Unit III - Air Pollution

Air pollution-sources of air pollution. Sources, effects and control measures of oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulphur, oxides of carbon, hydrocarbon, chlorofluro carbons and particulates. Green house effect causes and effects on global climate and consequences. Ozone depletion-causes, mechanism and effect on the environment. Smog-sulfurous and photochemical smog-effect on the environment. Acid rain theory of acid rain and effects.

Unit IV - Water Pollution And Solid Waste Management Sources, effects and control measures of water pollution, soil pollution, marine pollution, noise pollution, thermal pollution and radioactive pollution. Solid waste management causes, effect and control measures of urban and industrial wastes.

Unit V - Social Issues And The Environment From unsustainable to sustainable development. Urban problems related to energy. Water conservation, rain water harvesting, water shed management. Resettlement and rehabilitation of people. Environmental ethics. Consumerism and waste products. Environmental protection act-air (prevention and control of pollution) act, water (prevention and control of pollution) act, wildlife protection act, forest conservation act. Role of an individual in prevention of pollution. Human population and the environment-population growth, variation among nations, population explosion, role of information technology in environment and human health.

What is pollution? Pollution is the introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment We will be examining 3 main parts of pollution Water Pollution Air Pollution Land Pollution

Air pollution
DEFINITION: Air Pollution, contamination of the atmosphere by gaseous, liquid, or solid wastes or by-products that can endanger human health and the health and welfare of plants and animals, or can attack materials, reduce visibility, or produce undesirable odours.  Air Pollution may be described as The imbalance in quality of air so as to cause adverse effects on the living organisms on earth . COMPOSITION OF AIR : Atmosphere is gaseous envelope surrounding the earth which constitutes Major gases (N2, O2, CO2), Minor gases (He, ) and Trace gases (SO2, CO, CH4).

Sources of Air Pollution

 Air pollutants are substances causing damage to animals, plants, building material which is adversely affected by pollutants.  Major Sources of Air Pollution

 Natural Sources :
Volcanic eruptions poisonous gases such as SO2, H2S, CO etc. Forest fires - H2S, CH4 etc. Evapo transpiration process CO2 Oxidation process natural photochemical reactions

 Man made sources/Anthropogenic Sources include

Population explosion emission of GHG s result in global warming Deforestation imbalance of CO2 and O2 in the nature Burning of fossil fuels combustion process Emission from transportation sector Automobile exhausts result in PCS Rapid Industrialization Power plants, Smelters, refineries etc. Agricultural activities pesticides, insecticides, herbicides etc.

Effects of Air Pollution

 Pollutants are generally classified as Gaseous pollutants, Particulate pollutants, Aerosols, Radioactive pollutants.

Gaseous pollutants CO2, CO, SOx, NOx, Hydro carbons Carbon dioxide Carbon monoxide SOx :Oxides of Sulphur Traps heat in the atmosphere result in Global warming Harmful to humans, affects respiration, cardiac and pulmonary functions Acid rains wash away nutrients, necrosis on leaves bronchitis, emphysema and psychological disorders in humans Effects on materials,Stone leprosy: H2SO4 corrodes on marble monuments Toxic produces irritating effect, affects lungs bronchitis, emphysema. chlorosis effects and decreased photosynthetic activity in plants. React with NO to form secondary pollutants, Photo Chemical Smog Toxic mist, chronic non specific diseases, soil corrosion.

NOx :Oxides of Nitrogen

Hydro carbons
Particulate pollutants (fumes, dust, smoke etc)

Aerosols

Air pollutants remain suspended in air

Radioactive Pollutants

Cellular damage in man and animals

Types of Air pollutants Air Pollutants are of two types,  Primary and Secondary pollutants based on the source.

 Primary pollutants are directly emitted from the source. e.g., SO2, CO2 etc.,  Secondary pollutants are resulted from environmental reactions. e.g NO3, H2SO4 etc.,

 Particulates include Aerosols, Mist. Dust, Smoke, fumes, fog and smog.  Composition of air

Nitrogen Inert, harmless

 Oxygen Reactive Essential

The bends

CO2 (greenhouse) Varies slowly

H2O (greenhouse) Varies constantly

 Primary pollutants: Emitted directly into the air  Secondary pollutants: From the reactions of primary pollutants with atmosphere

Indoor Air Pollution Environmental health hazards at homes and workplaces A variety of substances: Smoke,

chemicals, microbes, and radon

 Different sources: Insulation materials, wood products, poisonous gases due to poor ventilation, cleaning chemicals, etc. Control of Air Pollution Reduce emissions (conservation and improved efficiency); e.g., refineries Collect, capture, and retain pollutants before entering the atmosphere; e.g., gas stations Regulating automobile exhaust using catalytic converter, control of sulfur dioxide through scrubbing Varied pollutant-control strategies and new and improved technologies

Effects on Human Beings

 Increases in air pollution have been linked to decreases in lung function and increases in heart attacks. High levels of air pollution according to the EPA Air Quality Index directly affect people with asthma and other types of lung or heart disease. Long-term exposure to air pollution can cause cancer and long-term damage to the immune, neurological, reproductive, and respiratory systems. In extreme cases, it can even cause death.

Sulphur oxides: sources

 Natural:  volcanoes  sea spray

 biological decay of organic matter which contains sulphur  reduction of sulphates  Man-made:  coal-burning power stations (equation starting from S in coal)  roasting of metal sulphides e.g. ZnS and Cu2S (equation)

Sulphur oxides: health effects  acidic oxides  lung irritants, affect in particular those suffering from respiratory problems e.g. asthma  formation of sulphuric acid aerosols (droplets of sulphuric acid) (equation) (often catalysed by metal particulates); effects of aerosols:  irritant to the eyes  irritate vessels in lungs causing impaired breathing Sulphur oxides: methods of reduction

 use of low-sulphur content fuels  removal of SO2 from fumes before they are released:  limestone based fluidised bed (equations showing decomposition of calcium CaCO3 reaction of CaO with SO2)  alkaline scrubbing (wet scrubber) (also called flue gas desulphurization): (equations showing reaction of CaO and Mg(OH)2)

Air Pollutants Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

Colorless, odorless

About 30% converted through strong reaction with sulfate and removed from the atmosphere Oxidation to form sulfuric acid H2SO4 Significant amount produced from fossil-fuel burning

 Dangerous impact: Metal corrosion, damage to plants and to lungs of humans and animals Air PollutantsNitrogen Oxides (NOx)
In several forms, but the most important is NO2 Toxic and corrosive Contributing to the formation of nitric acid HNO3 and acid rain Contributing to the development of smog Nearly all from human-induced sources, fossil-fuel burning Impact: Nose, eye, and throat irritation, suppression of plant growth, leaching of metals

Nitrogen oxides: sources  Natural:  Electrical storms release enough energy to cause oxidation of atmospheric nitrogen: (equations showing oxidation of nitrogen and further oxidation of NO)  Decomposition of organic matter containing nitrogen  Man-made:  Combustion of fossil fuels produces enough heat to cause oxidation : (equation showing oxidation of nitrogen) Nitrogen oxides: health effects

 choking irritating gas, affects eyes and people with respiratory problems  forms nitric acid aerosols/acid rain (equation showing dissolution of nitric acid in water)  nitric acid also increases the rate of oxidation of SO2 (see later)  plays an important role in the formation of secondary pollutants e.g. ozone and smog Nitrogen oxides: reduction  catalytic converter  lean burn engines: high air/fuel ratio or low fuel/air  Recirculation/reburn of exhaust gases: nitrogen oxide emissions are reduced by reintroducing exhaust gases into the fuel mixture, lowering peak combustion temperatures as it is the high temperature in the combustion engine which causes nitrogen oxide production.

Air PollutantsCarbon Monoxide (CO) Colorless, odorless Extremely toxic to humans and animals even at very low concentrations Absorption rate 250 times faster than O by hemoglobin

Carbon monoxide: sources  Natural:  atmospheric oxidation of methane CH4 + 1/2O2 CO + 2H2

 natural forest fires  Man-made:  incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels; mainly in cities: localized problem as well as fluctuations during the day

forest fires Carbon monoxide: health effect  CO combines with Fe in haemoglobin in blood bonds 320 times stronger than oxygen oxygen cannot bond onto heamoglobin  Less oxygen supplied to body cells

 Effects:  headaches,  shortness of breath,  in case of high concentration (e.g. rush hour): unconsciousness, death

Air PollutantsOzone (O3) Formed from the interactions of sunlight and the primary pollutant NO2 from fossil-fuel burning and industrial processes Pollutants near Earths surface, different from the ozone in the stratosphere (ozone hole) Causing harm to the eyes and respiratory system of animals and humans and to the leaf tissues of plants Air PollutantsVOCs
Volatile organic compounds: sources

 Natural sources:

 methane: bacterial anaerobic decomposition of organic matter (e.g. in rice paddies)  from plants e.g. terpenes  leakage from natural fossil reserves  Man-made:  evaporation of fuels  partial combustion of fuels  leakage from storage reservoirs

VOCs: health effects

 photochemical smog  can lead to carcinogenic compounds  fatigue, weakness  respiratory problems

VOCs: reduction
 catalytic converter

A variety of organic compounds Products used in dry cleaning, degreasing detergent, graphic arts, and adhesive production

 Hydrocarbons: Methane, butane, propane, etc. Benzine: toxic industrial solvent and additive to fuel Only 15% global hydrocarbon emissions anthropogenic, but 50% in the U.S., especially in urban regions Air PollutantsOther Pollutants H2S: Highly toxic corrosive gas from petroleum refinery or ore smelters HF: From production of aluminum and coal-burning power plants Other toxic gas emissions from accidents at industrial plants or along transportation routes

Particulate Matter

PM-2.5 and PM-10: Diameters less than 2.5 m and 10 m, respectively 90% particulates from natural resources Particulates: sources

 particulates = airborne/suspended liquid and solid particles  Natural:  volcanic eruptions  large forest fires  Man-made:  burning fossil fuels e.g. diesel  forest fires  industrial emissions; chemical processes  incinerators Particulates: health effects
 particulates penetrate lungs and may block air passages  some are poisonous e.g. Pb and asbestos  adsorb chemicals and can act as catalysts in reactions producing secondary

pollutants
 by adsorbing also increase concentration and rate of reaction  reduce visibility

Particulates: reduction
 Electrostatic precipitator: particulates are charged negatively and then attracted onto positively collection plates

Smog Production (1) Sulfurous smog  London-type smog, grey air  Primarily produced by burning coal or oil at large power plants Photochemical smog  LA-type smog, brown air  Produced from more complex process, involving NOX, HCs, and solar radiation

The Process of Acid Rain

Greenhouse Effect The Greenhouse Effect, also referred to as global warming, is generally believed to come from the build up of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere.

 Plants convert carbon dioxide back to oxygen, but the release of carbon dioxide from human activities is higher than the worlds plants can process. This situation is made even worse since many of the Earths forests are being removed, and plant life is being damaged by acid rain. The buildup of carbon dioxide acts like a blanket and traps heat close to the surface of the earth.

Greenhouse Effect

Overview of Air Pollution

Ideas to Reduce Air Pollution Scientists, legislative bodies, educators, and agencies must come together to make the world a cleaner place by setting controls on pollution emissions for industries and automobiles. Automobiles: a problem of numbers! Besides carpooling, using public transportation, and other friendlier methodswe need to have cleaner cars These cleaner cars would need to use nonleaded gas, and improvements will need to made on valves,

different fuel to air ratios, exhaust recycling, thermal exhaust reactors, and catalytic converters.