules. These
pollutants are harmful and can present significant health risks in certain
situations.

Causes
 Fossil fuel burning
 Mining activities
 Factory and industrial exhaust gases

Effects
 A higher chance of respiratory ailments and heart issues.
 A higher chance of skin conditions.
 It may make cancer more likely.
 Climate change.
 Rain with acidity
 Depletion of ozone.
 Threats to fauna

2. Water Pollution
Water pollution happens when dangerous contaminants and
particulate matter are added to a body of water. Human activities like poor
sewage treatment and oil spills often introduce these contaminants. Water
pollution, however, can also result from natural processes like
eutrophication.

Causes
 Discharging solid waste into bodies of water.
 Leaping raw industrial sewage into bodies of water.
 Animal and human waste.
 Pesticides and fertilizers found in agricultural runoff.

Effects
 Damage to the environment.
 Dangers to aquatic life.
 A higher chance of infections caused by water.
 A rise in harmful substances in water bodies like mercury.
 The eutrophication processes.

3. Soil Pollution
Soil pollution refers to the deterioration of land brought on by
chemicals or other artificial materials in the soil. These have a profound
direct or indirect impact on life. For example, plants will absorb any
harmful substances found in the soil.

Causes
 Improper industrial waste disposal.
 Oil spills.
 Acid rain is caused by air pollution.
 Mining activities.
 Intensive farming and agrochemicals (like fertilizers and pesticides).
 Industrial accidents

Effects
 Decrease in soil nutrients.
 Influences the native plants and animals that live in the soil.
 Causes vegetation degradation because of the soil's rising salinity.
 Lung cancer and other respiratory issues can be brought on by toxic dust.

4. Noise Pollution
Noise pollution refers to an environment where there is an
excessive amount of noise that disturbs the natural balance. Though some
natural disasters, like volcanoes, can cause it, noise pollution is primarily
artificial.

Causes
 Sounds associated with the industry, like heavy machinery, mills, factories,
etc.
 Noise is produced by moving vehicles such as airplanes.
 Sounds from construction.
 Social event noise, such as firecrackers and loudspeakers.
 Sounds from the home (mixers, TV, washing machines, etc.)

Effects
 Loss of hearing·
 Hearing loss
 Problems with sleep
 Hypertension, or elevated blood pressure
 Issues with communication

5. Radioactive Pollution
Radioactive pollution happens when radioactive materials are
unintentionally released into the atmosphere or environment, posing a risk
to the environment due to radioactive decay.

Causes
 Accidents involving nuclear power plants.
 The deployment of nuclear weapons as destructive weapons.
 Applying radioisotopes.
 Mining.
 Radioactive chemical spillage.
 Radiation Tests.
 Recycling and Handling of Nuclear Waste

Effects
 Variations in Genes.
 Illnesses.
  Infertility in the soil.
 Destroying cells.
 Burn.
 Impacts on fauna.
 Impacts on vegetation.
 Impacts on Marine Organisms.

Fill in the relevant word or words on the concept map to provide an overview of
what you have learned.

Types of Pollution

Reasons Reasons
Reasons
_________

_______________ _______________
_______________
How to Prevent How to Prevent
How to Prevent
_______________ _______________
_______________ _______________ _______________
_______________

FEED ME only SOLID POLLUTANT !

Directions: Classify the pollutants below into biodegradable and non-
biodegradable.

Peels of vegetables and fruits Batteries

Paper Plastic bag
Glass bottle Styrofoam
Metal cans Dog manure
Cotton cloth Kitchen Waste

Guide Questions:
1. How can pollutants that are not biodegradable be distinguished from those that
are?
2. How can pollutants that contaminate the air, water, and land be lessened?
3. Why is waste segregation important?

COMPLETE ME
Directions: Sort the words in the box according to whether they refer to the
effects of pollution on the environment or on people.

Headache Skin Rash

Hole in the ozone layer Burn
Smog Breathing problem
Disease/Sickness Acid rain
Chemical Reaction Stomachache
Deafness Weakness

Effects of pollution on people Effects of pollution on the

environment
INTERPRET ME
Directions: The amounts and percentages of various pollutants entering a given
area in 1997 and 2007 are displayed in the charts. To respond to the
questions, use these pie charts below.

1. Which kind of pollution is most prevalent in 1997? in 2007?

2. In 1997, which pollutant has the lowest percentage? in 2007?
3. In 2007, which pollutant saw a sharp decline, based on the graph?
4. What proportion of home sewage was added in 2007?
5. What proportion of marine waste was reduced in 2007?
6. In your opinion, why was litter reduced to zero percent in 2007?

Guide Questions:
1. How was the atmosphere changed from that of the early Earth?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
 2. Cite three pollutants of air, water, and land. Explain where these pollutants
come from and what are its effects on humans and the environment.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Directions: On the lines below, write about what you’ve learned by doing the
activities in this module. Be specific as possible and use complete
sentences.

What are your insights from the activity?

___________________________________________
________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

What did you like most from this lesson?

________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
______

What is the most challenging activity in our lesson?

Why?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
 Directions: Make your own tote bag by designing and creating something that promotes
preventing environmental pollution.

RUBRICS FOR TOTE BAG DESIGN MAKING

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
It includes all All required All but 1 of the Several required
REQUIRED ELEMENTS required elements as elements are required elements elements were
well as additional included on the are included on missing.
information poster. the poster.
All graphics are All graphics are All graphics Graphics are not
related to the topic related to the topic related to the related to the
and make it easier to and most make it topic. One or two topic OR several
GRAPHIC RELEVANCE understand. All easier to borrowed graphics borrowed graphics
borrowed graphics understand. Some have a source do not have a
have a source borrowed graphics citation. source citation.
citation. have a source
citation.
The bag is The bag is The bag is The bag is
exceptionally attractive in terms acceptably distractingly
ATTRACTIVENESS attractive in terms of of design, layout, attractive though it messy. It is not
design, layout, and and neatness. may be a bit attractive.
neatness. messy.
The effort was far The effort was The work could The work was
EFFORT beyond that required. completely have been completed with
 satisfactory. improved with minimum effort.
more effort.

Directions: Read each question carefully. Choose the letter of the correct
answer.

1.What do you call the material produced naturally or artificially that harms the
environment?
A. Agent B. Pollutant C. Trash D. Toxic Chemical

2.Which of the following happens when there is a sudden unfavorable change

in characteristics of air, water, and land?
A. Contamination C. Impurity
B. Ecological Imbalance D. Pollution

3.Where can we find the pollutant Carbon Dioxide?

A. Air B. Radiation C. Oil D. Water

4.Which of the following best describes biodegradable pollutants?

A. An example of this material is domestic sewage.
B. These are materials that decompose slowly through natural or
artificial methods.
C.A massive quantity of these materials causes harm to the
environment.
D.A material that quickly decays and piles up and may result in
damaging the ecosystem.

5.The following are examples of non-biodegradable pollutant except:

C. DDT B. Metallic Oxides C. Paper D. Salt
1. What do you call a fog combined with smoke and other chemical fumes?
A. Dirty Smoke C. Smog
B. Exhaust Gas D. Vapor

2. What do you call the combination of substances emitted directly from

various sources?
A. Biodegradable Pollutants C. Secondary Pollutants
B. Non-Biodegradable Pollutants D. Tertiary Pollutants

3. The following describes water pollution except:

 A.A degradation caused by aerosols.
B.An occurrence that contaminates bodies of water.
C.Primary sources of this pollution come from food wastes, mineral.
D.Oils and detergents.
E.It is a condition where materials are found in water which harms the
environment.
4. Which of the following is an example of a common air pollutant?
A. Chlorine C. Hydrocarbon
B. Fertilizer D. Dirt
5. Which of the following has high energy, remove electrons, and is highly
dangerous?
A. Atom C. Radiation
B. Chemical D. Hazardous Material

Biodegradable Pollutants - These include domestic sewage that quickly

decomposes under natural processes and can be rapidly decomposed by

natural/artificial methods.

Non-degradable Pollutants -These are the pollutants which are degraded at a

plodding pace by the natural biological processes.

Pollutants - These substances or materials impact the environment and its

creatures thereby hampering the quality of life.

Pollution-the presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance or

thing that has harmful or poisonous effects.

Pre-Test
1. B 2. D 3. A 4. D 5. C

TRY THIS
1. Conservation-
2. Protection
3. Climate Change
4. Environment

DO THIS

C A E B I O D I N E L
A B K L R P W E S H K
R A D I O A C T I V E
B P A D N S T U G A ST
O F E R T I L I Z E R
N O T S A S L M I H O
D D S T T B T R N O L
I O M O H I R O C L M
O Z O N E O C S L N S
X A K L K O N I M A O
I N E M L F O L D T N
D R X E A W A S T E S
E D O N G A S L T O S
EXPLORE
1. AIR POLLUTION
Burning fossil fuels
Mining operations
Exhaust gases from industries and factories

2. WATER POLLUTION
Dumping solid wastes in water bodies
Disposing untreated industrial sewage into water bodies
Human and animal wastes
Agricultural runoff containing pesticides and fertilizers

3. NOISE POLLUTION
Industry-oriented noises such as heavy machines, mills, factories, etc.
Transportation noises form vehicles, airplanes, etc.
Construction noises.
Noise from social events (loudspeakers, firecrackers, etc.)
Household noises (such as mixers, TV, washing macines, etc.)
 4. RADIATION POLLUTION
Nuclear Accidents from nuclear energy plants
The use of nuclear weapons as weapon of mass destruction
Use of radioisotopes
Mining
Spillage of Radioactive Chemicals
Tests on Radiation
Nuclear Waste Handling and Disposal

5. SOIL POLLUTION
Improper industrial waste disposal
Oil spills
Acid rain which is caused by air pollution.
Mining activities
Intensive farming and agrochemicals (like fertilizers and pesticides)
Industrial accidents.

APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

ANSWERS MAY VARY

ACTIVITY 1
BIODEGRADABLE POLLUTANTS
Peels of vegetables and fruits
Paper
Cotton cloth
Kitchen Waste
Dog manure

BIODEGRADABLE POLLUTANTS
Glass bottle
Styrofoam
Metal cans
Batteries
Plastic bags

Guide Questions
1. Non-degradable Pollutants are the pollutants which are degraded at a plodding pace by the
natural biological processes while biodegradable pollutants
include domestic sewage that quickly decompose under natural processes and can be rapidly
decomposed by natural/artificial methods.
1. ANSWERS MAY VARY
2. ANSWERS MAY VARY

ACTIVITY 2

Effects of pollution on people Effects of pollution on people

Headache Hole in the ozone layer
Disease/Sickness Smog
Skin rash Chemical reaction
Burn Acid Rain
Breathing problem
Stomachache
Deafness
Weakness

ACTIVITY 3
 1. 1997- Pollutants from air, 2007- Domestic sewage and pollutants from air
2. 1997- Litter and farm waste; 2007-litter
3. Industrial waste
4. 5%
5. 11%
6. Answer may vary

Guide Questions
1-3. Answers may vary

ASSESS WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

2. B 2. D 3. A 4. D 5. C 6. C 7. C 8. A 9. C 10. C
s

Internet Sources:

Andaya, C. V. (2008). Understanding the Earth through Environmental Science.

C & E Publishing.

Bill (2018). Pollutants entering a particular area of ocean in 1997 and in 2007.
Retrieved from: https://weilibo.wordpress.com/2018/07/17/ielts-writing-p1-
pollutants-entering-a-particular-area-of-ocean-in-1997-and-in-2007/

Boudreau et al. (2011). Pollution. Retrieved from:

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/ encyclopedia/pollution/

Environmental Pollution Center.2020. What is Radioactive Pollution? Retrieved

from:https://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/radiation/

Maria-Blog (2012). Effects of Pollution in Our Health. Retrieved from:

https://maria79-blog.tumblr.com/post/4394889301/pie-chart-showing-
whatthe-factors-are-for-the

Munsif et al. (2020). Industrial Air Emission Pollution: Potential Sources and
Sustainable Mitigation. Retrieved from:
https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/72766

UC. Riverside. (2021). Primary Vs. Secondary Air Pollutants. Retrieved from:
https://pollution.ucr.edu/primary-vs-secondary