AIR POLLUTION

CONTENTS

• INTRODUCTION
• DEFINATION
• TYPES
• CAUSES
• EFFECTS
• CONTROL
• QUESTIONS
• REFERENCES
INTRODUCTION
Our earth is surrounded by air. The air contains a
number of gases such as O2, N2, CO2, inert
gases, etc., in a relatively fixed ratio. When due to
certain mixing of undesirable substances in the air
the concentration gases or particles other than
oxygen increases, the air becomes polluted and
this process is known as air pollution.
The World Health Organization defines air pollution
as-the presence of materials in the air in such
concentration which are harmful to man and his
environment.
EX-MOBILE SOURCE, STATIONARY SOURCES, AREA
 Air pollution
Air pollution refers to any physical, chemical, or biological change in the air. It is the contamination of air by harmful
gases, dust, and smoke which affects plants, animals, and humans drastically.

Air Pollution
Air pollution is defined as the introduction of pollutants, organic molecules, or other unsafe materials into Earth’s
atmosphere. This can be in the form of excessive gases like carbon dioxide and other vapours that cannot be
effectively removed through natural cycles, such as the carbon cycle or the nitrogen cycle.

2
Man caused pollution

• It is still fresh in our memory the havoc created by METHYL ISOCINATE gas leakage at
BHOPAL on 2nd DECEMBER 1984.

• Also poisonous gas leakage accident which occurred in DELHI on 4th DECEMBER 1985

3
 Further divided into three categories

Carbon compounds: Carbon monoxide,

Primary air
Carbon dioxide, etc.
Nitrogen compounds: Nitrogen dioxide, pollutants
Ammonia released directly in
Sulphur compounds: Sulphur dioxide, the air
Sulphur trioxide
..reactions between primary pollutants in the air are known as
Secondary air secondary pollutants
pollutants Nitrogen compounds and Ozone, reaction between Nitrogen
oxide and Hydrocarbons in the presence of Sunlight

Air born pollutants such bacreria, virus, fungus, pollen grains Biological air
are known as biological pollutants pollutants
 MAJOR POLLUTANTS IN AIR

• GASEOUS POLLUTANTS:
Pollutants that remaining in gaseous form at normal temperature
and pressure along with vapours of compounds, boiling points are
up to 200C are known as gaseous pollutants
EXAMPLE: Nitrogen dioxideNO2, Carbon monoxide CO, Carbon
dioxide CO2, Ozone O3
2. Mist:
Solid particles having a diameter of more than 1mm known as dust,
where as the liquid particles with the same range of size are
known as MIST.
Ex : In practice, mist is considered synonymous with “light fog”.
The term “smog” . ... with chemical reactions between the fog
droplets and various pollutants.
3.Aerosal:
 Causes of air pollution
• combustion
• metallurgic processing
• chemical industries
• cosmetics
• processing industries
• welding, stone crushing, gem grinding etc

5
 NATURAL AIR POLLUTANTS INCLUDE

• pollen, spores
• marsh gas
• volcanic gas
• synthesis of harmful chemicals by electric storm and solar flame
concentration of industries in one area is another major cause of
pollution
e.g cotton dust in Ahmedabad, Surat and nearby area.
PARTICULATE MATTER
• It consists of soot, flyash and dust of various types fur spores and
pollen grains.
• SPM (Suspended particulate matter) is maximum in Delhi, the most
polluted city in India.
• causes diseases like, respiratory, cancer, lung related diseases so
on.

Carbon monoxide (CO)

• 50% emissions are from automobiles
• Cigarette smoke produces carboxyhemoglobin or COHb
 Effects of Air Pollution

Effect on human beings:

Through carbon monoxide is a non-irritant, colourless and odourless gas yet

it highly toxic and retards respiration. It combines with haemoglobin to form a

permanent compound carboxyl haemoglobinate. This results in the loss of

oxygen carrying capacity of haemoglobin.

symtoms are headache, dizziness, nausea, breathing problem, etc.

Sulphur dioxide:
It combines with water to form sulphuric acid. It causes eye irritation in man. It also
erodes soft tissues and causes drying of the mouth, scratching of the throat and lung
diseases.

EFFECTS ON ANIMALS:
The physiological and biological process in the animals especially in mammals, are
similar to those of human beings. so, presume that the air pollutants will equally affect
wildlife and domestic animals. Taking up of fluorine compounds by cattle causes
fluorosis. The animal grazing along the major high ways, are shown to be poisoned by
lead emanated by the automobiles.
EFFECTS ON PLANTS:
Plants are very sensitive to sulphur dioxide. SO2 damages chlorophill resulting in
reduction of photosynthesis, growth and plant yield. Loss or reduction of
chlorophyll is known as CHLOROSIS.

Fluorides causes the collapsing of the leaf tissues. This is known as NECROSIS.
Ex: Maize is highly sensitive to flurides.
EFFECTS ON ECOSYSTEM:
Air pollutants in the form of acid rains cause devastative effects on aquatic ecosystem

also terrestrial. Similar impact has been observed in the soil with little buffering capacity.

EFFECTS ON WEATHER AND CLIMATE:

The amount of carbon dioxide is increasing continuously due to deforestation and

its increase production with establishment of more and more industries. It traps outgoing

terrestrial infra red radiation. It increases the average temperature of atmosphere. This

is known as GLOBAL WORMING.

 CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION

ELECTRO PRECIPITATORS
(EPS)
• THEY ARE THE MOST EFFICIENT DEVICES WHERE PARTICLES PRESENT IN
DIRTY AIR ARE CHARGED ELECTRICALLY TO FORM A CORONA OF NEGATIVE
CHARGES AROUND THEM.
• THE CHARGED DUST PARTICLES ARE PASSED OVER COLLECTION PLATED
CONNECTED ELECTRICALLY WITH THE EARTH. DUST PARTICLES LOSE THEIR
CHARGE AND SETTLE DOWN.
 SCRUBBERS
• DUST SEPARATION IS ALSO CARRIED OUT BY SCRUBBERS. THEY ARE
OF TWO TYPES, DRY AND WET.
• BOTH CAN BE USED TO SEPARATE PARTICULATE MATTERS BY PASSING
THROUGH DRY OR WET PACKING MATERIAL BUT MORE COMMONLY
THEY ARE EMPLOYED IN REMOVING GASEOUS POLLUTANTS.
CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION

Man made air pollution and its effect can be checked or minimized by adapting following procedure
• Carbon di oxide level can be checked or minimize by increasing the area of forests and green field.
• Sulphur should be removed before burning of fossil fuels.
• The use of cheap fuels with higher sulphate contents should be replaced with the use of smokeless
fuels, natural gas and nuclear power.
• Automobile exhaust should be checked strictly with air cleaner filter.
• Industries should separate out harmful particles before releasing their waste gases in the
atmosphere by utilizing various devices such as cyclone collectors and electrostatic precipitator.
• The poisonous gases must be treated chemically before releasing it in the air.
• More amount of trees can be planted around the industries. Can be encouraged more.
QUESTIONS:

• Define pollution? What are the different sources of air pollution?

• Describe the effects of air pollution on human life and plants.
• Give an account of air pollution and add a note on their effects.
References
• Ecology and Environmental Biology, T.K. Saha
• https://byjus.com/biology/air-pollution-control/
• https://www.britannica.com/science/air-pollution
• https://www.vedantu.com/biology/air-pollution-control
• https://testbook.com/learn/air-pollution-causes-effects/
Thank
you