Air Pollution
Chemicals added to the atmosphere by natural events or human activities in high enough
concentrations to be harmful
– Primary Air Pollutant
• Harmful substance that is emitted directly into the atmosphere
COX, NOx, SOx, HCl
– Secondary Air Pollutant
• Harmful substance formed in the atmosphere when a primary air pollutant reacts with
substances normally found in the atmosphere or with other air pollutants
(ozone)O3, H2SO4 (sulphuric acid)
Particulate Material
● Thousands of different solid or liquid particles suspended in air
○ Includes: soil particles, soot, lead, asbestos, sea salt, and sulfuric acid droplets
● Dangerous for 2 reasons
○ May contain materials with toxic or carcinogenic effects
○ Extremely small particles can become lodged in lungs
Major Air Pollutants
Sources
Sources
Natural sources : Man Made :
Volcanic eruption, Vehicular emission,
Forest Fire, thermal power plant – fly
Sea Salt sprays ash and SO2
Biological decay Fossil fuel burning,
Photochemical oxidation refineries,
pollen grains of flowers, chemical industries etc
spores
Radioactive minerals in the Note: automobiles releases ~77% CO,
~8%NOx, ~14%HC, Heavy duty diesel
earth crust vehicles spew more NOx and SPM than
petrol vehicles
Major Classes of Air Pollutants
● Particulate Material
● Nitrogen Oxides
● Sulfur Oxides
● Carbon Oxides
● Hydrocarbons
● Ozone
Particulate Matter
● Aerosol : General term for particles suspended in air
● Mist: Aerosol containing liquid droplets e.g., H2SO4 mist
● Dust: Aerasol containing solid particles
● Smoke: Aerosol containing mixture of solid and liquid particles produced by
chemical reaction such as fire
● Fume: Same as smoke by produced by condensation of hot vapors of metals e.g.
Zinc and Lead fumes
● Plume: Smoke coming out of chimney
● Fly ash: Finely divided non-combustible particles present in the gases arising
from fuel combustion. It contains inorganic metallic or mineral substances
released when the organic part of the coal is burnt.
● Natural particulates: Natural particulates are pollen grains spores bacterial,
viruses, protozoal, fungal spores and volcanic dusts.
Nitrogen and Sulfur Oxides
• Nitrogen Oxides
– Gases produced by the chemical interactions between atmospheric nitrogen
and oxygen at high temperature
– NO2 reacts with water vapor in the air to form nitric acid (HNO3) and nitrate
salts (NO3−)
– Both NO and NO2 play a role in the formation of photochemical smog
– Problems
• Greenhouse gases
• Cause difficulty breathing
• Sulfur Oxides
– SO2 in the atmosphere comes from natural sources such as volcanoes
– Causes acid precipitation
• In the atmosphere, SO2 can be converted , which consist of
microscopic suspended droplets of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and
suspended particles of sulfate (SO42−) salts that return to the earth as
a component of acid deposition.
Carbon Oxides and Hydrocarbons
● Carbon Oxides
○ Gases carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2)
○ Greenhouse gases
○ CO can combine with hemoglobin in red blood cells, which reduces the
ability of blood to transport oxygen to body cells and tissues
○ At high levels, CO can cause headache, nausea, drowsiness, confusion,
collapse, coma, and death
○ increase in CO2 levels is a major cause of atmospheric warming,
• Hydrocarbons
○ Diverse group of organic compounds that contain only hydrogen and
carbon (ex: CH4- methane)
○ Some are related to photochemical smog and greenhouse gases
Ozone
● Tropospheric Ozone
○ Man- made pollutant in the lower atmosphere
○ Secondary air pollutant
○ Component of photochemical smog
● Stratospheric Ozone
○ Essential component that screens out UV radiation in the upper atmosphere
○ Man- made pollutants (ex: CFCs) can destroy it
Photochemical Smog
○ Brownish-orange haze
formed by chemical reactions
involving sunlight, nitrogen
oxide, and hydrocarbons
○ Sunlight Plus Cars Equals
Photochemical Smog
○ A photochemical reaction is any
chemical reaction activated by
light.
○ Photochemical smog is a
mixture of primary and
secondary pollutants formed
under the influence of UV
radiation from the sun.
[Link]
y-iaq/interactive-tour-indoor-air-qualit
y-demo-house
Acid deposition
Effects of Air Pollution
● Low level exposure
○ Irritates eyes
○ Causes inflammation of respiratory tract
● Can develop into chronic respiratory diseases
Effect on Plants
The pollutants present in the air diffuses through the leaf pores (stomata) and destroy
the chlorophyll and affect the photosynthesis
During day time the pores are wide open to facilitate photosynthesis and hence
pollutants easily diffuses and affects the plants
They also erode the cuticle (waxy layer on the leaves) which prevents the excess water
loss
It causes the following diseases
(i) necrosis – dead areas of leaf
(ii) chlorosis – yellowing of leaf due to loss of Chlorophyll
(iii) epinasty – downward curling of leaf
(iv) abscission – dropping of leaves
necrosis chlorosis Epinasty Abscission
Prevention/mitigation
Proper environmental impact assessment before setting up a
industry
Using low sulfur content coal
Using exhaust gas analysis and its treatment before being let out
in to the atmosphere
Regular tuning of engine and installing catalytic converters for
the oxidation of CO
Using mass transport and using clean fuels
Planting more trees
Prevention
How Bhutan became a carbon-negative country
Bhutan’s political agenda is based on their GNH index model, environmental
protection quickly became a top priority.
• A ban was placed on log exports.
• The constitution was amended to include that forested areas would not drop
below 60%.
• Free hydroelectric power generated by Bhutan’s many rivers is used instead
of less environmentally friendly fossil fuels.
• Free electricity is provided to rural farmers.
Recommendations for citizens
Public and active transport: high-quality biomass fuels and safer combustion
technologies
Household sector:
Aeration
Healthy diet
Important Question
● Comment on “Delhi smog: India's cities must look beyond their limits to
clean up air pollution.”
● Propose a sustainable alternative to air conditioning for indoor pollution.