LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE
1. Troposphere – low est part; w here we live in;
w eather; water vapor;
o Boundary Layer – low est part of the
troposphere
o Tropopause – top of the troposphere
2. Stratosphere – most ozone; absorption of UV;
protects us from skin cancer
3. Mesosphere – region above the stratosphere
protects us from meteoroids
o Mesopause – torp of the mesosphere;
coldest part of the atmosphere;
4. Thermosphere – absorption of UV & X-ray
o Ionosphere – has ions w ith a positive
charge; reflects & absorbs radio waves;
aurora borealis
o Exosphere – contains oxygen & hydrogen
atoms; satellites orbit here
AIR POLLUTION
o Air Pollution – any contaminant added to the
air that is harmful to the health of living
organisms; only occurs outdoors
 This pollution can be carried great
distances
 Contamination of the air by noxious gases
and minute particles of solid & liquid matter
in concentrations that endanger health
 Major form of air pollution: Emissions given
off by vehicles
 Contaminants especially concentrate at
the poles
o AI R POLLUTION CLASSIFICATION:
 Primary Pollutants – released directly into
the air
 Secondary Pollutants – formed as a result of
chemical reaction in the air
 Smog – reaction of sunlight w ith nitrogen
oxide
 Acid Rain – reaction of sulfur dioxide w ith
w ater to form sulfuric acid
 Contains high lev els of sulfuric/nitric
acids
 Contaminate drinking w ater & 5. Nitrogen Oxides
v egetation
 Damage aquatic life
 Erode buildings
 Alters the chemical equilibrium of some
soils
 Ozone – reaction of nitrogen oxides w ith
v olatile organic compounds
 Greenhouse Effect – build-up of CO2 in the
atmosphere (CO2 is produced w hen fuels
are burned); sun rays go into the
atmosphere & they are trapped by
greenhouse gases
o Topography – effects of air pollution are also
influenced by the shape of land
o Temperature Inversions –a layer of dense,
cool air is trapped below a layer of lighter,
w armer air
 Occurs in valleys and canyons
 Occurs in any area w here the w ind is
typically calm
 These trap any air pollution, w hich lets it
accumulate to much higher than normal
lev els
 The Donora Fluoride Fog of 1948 – Donora,
located along the Monongahela River
(south of Pittsburgh), experienced a
temperature inv ersion;
 Main employer of tow n: US Steel Zinc
smelting plant
 Total of 20 residents died; 1/3 to ½ of the
tow n’s entire population of 14,000
became sickened
 The London Smog of 1952 – 12,000 fatalities;
as a result, London passed its own Clean Air
Act – w hich specified that chimneys were
to be made taller to reach abov e a
temperature inv ersion
o U.S. Clean Air Act (1970) – required EPA to set
& enforce limits for 6 diff. air pollutants
 Criteria Pollutants:
1. Sulfure Dioxide
 Colorless gas associated w ith “rotten
eggs” smell
 Forms sulfuric acids in clouds
 Biggest Source: Coal burning power
plants
2. Carbon Monoxide
 Colorless, odorless, highly toxic gas
 Binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells,
interfering with oxygen transport
 Biggest Source: Car exhaust
3. Particulates
 Dust, ash, soot, lint, smoke, pollen,
spores, and all other suspended matter
 Causes the most visibility problems
 Biggest Source: Unpaved road dust &
construction
4. Ozone
 Molecule made of three oxygen atoms
 Pale Blue gas, odor resembling chlorine
bleach
 Secondary Pollutant; not released
directly
 Reddish Brown Gas
 Reacts w ith w ater v apor to form nitric
acid
 Reacts w ith sunlight to form smog
 Biggest Source: Car exhaust
6. Lead
 Enters the air as particles or part of dust
 Biggest Source: Car exhaust using
leaded gas; industry and burning fossil
fuels
 Verified w ith ice cores taken from
Greenland
o Clean Air Act (1990)
 Acid Rain
 Urban Smog
 Toxic & Hazardous Air Pollutants
 Protection of the Ozone Layer
 Leakage of VOCs
o Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) –  Visibility Reduction – production of pollution
organic (carbon-based) gases like methane haze/smog can reduce v isibility by as much
that can decompose or react easily, forming as 80%
carbon dioxide/carbon monoxide in the air  Environment
 Biggest Source: Spilled/leaking gasoline  Acid Rain
that ev aporates; paint & paint cleaners  Ozone Depletion
o Acid Deposition  Global Warming
 Acid Preposition – rainfall/snowfall that o AI R POLLUTION
contains a low er than normal pH; ranges CONTROL
from 0 -14 (7 = neutral, <7 = acidic, >7 =  Most effective
basic) strategy for
 Unpolluted Rain – pH of 5.6 controlling pollution
 I n industrialized area, the pH can reach as is to not produce it in
low as 4.3 the first place
 Aquatic Effects: pH <5 = eggs w ill not  Particulate Removal
hatch; pH <4 = kills adult fish – remov e particles
 Forest Damage – acid rain causes the pH physically by
of soil to decrease; interferes w / trees’ trapping them in a porous mesh w hich
ability to absorb nutrients properly allow s air to pass thru but holds back solids
 Building & Monuments – limestone &  Electrostatic Precipitators – pass air across
marble are slow ly dissolv ed as they are electrically charged plates that attract the
exposed to acid rain; acid rain also particles of pollution
corrodes steel, w eakening structures like  Sulfur Dioxide Reduction
bridges  Heating Fuel Switching – sw itch from soft
o Indoor Air Pollution – has more significant coal w ith a high sulfur content  low sulfur
effects on human health than outdoor; less- coal
dev eloped countries also suffer  Change to another fuel (natural gas)
 Cigarette Smoke – most common indoor air  Limestone Injection – reduces sulfur
pollutant in the U.S. (430,00 dies annually emissions by 90% by mixing crushed
from a disease related to smoking) limestone w / coal before it is fed into a
 Organic Fuels – make up majority of boiler
household energy o Air Quality Management Plan – dev elopment
o Urban Emissions – small emissions of NOx from of new technology-electric cars, cleaner
industrial processes fuels, etc.
 Combustion – main emissions come from  Use of natural gas
here  Carpooling
o Ozone – gas found in the upper atmosphere  Follow the law s enacted
that blocks some UV radiation o AI R POLLUTION CONTROL DEVI CES:
 Being depleted by pollutants containing  Catalytic Converters – fitted to cars to
chlorine reduce NOx emissions
 Stratospheric Ozone - concentration of  Particle Traps – reduces PM10 & NOx , but
pollution at the poles & other factors effectiveness is sev erely reduced if the fuel
caused chlorine pollution to be has a high sulfur content
concentrated in Antarctica  Diesel – major target in the battle for
o Montreal Protocol (1989) – countries agreed cleaner cities
to phase out CFC use by the year 2000; CFC  Absorption & Wet
lev els in the atmosphere decreased & ozone Scrubbing
layer began to recover Equipment –
 Main Pollutant: Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)  Scrubbing –
 Used in coolants (refrigerators, air particulates,
conditioners) & aerosols (hair spray, spray v apors, &
paint) gases are
o EFFECTS OF AI R POLLUTI ON: controlled by
 Human Health – likelihood of suffering ill either passing
health is related to intensity and duration of a gas stream
exposure; inhalation – most common route, thru a liquid
but absorption – thru the skin & solution or
consumption v ia food can also occur spraying a
 Plant Pathology – chemical pollutants can liquid into a
directly damage plants, or can cause gas stream;
indirect damage by disrupting normal particulate matter
grow th & dev elopment patterns  Gas Absorption (spray chambers, spray
tow ers) – recover products or to purify gas
streams that hav e high concentration of
 w ater-soluble compounds; gaseous
pollutants
 Adsorption – molecular attraction of
gases/vapors (VOCs) onto the surface of
certain solids; VOCs, air pollutants
 Fabric Filters/Bag Houses – dust-laden
gases pass thru fabric bags w here the dry
particulates are captured on the fabric
surface; particulate matter
 Catalytic Reactors – controls NOx emissions
arising from the burning of fossil fuels in
industrial processes; NOx, VOCs, & CO
 Cyclones – dust-laden gas is w hirled rapidly
inside a collector-shaped like a cylinder;
sw irling motion created centrifugal forces
that cause the particles to be thrown
against the w alls of the cylinder & drop into
a hopper below ; large PM
 Electrostatic Precipitators – low velocity dust
collection dev ises that remov e particles in
much the same w ay that static electricity in
clothing picks up small piece of lint; PM
 Incinerators – high-efficiency combustion
of certain solid, liquid, or gaseous w astes;
VOCs
 Biofilters – destroys VOCs & odors by
microbial oxidation of these problem
compounds; polluted air is passed thru a
w etted bed, w hich supports biomass of
bacteria that absorb & metabolize
pollutants; VOCs, odors, organic sulfides
REPUBLIC ACT 8749
o Also know n as the “Philippine Clean Air Act of
1999”, approv ed June 23, 1999 by President
Joseph Ejercito Estrada
o I ts primary goal is to come out w ith a
comprehensive national program to achieve
and maintain Air Quality that meets the
National Air Quality Guidelines for Criteria
Pollutants and their Emissions Standards.
w hile minimizing the possible associated
negativ e impacts on the country’s economy.
its implementing rules and regulation contain
specific requirement that prohibit the
v ehicular and industrial sources from emitting
pollutants in amounts that cause significant
deterioration of air quality.
WATER POLLUTION
o Water Pollution – any chemical, biological, or
physical change in w ater quality that has a
harmful effect on liv ing organisms or makes
w ater unsuitable for desired usage
 Infectious Agents – bacteria and v iruses
often from animal w astes
 Oxygen Demanding Wastes – organic
w aste that needs oxygen often from animal
w aste, paper mills, & food processing
 Inorganic Chemicals – acids & toxic
chemicals often from runoff, industries, &
household cleaners
 Organic Chemicals – oil, gasoline, plastics,
detergents often from surface runoff,
industries, & cleaners
 Plant Nutrients – w ater-soluble nitrates,
ammonia, & phosphates often from
sew age, agriculture, & urban fertilizers
 Sediments – soils & silts from land erosion
can disrupt photosynthesis, destroy
spaw ning grounds, clog rivers, & streams
 Heat Pollution & Radioactivity – from
pow erplants
o Measuring Water Quality:
 Bacterial Counts – fecal coliform counts
from intestines of animals; sources: human
sew age, animals, birds, raccoons, etc.
o NONE per 100mL for drinking
o >200 per 100mL for sw imming
 Dissolved Oxygen – Biological Oxygen
Demand, the amount of oxygen consumed
by aquatic decomposers
 Chemical Analysis – looking for presence of
inorganic or organic chemicals
 Suspended Sediment - w ater clarity
 Indicator Species – organisms that giv e an
idea of the health of the w ater body;
mussels, oysters, & clams – filter w ater
o TYPES, EFFECTS, & SOURCES:
 Point Sources
o Prev ention & Reduction: Clean Water Act
& Water Quality Act
 Non-point Sources
o Prev ention & Reduction: reduce runoff,
buffer zone vegetation, & reduce soil
erosion; only apply pesticides & fertilizers
as needed
 Federal Water Pollution Control Act –
regulates nav igable w aterways,
streams, w etlands, rivers, lakes
 Clean Water Act – sets standards for key
pollutants; requires permits for
discharge, w etland destruction; requires
sew age treatment; GOAL: All
w aterways should be fishable &
sw immable
 Water Quality
o Agriculture – the leader for w ater pollution;
sediment, fertilizers, bacteria from liv estock,
food processing, salt from soil irrigation
o Industrial – factories & pow erplants
o Mining – surface mining, toxics, acids,
sediment
o Freshwater Stream Pollution – natural
biodegradation process;
o Freshwater Lake Pollution – little v ertical
mixing; little w ater flow ; more v ulnerable;
toxins settle; atmospheric deposition; food
chains disruptions
o TWO WORLDS:
 Developed Countries – nonpoint still a
problem; toxic chemicals still a problem
 Developing Countries – ½ of w orld’ 500
major riv ers are heav ily polluted; law
enforcement difficult; 10% of sew age in
China is treated
  India’s Ganges River – Holy River; little  Sludge Disposal - used as fertilizer
sew age treatment; used for bathing,
drinking, etc.; bodies throw n in river
o Eutrophication of Lakes – nutrient enrichment
of lakes mostly from runoff of plant nutrients
(nitrates & phosphates)
o Groundwater – no w ay to cleanse itself; little
dilution & dispersion’ out of sight pollution;
prime source for irrigation & drinking; removal
of pollutants is difficult
 Causes:
o Low flow rates
o Low oxygen
o Purification of urban drinking w ater
o Few bacteria
 Surface Water (like Delaw are Riv er) –
o Cold temperatures
remov ed reservoir to improv e clarity;
 Pollution mov es in plumes; cleansing
pumped to a treatment plant to meet
doesn’t w ork; non-degradables may be
drinking w ater standards
permanent
 Groundwater – often does not need much
o Ocean Pollution – w orst near heavily
treatment
populated coastal zones; large amounts of
o Purification of rural drinking water
untreated raw sew age; leaking septic tanks;
 Exposing to heat and UV rays
runoff; dead zones (NO DO); airborne toxins;
 Fine cloths to filter w ater
oil spills
 Add small amounts of chlorine
o Oil Spills
o Safe Drinking Water Act – 54 countries have
 Sources: offshore wells, tankers, pipelines, &
drinking w ater law s; Maximum
storage tanks
Contaminating Levels;
 Effects: death of organisms, loss of animal
insulation & buoyancy, smothering
 Significant economic impacts
 Mechanical cleanup methods: skimmers &
blotters
 Chemical cleanup methods: coagulants &
dispersing agents

REPUBLIC ACT 9275

o Sewage Treatment – physical & biological
treatment
 Primary – remov es 60% of solids & 30-40%
oxygen demanding w astes (physically)
 Secondary – uses biological processes to
remov e up to 90% of biodegradables
 Tertiary – adv anced techniques only used
in 5% of U.S.; uses physical & chemical
processes; remov es nitrates & phosphates;
expensiv e; not w idely used
 Disinfection – chlorine, ozone, UV
o Also called the Philippine Clean Water Act of
2004, approv ed on February 4, 2004 by
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
o What is the Clean Water Act?
I t aims to protect the country’s w ater bodies
from pollution from land-based sources.
o How w ill water quality be managed?
Management of w ater quality w ill either be
based on w atershed, riv er basin or w ater
resources region.
o Who w ill manage these areas?
Management w ill be localized.
o How w ill discharges of w astewater be
controlled?
All ow ners or operators of facilities that
discharge w astewater are required to get a
permit to discharge from the DENR or the
Laguna Lake Dev elopment Authority.
o How w ill the discharge of w astewater be
discouraged?
Anyone discharging w astewater into a water
body w ill hav e to pay a w astewater charge.
Rew ards w ill also be giv en to those whose
w astewater discharge is better than the w ater
quality criteria of the receiving body of w ater.