ol l ut i on

Ai r P
u r k ca par
by Ha n de T
Prepared
 Unpolluted Air
Unpolluted air contains about

78% Nitrogen

21% Oxygen

1% Argon

0.03% Carbon Dioxide

4% water vapor and other gases

 Main Pollutants
carbon monoxides

nitrogen oxides (NOx)

sulfur oxides (SOx)

Particulates

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

 How
How To
To Reduce:
Reduce:

Carbon Monoxide Lean

Lean Burn
Burn Engine
Engine
Thermal
Thermal Exhaust
Exhaust Reactor
Reactor
Catalytic
Catalytic Converter
Converter

• Carbon monoxide is a gaseous byproduct from the burning of

fossil fuels, in industry and automobiles, as well as burning of
forests and grasslands.

• the reaction involves the incomplete combustion of

hydrocarbons in fuel or carbohydrates in plant matter

For example: 2 C8H18+25 O2----- > 16 CO+18 H2O

Effects
Effects on
on Health
Health

•Carbon Monoxide enters

the bloodstream and reduces
the delivery of oxygen to the
organs and tissues of the
body.

•The health threat of high

levels of CO is most serious
for those individuals who
suffer from cardiovascular
disease.
 NITROGEN OXIDES (NOx)

•Nitrogen oxide compounds include NO and NO2 How

How To
To Reduce:
Reduce:

•these are formed by high temperature combustion Lean

Lean Burn
Burn Engine
Engine
Recirculation
Recirculation of
of exhaust
exhaust
(meant to burn other fuels) of nitrogen, N2 by
Catalytic
Catalytic Converter
Converter
oxygen,
• O2.N2 + O2 ---- > NO + NO2

•in internal combustion engines or lightning NOx +

H2O ------ > HNO3

HEALTH THREAT:

Respiratory irritant leading to respiratory tract infections

 Sulfur Dioxides
Major SO2 sources are electricity
generation using coal and oil, and
direct combustion of fossil fuels.

• also produced by volcanoes and

geysers

• produced by combustion of
sulfurS + O2 --> Sox

• Converts in atmosphere to SO3

then H2SO4 which falls as acid
rain or agglomerates with solids
to particulate matter Health
Health Threats:
Threats:
How
How To
To Reduce:
Reduce:
Can
Can affect
affect respiratory
respiratory system
system and
and
••Removal
Removal from
from fossil
fossil fuels
fuels cause
cause lung
lung disease
disease such
such as
as
before
before combustion
combustion emphysemma,
emphysemma, bronchitis
bronchitis and
and cancer
cancer
•• Alkaline
Alkaline scrubbing
scrubbing
••Fluidized
Fluidized bed
bed combustion
combustion
 PARTICULATES
Open sources are soil (from agriculture), road dust, forest
fires, pollen, volcanic ash, sea-salt

Man-made sources are mining, quarrying, fossil fuel

generators, transport, industry

particulates irritate respiratory systems directly

also create catalytic surfaces for the reactions of

photochemical smog How To Reduce:

•Sedimentation chambers
• Electrostatic precipitation
VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCs)
•Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) refers to
organic chemical compounds which have significant
vapor pressures and which can affect the environment and human health.

•Their natural source is plants

•Plants emit unsaturated hydrocarbons called terpenes

How
How To
To Reduce:
Reduce:

••Catalytic
Catalytic Converter
Converter

Health
Health Threats:
Threats:

••Some
Some are
are carcinogenic(e.g.
carcinogenic(e.g.
benzene)
benzene)
••Can
Can form
form secondary
secondary pollutants
pollutants (e.g.
(e.g.
PANs,
PANs, peroxyacylnitrates)
peroxyacylnitrates)
 Methods of Removal
Catalytic Converter

Thermal Exhaust Reactor

Lean Burn Engines

Sulfur Dioxide

Electrostatic Precipitation
Catalytic Converter
•The first stage, or reduction catalyst, ceramic
honeycomb coated with platinum and rhodium.

• NOx emissions are converted to oxygen and

nitrogen.

• Second stage, or oxidation catalyst.

• unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide are

burned or oxidized by passing them over a
platinum and palladium honeycomb.

•The oxygen from the first stage further aids this

oxidizing.

2CO(g)+2NO(g)2CO2(g)
2CO(g)+2NO(g)2CO2(g) ++ N2(g)
N2(g)
alkaline scrubbers/ fluidized beds
used to remove SOx from smokestacksfluidized beds

has been successful in reducing SOx emissions by 95%

works by passing the combustion gases over sodium hydroxide,

lime or limestone slurry, or alkali solutions, thereby trapping the
sulfur
 lean burn engines
maintain a high air
to fuel ratiolower
emissions of CO
and hydrocarbons

can result in more

NOx unless
temperature is kept
low
 ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATION

• Removes particulates from smokestacks

uses electrostatic charge to attract and capture

particulates

very efficient in terms of energy consumption and

amount of particles captured