Environment & Ecology

Code : CY10I008CY
UNIT – 3
Environmental Pollution and its Control

Air Pollution

Department of Chemistry
National Institute of Technology, Raipur 1
 Outlines
• Definitions
• Classification of air pollutants
• Sources of air pollutants
• Effects of air pollutants
• Control of air pollutants
• Discussion
Definitions
Indian Standards Institution IS-4167(1966)
“Air pollution is the presence in ambient atmosphere of
substance, generally resulting from the activity of man, in
sufficient concentration, present for a sufficient time and
under circumstances which interferes significantly with the
comfort health or welfare or persons or with the full use or
enjoyment of property”

American Medical Association

“Air pollution is the excessive concentration of foreign matter
ion the air which adversely affect the well beings of the
individual or causes damage to the property”
Pollutant of air
The contaminant of air which affects the quality of air is called
air pollutant
 Classification of Air Pollutants
Air Pollutants

Primary (introduced in Secondary (originated by

atmosphere directly) the reactions of primary
• SOx pollutants or other
• NOx components of atmosphere
• Hydrocarbons • Ozone
• Organic • Formaldehyde
compounds • PAN
• Radioactive • Photochemical Smog
compounds • Acids (H2SO4, H2SO3,
• Particulate matters HNO3, HNO2)
• Pollen grain
• Fungal spores
• Dust
 Sources of Air Pollutants

Natural Man Made / Anthropogenic

• Volcanoes • Domestic burning of fossil
• Forest fire fuel
• Spray from the oceans • Burning of wood
• Deflection of Sand Dust • Industrialization’
• Natural decay or organic • Agricultural activities
/ inorganic compounds • Automobiles
• Extra terrestrial bodies • Wars
• Cosmic dust • Nuclear tests
• Soil debris • Incineration
• Fungal spores • Power generation
• Photochemical reactions • Mining
• Metallurgy
• Waste treatment plants
• Refrigeration Industries
 Effects of Air Pollution
Effects on Human Health
1. Irritation of the respiratory tract
2. Irritation of eyes, nose and throat
3. Inhaling ozone causes dryness of mucous membrane of mouth,
nose throat and changes visual activity, chest pain, headache
and oedema
4. Nitrogen oxide causes eye irritation, pulmonary congestion and
heart disease
5. Oxides of sulphur and sulphuric acid fumes irritate the upper
respiratory tract causing cough
6. Carbon monoxide reduces oxygen carrying capacity of blood
7. Photochemical smog causes coughing, headache, pulmonary
congestion
 Effects of Air Pollution
8. Pollen grains and fungal spores causes allergy
9. Dust and cotton fiber cause pulmonary trouble and asthma
10. Smoke affect lungs
11. Hydrocarbons can cause CANCER
12. Mine dust causes black lung disease
13. Asbestos fiber causes asbestosis, silica causes silicosis
14. Lead particulate cause lead poisoning resulting
convalsions, delirium, coma and even death
15. Mercury results in nerve, brain and kidney damage
16. Cadmium particulate causes cardiovascular disease,
kidney and liver damage and even death
 Effects of Air Pollution
Effects on Plants
1. NO2 causes premature leaf drop, checks metabolic acitivity,
suppress plant growth, retards photosynthesis activity,
causes chlorosis (loss of chlorophyll in leaves resulting
peal-green appearance of leaf)
2. SO2 causes fluorosis, tissue collapse and necrotic (dead
area) patterns
3. Ozone causes immature yellowing and shedding of leaves,
fruits, necrotic (dead area) patterns, damage leaves
4. PAN damage leafy vegetables causing premature fall,
discolouration and curling of sepals
5. Arsenic make plants poisonous
 Effects of Air Pollution
Effects on Materials

1. SO2, NO2, CO2 participate in formation of acid rain

2. SO2, H2, S and particulates cause discolouration of paints

3. SO2, acid rain, aerosol damages the buildings

4. Paper become brittle and leather undergoes disintegration by

SO2 and acid gases

5. O3, SO2, NO2 and acid gases discolour, deteriorate and

reduce the tensile strength of textiles
Some additional materials
Some additional materials
 Control of Air Pollution

Principles of Air Pollution Control

1. By Zoning
2. By Vegetation
3. By Dilution or Diffusion of Pollutants in Air
4. By Source Correction Methods
5. By Pollution Control Devices
 Control of Air Pollution
(1) Zoning
 Method is adapted during the planning stage of the city to
control air pollution
 It is applied for the industries, depending upon the type
and functions of the industry
 New industries should be established far away from cities

(2) Vegetation
 Most important natural mean of controlling air pollution
 Plants purify the atmosphere by utilizing CO2 in the
process of photosynthesis and release oxygen
 Control of Air Pollution
(3) Dilution or Diffusion of Pollutants in Air
 Concentration of pollutants decreases with distance from the
source

 Dilution or diffusion can be accomplished through the use of

tall stacksand chimnies that discharge the pollutants at a
sufficient height from the ground

 At the heights, air movement is very high so that pollutants

dispersed in the atmosphere over a large area in less time

 Stack height is generally 2 to 3 times the height of nearby

structure
 Control of Air Pollution
(4) Source Correction Methods
 Industries are the chief source of air pollution therefore
emission of the pollutants can be minimize at the source
itself.
It can be done by
1. Modification of existing equipment – e.g. replacement of
open hearth furnace by basic oxygen furnaces or electric
furnace to reduce smoke, CO2 and fumes
2. Maintenance of equipments – routine checking and
maintenance of equipments help to minimize emission of
pollutants
 Control of Air Pollution

3. Substitution of raw materials –

e.g. replacement of high sulphur fuel by low sulphur fuel can minimize
Sox pollution in air.
Replacement of traditional high contaminant fuel like coal with more
refined LPG or CNG
4. Process modification– e.g. washing of coal before
pulverisation minimizes fly ash emission considerbly
 Control of Air Pollution
(5) Pollution Control Devices
This is the most effective method for reducing pollution at source

Pollution control devices

Internal Separator
• Gravity settling
chamber
• Fabric filters
• Cyclone collector

Wet Collection Devices

• Spray towers
• Cyclone scrubber
• Ventury scrubber
• Packed bed scrubber

Electrostatic Precipitator
Thank you

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