The Atmosphere &

Air Pollution
 Importance of The Atmosphere:
 The atmosphere surrounds us at every moment like an ocean of air,
keeping us alive. It is responsible for our blue skies and for all of our
weather
 The atmosphere is a protective blanket which nurtures life on the Earth
and protects it from the hostile environment of outer space by absorbing
most of the harmful cosmic rays from outer space and most of the
electromagnetic radiation from the sun.
 The atmosphere is a source of carbon dioxide for plant photosynthesis and
of oxygen for respiration; provides nitrogen for nitrogen which is an
essential component of life molecules.

Physical Characteristics of The Atmosphere:

There are the 5 most abundant gases in the earth's atmosphere.
Major Constituents:
Nitrogen, 78.08% (by volume)
Oxygen, 20.95%
Water vapor, 0 – 3 or 4%
Argon, 0.934%
carbondioxide, 0.035%
 Major Regions Of The Atmosphere:
Major regions of atmosphere and their characteristics

Troposphere: The lowest layer of earth from sea level to an altitude of 10 to

16 km is called the troposphere.
 In the troposphere, the temperature generally decreases with altitude. The
reason is that the troposphere's gases absorb very little of the incoming
solar radiation. Instead, the ground absorbs this radiation. The visible light is
transformed into heat and radiates in the form of invisible infrared radiation
that heats the tropospheric air by conduction and convection. Temperature
decreases with altitude (6 C per kilometer).
Troposphere
 The very cold layer at the top of troposphere is known as tropopause.
 Its low temperature and resulting condensation of water to ice particles
prevents water from reaching altitudes at which it would photo
dissociate through the action of intense UV light.
 If this happens, the hydrogen produced would escape the earth’s
atmosphere.
Stratosphere:
 The atmospheric layer directly above the troposphere is called the
stratosphere.
 In this layer the temperature increases with increase in altitude, with a
maximum of -2oC at the upper limit of stratosphere.
 The heating effect is caused by the absorption of ultraviolet radiation
energy by ozone. Ozone absorbs ultraviolet radiation with wavelengths
as long as 290 nm. This radiation causes the ozone to decompose into O2
molecules and oxygen atoms (reaction is exothermic).
 The ozone layer in the stratosphere thus acts as a protective shield for life
on earth from the injurious effects of sun’s ultraviolet rays
 The radiation is lethal to unicellular organisms to (algae, bacteria,
protozoa) to the surface cell of higher plants and animals.
 INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
• IAP = greater threat to human health than outdoor air pollution ( 2-5 x
higher than outside) - source of cancer risk.
• 17% of US buildings are “sick”
• According to the EPA, the four most dangerous indoor air pollutants in
developed countries are:
– Radon, cigarette smoke, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide,
formaldehyde pesticides, lead, cleaning solvents, ozone, and asbestos
 Benzene - Found in: paint, glue, carpeting
 Isopropyl Alcohol (ISO) - Found in: cleaning agents (cheapest ways to clean
glass) + Alcohol based instant hand-sanitizer
 Ethanol - Found in: glass cleaners, dishwasher detergents and laundry
detergents
 Formaldehyde - Found in: floor lacquers and adhesives
 Terpenes - Found in: fragrant products such as soap or laundry detergents
 methylene chloride - Found in: paint (used as paint thinner)
 AIR POLLUTION
• Stationary vs. mobile sources
• Natural sources (volcanoes, dust, fires, pollen, salt, VOCs)
• Primary vs. secondary pollutants
Carbon Monoxide
• CO is formed by incomplete combustion of carbon-containing materials
(fossil fuels)
• it affects humans – hampers transportation of O2 in blood
• Exposure to significant amount of CO can lower O2 levels to the point that
loss of consciousness and death can result.
• SOURCES INCLUDE:
MOTOR VEHICLE EXHAUST, BURNING OF FORESTS/GRASSLANDS,
TOBACCO SMOKE, COOKING WITH OPEN FIRES, INEFFICIENT STOVES
CARBON DIOXIDE
• CO2 is formed through complete combustion of carbon-containing
materials (fossil fuels)
• extra dissolved carbon dioxide has caused the ocean's average surface pH
to shift by about −0.1 unit from pre-industrial
 Greenhouse gases and its effect
 The Greenhouse Effect is a naturally occurring phenomenon necessary to
sustain life on earth.
 the greenhouse effect, is what makes the earth habitable for life
 It is because of this greenhouse-like function of the atmosphere that the
average global temperature of the earth is 15C (59  F).
 Without the atmosphere and these gases, the average global temperature
would be a frigid -18  C (0  F), and life would not be possible on earth.
 The earth's atmosphere contains trace gases, some of which absorb heat.
These gases (water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and nitrous
oxide) are referred to as "greenhouse gases."
 Most of the incoming solar radiation is absorbed by land, oceans, and
vegetation at the surface, portion of reflected light is transformed into
heat and radiates in the form of invisible infrared radiation.
 GHG are IR active molecules, whereas N2, O2 are the IR inactive
molecules.
 Green house gases are able to hold it in and re-radiate back the absorbed
heat to the surface and we feel the heat.
 This blanketing effect is the “greenhouse effect.
 Green house Effect of Carbon Dioxide

greenhouse effect
_ Polar ice is disappearing, and polar bears are having trouble finding food.
_ many low lying countries (Bangladesh) will submerge If sea level rises by
5-12 ft.
_ Since CO2 dissolved in water, The oceans are the largest carbon sink in
the world. Extra carbon has already lowered the pH of ocean water
_ doubling of the atmospheric CO2 concentration is likely to lead to a 3.0 
1.5C increase in the atmospheric temperature;
What is a carbon footprint?
 A carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases—primarily carbon
dioxide (in tons) —released into the atmosphere by a particular human
activity.
 A carbon footprint can be a broad measure or be applied to the actions of
an individual, a family, an event, an organization, or even an entire
nation.
 It is usually measured as tons of CO2 emitted per year, a number that can
be supplemented by tons of CO2-equivalent gases, including methane,
nitrous oxide, and other greenhouse gases.
A carbon footprint calculator has you to enter several variables based upon
your particular lifestyle - things like:
 Electric bill in each month;
 How much clothing and footwear do you have and how often do you
replace it?
 How much water do you use on a typical day?
 the type of vehicle you drive and how many miles per week do you drive;
 how many loads of clothing do you wash (by washing machine) per week;
 How much garbage do you generate?
 How much land and energy is used for your recreational activities?
 HOW TO REDUCE ONE’S CARBON FOOTPRINT
 Travel light: Walk or bike instead of driving a car.
 See the light: Use energy-efficient bulbs that help fight climate change
because they reduce the amount of fossil fuels that utilities burn.
 Recycle and use recycled products
 Plant native trees: Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and use it as
their energy source, producing oxygen for us to breathe.
 Learn the 5 R’s: refuse, reduce, reuse, rot, recycle:
 Rot – Set up a compost system for your food scraps, or find a food scrap
drop off center (like a farmers market, or community garden) near your
house.
 switch to sustainable clean energy.
 Eat seasonally, locally: If you shop at a supermarket, the food you buy may
travel in a plane from the other side of the world, burning fossil fuels the
entire trip.
What are some examples of extreme weather events?
 High winds, hail, excessive precipitation, and wildfires are forms and
effects of severe weather, as are thunderstorms, downbursts, tornadoes,
waterspouts, tropical cyclones, and extra tropical cyclones.
 Regional and seasonal severe weather phenomena include blizzards
(snowstorms), ice storms, and duststorms.
 To be identified as “extreme”, a weather event must significantly differ
from normal patterns, be associated with severe impacts and be
historically infrequent.
Suspended particulate matter (SPM):
– small and light enough to remain suspended in the air

Examples include

– The most harmful forms of SPM are fine particles (PM-10, with an average
diameter < 10 micrometers) and ultrafine particles (PM-2.5)
– Causes bronchitis, mutations, reproductive problems

• Nitrogen oxides and nitric acid:

– NO2 released into air from vehicle exhaust, factories
– NO2 reacts with water vapor in the air to form nitric acid (HNO3) and
nitrate salts (NO3-) which are components of acid deposition.
– Causes to form photochemical smog
Health Effect of Nitrogen Oxides
• Prolonged exposure destroy lung
Formation of ozone in troposphere : Photochemical Smog
2NO + O2  2NO2 (released as air pollutant as a result of burning the fossil
fuel )
NO2 + hv  NO + O (photodissociation by sunlight of wavelength 393 nm)

O + O2  O3
Photochemical
Smog appears
as brown haze

Ozone is a highly reactive, irritating gas .

- It can
Cause and aggravate respiratory illness.
Decrease resistance to colds/pneumonia
Can aggravate heart disease.
Damage plants, rubber in tires, fabrics, and paints.
 Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
– come from human sources, from sulfur-containing coal and from
oil refining and smelting of sulfide ores.
– SO2 in the atmosphere can be converted to sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
that return to earth as a component of acid deposition.
– Causes classical smog

Sulfur and Acid Rain

Gaussian Plume Model to evaluate the concentration of
pollutants : monitoring the air quality

 We can construct a Cartesian coordinate system with the emission source at

the origin and
 the wind direction along the x axis.
 The plume (contaminated gas stream) spreads both horizontally and
vertically ( along the y and z axes, respectively)
 Concentration of pollutant being maximum at the centre of the plume
(centreline)