AIR POLLUTION

Air Pollution
• Air
– Necessary for Existence
– Colorless, odorless mixture of gases
– Quality of air varies in different environments
– Urban vs. Rural
– Emission of Particulate Matter from:
• Anthropogenic (Man-made) Sources (Industry)
• Natural Sources (Volcanoes, Forest Fires, Pollen)
 What is Air Pollution?

• Air pollution → the presence of undesirable solid or

gaseous particles in the air in quantities that are harmful to
human health and the environment.
• Natural causes:
Volcanoes → release ash, dust, sulphur and other gases, or
Forest fires→ occasionally naturally caused by lightning.

• However, naturally occurring pollutants tend to remain in

the atmosphere for a short time and do not lead to
permanent atmospheric change.
 NATURAL SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION

• Natural Fires - Smoke

• Volcanoes - Ash and acidic components
• Sea Spray - Sulfur
• Vegetation - Volatile organic compounds
• Bacterial Metabolism - Methane
• Dust
– Pollen
• Viruses and Bacteria
 Air pollution sources and effects

1. Natural sources → windblown dust, pollen, sea

salt nuclei, volcanic ash and gases, smoke and
trace gases from forest fires, and turpenes from
forests.
2. Anthropogenic sources → wide spectrum of
types.(Table below)
 Classification of anthropogenic air pollution sources
Source type Category Important Sources Typical Pollutants

Combustion Stationary Power plants, industrial Oxides of sulphur, NOX, CO, smoke,
boilers, diesel generators, flyash, trace metal oxides
municipal or industrial
incineration, refuse
burning
Mobile Motor vehicles, air craft CO, hydrocarbons, OX, SO2 particles
Roasting Nonferrous Roasting smelting and Dust, Smoke, metal fumes (Cu, Pb
and heating metallurgical refining operations and Zn) oxides of sulphur
process
Ferrous Materials handling, ore Smoke, fumes, CO, Odours, H2S,
metallurgical sintering and pelletising, organic vapour, fluorides
coke, ovens blast furnace,
Steel furnaces

Nonmetallic Crushed stone, gravel, Mineral and organic particulates,

minerals and sand processing, SO2,NOX dust fumes
cement, glass, refractories
and ceramics manufacture,
coal cleaning
Chemicals, Petroleum Boilers, process heaters, catalyst Oxides of sulphur hydrocarbons,
Petroleum, refining regenerators, flares, reactors, NOX, particulate matter, CO,
pulp and paper storage tanks, compressor engines aldehydes ammonia, odours
Inorganic Sulphuric acid plants, fertilizer SO2, HF, H2S, NOX, NH3,
chemicals manufacture, nitric acid and particulate matter, H3PO4, etc.,
ammonia plants, phosphoric acid
manufacture
Organic Plastics, paint and varnish Particulate matter,
chemicals manufacture, synthetic rubber, odours,SO2,CO,organic
rayon, insecticide, soap and intermediates, product gases and
detergent manufacture, methanol, vapours, solvent vapours, etc.,
phenol, etc.,
Pulp and Digester blow system, pulp Particulate matter, odorous
paper washers, recovery furnace, sulphur compounds (H2S, methyl
(Kraft evaporators, oxidation towers mercaptan, dimethyl sulphide)
process) and SO2 (sulphite process)
Food and Food Drying, preserving, packaging Vapours, odours, dust
Agriculture processing
Crop Pest and weed control Organic phosphates, chlorinated
spraying HC, arsenic, lead
and dusting
Field Refuse burning Smoke, flyash and soot
burning
 Types of Particulates
Term Meaning Examples

Aerosol General term for particulates suspended in air Sprays from

pressurized cans
Mist Aerosol consisting of liquid droplets Sulfuric acid mist

Dust Aerosol consisting of solid particles that are blown Dust storm
into the air or are produced from larger particles by
grinding them down
Smoke Aerosol consisting of solid particles or a mixture of Cigarette smoke,
solid and liquid particles produced by chemical smoke from a
reactions such as fire burning garbage
Fume Generally means the same as smoke but often applies Zinc/lead fumes
specifically to aerosols produced by condensation of
hot vapors of metals.
Plume Geometrical shape or form of the smoke coming out
a chimney
Fog Aerosol consisting of water droplets

Smog Term used to describe a mixture of smoke and fog

 Major toxic metals and their effects
Element Sources Health effects
Lead Auto exhaust (from gasoline), Neurotoxin, affects blood
paints, storage batteries, pipes system, behavioral disorders,
death
Cadmium Coal, zinc mining, incineration Cardiovascular disease and
of plastic containers, refining of hypertension, interference with
metals, tobacco smoke zinc and copper metabolism,
kidney damages
Nickel Combustion of coal, diesel and Respiratory symptoms, lung
residual oils, tobacco smoke, cancer (as nickel carbonyl)
chemicals and catalysts, steel
and non ferrous alloys
manufacture
Mercury Combustion of fossil fuels, Nerve and brain damage,
evaporation from ore mining, kidney damage
exhausts from metal smelters,
chloralkali cells, paints,
pharmaceuticals
 HUMAN-CAUSED AIR POLLUTION

• Primary Pollutants - Released directly from the

source.
• Secondary Pollutants - Modified to a
hazardous form after entering the air and
mixing with other environmental components.
– Fugitive Emissions - Do not go through
smokestack.
• Dust from human-activities.
 Conventional Pollutants
• Seven major (conventional or criteria)
pollutants for which maximum ambient air
levels are mandated.
– Sulfur Dioxide
– Nitrogen Oxides
– Carbon Oxides
– Particulate Matter
– Metals and Halogens
– Volatile Organic Compounds
 Conventional Pollutants

• Sulfur Compounds
– Natural sources → include evaporation from sea
spray, volcanic fumes, and organic compounds.

Predominant form of anthropogenic sulfur is

sulfur-dioxide from fossil-fuel combustion.
 Conventional Pollutants
• Nitrogen Compounds

– Nitrogen oxides are reactive gases

formed when nitrogen is heated above
650o C in the presence of oxygen, or
when nitrogen compounds are oxidized.
 Conventional Pollutants
• Carbon Oxides
– Predominant form of carbon in the air is carbon
dioxide.
• Increasing levels due to human activities.

– Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, toxic

gas produced by incomplete fuel combustion.
 Conventional Pollutants

• Particulate Matter
– Atmospheric aerosols (solid or liquid)
• Respirable particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers
are among most dangerous.
 Conventional Pollutants

• Metals
– Many toxic metals occur as trace elements in
fuel. For eg. Lead
– Mercury
• Bioaccumulation in aquatic ecosystems.
– Nickel, beryllium, cadmium, arsenic…
• Halogens (Fluorine, Chlorine, Bromine)
– CFC’s
 Conventional Pollutants
• Volatile Organic Compounds
– Organic chemicals
• Generally oxidized to CO and CO2.
• Plants are largest source.
• Photochemical Oxidants
– Products of secondary atmospheric
reactions driven by solar energy.
• Ozone formed by splitting nitrogen dioxide.
 Unconventional Pollutants

• Aesthetic Degradation
– Noise, odor, light pollution.
• Reduce quality of life.
 EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION

• Human Health
prematurely from illnesses related to air pollution.

• Likelihood of suffering ill health is related to intensity

and duration of exposure.
– Inhalation is the most common route, but absorption through
the skin and consumption via food can also occur.
 Human Health

• Bronchitis
– Persistent inflammation of airways in the lung that
causes mucus build-up and muscle spasms
constricting airways.

• Can lead to emphysema - irreversible chronic

obstructive lung disease in which airways become
permanently constricted and alveoli are damaged or
destroyed.
 Plant Pathology

• Chemical pollutants can directly damage

plants, or can cause indirect damage by
disrupting normal growth and development
patterns.
– Certain environmental factors have synergistic
effects in which the injury caused by the
combination is more than the sum of the
individual exposures.
• Pollutant levels too low to cause visible effects may still
be damaging.
 Acid Deposition

• pH and Atmospheric Acidity

– pH scale ranges from 0-14.
• 7 = Neutral; <7 = Acidic; >7 = Basic
– Unpolluted rain generally has ph of 5.6.
• Carbonic acid from atmospheric CO2.
– In industrialized areas, anthropogenic acids in the air often
outweigh natural sources of acid.
 Acid Deposition

• Forest Damage
– Air pollution and depositions of atmospheric acids
are believed to be important causes of forest
destruction in many areas.
• Buildings and Monuments
– Limestone and marble are destroyed by air
pollution at an alarming rate.
– Corroding steel in reinforced concrete weakens
buildings, roads, and bridges.
 Effects of Air Pollution
• Adverse effect of air pollution may be divided into two
classes
– Acute effects
– Chronic effects
– Acute effects manifest themselves immediately upon
short-term exposure to air pollutants at high
concentrations.
– Chronic effects become evident only after continuous
exposure to low levels of air pollution. The Chronic
effects are very difficult to demonstrate and or
consequently less obvious.
•The chief causes of deaths and causalities were vomiting,
violent coughing, eye infections (chemical conjuctivitis),
suffocation, cardiac failure and pulmonary disorders. The full
consequences are not yet known.

•Pollutants may enter the body by a number of ways. The can

cause eye and skin irritation; certain particulates may be
swallowed as a result of internal respiratory cleaning action or
certain pollutants could even be ingested. But the primary
mode of pollutant transfer into the human body is through the
respiratory system.
 Effects of Air Pollution on Living Organisms
• Our respiratory system has a number of mechanisms that help in
protecting us from air pollution.

➢ The hair in our nose filters out large particles.

➢ The sticky mucus in the lining of the upper respiratory tract captures
smaller particles and dissolves some gaseous pollutants.

• When the upper respiratory system is irritated by pollutants sneezing

and coughing expel contaminated air and mucus.

• Prolonged smoking or exposure to air pollutants can overload or

breakdown these natural defenses causing or contributing to diseases
such as lung cancer, asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
• Elderly people, infants, pregnant women and people with heart
disease, asthma or other respiratory diseases are especially
vulnerable to air pollution.

• Cigarette smoking is responsible for the greatest exposure to

carbon monoxide. Exposure to air containing even 0.001
percent of carbon monoxide for several hours can cause
collapse, coma and even death. As carbon monoxide remains
attached to hemoglobin in blood for a long time, it accumulates
and reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of blood. This
impairs perception and thinking, slows reflexes and causes
headaches, drowsiness, dizziness and nausea.
• Carbon monoxide in heavy traffic causes headaches, drowsiness
and blurred vision.

• Sulfur dioxide irritates respiratory tissues. Chronic exposure causes

a condition similar to bronchitis.

• It also reacts with water, oxygen and other material in the air to
form sulfur-containing acids. The acids can become attached to
particles which when inhaled are very corrosive to the lung.

• Nitrogen oxides especially NO2 can irritate the lungs, aggravate

asthma or chronic bronchitis and also increase susceptibility to
respiratory infections such as influenza or common colds.
•Suspended particles aggravate bronchitis and asthma. Exposure to
these particles over a long period of time damages lung tissue and
contributes to the development of chronic respiratory disease and
cancer.

•Many volatile organic compounds such as (benzene and

formaldehyde) and toxic particulates (such as lead, cadmium) can
cause mutations, reproductive problems or cancer.

•Inhaling ozone, a component of photochemical smog causes

coughing, chest pain, breathlessness and irritation of the eye, nose
and the throat.
 Effects on Plants
• When some gaseous pollutants enter leaf pores they damage the
leaves of crop plants.

• Chronic exposure of the leaves to air pollutants can break down

the waxy coating that helps prevent excessive water loss and
leads to damage from diseases, pests, drought and frost. Such
exposure interferes with photosynthesis and plant growth,
reduces nutrient uptake and causes leaves to turn yellow, brown
or drop off altogether.
• At a higher concentration of sulphur dioxide majority of the
flower buds become stiff and hard. They eventually fall from
the plants, as they are unable to flower.

• Prolonged exposure to high levels of several air pollutants

from smelters, coal burning power plants and industrial units
as well as from cars and trucks can damage trees and other
plants.
 Effects of Air Pollution on Materials

• Every year air pollutants cause damage worth billions of

rupees.

• Air pollutants break down exterior paint on cars and

houses.

• All around the world air pollutants have discoloured

irreplaceable monuments, historic buildings, marble
statues, etc.