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Q98 (IAS/2014) Science & Technology › New Materials, Energy & Environment-linked Tech › Advanced materials and nanotech Official Key

There is some concern regarding the nanoparticles of some chemical elements that are used by the industry in the manufacture of various products. Why? 1. They can accumulate in the environment, and contaminate water and soil. 2. They can enter the food chains. 3. They can trigger the production of free radicals. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

The correct answer is option D because all three statements are valid concerns regarding industrial nanoparticles.

Statement 1 is correct: Up to 0.3 Tg of engineered nanomaterials enter landfills, soil, water, and air annually[1], and they may reach aquatic environments via industrial effluents, treated wastewater discharge, or surface runoff from soils affected by erosion, with titanium dioxide and silver nanoparticles frequently found in these environmental pathways[2].

Statement 2 is correct: Nanomaterials enter the food chain through multiple pathways, including industrial waste, sewage, and agricultural runoff, and are absorbed by aquatic organisms such as algae and bacteria and then transferred to larger organisms via predation[3].

Statement 3 is correct: Nanoparticles can trigger free radical production. Environmental exposures significantly influence the balance between free radical production and antioxidant capacity[4], and industrial chemicals are known exogenous sources that can generate free radicals. Given their high surface area-to-volume ratio and reactivity[5], nanoparticles can act as catalysts for free radical generation, posing biochemical risks.

Sources
  1. [1] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aau8299
  2. [4] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41420-024-02278-8
  3. [5] https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/soil-science/articles/10.3389/fsoil.2025.1705689/full
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Q. There is some concern regarding the nanoparticles of some chemical elements that are used by the industry in the manufacture of various p…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 5/10
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This is a classic 'Science-Environment Intersection' question. While specific lines aren't in textbooks, the logic is derived from general pollution principles (persistence, bioaccumulation). It relies heavily on the 'Scientific Plausibility' heuristic—if a new technology *can* theoretically cause an effect, UPSC considers it correct.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Can nanoparticles of chemical elements used by industry in the manufacture of various products accumulate in the environment?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 9: Geographical Perspective on Selected Issues and Problems > Water Pollution > p. 96
Strength: 5/5
“Industries produce several undesirable products including industrial wastes, polluted waste water, poisonous gases, chemical residuals, numerous heavy metals, dust, smoke, etc. Most of the industrial wastes are disposed off in running water or lakes. Consequently, poisonous elements reach the reservoirs, rivers and other water bodies, which destroy the bio-system of these waters. Major water polluting industries are leather, pulp and paper, textiles and chemicals. Various types of chemicals used in modern agriculture such as inorganic fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides are also pollution generating components. These chemicals are washed down to rivers, lakes and tanks. These chemicals also infiltrate the soil to reach the ground water.”
Why relevant

States that industries dispose wastes (including poisonous elements and heavy metals) into rivers, lakes and soil, causing these elements to reach and affect water bodies.

How to extend

A student could extend this by noting that if bulk elemental wastes reach water/soil, then engineered nanoparticles of those elements released similarly could also be transported and accumulate in the same environmental compartments.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > 5.6.2. Source > p. 79
Strength: 5/5
“• i. Industrial Wastest • r Industrial w$te includes chemicals such as mercury, lead, copper, zinc, cadmium, cynides, thiocynates, chromates, acids, alkalies, organic substances etc.”
Why relevant

Lists specific elemental pollutants in industrial waste (mercury, lead, copper, zinc, cadmium, etc.), showing industry uses and emits metal elements.

How to extend

Knowing industries emit elemental metals, one can reasonably suspect industry might also release those elements in nanoparticulate form which could follow analogous accumulation pathways.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 6: Environmental Degradation and Management > 6.32 Environment and Ecology > p. 37
Strength: 4/5
“(vii) Miscellaneous Water Pollutants: Water is also polluted by thermal discharge from power plants, and other industries. Solid wastes accumulated on land in the form of landflls also pollute the surface and underground water tables. All the pollutants described above have a disastrous efect upon human health, ecosystems, and environment and ecology. • Type of Industry: 1. Chemical Plants; Inorganic Pollutants: Various acids and alkalies, chlorides, sulphates, nitrates of metals, phosphorous, silica and sus pended particles.; Organic Pollutants: Aromatic compounds solvents, organic acids dyes, etc. • Type of Industry: 2. Food Processing; Inorganic Pollutants: ; Organic Pollutants: Highly putrescible organic mat ter and pathogens • Type of Industry: 3.”
Why relevant

Describes inorganic pollutants from chemical plants (chlorides, sulphates, nitrates of metals, suspended particles) and notes landfill/solid wastes pollute surface and groundwater.

How to extend

Since suspended particles and metal salts enter water/groundwater, a student could infer that particulate forms including nanoparticles may likewise persist and accumulate in sediments and aquifers.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 6: Environmental Degradation and Management > 2. Water (aquatic) Pollution > p. 36
Strength: 4/5
“Te chemical fertilisers applied by the farmers in their crops may fow into water bodies. Nitrates may also get accumulated in high concentrated in certain crops. Nitrates can cause several stomach diseases including stomach cancer. Nitrates in water bodies can cause eutrophication which is injurious to aquatic ecosystems.• (iv) Synthetic Organic Compounds: A variety of synthetic organic compounds is also an important source of water pollution. Te main sources of synthetic pollutants are industrial, agricultural and household garbage. Sometimes such minerals (chlorine, etc.) are deliberately added for treating the water. Te excess use of chlorine may be health hazard.• (v) Oil and Petroleum: Mixing of petroleum oil into water also adversely afects the quality of water.”
Why relevant

Explains chemical fertilizers and synthetic organic compounds flow into water bodies and can accumulate (e.g., nitrates causing eutrophication), illustrating environmental accumulation of applied chemicals.

How to extend

By analogy, this pattern of chemical runoff and accumulation supports the possibility that nanoparticulate chemical forms released to land or water might also concentrate and impact ecosystems.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 17: Climate Change > Industry: > p. 257
Strength: 3/5
“r-,L l • Perfluorocarbons are compounds produced as a by-product of various industrial processes associated with aluminum production and the manufacturing of semiconductors. :::• Like HFCs, PFCs generally have long atmospheric lifetimes and high GWPs.• Sulfur hexafluoride is used in magnesium processing and semiconductor manufacturing, as well as a tracer gas for leak detection. HFC-23 is produced as a by-product of HCFC-22 production.”
Why relevant

Notes certain industrial by-products (perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride) have long atmospheric lifetimes and are associated with manufacturing processes.

How to extend

This provides an example of industrial chemicals that persist and travel in the environment, suggesting nanoparticles produced or emitted by similar industries could likewise be persistent and transportable before eventual accumulation.

Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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With reference to the usefulness of the by-products of sugar industry, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Bagasse can be used as biomass fuel for the generation of energy. 2. Molasses can be used as one of the feedstocks for the production of synthetic chemical fertilizers. 3. Molasses can be used for the production of ethanol. Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

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Why is there a concern about copper smelting plants? 1. They may release lethal quantities of carbon monoxide into environment. 2. The copper slag can cause the leaching of some heavy metals into environment. 3. They may release sulphur dioxide as a pollutant. Select the correct answer using the code given below.