Journal of Bioremediation & Biodegradation
Open Access

Gradually necessity arose are to clean some areas of natural vegetation to make room for animals and plants. With expanding needs of life, the natural ecosystem was modified, vegetation destroyed, flattened areas fenced off with stones, thorny bushes, logs etc. to accommodate the establishments, crops and fields. Thus, by 10,000 B.C. small human establishments sprang up in fertile regions of the world. It was around 4,000 years before Christ that man learnt to extract copper and use the metal for making arms, tools or pans, utensils. Gradually other metals were discovered. The technology for extraction of iron was discovered by about 1000 B.C., as extraction of iron from its ores requires a much higher temperature. Iron minerals are more abundant in nature as compared to those of copper. Use of metals conferred tremendous advantage to the human society. It was, however, only by 17^th century A.D. that technique to harden to steel form by adding carbon was developed. With the appearance of steel and the use of mineral coal, dug out from earth, industrial revolution commenced in 17^th Century. This Year gave birth to 'Origin of pollution,' but the state of affair remained unnoticed or unrealised by early technicians. With an absolutely primitive state of technology for harvesting natural resources, there was no glimpse of multifarious activities related to industrialisation. As human enterprises enlarged at the expense of natural ecosystem, there was slow and steady rise in world population, reaching, and 1 billion by 1800 A.D. Situation changed with further advancement of science and technology, especially in the fields of agriculture, fruit cultivation, horticulture, animal husbandry and fisheries. These endeavours provided ample resources to fulfil the food requirements of rising human population, which nearly doubled from 683.81 million to 1027 million in the millennium year. With the passage of time, there came tremendous impact on human life style.

With the exploitation of natural resources, the human society no longer remained an agriculture based society. Many new attributes were added to the human society. Some of these are mentioned below:

(I) Replacement of muscle power with that of coal, petroleum, and electricity.

(2) Advancement in communication system.

(3) Advancement in Medical sciences, use of antibiotics, immunisation etc.

(4) Use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, improved varieties.

(5) Use of new synthetic products for garments and other dress clothes.

(6) Use of electrical and electronic equipment’s.

New discoveries and inventions revolutionised the living style of modern people and the society had changed outlook with many kinds of living amenities, comfortable houses, good metalled roads, cars, jeeps, vans, three-wheeler and two-wheeler vehicles. Advancement came in food processing technology, use of preservatives, colouring agents, flavour chemicals and in the use of refrigerators, hot plates, oven, coolers, blowers, room heaters etc. However in the use of all these items of luxuries, there is open chance of generation or production of pollutants for deteriorating natural quality of air, water or soil. Resultantly, there is likelihood of overall impact on the health of human beings. In the account that follows, the concern of natural resources with the origin of pollution has been described.