Air pollution

A. Definition

Air pollution is the presence of one or more physical, chemical, or biological

substances in the atmosphere in quantities that can endanger human, animal and
plant health, disrupt aesthetics and comfort, or damage property.

Air pollution can be caused by natural sources and human activities. Some
definitions of physical disorders such as noise pollution, heat, radiation or light
pollution are considered air pollution. The nature of air causes the effects of air
pollution can be direct and local, regional, and global.

Air pollution in the room can affect human health as bad as air pollution in
open spaces

1. Source of air pollution

Air pollutants can be divided into two namely, primary pollutants and
secondary pollutants. Primary pollutants are pollutant substances that are generated
directly from sources of air pollution. Carbon monoxide is an example of primary
air pollutants because it is the result of combustion. Secondary pollutants are
pollutant substances formed from the reaction of primary pollutants in the
atmosphere. The formation of ozone in photochemical smog is an example of
secondary air pollution.

In recent years growing concern about the effects of air pollution emissions in a
global context and its relationship with global warming are affecting;

1) Human activity
2) Transportation
3) Industry
4) Power plants
5) Combustion (fireplace, stove, furnace, incinerator with various types of fuel)
including traditional biomass burning
6) Factory exhaust gases that produce dangerous gases such as CFC
 2. Natural source
1) volcano
2) Marshes
3) Forest fires
4) Denitrification
5) Under certain conditions, vegetation can produce significant volatile
organic compounds that are able to react with anthropogenic pollutants to
form secondary pollutants

3. Other sources
1) Transportation
2) Gas tank leak
3) Methane gas from landfills
4) Organic solvent vapors

 Types of air pollutants (pollutants)

1) carbon monoxide
2) nitrogen oxide
3) sulfur oxide
4) CFC
5) hydrocarbons
6) volatile organic compounds
7) Particulate matter
8) Free radicals

B. Impact
a) Health impact

Pollutant substances contained in the air can enter the body through the
respiratory system. The extent of penetration of pollutants into the body depends
on the type of pollutant. Large particulates can be held in the upper respiratory
tract, while small particulates and gases can reach the lungs. From the lungs,
pollutants are absorbed by the circulatory system and spread throughout the body.
The most common health effects encountered are ISPA (upper respiratory tract
infections), including asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory disorders. Some
contaminants are categorized as toxic and carcinogenic.

It is estimated that the impact of air pollution in Jakarta related to premature

deaths, hospital treatment, reduced effective working days, and ISNA in 1998
amounted to 1.8 trillion rupiahs and will increase to 4.3 trillion rupiahs in 2015.

b) Impact on plants

Plants that grow in areas with high levels of air pollution can be disturbed
growth and prone to diseases, including chlorosis, necrosis, and black spots.
Particulates deposited on the surface of plants can inhibit the process of
photosynthesis.

 Acid rain

The normal pH of rainwater is 5.6 because of the presence of CO2 in the

atmosphere. Air pollutants such as SO2 and NO2 react with rainwater to form
acids and reduce the pH of rainwater. The effects of acid rain include:

 Affects surface water quality

 Damaging crops
 Dissolve heavy metals found in the soil so that it affects the quality of
ground water and surface water
 Are corrosive so as to damage materials and buildings
 Greenhouse effect

The greenhouse effect is caused by the presence of CO2, CFCs, methane,

ozone, and N2O in the troposphere which absorbs solar heat radiation reflected
by the earth's surface. As a result, heat is trapped in the troposphere and causes
the phenomenon of global warming.
4. The effects of global warming are:
1) Increase in the average temperature of the earth
2) Melting polar ice caps
3) Regional and global climate change
4) Changes in the life cycle of flora and fauna
5) Damage to the ozone layer
6) The ozone layer in the stratosphere (altitude 20–35 km) is the natural
protector of the earth which functions to filter ultraviolet B radiation from
the sun. The formation and decomposition of ozone (O3) molecules occurs
naturally in the stratosphere. CFC emissions that reach the stratosphere and
are very stable cause the rate of decomposition of ozone molecules is faster
than its formation, so that holes are formed in the ozone layer.