Fardhil Fakhrullah Nazri

Burning of fossil fuels is the main source of air

pollution.Fossil fuel are burnt in the power stations using coal,petroleum and natural gas,in domestic and industrial boilers,and in the internal combustion engines of vehicle. When fossil fuels are burnt,the elements in the fuels are oxidised,forming various air pollutants. These include carbon dioxide (CO2),sulphur dioxide (SO2),oxides of nitrogen (NO2 and NO) and fine particulate matter.

The sources and effects of air pollutants

Pollutants
Carbon monoxide (CO)

Sources
Incomplete combustion of fossil fuels The exhausts of vehicles Factories

Effects
Health: Combines readily with haemoglobin and affects the transport of oxygen to body cells. Impairs alertness,causes fatigue and headaches

Solutions

Pollutants Sulphur dioxide(SO2)

Sources Combustion of fossil fuels,particularly in heat and power generation facilities Volcanic gases Factories Vehicle exhausts Action of bacteria on fertilisers. Combustion of fossil fuels Factories

Effects Health: Irritates the eyes Damages respiratory passages Causes bronchitis

Solutions Use low sulphur content fuels. Clean up emissions from power stations and factories with scrubbes Clean up emissions from car exhausts by installing catalytic converters to turn oxides of nitrogen into harmless nitrogen gas

Oxides of nitrogen Nitrogen monoxide(NO) Nitrogen dioxide(NO2)

Health: Irritates lungs,nose,throat and eyes Cause respiratory infections Cause bronchitis Dissolved in rain water to form acid rain

Pollutants Lead (Pb) Lead compounds are added to petrol to prevent the inefficient burning of the petrol-air mixture Carbon dioxide (CO2) An acidic , colourless and odourless gas

Sources Combustion of fossil fuels Vehicle exhaust fumes

Effects Health Retards mental development and damages the liver Can result in coma or death

Solutions Use unleaded petrol

Open burning Combustion of fossil fuels

Health Affects respiration

Reduce the use of fossil fuels

Acid rain
Causes of acid rain The combustion of fossil fuels (coal, air and gas)in power stations, factories, domestic boilers and internal engines releases large quantities of sulphur and oxides of nitrogen Both sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen combine with water vapour in the atmosphere to form sulphuric acid and nitric acid respectively Then they fall to earth as an acid rain Rain naturally acidic, with a pH of about 5.6. This acidity is due to the carbon dioxide in the air, which dissolves in rain to form carbonic acid However, the pH of acid rain is less than 5.0

Air Pollutant Index

The air quality is measured by the air pollutant index (API). This index is calculated based on the concentration of several

major air pollutants. Air pollution levels are divided into five bands as shown below:
API 0-50 51-100 101-200 201-300 >300 Descriptor Good Moderate Unhealthy Very unhealthy Hazardous

When the API reading is between 201-300,there is a significant

increase in respiratory problems,such as wheezing and a shortness of breath is people with asthma.The health of patients with heart and lung conditions worsen