SMOG POLLUTION

What is air pollution?

Air pollution is a gas (or a liquid or solid dispersed through ordinary air) released in a big
enough quantity to harm the health of people or other animals, kill plants or stop them
growing properly, damage or disrupt some other aspect of the environment (such as making
buildings crumble), or cause some other kind of nuisance (reduced visibility, perhaps, or an
unpleasant odour).

As with water pollution and land contamination, it's the quantity (or concentration) of a
chemical in the air that makes the difference between "harmless" and "pollution." Carbon
dioxide (CO2), for example, is present in the air around you at a typical concentration of
less than 0.05 percent and breathing it in usually does no harm ; but air with an extremely
high concentration of carbon dioxide (say, 5–10 percent) is toxic and could kill us in a
matter of minutes. Since Earth's atmosphere is very turbulent—many of us live in windy
countries—air pollution will often disperse relatively quickly. In less enlightened times,
factory operators thought that if they built really high smokestacks, the wind would simply
blow their smoke away, diluting and dispersing it so it wouldn't be a problem. The only
trouble was, Earth is a much smaller place than we think and pollution doesn't always
disappear so conveniently.

Natural air pollution:

Forest fires, erupting volcanoes, and gases released from radioactive decay of rocks inside
Earth are examples of natural air pollution that can have hugely disruptive effects on people
and the planet .Forest fires (which often start naturally) can produce huge swathes of smoke
that drift for miles over neighbouring cities, countries, or continents. Giant volcanic
eruptions can spew so much dust into the atmosphere that they block out significant
amounts of sunlight and cause the entire planet to cool down for a year or more. Radioactive
rocks can release a gas called radon when they decay, which can build up in the basements
of buildings with serious effects on people's health.

Causes of air pollution:

Anything people do that involves burning things (combustion), using household or industrial
chemicals (substances that cause chemical reactions and may release toxic gases in the
process), or producing large amounts of dust has the potential to cause air pollution. Some
of the major causes of air pollution are:

Traffic:
There are something like a half billion cars on the road today—one for every two people in
rich countries such as the United States. Virtually all of them are powered by gasoline and
diesel engines that burn petroleum to release energy. Petroleum is made up of hydrocarbons
(large molecules built from hydrogen and carbon) and, in theory, burning them fully with
enough oxygen should produce nothing worse than carbon dioxide and water. In practice,
fuels aren't pure hydrocarbons and engines don't burn them cleanly. As a result, exhausts
from engines contain all kinds of pollution, notably particulates (soot of various sizes),
carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and
lead—and indirectly produce ozone. Mix this noxious cocktail together and energize it with
sunlight and produce sometimes brownish, sometimes bluish fog of pollution we call smog,
which can hang over cities for days.

Power plants:
Renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines are helping us generate a
bigger proportion of our power every year, but the overwhelming majority of electricity is
still produced by burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and oil, mostly in conventional
power plants. Just like car engines, power plants should theoretically produce nothing worse
than carbon dioxide and water; in practice, fuels are dirty and they don't burn cleanly, so
power plants produce a range of air pollutants, notably sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and
particulates. (They also release huge amounts of carbon dioxide).

Industrial plants and factories:

Plants that produce the goods we all rely on often release small but significant quantities of
pollution into the air. Industrial plants that produce metals such as aluminium and steel,
refine petroleum, produce cement, synthesize plastic, or make other chemicals are among
those that can produce harmful air pollution. Most plants that pollute release small amounts
of pollution continually over a long period of time, though the effects can be cumulative
.Sometimes industrial plants release huge of amounts of air pollution accidentally in a very
short space of time. One notable case happened in Bhopal, India in December 1984, when a
large chemical plant run by the Union Carbide company released a poisonous gas (methyl
isocyanides) that hung over the local area, killing around 3000 people and injuring
thousands more.

Other causes of air pollution:

Although traffic, power plants, and industrial and chemical plants produce the majority of
Earth's manmade air pollution, many other factors contribute to the problem. In some parts
of the world, people still rely on burning wood fuel for their cooking and heating, and that
produces indoor air pollution that can seriously harm their health (solar cookers are one
solution to that problem). In some areas, garbage is incinerated instead of being recycled or
landfilled and that can also produce significant air pollution unless the incinerators are
properly designed to operate at a high enough temperature (even then, there is a toxic
residue left behind that must be disposed of somehow).

Effects of Air Pollution:

One of the major effects of air pollution is formation of smog and soot.

Smog and soot

These two are the most prevalent types of air pollution. Smog, or “ground-level ozone,” as it
is more wonkily called, occurs when emissions from combusting fossil fuels react with
sunlight. Soot, or “particulate matter,” is made up of tiny particles of chemicals, soil, smoke,
dust, or allergens, in the form of gas or solids,that are carried in the air. The sources of smog
and soot are similar. Both come from cars and trucks, factories, power plants, incinerators,
engines—anything that combusts fossil fuels such as coal, gas, or natural gas. The tiniest
airborne particles in soot—whether they’re in the form of gas or solids—are especially
dangerous because they can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream and worsen bronchitis, lead
to heart attacks, and even hasten death.

Smog can irritate the eyes and throat and also damage the lungs—especially of people who
work or exercise outside, children, and senior citizens. It’s even worse for people who have
asthma or allergies—these extra pollutants only intensify their symptoms and can trigger
asthma attacks.
Hazardous air pollutants

These are either deadly or have severe health risks even in small amounts. Almost 200 are
regulated by law; some of the most common are mercury, lead, dioxins, and benzene. These
are also most often emitted during gas or coal combustion, incinerating, or in the case of
benzene, found in gasoline. Benzene, classified as a carcinogen by the EPA, can cause eye,
skin, and lung irritation in the short term and blood disorders in the long term. Dioxins,
more typically found in food but also present in small amounts in the air, can affect the liver
in the short term and harm the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems, as well as
reproductive functions. Lead in large amounts can damage children’s brains and kidneys,
and even in small amounts it can affect children’s IQ and ability to learn. Mercury affects
the central nervous system.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, are toxic components of traffic exhaust and
wildfire smoke. In large amounts, they have been linked to eye and lung irritation, blood and
liver issues, and even cancer. In one recent study, the children of mothers who’d had higher
PAH exposure during pregnancy had slower brain processing speeds and worse symptoms
of ADHD.

Greenhouse gases

By trapping the earth’s heat in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases lead to warmer
temperatures and all the hallmarks of climate change: rising sea levels, more extreme
weather, heat-related deaths, and increasing transmission of infectious diseases like Lyme.
According to a 2014 EPA study, carbon dioxide was responsible for 81 percent of the
country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and methane made up 11 percent. Carbon dioxide
comes from combusting fossil fuels, and methane comes from natural and industrial sources,
including the large amounts that are released during oil and gas drilling.We emit far larger
amounts of carbon dioxide, but methane is significantly more potent, so it’s also very
destructive. Another class of greenhouse gases, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), are thousands
of times more powerful than carbon dioxide in their ability to trap heat.

What is Smog?

Smog is basically derived from the merging of two words; smoke and fog. Smog is also
used to describe the type of fog which has smoke or soot in it. Smog is a yellowish or
blackish fog formed mainly by a mixture of pollutants in the atmosphere which consists of
fine particles and ground level ozone. Smog which occurs mainly because of air pollution
can also be defined as a mixture of various gases with dust and water vapour. Smog also
refers to hazy air that makes breathing difficult.

Smog
How Smog is Formed?
The atmospheric pollutants or gases that form smog are released in the air when fuels are
burnt. When sunlight and its heat react with these gases and fine particles in the atmosphere,
smog is formed. It is purely caused by air pollution. Ground level ozone and fine particles
are released in the air due to complex photochemical reactions between volatile organic
compounds (VOC), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). These VOC, SO2 and
NOx are called precursors. The main sources of these precursors are pollutants released
directly into the air by gasoline and diesel-run vehicles, industrial plants and activities,
and heating due to human activities.

Smog is often caused by heavy traffic, high temperatures, sunshine and calm winds. These
are few of the factors behind increasing level of air pollution in atmosphere. During the
winter months when the wind speeds are low, it helps the smoke and fog to become stagnate
at a place forming smog and increasing pollution levels near the ground closer to where
people are respiring. It hampers visibility and disturbs the environment.

The time that smog takes to form depends directly on the temperature. Temperature
inversions are situations when warm air does not rise instead stays near the ground. During
situations of temperature inversions if the wind is calm, smog may get trapped and remain
over a place for days.

Formation of Smog

But it is also true that smog is more severe when it occurs farther away from the sources of
release of pollutants. This is because the photo chemical reactions that cause smog take
place in the air when the released pollutants from heavy traffic drift due to the wind. Smog
can thus affect and prove to be dangerous for suburbs, rural areas as well as urban areas or
large cities.

Types of Smog:
a) Industrial smog: The gray air in industrial cities in cold winter areas, caused from
burning fossil fuel. Industrial smog is in the forms of dust, smoke, soot, ashes, asbestos,
oil, lead, heavy metals, and sulfur oxides. In 1952, industrial smog held in place by a
thermal inversion caused the 4,000 deaths in London.
 b) Photochemical smog: Brown and smelly, found in large cities in warm climates.
Most are the result of gases from auto exhaust.
This is the type of smog that hangs over Los Angeles or Houston and causes air quality
warnings many days each year.

Chemical Reactions of Smog:

a) Industrial Smog: b) Photochemical Smog:

Main Components of Smog:

Smog, formed mainly above urban centres, is composed mainly of tropospheric ozone (O3);
primary particulate matter such as pollen and dust; and secondary particulate matter such as
sulphur oxides, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and ammonia gas. The
severity of smog in an urban area is usually assessed by measuring ground-level ozone.

a) Tropospheric Ozone:

Tropospheric ozone (O3) is found as a ground-level polluting gas. Tropospheric ozone is

produced by the action of light and the chemical bonding of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). As a result of heat from the rays of the sun, the
concentration of ground-level ozone is highest in urban centres in the summer. Weather
conditions also affect ozone formation; masses of stagnant air can hold pollutants at ground
level for several days. In addition to the regions where pollution is greatest – the Windsor-
Quebec corridor, southern Ontario, the Atlantic region, and the Lower Fraser Valley – ,
other urban centres, such as North York, London and Oakville, two or three times a year
experience pollution higher than the maximum permissible concentrations of 82 parts per
billion (ppb) per hour.

b) Sulphates: Sources:

In normal concentrations, sulphur dioxide (SO2) is not toxic; however, the acid pollutants
into which it is chemically changed do have negative effects on health. Sulphur dioxide is
found in the atmosphere as a result of the combustion of fossil fuels, the production of
electricity, and the smelting of sulphur-containing ores. Winds then carry away sulphur
dioxide, sometimes over long distances. After mixing with water vapour and undergoing
complex changes including oxidation, sulphur dioxide turns into sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and
sulphate ions or sulphates (SO42-). When these changes take place, some pollutants form
acid precipitation, while others remain suspended in the air as dust or droplets. Sulphates
account for a considerable proportion of all particulate matter in the air smaller than three
microns (µ m).
 In Canada, almost half of sulphur dioxide is produced by the smelting of non-ferrous metals;
in the United States, two thirds of sulphur dioxide is produced by thermal-electricity
generating stations. Of all emissions in both countries, 80% are concentrated in the east of
the continent, east of the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border in Canada and east of the
Mississippi River in the United States.

c) Particulate Matter:

Like other substances, particulate matter can come from natural sources, but industrial and
other human-produced factors are responsible for the high concentration of particulate
matter in the air. Sulphates account for most particulate matter, but it also includes nitrates
(NO31-) and other pollutants, such as metals. Particulate matter is found in the air in solid
and liquid forms. It is measured in total suspended particulates (TSP) of all sizes; PM 10,
particulate matter measuring 10 microns in diameter or less; and PM2.5 and PM2.1, fine
particulate matter measuring 2.5 or 2.1 microns or less. The smallest particulate matter
easily penetrates the respiratory tract, causing health problems. It can also carry chemicals
such as metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other pollutants into the
lungs. Eastern Canada has a high concentration of particulate matter in the form of
sulphates, while in western Canada there is a high concentration of nitrates.

The table below identifies the main sources of smog-forming pollutants.

Effects of Smog:
Smog is harmful and it is evident from the components that form it and effects that can
happen from it. It is harmful to humans, animals, plants and the nature as a whole. Many
people deaths were recorded, notably those relating to bronchial diseases. Heavy smog is
responsible for decreasing the UV radiation greatly. Thus heavy smog results in a low
production of the crucial natural element vitamin D leading to cases of rickets among
people.
 When a city or town gets covered in smog, the effects are felt immediately. Smog can be
responsible for any ailment from minor pains to deadly pulmonary diseases such as
lung cancer. Smog is well known for causing irritation in the eye. It may also result in
inflammation in the tissues of lungs; giving rise to pain in the chest. Other issues or
illnesses such as cold and pneumonia are also related to smog. The human body faces
great difficulty in defending itself against the harmful effects of smog.

Minor exposure to smog can lead to greater threats of asthma attacks; people suffering from
asthma problems must avoid exposure. Smog also causes pre-mature deaths and affects
densely populated areas building it up to dangerous levels. The highly affected people
include old people, kids and those with cardiac and respiratory complications as they have
easy tendency to be at disadvantage of asthma.

The ground level ozone present in the smog also inhibits plant growth and causes immense
damage to crops and forests. Crops, vegetables like soybeans, wheat, tomatoes, peanuts, and
cotton are subject to infection when they are exposed to smog. The smog results in
mortifying impacts on environment by killing innumerable animal species and green life as
these take time to adapt to breathing and surviving in such toxic environments.

Smog is a devastating problem especially due to the fast modernization or industrialization

as the hazardous chemicals involved in smog formation are highly reactive is spread around
in the atmosphere. Smoke and sulphur dioxide pollution in urban areas is at much lower
levels than in the past, as a result of law passed to control emissions and in favour of cleaner
emission technology.

Some Case Study:

a) The Great Smog of London (1952):
The Great Smog of London, also called The Killer Fog of 1952, (Dec. 5–9, 1952), major
environmental disaster in which a combination of smoke mixed with cold fog hovered over
London, England. The resulting smog caused the deaths of an estimated 4,000 to 12,000
people—mostly infants and the elderly who fell prey to respiratory illnesses, such as
bronchial asthma and pneumonia—and the widespread asphyxiation of cattle at the
Smithfield Market and surrounding areas.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries London was notorious for the thick fogs that
often descended on the city in the late autumn. These “London particulars” were not so
much an atmospheric effect as the consequent pollution from a vast and dense urban
population. Unchecked factory emissions mingled in the city air with smoke from half a
million domestic coal fires to produce a phenomenon for which a new term was coined:
smog.

These conditions turned perilous in December 1952, when a high-pressure weather system
moved over London region and remained there for several days. The intense cool air it
brought was countered by Londoners adding more coal to their furnaces. The smoke from
the increased furnace usage became trapped under this air, mixing the city’s renowned fog
with smoke and keeping it close to ground level. This smog reduced visibility to virtually
zero by the third day. Schools and many businesses were closed. Airports and most forms of
public transportation were unable to operate in the conditions. Even patrons inside movie
theaters were not able to see the screen as the smog permeated the ventilation systems of
many buildings. The exteriors of buildings all across the city were tainted with black soot.
Most deaths occurred during from damage to the heart or lungs. However, few realized the
extent of the disaster until a statistical spike in the number of deaths was noted. Even cattle
at the Smithfield Market were dying from asphyxiation and were fitted with gas masks to
prevent further loss.

In a move to improve the air quality and reduce airborne pollutants, most London homes
switched to natural gas and other low-emission fuels. In 1956 the implementation of the
Clean Air Act (revised in 1968) forced industrial, residential, and commercial sectors to
improve upon the way they generated power, move away from coal as a domestic heating
source, and use cleaner-burning fuels and more fuel-efficient vehicles. The Act, however,
took several years to come into full effect, during which time London continued to suffer
periods of dense smog. In December 1962, an additional 750 people died from yet another
great smog.

Images of The Great London Smog

b) China Smog(2013) :

The 2013 Eastern China smog was a severe air pollution episode that affected East
China, including all or parts of the municipalities of Shanghai and Tianjin, and the
provinces of Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, and Zhejiang, during December
2013. A lack of cold air flow, combined with slow-moving air masses carrying industrial
emissions, collected airborne pollutants to form a thick layer of smog over the region.
Levels of PM2.5 particulate matter averaged over 150 micrograms per cubic metre; in
some areas, they were 300 to 500 micrograms per cubic metre.

It was one of the worst bouts of air pollution in the area, cutting visibility and causing
major disruption in transportation and daily activities. Airports, highways, and schools
were closed.

The mixture of natural fog and unnatural smog started accumulating over the first
weekend of December 2013. In Shanghai, the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed the
threshold of 300 on 2 December. The lingering smog also left the air qualities in
neighboring cities, such as Nanjing, Jiaxing, at seriously polluted levels. The National
Meteorological Center (NMC) issued yellow alert for smog and fog, the third most
serious alert in China's four-tiered system. PM2.5 particulate levels reached their highest
point on 6 December 2013, with Shanghai reaching a high of 507. The U.S. Embassy
categorizes air quality readings over 300 as hazardous to all humans, not just those with
heart or lung ailments.

According to a NASA Terra Satellite image, the thick haze stretches over Eastern China,
across a distance of around 1,200 kilometres (750 mi).The polluted air appears gray on
the image and most of the pollution is trapped in the lower boundary layer of a few
hundred meters.
 Coal burning is a primary source of fine particle air pollution. It increased as the weather
worsened during winter months and residents burned more coal to keep warm. This
increased the amount of sulphate and nitrate (results of coal combusting), which led to
higher PM2.5. Research suggests that 41% of the carbon that made up these high PM2.5
levels in Shanghai were also from coal burning.

Additionally, there were pollution from industrial sources. Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong,
Henan and many eastern provinces are heavy coal-burning regions. Research shows that
prevailing winds blew low-hanging air masses of factory emissions (mostly SO2)
towards the east coast of China. Regional transportation also had a significant impact on
air quality.

The State Environmental Protection Administration investigates tens of thousands of

polluters every year, shutting down thousands of the worse offenders, but has failed to
reach its target of reducing emissions by 2 percent. In 2011, a factory manufacturing
solar panels in Zhejiang province had been shut down because of toxic emissions of
fluorine polluting air and water, sickening nearby residents.

The severe smog is raising awareness in re-assessing China's air pollution. On 12

February 2014, China's cabinet announced that government will implement a series of
measures aimed at shifting the primary energy source from coal to natural gas and
renewables. Pricing mechanisms will be used to favor cleaner alternatives to coal.
Financial incentives will be offered to encourage green energy companies. The
government will place tougher controls over emissions and better support for developing
clean technologies. It will also set up a 10 billion renminbi (US$1.7 billion) fund to help
companies to meet new environmental standards.

Images of China Smog (2013)

c) Delhi Smog(2017):
Smog in Delhi is an ongoing severe air-pollution event in New Delhi and adjoining
areas in the National Capital Territory of India.Air pollution in 2017 peaked on both PM
2.5 and PM 10 levels.It has been reported as one of the worst levels of air quality in
Delhi since 1999.

Low visibility has resulted in accidents across the city, notably a 24 vehicle pile-up on
the Yamuna Expressway. "The Great Smog" also led to cancellation and delay of public
transport, primarily trains and flights, causing much hindrance to the people.
 The current majority of analysis sources are hinting towards colder weather, stagnant
winds trapping the various sources of smoke. The primary sources of smoke are stubble
burning, lit garbage, road dust, power plants, factories, and vehicles.

Air quality can be measured by the amount of PM 2.5 and PM 10 particulates suspended
in air. On 7 November 2017 the PM 2.5 levels in Delhi shot up to an awfully high 999,
much above the recommended 60 micrograms. At the same time PM 10 shot to 999 (the
maximum level for the monitors), instead of the recommended limit of 100.

Again on 8 November 2017 the PM 2.5 levels shot up to 449. At the same time PM 10
shot to 663.

The temperature in New Delhi during this period was from 15 to 29 degrees C (~66
degrees F). A Health Emergency was declared in the capital by the Central Government
of India in order to cope with the extrusive amount of polluted air. The day was declared
as a holiday for schools, offices and other government centers.

The Chief Minister of Delhi at that time, came out with the following proposed action
items to attempt to reduce the air pollution.

 All Delhi schools will remain shut for the next three days.
 For the next five days, no construction and demolition work will take place in Delhi.
 All diesel generator sets have been banned for the next ten days, except at hospitals and in
emergencies.
 The Delhi government will supply power to unauthorized colonies which use diesel generators.
 The coal-based Badarpur power plant will be shut down for ten days. There will be no fly ash
transportation from the power plant.
 The Environment Department will launch an app to monitor the burning of leaves.
 Vacuum cleaning of roads will start on 10 November.
 Water sprinkling will start on all roads from the next following days.
 People should stay at home as much as they can and they should try working from home.

On 25 November 2017, the Supreme Court of India banned the sale of firecrackers in
Delhi to alleviate pollution.

In another measure, the Badarpur power plant will remain shut until at least 31 January
2018. This power plant is very old and polluting, and even before the Great Smog,
environmentalists had advocated for its permanent shutdown.

Images of Delhi Smog(2017)