AIR POLLUTION

 Air pollution is the introduction into

the atmosphere of chemicals, particulates,
or biological materials that cause
discomfort, disease, or death to humans,
damage other living organisms such as
food crops, or damage the natural
environment or built environment.
 Air pollution is one of the present day
health problems throughout the world.
SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION
 A)Automobiles:
Motor vehicles are the major sources of
air pollution throughout the urban areas.
They emit hydrocarbons, carbon
monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides.
Some diesel engines emitting black
smoke and malodourous fumes.
B).INDUSTRIES
 Industries emit large amounts of pollutants into
the atmosphere.
 Combustion of fuel to generate heat and power
produces smoke, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen
oxides and fly ash.
 Petrochemical industries produces hydrogen
fluoride, hydrochloric acid and organic halides.
 Many industries discharge carbon monoxide,
carbon dioxide, ozone, and hydrogen sulphide.
C) DOMESTIC SOURCES
 Domestic combustion of coal, wood or oil
is a major sources of smoke, dust, sulphur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
 D) The most direct and important
sources of air pollution affecting the
health of many people is tobacco smoke.
 Even those who do not smoke may inhale
the smoke produce by other (passive
smoking).
E). MISCELLANEOUS
 Burning refuse, incinerators, pesticide
spraying.
 Natural sources: wind borne dust, fungi,
bacteria.
 Nuclear energy programmes.
 All these contribute to air pollution.
AIR POLLUTANTS
 More than 100 substances which pollute
air have been identified.
 The important are carbon monoxide,
carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulphur
dioxide, sulphur trioxide, nitrogen oxides,
fluorine compounds.
 Organic compounds: hydrocarbons,
aldehydes, ketones, organic acids.
 Metallic contaminants: arsenic, zinc, iron
 Radio-active compounds, photochemical
oxidants( ozone).
 Pollutants may be in the form of solids,
liquid or gases.
1. CARBON MONOXIDE
 Carbon monoxide is one of the most
common and widely distributed air
pollutants.
 It is the incomplete combustion of carbon
containing materials, such as in
automobiles, industrial process, heating
facilities and incinerators.
 Man-made carbon monoxide emission
vary from 350 to 600 million tones per
annum.
2. SULFUR DIOXIDE
 Itis results from the combustion of sulfur
containing fossil fuel, the smelting of
sulfur containing ores and other industrial
process.
 Domestic fires can also produce sulfur
dioxide.
3. LEAD
 The combustion of alkyl lead additives in
motor fuel accounts for the major parts of
all lead emission in the atmosphere.
 Children up to 6 years of age are at
increased risk for lead exposure as well as
for adverse health effects.
 Pregnant women represent a second group
at increased risk because placenta is no
effective biological barrier.
4. CARBON DIOXIDE
 This is not commonly regarded as an air
pollutant, although man generates
enormous amount of it in combustion
process using coal, oil and gas.
 Carbon dioxide is a natural constituent of
the air.
 Its global concentration is rising above the
natural level and increase global
temperature.
5. HYDROCARBONS
 Man-made sources of hydrocarbons
include incineration, combustion of coal,
wood, processing and use of petroleum.
6. CADMIUM
 The steel industry, waste incineration, and
zinc production seem to account for the
largest emissions.
 Tobacco
 smoking
7. HYDROGEN SULFIDE
 It is formed during coke production,
waste-water treatment plants, wood pulp
production, oil refining.
 Effect of hydrogen sulfide is unpleasant
odour, conjunctival irritation,
neurological and mental symptoms.
8. OZONES
 Itis one of the strongest oxidizing agents.
 Existing ozone has been formed by
chemical reactions that occur in the air.
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
 Indoor air pollution is one of the four most
critical global environmental problems,
probably exposes more people worldwide.
 Such cities are Delhi in India, Xian in
China and Smokey houses in Nepal.
 Women and young children suffer the
greatest exposure.
EFFECT OF INDOOR AIR
POLLUTION
 Acute respiratory infection in young
children
 Chronic lung disease and cancer in adult.
 Stillbirth in pregnant women.
 Studies in China, India and Nepal have
shown that up to half of adult women (few
of whom smoke) suffer from chronic lung
and heart disease.
SOURCES OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
Respirable particles Tobacco smoke, stove
Carbon monoxide Stove, gas heater
Nitrogen dioxide Gas cooker, cigarrettes
Sulfur dioxide Coal combustion
Carbon dioxide Combustion, respiration
Formaldehyde Carpet adhesives
ozone Electric arcing, UV light
Radon Building material
Asbestos Insulation
Mineral fibers Appliances
EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION
 Air pollution can be affect by two ways.
 A) Health aspect:
The immediate effects is acute bronchitis.
If the air pollution is intense, death may
occurred by suffocation.
The delayed effects are chronic bronchitis,
lung cancer, bronchial asthma, emphysema
and respiratory allergies.
B) SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
ASPECTS
 These comprise destruction of plant and
animal life.
 Reduces visibility in towns.
 It can soil and damage clothing.
PREVENTION AND CONTROL
OF AIR POLLUTION
 The WHO has recommended the
following procedures for the prevention
and control of air pollution
 A) containment
 B) replacement
 C) dilution
 D) legislation
 E) international action
A) CONTAINMENT
 Prevention of escape of toxic substances
into the ambient air.
 Containment can be achieve by variety of
engineering methods such as enclosure,
ventilation, and air cleaning.
 A major contribution in this field is the
development of “arrestors” for the
removal of contaminants.
B) REPLACEMENT
Increased use of electricity, natural gas
and central heating in place of coal have
greatly helped in smoke reduction.
C) DILUTION
 Dilution is valid so long as it is within the
self-cleaning capacity of the environment.
 Some air pollutants are removed by
vegetation.
 The establishment of “green belts”
between industrial and residential is an
attempt at dilution.
D) LEGISLATION
 Itcovers as:
 height of chimneys,
 powers to local authorities to carry out
investigation.
 Research and education concerning air
pollution.
 Creation of smokeless zone and
enforcement of standard for ambient air
quality.
E) INTERNATIONAL ACTION
 The WHO has established an international
network of laboratories for the monitoring
and prevention of air pollution.
 The network consist of two international
centres at London and Washington, three
centres at Moscow, Nagpur, and Tokyo
and 20 laboratories in various parts of
world
DISINFECTION OF AIR
 1) Mechanical ventilation:
This reduces vitiated air and bacterial
density.
 2) UV radiation:
It is effective in operation theater and
infectious ward.
Direct exposure to UV rays is danger to
eye and skin.
The UV lamps are shaded and located
in the upper portion of the room near the
inlet of air.
 3) Chemical mists:
Triethylene glucol vapours have been
found to be effective air bactericides,
particularly against droplet nuclei and
dust.
 4) Dust control:
Application of oil to floors of hospital
wards reduces the bacterial content of
the air.
AIR QUALITY MONITORING STATIONS
(AQMS).
 The Government of Nepal has enforced the National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), 2012 for nine
parameters
 The following parameters were monitored in the stations.
 TSP: Includes all solid and liquid droplet particulate
present in the air with size more than 0.25µm.
 PM10: Includes particulate matter with an aerodynamic
diameter less than 10 µm
 PM2.5: Includes particulate matter with an aerodynamic
diameter less than 2.5 µm diameter and important in
terms of health impacts.
 PM1: Includes particulate matter with an aerodynamic
diameter less than 1µm diameter; important in terms of
health impacts
NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY
STANDARDS, 2012 (NAAQS)
Parameters Units Averaging Maximum
Time Concentrations
The NAAQS gives
TSP µg/m3 24-hr 230 maximum concentration
for major nine
PM10 µg/m3 24-hr 120 parameters including
Sulphur µg/m3 Annual 50 particulate matters and
Dioxide trace gases, heavy metal
24-hr 70 and others as shown in
Nitrogen µg/m3 Annual 40 the table
Dioxide 24-hr 80
Carbon µg/m3 8-hr 10,000
monoxide
Lead µg/m3 Annual 0.5
Benzene µg/m3 Annual 5
PM2.5 µg/m3 24-hr 40

Ozone µg/m3 8- hr 157

WHAT ARE GREENHOUSE GASES?

• Greenhouse gases are gases in Earth’s

atmosphere that trap heat. They let sunlight pass
through the atmosphere, but they prevent the heat
that the sunlight brings from leaving the
atmosphere.
• The main greenhouse gases are:
• Water vapor
• Carbon dioxide
• Methane
• Ozone
• Nitrous oxide
• Chlorofluorocarbons
In Nepal , 86% of the rural population use solid
fuels for cooking.
Over 25% of premature deaths associated with
air pollution are respiratory in nature.
<YOUR HOME-WORK~~~
WHAT IS IMPROVED COOKING
STOVE ?
WHAT ARE ITS BENEFITS OVER
TRADITIONAL COOKING STOVES ? >

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