MODULE-5

1. Explain briefly the emission of the gasoline driven vehicles and diesel driven vehicles. (8M)
Diesel engines produce two to ten times more particulate emissions than gasoline engines
(without catalytic converter) of comparable power output and two to 40 times more particulate
emissions than gasoline engines equipped with a catalytic converter.
GASOLINE –
 Spark-ignition, gasoline fuelled engines are the leading power source of passenger cars.
 Spark-ignition engines are simple and cheap when compared to compression-ignition diesel
engines.
 In addition, stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio allows usage of three-way catalyst (TWC), which
is capable of reducing carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), and nitrogen oxides (NOx)
emissions simultaneously and efficiently.
 A drawback of spark-ignition engines is their lower efficiency when compared to
compression-ignition engines.
 Therefore, fuel consumption of spark-ignition engines is higher than that of diesel fuelled
engines both in energy and in volumetric terms.
DIESEL-
 Due to their high efficiency compression-ignition diesel engines are the leading power source
in heavy-duty vehicles, because of their high efficiency.
 Today diesel engines are becoming more popular also in light-duty cars.
 Emission control devices and internal engine solutions have crucial effects on the exhaust
emissions.
 Diesel engines are running on a lean mixture, which improves fuel consumption, but at the
cost of increased nitrogen oxide emissions (NOx). NOx emissions are formed from nitrogen
in the air at high temperatures. High particulate matter (PM) emissions are another problem
of diesel engines.

2. Define Noise pollution. Explain the sources and different methods to control the noise pollution.
Write the units of noise and explain the intensity of noise. (2) (8M)
Noise is defined as, "the unwanted, unpleasant or disagreeable sound that causes discomfort
to all living beings". Sound intensity is measured in decibels (dB), that is the tenth part of the
longest unit Bel. One dB is the faintest sound that a human ear can hear.
Sources of noise pollution:
Industrial Noise:
 It is sound with a high intensity sound caused by industry machines. Sources of such noise
pollution are caused by machines from machines in various factories, industries and mills.
 Noise from mechanical saws and pneumatic drills is unbearable and a nuisance to the public.
 The Indian Institute of Oto-Rino Laryngology, Chennai reported that increasing industrial
pollution damages the hearing ability by atleast 20%. Workers in steel industry, who work close
to heavy industrial blowers are exposed to 112dB for eight hours suffer from occupational
pollution.
Transport Noise:
 Transport noise mainly consists of traffic noise from road, rail and aircraft.
  The number of automobiles on roads like motors, scooters, cars, motor cycles, buses, trucks
and diesel engine vehicles have increased enormously in the recent past further aggravating
the problem of transport noise.
 Noise levels in most residential areas in metropolitan cities is hovering around the border line
due to increased vehicular noise pollution. This high level of noise pollution leads to deafening
in the elderly.
Neighbourhood noise:
 This type of noise includes disturbance from household gadgets and community. Common
sources being musical instruments, TV, VCR, Radios, Transistors, Telephones, and loudspeakers
etc. Statistically, ever since the industrial revolution, noise in the environment has been
doubling every ten years.

Control measures:

 SOURCE CONTROL: This includes source modification such as acoustic treatment to machine
surface, design changes, limiting operational timings, etc
 TRANSMISSION PATH INTERVENTION: This includes containing the source inside a sound
insulating enclosure, constructing a noise barrier or provision of sound absorbing materials
along the path.
 RECEPTOR CONTROL: This includes protection of the receiver by altering the work schedule or
provision of personal protection devices such as ear plugs for operating noisy machinery. The
measure may include dissipation and deflection methods.
 OILING: Proper oiling will reduce noise from the machine.

3. Enumerate the following (8M)

i) Acid rain and it effects (2)
Acid Rain, as the name suggests, can be said as the precipitation of acid in the form of rain in
the simplest manner. When atmospheric pollutants like oxides of nitrogen and sulphur react with
rainwater and come down with the rain, then this results in Acid Rain.
Acid Rain Definition:
Acid rain is made up of highly acidic water droplets due to air emissions, most specifically the
disproportionate levels of sulphur and nitrogen emitted by vehicles and manufacturing processes.
It is often called acid rain as this concept contains many types of acidic precipitation.
Causes of Acid Rain:
The causes of acid rain are Sulphur and Nitrogen particles which get mixed with the wet
components of rain. Sulphur and Nitrogen particles which get mixed with water are found in two
ways either man-made i.e. as the emissions that are given out from industries or by natural causes
like lightning strike in the atmosphere releasing nitrogen oxides and volcanic eruptions releasing
sulphur oxide.
Effects of Acid Rain on Fish and Wildlife:
 The ecological effects of acid rain are most clearly seen in aquatic environments, such as
streams, lakes, and marshes where it can be harmful to fish and other wildlife.
 As it flows through the soil, acidic rain water can leach aluminium from soil clay particles
and then flow into streams and lakes. The more acid that is introduced to the ecosystem,
the more aluminium is released.
Effects of Acid Rain on Plants and Trees:
 Dead or dying trees are a common sight in areas effected by acid rain.
 Acid rain leaches aluminum from the soil.
 That aluminum may be harmful to plants as well as animals.
 Acid rain also removes minerals and nutrients from the soil that trees need to grow.
Effects of Acid Rain on Materials:
 Not all acidic deposition is wet. Sometimes dust particles can become acidic as well, and
this is called dry deposition.
 When acid rain and dry acidic particles fall to earth, the nitric and sulfuric acid that make
the particles acidic can land on statues, buildings, and other manmade structures, and
damage their surfaces.
 The acidic particles corrode metal and cause paint and stone to deteriorate more quickly.
They also dirty the surfaces of buildings and other structures such as monuments.

ii) Global warming.

What is global warming?
Since the Industrial Revolution, the global annual temperature has increased in total by a little
more than 1 degree Celsius, or about 2 degrees Fahrenheit. Between 1880—the year that accurate
recordkeeping began—and 1980, it rose on average by 0.07 degrees Celsius (0.13 degrees
Fahrenheit) every 10 years. Since 1981, however, the rate of increase has more than doubled: For
the last 40 years, we’ve seen the global annual temperature rise by 0.18 degrees Celsius, or 0.32
degrees Fahrenheit, per decade.
What causes global warming?
Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air pollutants collect in the
atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface.
Normally this radiation would escape into space, but these pollutants, which can last for years to
centuries in the atmosphere, trap the heat and cause the planet to get hotter. These heat-trapping
pollutants—specifically carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, and synthetic
fluorinated gases—are known as greenhouse gases, and their impact is called the greenhouse
effect.
What are the other effects of global warming?
Each year scientists learn more about the consequences of global warming, and each year we
also gain new evidence of its devastating impact on people and the planet. As the heat waves,
droughts, and floods associated with climate change become more frequent and more intense,
communities suffer and death tolls rise. If we’re unable to reduce our emissions, scientists believe
that climate change could lead to the deaths of more than 250,000 people around the globe every
year and force 100 million people into poverty by 2030.
Global warming is already taking a toll on the United States. And if we aren’t able to get a
handle on our emissions, here’s just a smattering of what we can look forward to:

 Disappearing glaciers, early snowmelt, and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water
shortages and continue to increase the risk of wildfires in the American West.
 Rising sea levels will lead to even more coastal flooding on the Eastern Seaboard, especially in
Florida, and in other areas such as the Gulf of Mexico.
  Forests, farms, and cities will face troublesome new pests, heat waves, heavy downpours, and
increased flooding. All of these can damage or destroy agriculture and fisheries.
 Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and alpine meadows could drive many plant and
animal species to extinction.
 Allergies, asthma, and infectious disease outbreaks will become more common due to
increased growth of pollen-producing ragweed, higher levels of air pollution, and the spread
of conditions favourable to pathogens and mosquitoes.

iii) Bhopal gas tragedy (2)

Bhopal disaster, chemical leak in 1984 in the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh state, India. At
the time, it was called the worst industrial accident in history.
On December 3, 1984, about 45 tons of the dangerous gas methyl isocyanate escaped from
an insecticide plant that was owned by the Indian subsidiary of the American firm Union Carbide
Corporation. The gas drifted over the densely populated neighbourhoods around the plant, killing
thousands of people immediately and creating a panic as tens of thousands of others attempted
to flee Bhopal.
The final death toll was estimated to be between 15,000 and 20,000. Some half a million
survivors suffered respiratory problems, eye irritation or blindness, and other maladies resulting
from exposure to the toxic gas; many were awarded compensation of a few hundred dollars.
Investigations later established that substandard operating and safety procedures at the
understaffed plant had led to the catastrophe. In 1998 the former factory site was turned over to
the state of Madhya Pradesh.
Soil and water contamination in the area was blamed for chronic health problems and high
instances of birth defects in the area’s inhabitants. In 2004 the Indian Supreme Court ordered the
state to supply clean drinking water to the residents of Bhopal because of groundwater
contamination. In 2010 several former executives of Union Carbide’s India subsidiary—all Indian
citizens—were convicted by a Bhopal court of negligence in the disaster.

Lessons learned:
The events in Bhopal revealed that expanding industrialization in developing countries without
concurrent evolution in safety regulations could have catastrophic consequences [4]. The disaster
demonstrated that seemingly local problems of industrial hazards and toxic contamination are
often tied to global market dynamics. UCC's Sevin production plant was built in Madhya Pradesh
not to avoid environmental regulations in the U.S. but to exploit the large and growing Indian
pesticide market. However the manner in which the project was executed suggests the existence
of a double standard for multinational corporations operating in developing countries

4. Write short notes on (8M)

i) Air quality standards.
What is an ambient air quality standard?
An air quality standard defines the maximum amount of a pollutant averaged over a specified
period of time that can be present in outdoor air without harming public health, and thus, it
defines clean air.
 What are the health and environmental effects of the NAAQS air pollutants?
Although there is some variability among the health effects of the six NAAQS pollutants, each
has been linked to multiple adverse health effects including, among others, premature death,
hospitalizations and emergency department visits for exacerbated chronic disease, and increased
symptoms such as coughing and wheezing.
Below is the list of pollutants for which NAAQS were established. Follow the links for more
information on the health and environmental effects specific to each pollutant.
 Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5)
 Ozone (O3)
 Nitrogen Oxides (NOX)
 Sulfur Oxides (SOX)
 Carbon Monoxide (CO)
 Lead
ii) Noise pollution standards:
It is 55 dB (A) Leq during ‘day time’ and 45 dB (A) Leq during ‘night time’ for residential areas.
‘Day time’ and ‘night time’ mean 6.00 am to 10.00 pm and 10.00 pm to 6.00 am, respectively. dB
(A) Leq denotes the time weighted average of the level of sound in decibels on scale A which is
relatable to human hearing.

iii) Environmental policy:

Environmental policy, any measure by a government or corporation or other public or private
organization regarding the effects of human activities on the environment, particularly those
measures that are designed to prevent or reduce harmful effects of human activities on
ecosystems.
Environmental policies are needed because environmental values are usually not considered
in organizational decision making. There are two main reasons for that omission. First,
environmental effects are economic externalities. Polluters do not usually bear the consequences
of their actions; the negative effects most often occur elsewhere or in the future. Second, natural
resources are almost always under-priced because they are often assumed to have infinite
availability.

5. Briefly discuss the different control measures adopted to check the air pollutants emitted
automobiles. (10M)
I. Vehicular Emission Norms:
(i) India notified mass emission norms for the first time during 1990-91. These norms were
notified under Environment (Protection) Act (EPA) motor vehicles rules and Air Act and were
applicable to vehicles at the manufacturing stage as well as for in-use vehicles.
 (ii) The emission norms introduced in 1996 were very stringent and crucial.
(iii) From April 1995 only those passenger cars were allowed to be registered in four metros—
Delhi; Mumbai; Kolkata and Chennai which were fitted with catalytic converter. Emission norms
for such vehicles were notified under motor vehicle act in 1998.
II. Fuel Quality Specifications:
Diesel and Gasoline fuel quality with respect to environment related parameters had been
notified under Environment (Protection) Act during April 1996. The specifications include low
leaded gasoline, unleaded gasoline and low sulphur diesel.
a) Unleaded gasoline.
With the progressive reduction of lead content in petrol (from 0.56 gm/1 to 0. 15 gm/1 and
then to 0.013 g/1 in unleaded petrol) introduction of unleaded petrol for new passenger cars
from April, 1995 and supply of only unleaded petrol for all vehicles from September, 1998
b) Benzene Reduction:
The fear of increased emission of benzene and reduced performance of engines by
the use of unleaded petrol has also been falsified. The oil refineries were told to combine the
benzene content in the unleaded petrol upto 5% (v/v) in 1996 and 3% (v/v) from the year
2000.
c) Sulphur in Diesel.
Sulphur content in diesel supplied in Delhi was reduced to 0.5% in 1996 and it was
further reduced to 0.25% from April 1996 onward. The diesel with 0.25% sulphur has been
made available throughout the country by September, 1999.
III. Lubricants Quality:
Specifications of 2T oil for two stroke engine with respect to smoke have been notified under
EPA during September 1998 for implementation from 1.4.1999 throughout the country.
IV. Alternate Fuels:
A very important factor in reducing vehicular pollution is the introduction of alternative fuels
such as CNG and LPG.
a) CNG (Compressed Natural Gas):
CNG is a better and clean fuel providing limited emissions of various toxic gases. All
Government Vehicles were required to compulsorily fit CNG Kit or catalytic converter by
December 1996.
b) LPG:
The use of LPG as an alternate fuel in automobiles has been made applicable for which
amendment has been made in Motor Vehicles Act to legally permit the use of LPG as
automobile fuel Hon’ble Supreme Court permitted dual mode facility (CNG + Petrol) for the
vehicles in its order dated 10th May 2000. Emission norms for LPG vehicles were modified on
24.4.2001.
c) Battery driven vehicles:
V. Phase out of Grossly Polluting Vehicles:
(i) Registration of new auto rickshaws with conventional engine has been banned from May 1996
and registration of Defence Service and Govt. auctioned vehicles has been banned from April
1998 in Delhi.
 (ii) Commercial vehicles more than 20 years old had been prohibited from plying with effect from
October 1998, followed by phase out of 17 to 20 years old commercial vehicles from 15th
November 1998 and 15 to 17 years old vehicles from 31st December, 1998 in Delhi.
VI. Promotion of Comprehensive inspection and Certification:
It has been possible to reduce 30-40% pollution loads generated by vehicles through proper
periodical inspection and maintenance of vehicles. Such inspection and maintenance of vehicles
is being carried on by State Pollution Control Boards, Pollution Control Committees and
Transport Directorates in different parts of the country.
VII. Traffic Management:
(i) Left lane has been made exclusive to buses and other HMV in Delhi.
(ii) Time clocks have been installed in important red lights to enable the drivers to switch off
their vehicles depending on the time left in the time clocks.
(iii)More fly-over and subways have been constructed and T-Junctions have been closed for
better traffic flow.
VIII. Public Transport System:
(i) To discourage the use of individual motor vehicles by public, public transport system is
augmented from time to time in various urban areas of the country. The number of buses has
been increased in big cities like Delhi.
(ii) Private sector has been allowed to operate public transport buses to increase mobility.
(iii) Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS) has been launched. Delhi Metro Rail Transport System
is making rapid progress and is likely to reduce pressure on transport system of Delhi.
IX. Technology:
(i) Fitment of catalytic converter for new petrol passenger cars has been made compulsory from
1. 4.1995 in four metros and 45 cities from 1.9.1998.
(ii) Two-wheeler scooters with four stroke engines are being introduced in the market from
October 1998.
(iii) Registration of only rear engine auto rickshaws is being allowed from May 1996 onwards.
X. Information Dissemination/Mass Awareness:
(i) Messages/articles related to vehicular emissions are disseminated through newsletters,
pamphlets, newspapers, magazines, Television, Radio, Internet and through Workshops,
Summer Courses, Exhibitions, display, Pollution Control Camps etc.
(ii) Display of ambient air quality data through Electronic Display System near ITO intersection
as well as dissemination through Newspapers, daily news and Internet.
6. What is greenhouse effect? Explain briefly effect of green house on environment. (8M)
The greenhouse effect is the way in which heat is trapped close to Earth's surface by
“greenhouse gases.”
 These heat-trapping gases can be thought of as a blanket wrapped around Earth, keeping the
planet toastier than it would be without them.
 Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, and water vapor. (Water
vapor, which responds physically or chemically to changes in temperature, is called a
"feedback.")
 Scientists have determined that carbon dioxide's warming effect helps stabilize Earth's
atmosphere. Remove carbon dioxide, and the terrestrial greenhouse effect would collapse.
Without carbon dioxide, Earth's surface would be some 33°C (59°F) cooler.
  Greenhouse gases occur naturally and are part of our atmosphere's makeup. For that reason,
Earth is sometimes called the “Goldilocks” planet.
 Its conditions are not too hot and not too cold, but just right to allow life (including us) to
flourish. Part of what makes Earth so amenable is its natural greenhouse effect, which keeps
the planet at a friendly 15 °C (59 °F) on average.
 But in the last century or so, humans have been interfering with the planet's energy balance,
mainly through the burning of fossil fuels that add carbon dioxide to the air.
 The level of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere has been rising consistently for decades
and traps extra heat near Earth's surface, causing temperatures to rise.

Which gases cause the greenhouse effect?

In descending order, the gases that contribute most to the Earth’s greenhouse effect are:
I. water vapour (H2O)
II. carbon dioxide (CO2)
III. nitrous oxide(N2O)
IV. methane (CH4)
V. ozone (O3)

effect of greenhouse gases on environment:

A. Thawing of glacial masses: Glaciers retreat also has its own consequences: reduced albedo —
the percentage of solar radiation that the earth's surface reflects or returns to the
atmosphere —, a global rise in sea level and the release of large methane columns are only
some of them, however, they are all dramatic for the planet.
B. Flooding of islands and coastal cities: According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC, 2014), during the period 1901-2010 the global average sea level rose 19
centimetres. It is estimated that by 2100 the sea level will be between 15 and 90 centimetres
higher than it is now and will threaten 92 million people.
C. Hurricanes will be more devastating: The intensification of the greenhouse effect does not
cause these extreme climatic events, but it does increase their intensity. Hurricanes formation
are connected with sea temperature — they only form over waters that have a temperature
of at least 26.51 ºC —.
D. Migration of species: Many animal species will be forced to migrate in order to survive the
changes in the main climatic patterns altered by the progressive increase in temperatures.
Human beings will also have to move: according to the World Bank, by 2050 the number of
people forced to flee their homes due to extreme droughts or violent floods could reach 140
million.
E. Desertification of fertile areas: Global warming is having a profound impact on the processes
of soil degradation and is contributing to the desertification of areas on the planet, a
phenomenon that destroys all the biological potential of affected regions, turning them into
barren and unproductive land. As recognised by the UN on the occasion of the World Day to
Combat Desertification in 2018, 30% of land has been degraded and lost its real value.
F. Impact on agriculture and livestock: Global warming has already altered the length of the
growing season in large parts of the planet. Similarly, changes in temperatures and seasons
are influencing the proliferation of insects, invasive weeds and diseases that can affect crops.
 The same is happening with livestock: climatic changes are directly affecting important species
in multiple ways: reproduction, metabolism, diseases, etc.
7. List the Air Pollution control acts. (4M)
I. The wildlife (protection) Act, 1972
II. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
III. The Air (prevention and control of pollution) act, 1981
IV. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
V. The energy conservation Act, 2001

8. Explain the types of emissions due to automobiles. (9M)

Air pollutant emissions emitted by motor vehicle exhausts include:
 carbon monoxide (CO)
Carbon monoxide is one of those toxic compounds that is created as a result of the
imperfections of the combustion process. This is a compound that can affect a human’s
bloodstream and cause complications for people with any kind of heart condition.
 carbon dioxide (CO2)
When people think of carbon dioxide, they generally feel as though it is not a
pollutant. Most people remember carbon dioxide from high school chemistry as a part of
the process of creating vital oxygen. But the amount of carbon dioxide being released into
the atmosphere has increased dramatically thanks to auto emissions, and it has the
potential to trap the energy from the sun and heat the surface of the planet.
 nitrogen oxides (NOx)
The concept of acid rain is something that is often associated with areas where
factories are located. But when the nitrogen and oxygen from auto emissions mix, they
create a variety of toxic compounds called nitrogen oxides. As these nitrogen oxides are
emitted into the air, they create the situation that allows for toxic acid rain.
 particulate matter (PM);
Airborne particulate matter (PM) is not a single pollutant, but rather is a mixture of
many chemical species. It is a complex mixture of solids and aerosols composed of small
droplets of liquid, dry solid fragments, and solid cores with liquid coatings.
 volatile organic compounds (VOC)
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids.
VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term
adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up
to ten times higher) than outdoors.
9. How noise can be reduced at source? Explain. (7M)
Occupational safety and health professionals and employers can take the following actions to
reduce noise in the workplace. Consider these solutions when creating your hearing loss
prevention program:
 Buy Quiet – select and purchase low-noise tools and machinery
 Maintain tools and equipment routinely (such as lubricate gears)
 Reduce vibration where possible
 Isolate the noise source in an insulated room or enclosure
 Place a barrier between the noise source and the employee
 Isolate the employee from the source in a room or booth (such as sound wall or windows)