Ideally, any environmental concerns, as well as engineering, cannot be successfully evaluated without putting in mind the question of hydrocarbons and the activities of human beings. In this case, hydrocarbons are referred to as organic compounds that contain carbon and hydrogen in their structures. On the other hand, anthropogenic activities refer to human actions whether direct or indirect that cause alterations in biodiversity. Hydrocarbons are categorized as aliphatic, aromatic, halogenated, and oxygenated. This paper purposes to summarize what types of hydrocarbons are formed as a result of anthropogenic activities and the processes that lead to the formation of the hydrocarbons. Further, the paper will examine the types of hydrocarbons that have a natural origin without necessarily being influenced by human activities. There are numerous anthropogenic activities that influence the formation of hydrocarbons. One clear aspect is the overall domestication of animals, which leads to the production of methane by animals through the excretion of waste ( Devinny, Deshusses, & Webster, 2017) . Methane is also formed when food undergoes enteric fermentation by bacteria particularly methanogens as well as other microbes which exist in the digestive tracts of animals. Secondly, deforestation and burning of trees which in most cases is done in order to pave way for agricultural activities. Consequently, Carbon dioxide (CO2) is emitted into the air and cannot be easily trapped ( Devinny, Deshusses, & Webster, 2017) . Also, the burning down of trees, leaves, and bushes which is in other terms referred to as Biomass burning has the effect of producing carbon dioxide which when mixed with traces of hydrogen in the air results in the formation of hydrocarbons such as methane. Thirdly are the emissions associated with energy use as well as the overall burning of fossil fuels. Oil, natural gas, and coal which are known to emit the most carbon per unit of energy supplied, majorly provide energy that is used to produce electricity ( Devinny, Deshusses, & Webster, 2017) . If these three fuels are burnt completely, carbon dioxide is the only by-product. Contrastingly, if the three fuels are not burnt completely, carbon monoxide results as well as hydrocarbons such as propane.
Furthermore, rice cultivation which entails wetlands is considered a factor in the production of hydrocarbons. Rice is grown in fields that are flooded or have been over-irrigated during a particular growing season ( Schnelle, Dunn, & Ternes, 2015) . In this case, bacteria and micro-organisms that are in the soil of the flooded fields decompose organic matter resulting in the production of methane. Lastly, the disposal and treatment of garbage as well as human waste are also regarded as a factor in the generation of hydrocarbons ( Devinny, Deshusses, & Webster, 2017) . Garbage that has been buried undergoes anaerobic decomposition. This process translates into the emission of methane and carbon dioxide. Methane emitted through such methods easily escapes into the atmosphere if not trapped. Similarly, when human waste is treated anaerobically, methane is formed. There are a number of hydrocarbons that are not manipulated by the activities of human beings towards their formation but rather occur naturally. For instance, Petroleum is extracted from the remains of organic material. Organic matter goes through several changes over a great span of time. With the continuous piling of sediments, pressure is exerted on the organic matter resulting in the production of kerogen ( Devinny, Deshusses, & Webster, 2017) . With the gradual increase in heat, kerogen is converted into liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons and finally, petroleum is formed. Furthermore, crude oil is made up of many compounds that are considered to be organic matter. Apparently, Crude oil originates from bodies of tiny sea creatures and plants with a long death span ( Schnelle, Dunn, & Ternes, 2015) . Gradually, the sedimentary layers build up with heightened levels of temperature resulting in the formation of crude oil. Moreover, most of the hydrocarbon molecules in crude oil are alkanes such as methane. Lastly, Natural gas also referred to as fossil fuel is as well formed naturally. Basically, natural gas is formed from decayed organic matter. High temperatures influence the decaying process resulting in the production of petroleum and natural gas ( Schnelle, Dunn, & Ternes, 2015) . However, natural gas is a lighter hydrocarbon and is majorly comprised of methane with little ethane and propane. In a nutshell, Based on the various types of hydrocarbons discussed above, it is clear that the formation of hydrocarbons is dependent on the underlying factors. Human activities are key factors when studying changes in biodiversity. For this reason, human actions should be moderated in a bid to protect the environment. However, hydrocarbons emitted into the atmosphere can be made resourceful such as methane which can be used in cooking.
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References
Devinny, J. S., Deshusses, M. A., & Webster, T. S. (2017). Biofiltration for air pollution control . CRC press.
Schnelle Jr, K. B., Dunn, R. F., & Ternes, M. E. (2015). Air pollution control technology handbook . CRC press.
