ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY

Lecturate
Unit 2:
Air Pollution

Presented By
Husnain Afzal
Executive Engineer (Civil), WAPDA
Presentation Sequence

 Classification and Properties of Air Pollution

 Behavior and Fate of Air Pollutants
 Photo chemical Smog
 Nature and Development of Acid Rain
 Effects of Air Pollution
 Indoor Air Pollution
 Prevention and Control
Air Pollution
 "Air pollution" is defined by (WHO) World Health
Organization as follows :
"Air pollution occurs when one or several air pollutants are
present in such amounts for such a long period in the
outside air that they are harmful to humans, animals, plants
or properties, contribute to damage or may impair the well
being or use of property to a measurable degree".
Composition of Air
The composition of clean and dry air is as follows :
Nitrogen 78.08%
Oxygen 20.95%
Argon 0.934%
CO2 0.033%
Neon 18.22 ppm
Helium 5.24 ppm
Methane 2.0 ppm
Kryptone 1.14 ppm
Hydrogen 0.5 ppm
Nitrous Oxide 0.5 ppm
Xenon 0.87 ppm
Classification of Air Pollutants
 Air pollutants are classed according to the manner
in which they reach the atmosphere.
1. Primary Pollutants
Those emitted directly from the source. Typical air
pollutants included under this category are:
(i) Inorganic gases such as SO2, NOX, H2S, CO, NH3, CO2.
(ii) Particulate matter like ash, smoke, dust, fumes, mist,
spray.
(iii) Aromatic hydrocarbons.
(iv) Radioactive compounds.
Classification of Air Pollutants
2. Secondary pollutants
Those formed in the atmosphere by chemical interactions
among primary pollutants and normal atmospheric
constituents
 Pollutants such as SO2, NO2, O3, sulphate and nitrate salts,
aldehydes etc.
Environmental effects of Pollutants
Air pollution is judged by the presence of five important
components : Oxides of Sulphur, Suspended Particulate
Matter, Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Carbon and
Hydrocarbons.

 Oxides of sulfur are emitted during petroleum and metal

refining, mobile sources, sulphuric acid production and
forest fires
Environmental effects of Pollutants
 The term 'suspended particulate matter’ refers to the
wide range of finely divided solids or liquids dispersed
into the air from combustion processes, Industrial activities
and natural sources. These particulate matter range in size
from 0.1 upto about 25 um in diameter.
 Nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide exist as important air
pollutants. The principal emissions from human activity
are from the combustion of fossil fuels in stationary
sources like heating, power generation and in motor
vehicles
Environmental effects of Pollutants
 Carbon compounds that contribute to air pollution are
carbon monoxide and the number of hydrocarbons emitted
as a result of fossil fuel combustion.
 “The carbon cycle”.
 People dump CO2 into the environment at 1000 tons per
second.
 A study has estimated that human demands on the
biosphere have exceeded the world’s “biocapacity” since
the 1970s, and is currently about 25% beyond the
sustainable capacity of Earth.
Photo chemical Smog
 Photochemical smog is a type of smog produced
when ultraviolet light from the sun reacts with nitrogen
oxides and hydrocarbons in the atmosphere. It is visible as
a brown haze, and is most prominent during the morning
and afternoon.
 During morning (In Metro cities) when a tremendous
number people are driving their vehicles to work, Nitrogen
oxides produced in the car engine are introduced into the
atmosphere, which may combine with water to form nitric
acid or react with sunlight to produce
singular oxygen atoms, which then combine
with molecular oxygen to produce ozone.
Photo chemical Smog
Effects
 The toxic chemicals formed in a photochemical smog can
irritate nasal passages and eyes. Breathing problems can
become aggravated due to prolonged exposure to smog
conditions. The acidic nature of the smog can also cause
environmental damage and structural decay in dwellings.
Nature and Development of Acid Rain

 Acid rain is caused by a chemical reaction that begins

when compounds like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
are released into the air. These substances can rise very
high into the atmosphere, where they mix and react with
water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form more acidic
pollutants, known as acid rain. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
oxides dissolve very easily in water and can be carried
very far by the wind. As a result, the two compounds can
travel long distances where they become part of the rain,
sleet, snow, and fog that we experience on certain days..
Nature and Development of Acid Rain

 Power plants release the majority of sulfur dioxide and

much of the nitrogen oxides when they burn fossil fuels,
such as coal, to produce electricity. In addition,
the exhaust from cars, trucks, and buses releases nitrogen
oxides and sulfur dioxide into the air. These pollutants
cause acid rain.
Effects of Air Pollution

There are four main types of damages caused to the

environment by air pollutants.
1. Damage to human health
 The chronic bronchitis and asthma have been considered to
be due to suspended particulate matter and sulphur dioxide.
 Depletion of ozone layer due to atmospheric pollution
paths way for entry of Ultra-Violet radiations from the sun.
The radiation can cause severe health impacts like skin
cancer, eye damage, sun burn.
Effects of Air Pollution
2. Damage to Vegetation
Ground-level ozone can lead to reductions in agricultural
crop and commercial forest yields, reduced growth and
survivability of tree seedlings, and increased plant
susceptibility to disease, pests and other environmental
stresses
3. Damage to Materials
Corrosion of metals especially iron, steel, zinc, copper and
nickel is accelerated by the presence of sulphur dioxide
which encourages the formation of sulphuric acid on metal
surface under moist conditions.
Suspended particulate matter soils or blackens the surface of
material
Effects of Air Pollution
4. Rising Temperatures
The annual mean surface temperatures are on a continuous
rise during the past century. The rate of increase has been
0.057C per decade in 20th century; it has been 0.1C per
decade from 1960 to 2007.
Indoor Air Pollution

 Indoor air is said to be far more concentrated with pollutants

than outdoor air. It's estimated that 2.2 million deaths each
year are due to indoor air pollution (compared to 500,000
deaths from outdoor air pollution).
 Around 3 billion people cook and heat their homes using
open fires and leaky stoves, and burning biomass (wood,
animal dung and crop waste) and coal. Due to lack of proper
ventilation residents of these homes end up breathing in
carbon monoxide and other dangerous contaminants.
 Indoor air pollutants from indoor fuel burning lead to serious
human health problems, such as pneumonia, bronchitis,
cancer, heart disease and asthma. Indoor air pollution kills
1.6 Million people in developing countries each year.
Indoor Air Pollution
 Radon and Tobacco smoke are other most dangerous indoor
air pollutants.
 Even if inhaling secondhand, you are still taking in over
4,000 chemicals, a large number of which are cancer-causing
chemicals.
 Radon gas is a radioactive gas that comes from the natural
breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. When uranium
breaks down, the radon gas seeps up and can get into
buildings. Radon is dangerous because it is both colorless and
odorless, which makes it impossible to detect without special
testing equipment and it can cause lung cancer.
 Pollen from plants, hair from pets, fungi and dust is also
source of indoor air pollution.
Prevention and Control
 Pollution control focuses on identifying technologies to be
used to eliminate pollution, setting limits on emissions at
manufacturing level and finally the emission standards to
be followed by the polluters.
 Buildings worldwide contribute around one third of all
greenhouse gas emissions cement production, which
requires heating limestone and other ingredients to 1,450
degrees Celsius. Mining copper and other elements needed
for electrical wiring and transmission also causes globe-
warming pollution.
 Researchers have identified green building materials that
offer alternatives to concrete, and a lower environmental
impact
Prevention and Control
Demobilization.
 The cost of fuel in commuting, waiting in queues, vehicle
manufacture and maintenance.
 Shifting to public transport, using advanced
communication systems like video links/ hybrid vehicles.
 Transportation is the second leading source of greenhouse
gas emissions in the U.S. (burning a single gallon of
gasoline produces 20 pounds of CO2). But it doesn't have
to be that way.
Prevention and Control
Environmental Policies and Strategies
 Treaties
 Regulations
 Economic Incentives
 Banning substances
THANK YOU!!