OZONE LAYER –

DEPLETION AND
RECOVERY
WHAT IS OZONE ?
OZONE it is a natural gas ; it is an allotrope of oxygen consisting of 3 atoms of
oxygen bond together in a non linear fashion.
OZONE is found in 2 layers of atmosphere. OZONE in the troposphere is bad .
OZONE In the stratosphere is good.
 HOW OZONE IS MEASURED?
The ozone measurement instruments and techniques are varied . Some of them are
the Dobson spectrophotometer and the filter ozonometer called M83, and total
ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) in the Nimbus satellite.
The UMHEHER Technique
The most common measure of total ozone absorbance is the Dobson unit which is
the thickness of the ozone column.
 HOW OZONE HELPS ?
OZONE protects oxygen at lower altitudes from being broken up by
the action of UV light and also keeps most of the ultraviolet radiation
from reaching the earth's surface.

It helps in the reducing the risks of mutation and harm to plant and
animal life . Too much UV rays can cause skin cancer ,cataracts and
impaired immune system.
HOW CAN UV RADIATION HARM
US ?
Not able to read it properly ? This same thing
happens when smog happens …visibility is not
clear ……
 DESTRUCTION OF
OZONE LAYER
It is the destruction of stratospheric ozone by free radicals ike
chlorine, bromine, when they reach the upper atmosphere.
The UV radiation from sun -acts as Catalyst to breaking up the
ozone layer.
-Breaks up O3 into O2 and O.
-Breaks up CFCs to produce Cl.
-Cl combines with Oxygen atoms, preventing them from combining
with O2 to form ozone.
Thus, creating a lack of ozone molecules in the atmosphere
Photodissociation releases chlorine atoms:
For example: CFCl3 + light  CFCl2 + Cl
Chlorine atoms deplete odd oxygen largely by the following
cycle
Cl + O3  ClO + O2
ClO + O  Cl + O2
This process reduces the number of ozone molecules in the stratosphere
resulting in depletion of ozone layer .
If depletion is concentrated at one place for example at the poles ,it forms a
hole in the ozone layer, often referred to as ozone hole.

The ozone hole is the region over Antarctica with total

ozone 220 Dobson Units or lower. (The avg total
column ozone in the atmosphere is about 300 DU.)

Ozone hole in Sept 2005. Source: NASA

MONITORING THE OZONE
LAYER
 World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
World Weather Watch (WWW)
Integrated Global Ocean Services System (IGOS)
Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)
OZONE DEPLETING
SUBSTANCES
1.Chemiclas that potentially deplete the layer
2.Contains chlorine or bromine atoms
3. Have long atmospheric life
MAIN USES OF ODS

Refrigerants(gases)
Fire extinguishers
Fumigants ,pesticides
Foam blowing agents
Cleaning solvents
Aerosol propellants
Air –conditioning systems
Compressors
Vehicels
WHY ANTARCTICA?
OZONE hole first appeared over Antarctica because of atmospheric and
chemical conditions unique to the region.
At Antarctica during winter months when the region receives no sunlight ,the
stratosphere becomes cold enough to form high level clouds called polar
stratospheric clouds (PSCs).The PSCs provide an ideal catalytic surface on
which the chlorine can react with the ozone thus destroying the layer .
This reaction however requires sunlight and therefore begins only when sun
returns to Antarctica during early spring.
 POLAR
STRATOSPHERIC
CLOUDS OVER
ANTARCTICA
IT is wrong to say that ARCTIC does not have an
ozone hole . Even the northern hemisphere shows
hemisphere ozone hole like phenomenon but to a
lesser degree when compared to southern
hemisphere .
Arctic ozone depletion also takes place!

There are concerns that an “Arctic Ozone

Hole” may develop that is similar to the
severe Antarctic Hole
Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion
Ozone layer depletion can have some serious consequences on effects of human health, plants,
marine ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles and earth’s environment.
Effect on health of humans
-With depletion in ozone’s layer, we humans are more prone to UV rays that reaches the Earth’s
surface. Studies suggests that high levels of UV Rays cause non-melanoma skin cancer and plays a
major role in malignant melanoma development. Direct exposure to UV rays can lead to
development of cataracts which clouds the eye’s lens.
-Permanent exposure to UV rays can also lead to weakening
Effect on plants
Plants become another casualty by radiation effects of UV rays. The physiological
and developmental processes of plants are also severely affected apart from the
growth. Some other changes that are caused by UV inlcude the way plants form,
timing of development and growth, how nutrients are distributied within the plant
and metabolism, etc.
Effect on marine ecosystems
UV rays badly affects the planktons that form the foundation of aquatic food
webs. Phytoplankton grow close to the surface of the water and plays vital role in the food
chain and oceanic carbon cycle. Changes in UV levels is know to affect both orientation
and motility in phytoplankton. This reduces the survival and growth rate of these
organisms.
UV rays are also known to affect the development stages of fish, shrimp, crab,
amphibians, and other marine animals. When this happens it affects whole 
marine food chain as animals  in the upper food chain that feed on these fishes are also
affected.
Effect on biogeochemical cycles
Increases in UV radiation alters both sources and sinks of greenhouse gasses in the
biosphere e.g.: e.g., carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbonyl sulfide, ozone, and
possibly other gases. Changes in UV levels would contribute to biosphere-atmosphere
feedbacks that mitigate or amplify the atmospheric concentrations of these gases.
 CHRONOLOGY
The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer,
adopted in 1985, entered into force in 1985.
Two years after the adoption of the Vienna Convention, the Montreal
Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was agreed
upon to take concrete measures to control ozone-depleting
substances. It was agreed by 189 Parties on September 16, 1987.
THE RESCUE
CHRONOLOGY OF THE
SUCESSIVE AGREEMENTS
“[ The Ozone Treaty is ] the first truly global
treaty that offers protection to every single
human being]”
 MONTREAL PROTOCOL
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international
treaty that was adopted in 1987. It was initially designed to reduce the production and
consumption of ozone depleting substances (ODS) in order to reduce their abundance
in the atmosphere, and thereby protect the Earth’s ozone layer.
Chlorofluorocarbons and halons were the first chemicals to be regulated. Nevertheless,
the Protocol has been amended several times: • Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and
halons’ production and consumption are to be completely phased out. • Hydro
chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbon (HFCs), chemicals often used as
refrigerants, were added to the initial list.
List of controlled substances
The substances controlled by the Montreal Protocol are as follows:
□ A: Chlorofluorocarbons and halons.
□ B: Chlorofluorocarbons, carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloroform
□ C: HCFCs, HBFCs and bromochloromethane
□ D: Methyl bromide
□ Annex E: HFCs
KIGALI AMENDMENT TO
MONTREAL PROTOCOL
 On Oct. 15, 2016 with the us leadership,197 countries adopted an amendment to
phase down HFCs, under the montreal protocol in KIGALI ,Rwanda.
The Kigali amendments aims for the phase down of HFCs (hydroflurocarbons) by
cutting their production and consumption.
The goal is to achieve over 80% reduction in the HFC consumption by 2047.
The Kigali amendment to the montreal protocol is legally binding and came into
force in Jan ,1 ,2019.
 CHLOROFORM IS
DESTROYING OZONE LAYER
A new MIT study ,published in Nature Geoscience , identifies another threat to ozone
layer’s recovery ; chloroform-a colourless , sweet smelling compound that is primarily
used in the manufacturing of products such as Teflon and various refrigerants.
The researchers found that between 2010 and 2015,emissions and concentrations of
chloroform in the global atmosphere have increased significantly.
They were able to trace the source of these emissions to EAST ASIA , where it appear
that production of products from chloroform is on the rise . If chloroform emissions
continue to increase ,the researchers predict that the recovery of the ozone layer could be
delayed by 4-8 years.
Chloroform is Among a class of compounds called (very short lived substances) so it is
generally assumed that chloroform and other VSLSs are unlikely to do any real damage
to ozone ,the MONTREAL PROTOCOL does not stipulate regulating the compounds.
Another research from the UK reported on the potential threat to the ozone layer from
another very short lived substances ,dichloromethane, which, like chloroform ,is used as a
feedstock to produce other industrial chemicals. Those researchers estimated how both
ozone and chlorine levels in the stratosphere would change with increasing levels in the
stratosphere would change with increasing levels of dichloromethane in the atmosphere .