Biological contamination

Biological contamination occurs when organisms break down elements of great importance to soil, water, and air. Such decomposition mainly affects living beings, posing high health risks and even death.

Normally the organisms that cause biological contamination are parasites, bacteria, viruses and fungi. However, some insects can also generate problems and become transmitters of pollutants.

Causes of biological contamination

This type of pollution can appear in the environment or in the human body for different causes, but the most common are the following:

• Lack of personal hygiene.
• Living with people affected by a virus.
• Living or working in a place with dirt.
• Be exposed to hazardous waste.
• Maintain direct contact with organic waste or garbage.
• Work in industrial, agricultural activities or in laboratories and hospitals.

In these spaces, biological contamination can grow as fast as foam, which is why hygiene, cleaning and disinfection is so important for all individuals.

Consequences of biological contamination

As we have mentioned, biological pollution can generate environmental and health consequences. Among the main problems it can cause we find:

In health

• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Infections
• Anemia
• Allergies

In the environment

• Alteration of ecosystems.
• Biological changes in animals.
• Diseases and even the death of species.

Biological risk

Biological risk symbol.

Now that you know what biological contamination is, you need to keep in mind a term related to it: biological risk. Popularly known through the symbol you see in the image; biological risk poses the presence of organisms that are a threat to the health of human beings.

Within the biological risk we find different agents that, in turn, are part of the biological contamination, such as, for example, sanitary waste. These wastes can come into contact with the human organism through different routes, such as breathing, skin or the digestive tract.

How to avoid biological contamination?

Although it is difficult to control microorganisms, the truth is that biological contamination can be avoided if the following steps are followed:

• Frequently clean and disinfect the objects we use and the spaces in which we live.
• Properly handle and manage the waste we generate at home, in the office or at work, avoiding direct contact with them.
• Dispose of organic garbage in the containers indicated for it.
• Comply with the appropriate hygiene measures during your working day, whether in the office or in the field.
• Perform constant medical check-ups, in order to avoid viruses or infections that may even affect the people or animals around us.
• Train and encourage workers to comply with the sanitary measures defined by the company.
• Educate children in hygiene and disease prevention.

If until now biological contamination has seemed dangerous to you, we warn you that there are still problems to inform you. This type of contamination can appear even in the food we consume, it is here when it merges with chemistry and physics to fulfill natural processes that, unfortunately, can affect our health.

*Source TWENERGY