Nitrogen and sulfur cycles and how they are affected by human interference: the example of Greece

Abstract

With the development of technology over the past twenty years’ human kind has solved most of its biggest problems that were considered unsolved before. Unfortunately,
though, the consequences of this industrial and technological development affect to a great extend the major factor of life, the environment. The aim of this article is to begin with a theoretical review of the importance of the cycles for humans and to analyze the way we intervene in them and what will the consequences (long or short term) be for our lives. Furthermore, we explain phenomena like acidification, particle and photochemical cloud and how they affect our health. Moreover, we quote the substances and chemical reactions that are produced by human activity and penetrate in the cycles creating the above phenomena. We also mention especially in Greece, how human activity has changed its environment through years and we compare it with other countries from different backgrounds.