Match List-I (Pollution Type) with List-II (Associated Health Hazard / Effect) and select the correct code:

Question

Match List-I (Pollution Type) with List-II (Associated Health Hazard / Effect) and select the correct code:

List-I

i. Air (PM2.5)

ii. Water (Nitrates)

iii. Land (Heavy Metals)

iv. Noise

List-II

a. Methemoglobinemia

b. Hearing loss

c. Respiratory diseases

d. Neurological disorders

Choose the correct match:

1. A. i-c, ii-a, iii-d, iv-b (Correct answer)
2. B. i-a, ii-c, iii-b, iv-d
3. C. i-d, ii-b, iii-c, iv-a
4. D. i-c, ii-d, iii-a, iv-b

Correct Answer

Option A — i-c, ii-a, iii-d, iv-b

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is i-c, ii-a, iii-d, iv-b.

Key Points

• Each pollution medium maps to its characteristic health outcome:
  • i. Air ($\text{PM}_{2.5}$) - c. Respiratory diseases. Fine particulates penetrate to the alveoli, causing bronchitis, COPD and asthma.
  • ii. Water (Nitrates) - a. Methemoglobinemia. Nitrate reduced to nitrite oxidises infant haemoglobin, producing blue-baby syndrome.
  • iii. Land (Heavy Metals) - d. Neurological disorders. Lead and mercury taken up from contaminated soil and food are neurotoxins.
  • iv. Noise - b. Hearing loss. Sustained high sound levels cause noise-induced hearing loss.

Additional Information

• Two of these pairings can be fixed by a single memorable case each: Minamata disease in Japan, caused by methylmercury and marked by neurological damage, and Itai-itai disease, caused by cadmium and marked by skeletal damage.
• Noise-induced hearing loss becomes a risk above roughly 85 dB over an eight-hour exposure. India's Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 set day limits of 55 dB in residential, 65 dB in commercial and 75 dB in industrial areas, with a 10 dB reduction at night.
• Lead is uniquely damaging to children because it crosses the developing blood-brain barrier and lowers IQ irreversibly; there is no known safe blood-lead level.
• In match-the-following items, secure the pairing you are surest of and eliminate on that alone. Here iv-b is unambiguous and rules out two options immediately.