IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

1. "ENVIRONMENT" includes water, air and land and the inter-relationship which exists
among and between water, air and land, and human beings, other living creatures, plants,
micro-organism and property
2. "ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANT" means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present
in such concentration as may be, or tend to be, injurious to environment
3. "ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION" means the presence in the environment of any
environmental pollutant
4. "HANDLING", in relation to any substance, means the manufacture, processing, treatment,
package, storage, transportation, use, collection, destruction, conversion, offering for sale,
transfer or the like of such substance
5. "HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE" means any substance or preparation which, by reason of its
chemical or physico-chemical properties or handling, is liable to cause harm to human beings,
other living creatures, plant, micro-organism, property or the environment

POINT SOURCE AND NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION

Point source pollution is defined as pollution coming from a single point, such as a factory or sewage
treatment [Link] source pollution is a combination of pollutants from a large area rather than
from specific identifiable sources such as discharge pipes. Runoff is generally associated with
nonpoint source pollution, as water is emptied into streams or rivers after accumulating contaminants
from sources like gardens, parking lots or construction sites.
Point source pollution is easier to handle because it comes from a single, identifiable location like a
factory pipe, making it easier to regulate and clean. Nonpoint source pollution is more difficult to
manage because it comes from many diffuse sources, such as agricultural or urban runoff, and
requires a comprehensive approach to control.

ENVIRONMENT (PROTECTION) ACT 1986

Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, was enacted to provide for the protection and improvement of
the environment and to prevent environmental pollution. It empowers the Central Government to take
necessary measures for protecting the environment. The salient features of this act is given as follows.
The Central Government shall have the power to take all such steps as it deems necessary for the
purpose of protecting and improving the quality of the environment and preventing, controlling and
abating environmental pollution. Such steps may include measures with respect to all or any of the
following matters, namely: –
(i) co-ordination of actions by the State Governments, officers and other authorities-- (a)
under this Act, or the rules made thereunder; or (b) under any other law for the time being in force
which is relatable to the objects of this Act;
(ii) planning and execution of a nation-wide programme for the prevention, control and
abatement of environmental pollution;
(iii) laying down standards for the quality of environment in its various aspects;
(iv) laying down standards for emission or discharge of environmental pollutants from
various sources whatsoever; Provided that different standards for emission or discharge may be laid
down under this clause from different sources having regard to the quality or composition of the
emission ordischarge of environmental pollutants from such sources;
(v) restriction of areas in which any industries, operations, or processes or class of industries,
operations or processes shall not be carried out or shall be carried out subject to certain safeguards;
(vi) laying down procedures and safeguards for the prevention of accidents which may cause
environmental pollution and remedial measures for such accidents;
(vii) laying down procedures and safeguards for the handling of hazardous substances;
(viii) examination of such manufacturing processes, materials and substances as are likely to
cause environmental pollution;
(ix) carrying out and sponsoring investigations and research relating to problems of
environmental pollution;
(x) inspection of any premises, plant, equipment, machinery, manufacturing or other
processes, materials or substances and giving, by order, of such directions to such authorities, officers
or persons as it may consider necessary to take steps for the prevention, control and abatement of
environmental pollution;
(xi) establishment or recognition of environmental laboratories and institutes to carry out
thefunctions entrusted to such environmental laboratories and institutes under this Act;
(xii) collection and dissemination of information in respect of matters relating to
environmental pollution;
(xiii) preparation of manuals, codes or guides relating to the prevention, control and
abatement of environmental pollution;
(xiv) such other matters as the Central Government deems necessary or expedient for the
purpose of securing the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.

AIR POLLUTION
The presence of contaminants or pollutant substances in the air that interfere with human health or
welfare, or produce other harmful environmental effects is called air pollution.
From an air quality perspective, contamination is usually meant to be “chemical contamination” and
this most often is within the context of human health. However, air pollution abatement laws and
programs have recognized that effects beyond health are also important, especially welfare protection.
Thus, public health is usually the principal driver for assessing and controlling environmental
contaminants, but ecosystems are also important receptors of contaminants. Contaminants also impact
structures and other engineered systems, including historically and culturally important monuments
and icons, such as the contaminants in rainfall (e.g. nitrates and sulfates) that render it more corrosive
than would normally be expected (i.e. acid rain).
Contaminants may also be physical, such as the energy from ultraviolet (UV) light. Often, even
though our exposure is to the physical contamination, this exposure was brought about by chemical
contamination. For example, the release of chemicals into the atmosphere, in turn react with ozone in
the stratosphere, decreasing the ozone concentration and increasing the amount of UV radiation at the
earth’s surface. This has meant that the mean UV dose in the temperate zones of the world has
increased.
These contaminants mainly include gases (sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide,
hydrocarbons etc.), particulate matter (smoke, dust, fumes, aerosols), radioactive materials and many
others. Most of these substances are naturally present in the atmosphere in low (background)
concentrations and are usually considered to be harmless.

Primary and Secondary Pollutants

The primary pollutants are those that are emitted directly from the sources. Typical pollutants
included under this category are particulate matter such as ash, smoke, dust, fumes, mist and spray;
inorganic gases such as sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, nitric oxide, ammonia, carbon monoxide,
carbon dioxide, and hydrogen fluoride; olefinic and aromatic hydrocarbons; and radioactive
compounds. These primary pollutants are of five major types-particulate matter, sulphur oxides,
oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons.
The secondary pollutants are those that are formed in the atmosphere by chemical interactions among
primary pollutants and normal atmospheric constituents. Pollutants such as sulphur trioxide, nitrogen
dioxide, PAN (peroxyacetyl nitrate), ozone, aldehydes, ketones and various sulphate and nitrate salts
are included in this [Link] pollutants are formed from chemical and photochemical
reactions in the atmosphere. The reaction mechanisms and various steps involved in the process are
influenced by many factors such as concentration of reactants, the amount of moisture present in the
atmosphere, degree of photoactivation, meteorological forces, and local topography.

Particulate Matter
In general the term "particulate" refers to all atmospheric substances that are not gases. They can be
suspended droplets or solid particles or mixtures of the two. Particulates can be composed of inert or
extremely reactive materials ranging in size from 100 µm down to 0.1 µm and less. The inert
materials do not react readily with the environment nor do they exhibit any morphological changes as
a result of combustion or any other process, whereas the reactive materials could be further oxidised
or may react chemically with the environment. The classification of various particulates may be made
as follows: Dust, Smoke, Fume, Mist, Fog, Aerosol. The chemical composition of particulate
pollutants varies over a wide range. The actual composition is very much dependent upon the origin
of the particulate. Particles from soils and minerals primarily contain calcium, aluminium and silicon
compounds. Smoke from combustion of coal, oil, wood, and solid waste contains many organic
compounds. Insecticide dusts and certain fumes released from chemical plants also contain organic
compounds. Hydrocarbons themselves can coalesce into aerosol droplets that constitute one kind of
particulate matter. The most harmful components of incomplete combustion are generally grouped as
particulate polycyclic organic matter (or PPOM). These materials are derivatives of benz-α-pyrene, a
potent carcinogen. Of all the different types of particulates in the atmosphere, the presence of trace
elements such as cadmium, lead, nickel and mercury may constitute the greatest health hazard. Many
of the trace metals are toxic and are concentrated in the finest of particulate matter in a variety of
combined forms such as oxides, hydroxides, sulphates and [Link] direct introduction of
(primary) particulates into the atmosphere is resulting from the combustion of fuels, cement
manufacturing, agricultural burning, and solid-waste disposal operations

Oxides of Sulphur
The most important oxide emitted by pollution sources is sulphur dioxide (SO2). Sulphur dioxide is
emitted into the atmosphere either directly (e.g., from fuel combustion, petroleum refining and
smelting operations, etc.), or through oxidation of H₂S obtained from decomposition of organic
[Link]₂ is acolourless gas with a characteristic, sharp, pungent odour and is moderately soluble in
water. It is oxidised slowly in clean air to sulphur trioxide. In a polluted atmosphere, SO₂ reacts
photochemically or catalytically with other pollutants or normal atmospheric constituents to form
sulphur trioxide, sulphuric acid and salts of sulphuric acid.
Oxides of Nitrogen
Of the six or seven oxides of nitrogen, only three-nitrous oxide (N₂O), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen
dioxide (NO₂)-are formed in any appreciable quantities in the atmosphere. Often NO and NO₂ are
analysed together in air and are referred to as NO x. The major source of N₂O in the atmosphere is the
biological activity of the soil and there are no significant anthropogenic sources. It has a low reactivity
in the lower atmosphere and is generally not considered an air [Link] natural and
anthropogenic sources contribute to the emission of other oxides of nitrogen to the [Link]
oxide is a colourless, odourless gas produced largely by fuel combustion. It is oxidised to NO₂ in a
polluted atmosphere through photochemical secondary reactions. Nitrogen dioxide is a brown pungent
gas with an irritating odour which can be detected at concentrations of about 0.12 ppm. It absorbs
sunlight and initiates a series of photochemical reactions. Small concentrations of NO2 have been
detected in the lower stratosphere; NO2 is probably produced by the oxidation of NO by ozone.
Nitrogen dioxide is of major concern as a pollutant; it is emitted by fuel combustion and nitric acid
plants.

Carbon Monoxide
It constitutes the single largest pollutant in the urban atmosphere. CO is colourless, odourless, and
tasteless, and has a boiling point of-192 °C. It has a strong affinity towards the haemoglobin of the
bloodstream and is a dangerous asphyxiant. The rate of oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere is very slow. The major sources of carbon monoxide in the environment are
incomplete combustion of carbonaceous fuels, oxidation of methane and formaldehyde derived from
biological activity, the decay of chlorophyll in plants, the algae and other biological sources in oceans,
and the photochemical oxidation of terpenes.

Hydrocarbons
The major sources of hydrocarbons emissions into the atmosphere are the natural sources. Swamps,
marshes and other water bodies generate an estimated 1450 million tonnes of methane per year into
the atmosphere. Plants are also natural sources of atmospheric hydrocarbons. They emit an estimated
170 million tonnes of terpene-tyре hydrocarbons into the atmosphere. The significant anthropogenic
sources are incineration operations, evaporation of solvents in industrial coating and cleaning, and
incomplete combustion of coal, oil and wood. The largest source of airborne hydrocarbons, however,
is the entire cycle consisting of processing and using of petroleum. The hydrocarbons in air by
themselves alone cause no harmful effects. They are of concern because the hydrocarbons undergo
chemical reactions in the presence of sunlight and nitrogen oxides forming photochemical oxidants of
which the predominant one is ozone. Methane has very low photochemical activity as compared to
that of other hydrocarbons. For this reason, it is the non-methane hydrocarbon concentration that is of
interest while considering air pollution.

Source and Sinks

The places from which pollutants emanate are called sources. There are natural as well as anthropogenic sources
of the permanent gases considered to be pollutants. These include plant and animal respiration and the decay of
what was once living matter. Volcanoes and naturally caused forest fires are other natural sources. The places to
which pollutants disappear from the air are
called sinks. Sinks include the soil, vegetation, structures, and water bodies, particularly the oceans. The
mechanisms whereby pollutants are removed from the atmosphere are called scavenging mechanisms, and the
measure used for the aging of a pollutant is its half-life—the time it takes for half of the quantity of pollutant
emanating from a source to disappear into its various sinks.
Several gases do appear to be accumulating in the air to the extent that measurements have documented the
increase in concentration from year to year. The best-known example is carbon dioxide. Other accumulating
gases are nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), CFCs, and other halocarbons. All of these gases have complex
roles in climate change processes, particularly global warming concerns. CFCs are chemically very stable
compounds in the troposphere and have half-lives from tens of years to over 100 years. One of the sinks for
CFCs is transport to the stratosphere, where shortwave UV radiation photodissociates the molecules, releasing
chlorine (Cl) atoms. These Cl atoms are projected to reduce the steady-state stratospheric ozone concentration,
in turn increasing the penetration of harmful UV radiation to the earth’s surface.
Oxidation, either atmospheric or biological, is a prime removal mechanism for inorganic as well as organic
gases. Inorganic gases, such as nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), sulfur
dioxide (SO2), and sulfur trioxide (SO3), may eventually form corresponding acids:

Oxidation of SO2 is slow in a mixture of pure gases, but the rate is increased by light, NO 2, oxidants, and
metallic oxides which act as catalysts for the reaction. The formed acids can react with PM or ammonia to form
salts.

Receptor
A receptor is something which is adversely affected by polluted air. A receptor may be a person or animal that
breathes the air and whose health may be adversely affected thereby, or whose eyes may be irritated or whose
skin made dirty. It may be a tree or plant that dies, or the growth yield or appearance of which is adversely
affected. It may be some material such as paper, leather, cloth, metal, stone, or paint that is affected. Some
properties of the atmosphere itself, such as its ability to transmit radiant energy, may be affected. Aquatic life in
lakes and some soils are adversely affected by acidification via acidic deposition.

Note:
List of Other Important Topics to prepare for Air Pollution
part: Photochemical Smog, Electrostatic Precipitators, Mist
and Fog, Greenhouse gases, Important causes of Climate
Change, Particulate Matter Control Equipments

Prepare from: Environmental Pollution Control Engineering

Book by C.S. Rao, New Age International (P) Limited,
Publishers