Definition:

The excessive discharge or addition of undesirable substances or

unwanted foreign matters into the environment, thereby adversely
altering the natural quality of the environment, and causing damages to
human, plants or animal life.
Pollutant: An unwanted or undesirable foreign substance added to the
environment.
Classification of pollutants
a) Primary pollutant
b) Secondary pollutant
Primary pollutant
These are the substances directly emitted. Example ash from
volcanic eruption, CO from motor vehicle exhaust, SO2 from factories.
Secondary pollutant:
Are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when
primary pollutants react or interact. Ex: Ozone, PAN (peroxyacetyl
nitrate), photochemical smog.
Types of pollution:
1. Air pollution
2. Noise pollution
3. Water pollution
4. Thermal pollution
5. Soil pollution
6. Nuclear pollution
 What Are the Major Outdoor
Air Pollution Problems?
Air pollution:

It is defined as any atmospheric condition in which certain

substances are present in such concentrations that they produce
undesirable effects on humans and environment.

Sources of air pollution :

Natural - Dust, volcanoes, Forest fires, pollen grains, radio

active materials, etc.

Man-made - industrial activities, automobile exhausts.

agricultural, domestic conditions.
Pollutants of air :
Particulate pollutants -
are solids or liquids with size < 100 microns that remain
suspended in the atmosphere.
Dust
Fumes
Smoke
Mist
Fog
Bacteria

Gaseous - Toxic and poisonous

e.g. CO, chlorine, NH3, H2S, SO2, NO2, CO2.
 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution

(1) greenhouse effect, (2) particulate contamination, (3) increased UV

radiation, (4) acid rain, (5) increased ozone concentration, (6) increased
levels of nitrogen oxides.
 Air Pollution
The Atmosphere Consists of Several Layers
We live under a thin blanket of gases surrounding
the earth, called the atmosphere. The density, or
the number of gas molecules per unit of air volume,
varies throughout the troposphere (and other layers)
because gravity pulls its gas molecules toward the
earth’s surface. This means that lower layers have
more gases (more weight) in them than upper layers
do, and are more densely packed with molecules.
Thus, the air we breathe at sea level has a higher
density than the air we would inhale on top of a
high mountain.
Atmospheric pressure is the force, or mass, per
unit area of a column of air. This force is caused
by the bombardment of a surface such as your s
kin by the molecules in air. Atmospheric pressure
decreases with altitude because there are fewer gas molecules at higher altitudes.
Take a deep breath. About 99% of the volume of air
you inhaled consists of two gases: nitrogen (78%) and
oxygen (21%). The remainder consists of water vapor
(varying from 0.01% at the frigid poles to 4% in the
humid tropics, for an average of about 1%), 0.93% argon
(Ar), 0.039% carbon dioxide (CO2), and trace amounts
of dust and soot particles as well as other gases including
methane (CH4), ozone (O3), and nitrous oxide (N2O).
 What Are the Major Air Pollutants?
• Carbon oxides.╇ Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless,
and highly toxic gas that forms during the incomplete combustion
of carbon-containing materials. Major sources are motor vehicle
exhaust, burning of forests and grasslands, smokestacks of fossil
fuel–burning power plants and industries, tobacco smoke, and open
fires and inefficient stoves used for cooking.
• Carbon monoxide can combine with hemoglobin in red blood cells,
which prevents the normal binding of oxygen with hemoglobin
molecules. This in turn reduces the ability of blood to transport
oxygen to body cells and tissues. Long-term exposure can trigger
heart attacks and aggravate lung diseases such as asthma and
emphysema.
At high levels, CO can cause headache, nausea, drowsiness, confusion,
collapse, coma, and death.
Nitrogen oxides and nitric acid. Nitric oxide (NO) is a colorless gas that forms when
nitrogen and oxygen gas react under high-combustion temperatures in automobile
engines and coal-burning power and industrial plants.
In the air, NO reacts with oxygen to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a reddish-brown
gas. Collectively, NO and NO2 are called nitrogen oxides (NOx). Some of the NO2
reacts with water vapor in the air to form nitric acid (HNO3) and nitrate salts (NO3–
), components of harmful acid deposition. Both NO and NO2 play a role in the
formation of photochemical smog—a mixture of chemicals formed under the
influence of sunlight in cities with heavy traffic. Nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse
gas, is emitted from fertilizers and animal wastes, and is produced by the burning of
fossil fuels. At high enough levels, nitrogen oxides can irritate the eyes, nose, and
throat, aggravate lung ailments such as asthma and bronchitis, suppress plant
growth, and reduce visibility when they are converted to nitric acid and nitrate salts.

Sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid.Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a colorless

gas with an irritating odor. In the atmosphere, SO2 can be
converted to aerosols, which consist of microscopic suspended
droplets of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and suspended particles of sulfate
(SO4 2–) salts that return to the earth as a component of acid
deposition.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Organic compounds that exist as gases in the atmosphere
or that evaporate from sources on earth into the atmosphere are called volatile organic
compounds (VOCs). Examples are hydrocarbons emitted by the leaves of many plants and
methane (CH4), a greenhouse gas that is 20 times more effective per molecule than CO2 is at
warming the atmosphere through the greenhouse effect. About a third of global methane
emissions comes from natural sources, mostly plants, wetlands, and termites. The rest comes
from human sources, primarily rice paddies, landfills, oil and natural gas wells, and cows
(mostly from their belching). Other VOCs are liquids than can evaporate into the atmosphere.
Examples are benzene and other liquids used as industrial solvents, dry-cleaning fluids, and
various components of gasoline, plastics, and other products.
 Indoor air pollutant
However, the biggest pollution threat to poor people is
indoor air pollution caused by their burning of
wood, charcoal, coal, or dung in open fires or poorly
designed stoves to heat their dwellings and cook their
food. Cigarette smoke is another important part of this
problem. Also, they often must work in poorly ventilated
and highly polluted areas.
Particulates. Suspended particulate matter (SPM) consists of a variety of solid particles and
liquid droplets that are small and light enough to remain suspended in the air for long
periods. About 62% of the SPM in outdoor air comes from natural sources such as dust, wild
fires, and sea salt. The remaining 38% comes from human sources such as coal-burning
power and industrial plants, motor vehicles, and road construction.
Ozone. Ozone (O3), a colorless and highly reactive gas, is a major ingredient of
photochemical smog. It can cause coughing and breathing problems, aggravate lung
and heart diseases, reduce resistance to colds and pneumonia, and irritate the eyes, nose,
and throat. It also damages plants, rubber in tires, fabrics, and paints. Ozone in the
troposphere near ground level is often referred to as “bad” ozone, while we view ozone in
the stratosphere as “good” ozone because it protects us from harmful UV radiation.
However, both are the same chemical. Significant evidence indicates that some
human activities are decreasing the amount of beneficial ozone in the stratosphere and
increasing the amount of harmful ozone in the troposphere near ground level especially in
some urban areas.
Indoor air pollution:
The important indoor air pollutant is radon gas.
It is responsible for large number of lung cancer deaths each year.
Emitted from building materials like bricks, concrete, tiles which are
derived from soil containing radium.
It is also present in ground water and natural gas and is emitted
indoors while using them.
Source - Wood stoves, coal, dung cakes
and kerosene used for cooking.
 Complete combustion produce
CO2 which is not toxic. But incomplete
combustion produce toxic CO.

 Coal contain S which on burning

produces SO2. Fossil fuel burning
produces black soot. Inadequate
ventilation.

 These pollutants ie CO, SO2, soot

HCHO, Benzo[a]pyrene (BAP) are toxic
and harmful to health.

 BAP is found in cigarette

smoke and is considered to cause
cancer.
 Industrial smog/Photochemical smog
Brownish smoke like appearance that frequently
forms on clear, sunny days with automobile
exhaust.
In bright sunlight
nitrogen oxides
hydrocarbons and
oxygen
interact chemically to produce powerful oxidants
like ozone (O3) and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN)
(CH3CO-OO-NO2).
These secondary pollutants are damaging
to plant life and lead to the formation of
photochemical smog. PAN is primarily responsible
for the eye irritation so characteristic of this type
of smog.
Radicals are atoms or molecules with
unpaired electrons. They are very reactive
chemically.
The catalytic converter in automobile
exhaust systems reduces air pollution by oxidizing
hydrocarbons to CO2 and H2O and, to a lesser
extent, converting nitrogen oxides to N2 and O2.
Acid Rain damage to Trees
Effect on aquatic life:

Pollutants mix up with rain can cause high acidity (lower pH).
 Effects on materials: NO2 and SO2
• Acid precipitation
• Non-localized pollution
• Normal precip: pH ~ 5 to 5.6
– Acid precip: pH ~ 3 to 4.5 Original limestone
• HNO3 and H2SO4 sculpture in
Krakow, Poland,
• Form acids in atmosphere severely damaged
– Wet deposition after years of
exposure to acid
– Dry deposition rain
• 60%- sulfur based; 35%- nitrogen
based
• Corrosion and deterioration of
structures
CaCO3 (s) + H2SO4 (aq) CaSO4 (aq) + CO2 (g) + H2O (l)

Replicate made to
replace original
 Several Factors Can Decrease or Increase Outdoor Air Pollution
Natural factors
1. particles heavier than air settle out as a result of gravitational attraction to the earth.
2. rain and snow partially cleanse the air of pollutants.
3. Salty sea spray from the oceans washes out many pollutants from air that flows from land
over the oceans.
4. winds sweep pollutants away and mix them with cleaner air.
5. some pollutants are removed by chemical reactions.
For example, SO2 can react with O2 in the atmosphere to form SO3, which reacts with water
vapor to form droplets of H2SO4 that fall out of the atmosphere as acid precipitation.
Another factor—the so-called grasshopper effect—occurs when air pollutants are
transported at high altitudes by evaporation and winds from tropical and temperate areas
through the atmosphere to the earth’s polar areas. This happens mostly during winter. It
explains why, for decades, pilots have reported seeing dense layers of reddish-brown haze
over the Arctic. It also explains why polar bears, sharks, and native peoples in remote arctic
areas have high levels of various toxic pollutants in their bodies.
temperature inversions can cause pollutants to build to high levels. During daylight, the sun
warms the air near the earth’s surface. Normally, this warm air and most of the pollutants it
contains rise to mix with the cooler air above and are dispersed. Under certain atmospheric
conditions, however, a layer of warm air can temporarily lie atop a layer of cooler air nearer
the ground, creating a temperature inversion. Because the cooler air is denser than the
warmer air above it, the air near the surface does not rise and mix with the air above. If this
condition persists, pollutants can build up to harmful and even lethal concentrations in the
stagnant layer of cool air near the ground.
Detecting Air pollutant:
We can detect the presence of pollutants in the air with the use of chemical instruments and
satellites armed with various sensors.
Another way to detect air pollutants is through biological indicators, including lichens. A
lichen consists of a fungus and an alga living together, usually in a mutually beneficial
(mutualistic) relationship. These hardy pioneer species are good biological indicators of air
pollution because they continually absorb air as a source of nourishment. A highly polluted
area around an industrial plant may have only gray-green crusty lichens or may have none at
all. An area with moderate air pollution may have orange crusty lichens on outdoor walls.
Some lichen species are sensitive to specific
air-polluting chemicals. Yellow Evernia lichens,
for example, can sicken or die in the presence of
excess sulfur dioxide, even if the pollutant
originates far away. For example, scientists
discovered sulfur dioxide pollution on Isle Royale,
Michigan (USA) in Lake Superior, an island
where no car or smokestack has ever intruded.
Laws and Regulations Can Reduce Outdoor Air Pollution
 Reducing Indoor Air Pollution Should Be a Priority
In less-developed countries, indoor air pollution from open fires and leaky, inefficient stoves that
burn wood, charcoal, or coal could be reduced. More people could use inexpensive clay or metal
stoves that burn fuels (including straw and other crop wastes) more efficiently and vent their
exhausts to the outside, or they could use stoves that use solar energy to cook food. This would
also reduce deforestation by cutting the demand for fuelwood and charcoal.
In more-developed countries, where VOCs present the greatest indoor air pollution threats,
houseplants may provide some relief.