OZONE

Introduction:
The ozone layer is a concentration oI ozone molecules in the stratosphere.
About 90 oI the planet's ozone is in the ozone layer. The layer oI the Earth's
atmosphere that surrounds us is called the troposphere. The stratosphere, the
next higher layer, extends about 10-50 kilometers above the Earth's surIace.
Stratospheric ozone is a naturally-occurring gas that Iilters the sun's ultraviolet
(UV) radiation. Under normal conditions, stratospheric ozone is Iormed by a
photochemical reaction between oxygen molecules, oxygen atoms and solar
radiation. The ozone layer is essential to liIe on earth, as it absorbs harmIul
ultraviolet-A & ultraviolet-B radiation Irom the sun.
Ozone is a gas that is naturally present in our atmosphere. About 90 percent oI
ozone is Iound in the stratosphere, aregion that begins about 9 miles above
Earth`s surIace and extends up to about 28 miles in altitude. Most ozone resides
in the lower stratosphere in what is commonly known as the 'ozone layer. The
remaining 10 percent is Iound in the troposphere, which is the lowest region oI
the atmosphere, between Earth`s surIace and the stratosphere.

Formation of Ozone Layer:
Three Iorms (or allotropes) oI oxygen are involved in the ozone-oxygen cycle:
oxygen atoms (O or atomic oxygen), oxygen gas (O
2
or diatomic oxygen), and
ozone gas (O
3
or triatomic oxygen). Ozone is Iormed in the stratosphere when
oxygen molecules photodissociate aIter absorbing an ultraviolet photon whose
wavelength is shorter than 240 nm. This converts a single O
2
into two atomic
oxygen ions. The atomic oxygen ions then combine with separate O
2
molecules
to create two O
3
molecules. These ozone molecules absorb UV light between
310 and 200 nm, Iollowing which ozone splits into a molecule oI O
2
and an
oxygen atom. The oxygen atom then joins up with an oxygen molecule to
regenerate ozone. This is a continuing process which terminates when an
oxygen atom "recombines" with an ozone molecule to make two O
2
molecules.
O O
3
2 O
2
(chemical equation)
The overall amount oI ozone in the stratosphere is determined by a balance
between photochemical production and recombination.

Decomposition of Ozone layer:
t is caused by the release oI chloroIluorocarbons (CFCs), hydro Iluorocarbons
(HCFCs), and other ozone-depleting substances (ODS), which were used
widely as reIrigerants, insulating Ioams, and solvents. Although CFCs are
heavier than air, they are eventually carried into the stratosphere in a process
that can take as long as 2 to 5 years. Measurements oI CFCs in the stratosphere
are made Irom balloons, aircraIt, and satellites. When CFCs and HCFCs reach
the stratosphere, the ultraviolet radiation Irom the sun causes them to break
apart and release chlorine atoms. A Iree chlorine atom reacts with an ozone
molecule (O3) and Iorms chlorine monoxide (ClO) and a molecule oI oxygen.
Now chlorine monoxide reacts with an ozone molecule to Iorm a chlorine atom
and two molecules oI oxygen. The Iree chlorine molecule again reacts with
ozone to Iorm chlorine monoxide. The process continues and the result is the
reduction or depletion oI ozone in the stratosphere One chlorine atom can break
apart more than 100,000 ozone molecules. Other chemicals that damage the
ozone layer include methyl bromide (used as a pesticide), halons (used in Iire
extinguishers), and methyl chloroIorm (used as a solvent in industrial processes
Ior essential applications). As methyl bromide and halons are broken apart, they
release bromine atoms, which are 60 times more destructive to ozone molecules
than chlorine atoms.
Ozone can be destroyed by a number oI Iree radical catalysts, the most
important oI which are the hydroxyl radical (OH), the nitric oxide radical
(NO), the atomic chlorine ion (Cl) and the atomic bromine ion (Br). All oI
these have both natural and man-made sources; at the present time, most oI the
OH and NO in the stratosphere is oI natural origin, but human activity has
dramatically increased the levels oI chlorine and bromine. These elements are
Iound in certain stable organic compounds, especially chloroIluorocarbons
(CFCs), which may Iind their way to the stratosphere without being destroyed
in the troposphere due to their low reactivity. Once in the stratosphere, the Cl
and Br atoms are liberated Irom the parent compounds by the action oI
ultraviolet light, e.g.
CFCl
3
electromagnetic radiation CFCl
2
Cl
The Cl and Br atoms can then destroy ozone molecules through a variety oI
catalytic cycles. n the simplest example oI such a cycle, a chlorine atom reacts

with an ozone molecule, taking an oxygen atom with it (Iorming ClO) and
leaving a normal oxygen molecule. The chlorine monoxide (i.e., the ClO) can
react with a second molecule oI ozone (i.e., O
3
) to yield another chlorine atom
and two molecules oI oxygen. The chemical shorthand Ior these gas-phase
reactions is:
O Cl O
3
ClO O
2
The chlorine atom changes an ozone molecule to
ordinary oxygen
O ClO O
3
Cl 2 O
2
The ClO Irom the previous reaction destroys a
second ozone molecule and recreates the original chlorine atom, which can
repeat the Iirst reaction and continue to destroy ozone
The overall eIIect is a decrease in the amount oI ozone. More complicated
mechanisms have been discovered that lead to ozone destruction in the lower
stratosphere as well.

Importance of Ozone layer:
The ozone layer acts as a protective shield, preventing most oI the Sun`s
harmIul ultraviolet (UV) radiation (energy) Irom reaching the surIace. The
depletion oI the ozone layer can thereIore lead to an increase oI the UV
radiation that reaches the Earth`s surIace. Human exposure to UV increases the
risk oI skin cancer, cataracts, and a suppressed immune system. Exposure to
UV can also damage plant liIe, aquatic ecosystems, and physical materials. n
addition, the ozone layer and its changes can alter how temperature changes
with height in the Earth`s atmosphere as well as weather- and climate-related air
circulation patterns.





Effects of Ozone Depletion:
O mpact on the oceans
O lobal warming
O mpact on land plants.
O ncreased eIIects oI air pollution
O Damage to materials
O Skin cancer, cataracts, and weakened immune systems
O Formation oI Ozone hole

$olutions for Ozone depletion:
O The discovery oI the ozone depletion problem came as a great surprise.
Now, action must be taken to ensure that the ozone layer is not destroyed.
O Because CFCs are so widespread and used in such a great variety oI
products, limiting their use is hard. Also, since many products already
contain components that use CFCs, it would be diIIicult iI not impossible
to eliminate those CFCs already in existence.
O The CFC problem may be hard to solve because there are already great
quantities oI CFCs in the environment. CFCs would remain in the
stratosphere Ior another 100 years even iI none were ever produced again.
O Despite the diIIiculties, international action has been taken to limit
CFCs. n the Montreal Protocol, 30 nations worldwide agreed to reduce
usage oI CFCs and encouraged other countries to do so as well.
O The US and twelve nations in Europe have agreed to ban all use and
production oI CFCs. This will be highly signiIicant, because these
countries produce three quarters oI the CFCs in the world.



Will the ozone layer recover?
Can we make more ozone?

Ozone molecules are constantly being produced and destroyed by diIIerent
types oI ultraviolet light Irom the sun. Normally, the production and destruction
balances, so the amount oI ozone at any given time is pretty stable. Think oI the
amount oI ozone as the water level in a bucket with a small hole in the bottom
and a hose adding water at the top. When you turn on the water, you'll Iind a
balance point where the amount oI water in the bucket stays constant, even
though the hose is adding water and the hole is removing it. The addition and
removal are happening at the same rate, so the water level stays the same.
The other diIIiculty with simply manuIacturing ozone is that the sun provides
huge amounts oI energy Ior the ozone production process. n Iact, to produce
the amount oI ozone normally in the ozone layer, you'd have to use about
double the total annual U.S. electricity production. There's simply no way we
could create ozone Iast enough, in large enough quantities, to replace the natural
ozone production process.