This blog contains information about the Uses, Sources and Impacts of Methane This also contains information about the Natural and Anthropogenic Sources of Methane. It also explains the Health and Environmental Impacts of Methane.
1. What do you know about Methane?
Methane is a colorless, odorless flammable gas with the chemical formula CH4. This is a Greenhouse gas that is present in the Environment in very small quantities. It is a short-lived Climate Pollutant.
CH4 is a powerful Greenhouse gas that warms the atmosphere even in very small concentrations. It is a strong gas in case of Global Warming because it absorbs 20-25% more heat that Carbon dioxide. Methane is sometimes produced naturally while some of its sources are Anthropogenic in Nature. In addition to its role in Greenhouse effect, it is also a very importance gas in the Atmospheric Chemistry. It produces atmospheric CO (Carbon Monoxide) as an intermediate oxidation product and influences concentrations of hydroxyl radicals and Ozone. Methane is the main part of Natural Gas so it is primarily used as fuel for heat and light, as the starting material of chemical synthesis.
The contributions of methane in Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming cannot be ignored because of its effectivity on the Natural Systems. We can say that Methane itself is a great Environmental Problem. We will learn about the Uses, Natural and Anthropogenic Sources, Environmental and Health Impacts and Control Measures for Methane in detail.
2. What are the Major Uses of Methane in our lives?
The use of methane is in wide range of goods and purposes. We utilize methane for many household and industrial purposes. Following are the Major Uses of Methane in our lives:
i. Fuel:
Methane is widely used as a fuel as it is the starting material for chemical synthesis. It is utilized for generating light and heat for several industrial or domestic purposes. It is a major part of Natural Gas.
ii. Cooking Food:
Methane is utilized as the heat energy sources in our homes for cooking food so it is very essential for generating heat energy for cooking food. The gas in our stoves is mostly methane or a mixture of it.
iii. Generating Electricity:
Methane is a warming gas and the Electricity need heat for its generation so it is widely used in the Electric Power Plants to facilitate the generation of Electricity. We can use it for energy generation.
iv. Power the Industries:
Industries are powered by some source of energy either Fossil Fuels or any warming gas that helps to create heat. Methane is a very important gas in Powering the Industries on greater level.
v. Automobile Fuel:
Some of the vehicles that works with the Natural Gas a their fuel, use Methane for fueling. Methane is capable of driving the vehicles on its power and it is a cheaper fuel as compared to Petroleum fuels.
vi. Fertilizers:
Fertilizers are the chemicals that facilitates crops and fields to grow properly. Methane is an important ingredient of many of the Important and also effective Fertilizers that are used for crops.
vii. Rocket Fuel:
Rockets are the flying vehicles that helps us to reach the space. The refined liquid form of Methane is the most common and efficient Rocket Fuels that is used for the operation of the Rockets.
These are some of the uses of Methane. As we have seen that we are dependent on methane for many household and industrial purposes in our lives. But unfortunately it is a powerful warming gas and it contributes in Global Warming and Excessive Greenhouse Effect on the Earth. So, we can say that it is an Extreme Environmental Problem. This blog is all about Uses, Sources, Impacts and Control Measures of Methane.
3. What are the Natural Sources of Methane?
Methane emits by Natural as well as Anthropogenic Activities in the Environment. Lets have a look on the Natural Sources of Methane.
i. Oceans:
There are many tiny organisms and microorganisms that lives on the Ocean Floor. They continuously degrade or destroy Organic Matter. It is the biggest source of methane that emits by the Ocean. In the same way Anerobic bacteria also emits methane during the decomposition process. Ocean Floor also releases bubbles of methane and adds methane to the ocean. When this is more than the Ocean’s Capacity, it is emitted in the open Environment. This is why it is a significant source of Methane.
ii. Wetlands:
Wetlands are the water bodies with a diverse species of flora and fauna. These are either wet for most of the time of the year, or throughout the year. Wetlands are the largest source of Methane, contributing as 30% of the Global Methane Production. The Methane emissions from wetlands also depends upon the decomposition of Organic Matter, because wetlands provide a very suitable Environment for the decomposition Activities. The wetlands includes Marshes, Bogs etc. All of them emits methane.
iii. Termites:
Termites are the tiny insects that eat wood and also digest it by forming layers of mud-like structures. These termites are expert in digesting wood as they have a strong and immune Digestive system. Termites produces methane during their digestion process to perform complete digestion of wood. They contributes in 11% of the Global Methane Emissions. This shows that these tiny insects are significant contributors of Methane in the Environment.
iv. Livestock:
Livestock includes that animals that are specially raised in the farms in order to use them for the welfare of Humans. They eat plants and grasses most of the time. They emit a lot of methane as a digestive gas. Their wastes such as feces, are also a significant source of Methane. India is the biggest contributor of Methane because they do not kill old cows because they consider them Holy. The older a livestock animal will be, the more it will emit Methane into the Atmosphere.
These are some of the Natural Sources of Methane. Other sources includes Wildfires, Volcanoes, Wildlife etc. It is a severe Environmental Problem. This blog is all about the Uses, Sources, Impacts and Control Measures for Methane.
4. What are the Anthropogenic Sources of Methane?
Anthropogenic Activities contributes in Methane production in a huge concentration. The Anthropogenic Emissions of Methane are responsible for Global Warming and enhanced Greenhouse Effect. Following are Anthropogenic Sources of Methane:
1) Landfills:
Landfills are the sites where the garbage and trash is collected. These are the special locations that consists of all types of wastes. The landfills are the biggest anthropogenic source of Methane Emissions. When the garbage or wastes are at the same location for a long time, the biodegradation process starts. This emits a huge concentration of Methane. Almost 20% of the methane emissions are from the landfills and also wastes that we as humans produce in large quantities.
2) Fossil Fuel Burning:
Fossil fuels are remains of dead bodies of plants and animals that are present under the Earth’s crust. We utilize these fossil fuels for generating heat energy by burning them on Industrial Level and for manufacturing purposes. Fossil Fuel burning contains dead organic matter. When they burn they emit a huge amounts of Greenhouse gases including methane into the atmosphere. The emissions from the factories and industries are also Anthropogenic Sources of Methane.
3) Agricultural Emissions:
Agricultural emissions include the emissions that produces by the use of Synthetic Fertilizers and also Pesticides, by the process of evaporation. The rise in population levels with passing time, are increasing the need of Intensive Farming at great extents. As methane is a part of many fertilizers, so the Agricultural emissions includes Methane emissions. These emissions contributes as 40% of the Anthropogenic Methane emissions because of excessive use of fertilizers.
4) Dams:
Dams are the Artificial Water reservoirs that facilitates us to collect Rainwater and helps in Rainwater Harvesting at great levels. These dams provide space for collected water for a long time, so many biological activities may starts in Dams. These biological activities include Algae formation, Biodegradation of Organic Matter and also Bacterial Actions. All of these biological activities makes dam a significant source of Methane emissions.
These are some of the important Anthropogenic Sources of Methane. This blog is all about Uses, Sources Impacts and Control Measures of Methane.
5. What are the Environmental Impacts of Methane production?
Methane facilitates us with many Economical sectors and Household Activities, but in the case of Environment it is harmful for the Earth’s Systems and acts negatively for the Environment. We will discuss all the Environmental Impacts of Methane as follows:
I. Climate Change:
Climate Change is the Long-term shifts of Temperature and also Weather Patterns on the Earth. It is a great Environmental problem as it is going forwards towards extreme impacts. Methane is the Second-Largest contributor of Climate Change. The reduction in Methane emissions can quickly and effectively slow down the process of Climate Change. It is 25 times more powerful than Carbon dioxide in heat-trapping. This is the reason it contributes in elevating the temperature and warming in the Environment.
II. Global Warming:
Global Warming is the Natural Phenomena of increasing the Earth’s average temperature by Natural and also Anthropogenic Activities. It is a serious Environmental problem of our time. Methane is one of the significant contributor of Global warming. The most important substances that involves in Global Warming are Greenhouse gases. They trap heat and increase the temperature of the Earth. Methane is one of those powerful Greenhouse gases that plays a great role in Global Warming.
III. Air Pollution:
Air pollution can be defined as the addition of any foreign substance in the air that cause deterioration of the Air Quality and also Composition of the air. All the greenhouse gases are leading cause of Air Pollution and Methane is a prominent gas among them. With adding methane concentrations to the Environment, methane is also responsible for the production of ground-level Ozone that is a Major Air Pollutant for the atmosphere. In this way, it produces Methane as well as Ozone and cause Air Pollution.
These are some of the major Environmental Impacts of Methane production. It is one of the Major Environmental Problem and Hazard for the present time. This blog is all about Sources and Impacts of Methane.
6. What are the Health Impacts of Methane?
With the Extreme Environmental Impacts of Methane, it also lead to many harmful health impacts on the Humans and other forms of Biodiversity. Following are the health impacts of Methane on Humans and Biodiversity:
1: Cardiovascular Diseases:
Cardiovascular diseases includes the diseases related to heart and also its functioning. Methane can be a significant source of Cardiac problems in humans and animals. The main reason behind it is the additional formation of Ground level Ozone that interrupts the normal functioning of Heart directly and also effect heart health. This leads to premature mortality because of cardiac health conditions.
2: Cancer:
Methane can cause the production of VOCs or Volatile Organic Compounds, that can be a direct reason for causing cancer in humans and Biodiversity. It can also react with your body cells of the people and cause cancer. It mostly cause bowel cancer and 70% of the bowel cancer is caused by Methane emissions. This is a great cause of Methane Production.
3: Extreme Symptoms:
The exposure to Methane can cause many extreme health impacts immediately after the exposure. These symptoms may be shortness of breathe, increased heart rate, clumsiness, dizziness, decreased vision, and more. The symptoms shows that Methane is extremely dangerous for health of living organisms and we should also be aware of the control measures of Methane.
4: Respiratory Disorders:
As methane is a Major Air Pollutant, it can cause triggering of Respiratory problems and also many disorders. These respiratory disorders include Asthma, Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, Bronchitis etc. The patients of Asthma and any other dangerous respiratory disorder can face extreme health impacts and triggers when exposed to methane. These are the main reason behind Respiratory disorder.
These are some of the Health Impacts of Methane in the Environment. This blog is all about Uses, Sources, and Impacts of Methane.
To learn about more topics, Click the links below:
Comments