POLLUTION & CONTROL

Environmental Pollution
Types of Pollution
There are many types of pollution in the environment that causes hazard to
human health, out of which few types of pollutions are listed below:

 Air Pollution

 Water Pollution

 Soil Pollution

 Marine Pollution

 Thermal Pollution

 Nuclear Hazard
Sources of Pollution
Basically there are two sources for any kind of pollution

 Natural &

 Man made
Natural Sources:
Natural sources are those which are naturally created/generated like; nVolcanic eruption, forest fires,
storms, soil erosion, electrical discharges, oxidation, condensation, photochemical and other natural
reaction in the atmosphere contribute contaminants into the ambient air.

Man Made Sources:

The pollutions generated by the human activities in various categories like; mining, transportation,
combustion, industrial processes, agricultural activities , release gaseous and particulate matter into
atmosphere
 Air Pollution
Introduction:
What is clear air?:
Clear air contains 78.09% Nitrogen, 20.94% Oxygen and 0.31% Carbon dioxide by volume. While Argon, Neon,
Helium and Methane are also present in very small quantities.
What is Air Pollution?:
Human activities release a number of toxic chemicals, particulate matter and gaseous emissions into the ambient
atmosphere. These substances due to wind movement in horizontal and vertical direction. They accumulate, react or
dilute depending upon the prevailing condition. These impurities are grouped as follows:

 Particulate matter (dust, smoke, fumes, droplets)

 Inorganic substances (CO, NOx, SOx, H2S, HF, NH3, Cl2)
 Organics (Methane, Benzene, Formaldehyde, Chlorinated, Hydrocarbons)

Air pollution means presence of one or more contaminants in excessive concentration (than maximum accepted and
permissible limits), for sufficient duration, causing harm to human being, plants and animal life, damage to the
materials and interference to the normal activities.
 Air Pollution
Classification of Pollutants:

There are two types of pollutants identified such as:

Primary pollutants are those which can be emitted directly from the source.

CO, SO2, NO2, HC, H2S, HF, NH3, particulate matter are all primary pollutants

released from the source of generation.

Secondary pollutants are formed in the atmosphere when some primary air

pollutants react with one another or with other chemicals in the air. SO 3,

HNO3, H2SO4, O3, PAN ( peroxy acly nitrate) and aldehydes are secondary

pollutants. HC and NO2 undergo photochemical reaction in the presence of

solar radiation to from ozone, PAN and aldehydes. Photo chemical smog at
 Air Pollution
Air pollution and Its effect:

Air pullulation affects helth of human beings and animals, agricultural yield, materials, property,
movement, tourism and reduction in visibility in the atmosphere. Extent of damage upon the nature of
the pollutant, concentration and duration of exposure. Atmosphere conditions like temperature and
humidity also play a prominent role.
Pollutants Effects on Human Health
Dust Cough, cold, asthma, bronchitis, allergy, T.B.
SO2 Respiratory irritant, effects lung function
NOx Inflammation of lungs
CO Reduces oxygen carrying capacity of blood
H2S Causes nausea, throat and eye irritation
CO2 Asphyxiation
HC Highly Reactive
 Air Pollution
Material Pollutants Effects
Stone, Marble, Concrete SO2, H2SO4, HNO3, dust Surface erosion, discolouration
Metal SO2, H2SO4, HNO3, dust Corrosion, tarnishing, loss of strength
Ceramic HF, dust Surface erosion, discolouration and
soiling
Paints SO2, H2S, O3, dust Surface erosion, discolouration and
soiling
Paper SO2 Embrittlement, discolouration
Leather SO2 Surface discolouration,
loss of strength
Textiles SO2, NO2 Fading, soiling and deterioration
Rubber O3 Cracking and loss of strength
Air Pollution
Removal of Particulate Matter:
Air pollution may be minimized by the following ways:
 Selecting proper raw material
 Modifying the equipments
 Changing the process reactions
 Regulating or recovering the wastes
 Changing the operational schedules
 Using proper control devices

Settling chanbers, cyclone separators, wet scrubbers, filtration and electrostatic

prespitators are widely used in the industry for removal of particulate matters.
 Air Pollution
Settling Chamber:

Gravitational force may be employed to remove

particulates in settling chambers. Carrier gas velocity is
reduced to induce the action of gravity on the particles.
For settling operations, Stoke’s law is applied. Gravity
settling chambers are provided with enlarged areas to
minimise horizontal velocities and allow time for the
vertical velocity to carry the particulate to the bottom
of the tank. Settling chambers are effective for large
and/or dense particles
 Air Pollution

Electrostatic precipitator:
Electrostatic precipitator is
moderately simple. It consists of
two sets of electrodes: positive and
negative. The negative electrodes
are in the form of a wire mesh, and
the positive electrodes are plates.
These electrodes are vertically
placed and are alternate to each
other.
 Air Pollution

• Cyclone separators
Cyclone separators are the most common
separating devices called as centrifugal or
inertial separators because of the use of
centrifugal force or action for the separation
process. A cyclone collector can be defined as “a
structure without any moving parts in which
the velocity of an inlet gas stream is
transformed into a confined vortex from which
centrifugal forces tend to drive the suspended
particles to the wall of the cyclone body
Air Pollution

Wet scrubber:
Wet scrubbers are a special device
used to remove a variety of pollutants
from exhaust gas from furnaces or
other devices. These devices use
a scrubbing liquid to remove the
pollutants. The exhaust gas is moved
through the scrubbing liquid (usually
through a chamber) and the liquid is
misted through the gas
Air Pollution

Filtration:
filtration, the process in which solid
particles in a liquid or gaseous fluid
are removed by the use of a filter
medium that permits the fluid to pass
through but retains the solid
particles. Either the clarified fluid
or the solid particles removed from
the fluid may be the desired
product
Pollution released by the industries
Industry Pollutants
Cement Cement dust, oxides
Paper Mercaptons, H2S, SO2
Thermal power plant Fly ash, SO2, Nox
Iron and steel Dust
Metallurgical units Dust, fumes, smoke
Petrochemicals and refineries HC, CO, dust
Paints Nitrobenzene, thinner
Asbestos Fibers