Air Pollution

Chapter 44A
 Pollution
Pollution is the
release of waste matter
or energy into the
environment by man so
that it causes damage
or deterioration to living
systems and/or
environment. Photo from National Geographic
Society - Exploring your world
Pollutants
CO C particles
A pollutant is any
NO2
substance brought C6H6
about by human
activities or source of
energy which, at an
unacceptable level,
causes damage to the
environment or is
harmful to living
systems.
Some air pollutants
 Carbon monoxide
 Sulphur dioxide
 Nitrogen oxides
 Hydrocarbons
 Ozone
 Particulates
Carbon monoxide
A poisonous gas, can cause death.

Combines with haemoglobin in red bloo

d cells to form stable complex, carboxyh
aemoglobin.

The haemoglobin is NOT available for c

arrying oxygen. May cause death.
Sulphur Dioxide
Causes damage to respiratory systems
and increase in asthma attacks( 哮喘 ).

Acid rain – damage buildings, thought t

o be responsible for the deaths of large
numbers of trees in Europe and Americ
a.
Nitrogen oxides
A poisonous gas that damage lung
tissues and blood vessels.

Acid rain

Give rise to photochemical smog.

Hydrocarbons
Cause photochemical smog.

Some hydrocarbons, e.g. benzene, are

known carcinogens.
Ozone
Irritates the eyes.

Makes more serious asthma.

Damages plants.
Particulates
Impair lung function by constricting
respiratory passage and damaging lung
tissue, cause respiratory disease.

Certain particles are suspected to cause

cancer.
Harmful effect
 Concentration (ppm)
 Duration of exposure
 CO
4000 ppm or higher cause deat
h in 1 hour ( or 1000 ppm for 4
hours)
Concentrations
 ppm = number of molecules of pollutan
ts per million (106) molecules of air
 % by volume
 Microgram per cubic metre ( g m-3)
Concentrations
Convert 0.05 ppm of CO into other co
ncentration units
a. % volume
b. g m-3
 Answers
a. 0.000005%

b. In 1 m3 , there is 0.05/106 m3 of CO

Using Ideal gas equation,

m = pVMr / RT

Mass of CO = 101x103 x 0.05 x 10-6 x 28 / 8.31 x 298

= 5.71 x 10-7 g = 57.1 g

Thus, the concentration = 57.1 g/m3

Acid rain
 Normal rainwater pH = 6.5
 pH 2.5 has been recorded in some parts
of the world
 SO2 + H2O  H2SO3
 SO2 + O2  SO3  H2SO4
 4NO2 + 2H2O + O2  4HNO3
Effect of acid rain
 pH < 4.5, calcium metabolism in fresh water f
ish will be affected, poor health and growth.
 Soil of pH < 4.5, absorption of cations by pla
nts will be affected, death of plants.
 Corrodes metals and accelerates the deteriora
tion of building, rock and statue.
Photochemical smog
 NO2  NO + O (under U.V. light)
 O + O 2 + M  O3 + M
 O + hydrocarbons  aldehydes
 O3 + hydrocarbons  aldehydes
 Hydrocarbons + O2 + NO2 
CH3- C-O-O-NO2 (PAN molecule)
O
Photochemical smog
 Smoke + Fog (Brownish haze)
 Reaction initiated by sunlight + N
Ox + hydrocarbons
 Effects:
1. Cause headaches, eye, nose and
throat irritations.
2. Impair lung function, coughing.
3. Cause rubber and fabrics to deterior
ate.
4. Damage plants, loss of crops.
Sources and properties of
Ozone
 In lower part of atmosphere
 NO2  NO + O (under UV light)
O + O 2  O3
 From air by electric sparks in engines,
photocopiers, motors.
 Lightning
 Too reactive to remain for a long time
 Adverse effect on health
Desirability of ozone
 Stratosphere (20 –50 km above earth’s
surface), filter out 99% dangerous UV:
Create:
O2 + uv light (250 nm)  2 O•
O• + O2 + M  O3 + M
Destroy:
O3 + uv light (215-295 nm)  O2 + O•
O• + O3  2O2
Depletion of the ozone layer

Ozone:

OO=O Ozone Hole

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
 Unreactive , low flammability and toxicit
y.
 Use as : Aerosol propellants, solvents, r
efrigerants, blowing agents in foam plas
tic.
 Causes for accumulation:
Unreactive, lifetime about 75 years
Insoluble in water
Depletion of ozone layer
 CFCs give Cl free radicals which destroy ozone.
 CCl3F+uv light  CCl2F. + Cl.
 Cl. + O3  ClO. + O2 (1)
 ClO. + O  Cl. + O2 (2)
 Repeat (1) (2)
 Step (1) is considerably faster than O + O3 
2O2
 Disturb the balance in the production and destr
uction of ozone.
Adverse effect of ozone
depletion
 Reduced crop yield
 Higher incidence of skin
cancer and eye cataract
Control of the ozone depletion
problem
 Control the production and
consumption of CFCs
(Montreal Protocol)
 Recycling of CFCs
 Using substitutes
Possible alternatives for CFCs
 Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) such
as CF3CHCl2 , they break down more qui
ckly in atmosphere, though lower % of
Cl, could damage if overused.
 Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) such as CF3
CH2F, no chlorine and ‘ozone safe’, toxic
ity problem still unsolved.
Possible alternatives for CFCs
 Hydrocarbons such as butane and
propane, no chlorine, flammable and
poisonous.
 Water and steam, effective for some
cleaning applications.
Pollution control in H.K.
 Environmental protection department
(EPD), established 1986
 Formulating policy
 Monitoring
 Enforcing legislation
 Planning
 Handling complaints and enquiries
Measures to improve air
quality
 Use of unleaded petrol
 Installation of catalytic converters in car
 Limitation of sulphur content in fuel
 Desulphurization of Flue Gas
 Installation of Electrostatic Precipitators
in power plants
 Low nitrogen oxide burners
Web page
 Environmental Protection Department
Past AL papers
 Ozone depletion (1998 5b)
 Catalytic converter (1998 6b)
 SO2, ppm calculation (1999 6d)
 SO2 (2000 5a)
 Smog (2000 5b)
 CFC (2001 6a)