PROCESSES IN THE

ENVIRONMENT
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 150
ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS ENGINEERING
OUTLINE
• Environmental Health
• Reactions in the Environment
• Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Environmental
Health
ENVIRONMENT
• As defined by the Committee on Environment
of the American Public Health Association:
• The Environment is considered the
surroundings in which man lives, works and
plays. It encompasses the air he breathes, the
water he drinks, the food he consumes and the
shelter he provides for his protection against
the elements.
ENVIRONMENT
• As defined by the Committee on Environment
of the American Public Health Association:
• It also includes the pollutants, waste materials,
and other detrimental environmental factors
which adversely affect his life and health.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
• It is concerned with “the control of all those
factors in man’s physical environment which
exercise or may exercise a deleterious effect on
his physical development, health and survival,”
with consideration of the physical, economic
and social impact of the control measures
applied.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
• Environmental health is that branch of public
health which is directed towards controlling
environmental hazards; preserving and
improving environmental factors for the
achievement of optimum health, safety,
comfort, and well-being.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
• Encompasses the following:
• Environmental Engineering
• Sanitation, Public Health Engineering
• Sanitary Engineering
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
• Application of engineering principles to the
control, modification, or adaptation of the
physical, chemical, and biological factors of the
environment in the interest of man’s health,
comfort, and social well-being.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
• Maintenance of an environment that is suited
to man’s efficient performance, and to the
preservation of comfort and enjoyment of
living today and in the future.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
• WHO Expert Committee considers the scope of
environmental health to include or relate to
the following:
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Water supplies, with special reference to the provision of adequate quantities of
safe water that are readily accessible to the user, and to the planning, design,
1
management, and sanitary surveillance of community water supplies, giving due
consideration to other essential uses of water resources.
Wastewater treatment and water-pollution control including the collection,
2 treatment, and disposal of domestic sewage and other waterborne wastes, and the
control of the quality of surface water (including the sea) and ground water.
3 Solid-waste management, including sanitary handling and disposal.
Vector control, including the control of arthropods, molluscs, rodents, and other
4
alternative hosts of disease.
Prevention or control of soil pollution by human excreta and by substances
5
detrimental to human, animal, or plant life.
6 Food hygiene, including milk hygiene.
PROBLEMS AFFECTING
PHILIPPINE COASTAL ZONES
PROBLEMS AFFECTING OUR
LAND/ COASTAL AREAS
PROBLEMS AFFECTING OUR
LAND/ COASTAL AREAS
PROBLEMS AFFECTING OUR
LAND/ COASTAL AREAS
WATER QUALITY SITUATIONER
% of Rivers that are considered as sources of water supply 36
% of groundwater that is contaminated with coliform and needs to be treated 58
% of groundwater extraction that is covered by proper permits 40
% of illnesses monitored over a 5-year period that is caused by water-borne 31
diseases
% of Philippine population connected to a sewer system 7
Annual economic loss (health costs, fisheries, and tourism losses) caused by 67
water pollution, in billions of pesos
Investment required to put a sewerage infrastructure, in billions of pesos 250
HOTSPOTS FOR BOD AND
COLIFORM
 SOLID WASTE SITUATION AT A
GLANCE
Solid Waste generated by households (tons/year) 10 million
Toxic and hazardous waste generated by industrial/commercial sector
2.4 million
(tons/year)
Hazardous and infections waste generated by hospitals (tons/year) 6,750
Urban- 70%,
Share of municipal waste generated that is collected
Rural - 40%
Waste recycling and re-use as a percent of total waste generated in Metro
12%
Manila
Recycled material sold as a percentage of total waste generated in Metro
5%
Manila
No. of proper solid waste disposal sites
Landfills 1
Closed landfills 2
Dumpsites 17
 SOLID WASTE SITUATION AT A
GLANCE
No. of hospital waste incinerators 43
No. of hazardous waste treatment facilities 28
Share of municipal solid waste disposed in landfills and controlled dumps 2%
Share of hospitals with access to incinerators in Metro Manila 50%
Share of hazardous waste treated or recycled 5%
Per capita allocation in LGU's (range Php) 12-250
Share of solid waste management in LGU budget 1% - 2%
ELEMENTS OF WASTE
MANAGEMENT
• Storage at the source
• Collection Transfer
• Transport
• Disposal
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
7 Control of air pollution.
8 Radiation control.
9 Occupational health, in particular the control of physical, chemical, and biological
hazards
10 Noise control.
11 Housing and its immediate environment, in particular the public health aspects of
residential, public, and institutional buildings
12 Urban and regional planning.
13 Environmental health aspects of air, sea, or land transport.
14 Accident prevention.
15 Public recreation and tourism, in particular the environmental health aspects of
public beaches, swimming pools, camping sites, etc.
AIR POLLUTION
• An air pollutant is any substance in air that
could, in sufficient concentration, harm
humans, animals, vegetation, or material.
COMMON AIR POLLUTANTS
• Total Suspended Particulates
• Fine particles (PM10) contribute to chronic
bronchitis and respiratory symptoms. Diesel engines
emit a significant amount of fine particles.
• Sulfur Dioxide
• One of leading causes of respiratory problems
• Causes corrosion, can damage plants. Coal and oil-
fired plants are major contributors
• Nitrogen Dioxide
• Creates smog, acid rain, nitric acid and harmful
nitrate. Diesel engines are worst offenders
COMMON AIR POLLUTANTS
• Ozone
• Formed by reaction of VOCs and NOx in the presence of
sunlight
• Causes eye, nose, throat irritation, chest discomfort,
cough
• Carbon Monoxide
• Product of incomplete combustion. Motor vehicles are
major source
• Lead
• Can damage vital human organs and affect the brain
• Has been decreasing since 1994 due to phase out of lead
in gasoline
COMMON AIR POLLUTANTS
COMMON AIR POLLUTANTS
PARTICULATE SIZE AND
HEALTH EFFECTS
PARTICLE SIZE DESCRIPTION MECHANISM
Over 10 µm coarse dust, fly ash Hairs at the front of the nose remove
(visible to naked eye) all particles over 10 µm.
2 to 10 µm fumes, dust, smoke Movement of cilia sweeps mucus
particles upward, carrying particles from
windpipe to mouth where they can be
swallowed.
< 2µm aerosols, fumes Lymphocytes and phagocytes
in the lung attack some
submicron particles.
EFFECTS OF PARTICULATES:
HUMAN HEALTH
PHILIPPINES: POLLUTANTS
PHILIPPINES: SOURCES
AIR QUALITY (TSP) HOTSPOTS
• High Concentration
• Manila
• Quezon City
• Makati
• Pasig
• Pasay
• Las Pinas
• Iloilo City
• Cagayan de Oro
• Zamboanga
• Cebu

• Medium Concentration
• Mandaluyong
• Tuguegarao
• Butuan

• Low Concentration
• San Fernando
• Legazpi
• Tacloban
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
16 Sanitation measures associated with epidemics, emergencies, disasters, and
migrations of populations.
17 Preventive measures required to ensure that the general environment is free from
risk to health.
PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
• Health
• Economic
• Demographic and Land Use
• Social
• Aesthetic
• Resource Conservation
METHODS AND TECHNIQUES
• Research
• Demonstration
• Education
• Standards
• Legislation
• Inspection
METHODS AND TECHNIQUES
• Enforcement
• Planning
• Evaluation
• Incentives
• Systems Analysis
Reactions in the
Environment
REACTIONS IN THE
ENVIRONMENT
• Acid-Base Reactions
• Reduction-Oxidation (RedOx) Reactions
• Precipitation Reaction
• Complexation Reaction
• Hydrolysis Reactions
• Free Radical Reactions
ACID-BASE REACTIONS
𝐻𝐴 + 𝐵 ↔ 𝐴− + 𝐻𝐵−

• Bronsted-Lowry Theory
• Acid: Donor of H+
• Base: Acceptor of H+
• Amphoteric: chemical species that are capable of
acting as either acid or base
• Neutralization Reaction: reaction between a
strong base and a strong acid that results in
formation of salt
ACID-BASE REACTIONS
ACID-BASE REACTIONS
• Sulfuric acid – Hydrogen sulfate
• Nitric acid – Nitrate
• Hydronium ion – Water
• Hydrogen sulfate – Sulfate
• Nitrous acid – Nitrite
• Carbonic acid – Hydrogen carbonate
• Ammonium ion – Ammonia
• Hydrogen carbonate – Carbonate
• Water – Hydroxide ion
ACID-BASE REACTIONS
1. Formation of carbonic acid from water and
carbon dioxide

𝐻2 𝑂 + 𝐶𝑂2 ↔ 𝐻 + + 𝐻𝐶𝑂3 − ↔ 𝐻2 𝐶𝑂3

2. Disintegration of marble statues and buildings

by acid rain
𝐶𝑎𝐶𝑂3 + 𝐻2 𝑆𝑂4 → 𝐶𝑎𝑆𝑂4 + 𝐻2 𝑂 + 𝐶𝑂2
REDUCTION-OXIDATION
(REDOX) REACTIONS
• reactions that involve the complete transfer of
electrons from a chemical species to another.
• reduction – gain of electrons
• oxidation – loss of electrons
REDUCTION-OXIDATION
(REDOX) REACTIONS
• can not happen independently from each other
• very important example is aerobic
photosynthesis
REDUCTION-OXIDATION
(REDOX) REACTIONS
• Photosynthesis
6𝐻2 𝑂 + 6𝐶𝑂2 → 𝐶6 𝐻12 𝑂6 + 6𝑂2
• Aerobic Oxidation of Organic Material
𝐶6 𝐻12 𝑂6 + 6𝑂2 → 6𝐻2 𝑂 + 6𝐶𝑂2 + 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦
• Rusting of Iron
4𝐹𝑒 𝑂𝐻 2 + 𝑂2 + 2𝐻2 𝑂 → 4𝐹𝑒 𝑂𝐻 3 𝐹𝑒2 𝑂3 ∙ 3𝐻2 𝑂
PRECIPITATION REACTION
𝐵𝑎 𝑁𝑂 32 + 𝐶𝑢𝑆𝑂4 ↔ 𝐵𝑎𝑆𝑂4 (𝑝𝑝𝑡) + 𝐶𝑢 𝑁𝑂 32

• reaction in which soluble ions in separate

solutions are mixed together to form an
insoluble compound that settles out of solution
as a solid
• most environmentally important precipitation
reactions involve water as solvent
COMPLEXATION REACTION
• complex formation is a reaction that results in
coordinative bonds.
COMPLEXATION REACTION
• What is a complex metal ion?
• A complex ion has a metal ion at its center with
a number of other molecules or ions
surrounding it. These can be considered to be
attached to the central ion by co-ordinate
(dative covalent) bonds.
• The molecules or ions surrounding the central
metal ion are called ligands.
COMPLEXATION REACTION
• Aluminum has the
electronic structure:
1s22s22p63s23px1
• When it forms an Al3+
ion it loses the 3-
level electrons to
leave:
1s22s22p6
COMPLEXATION REACTION
COMPLEXATION REACTION
COMPLEXATION REACTION
• Chelates: molecules that can trap or
encapsulate certain highly reactive trace metal
cations
• Bioavailability: the ability to absorb and use
the mineral.
• Bioavailability can be increased or decreased
depending on the mineral-chelate complex
formed.
COMPLEXATION REACTION
HYRDOLYSIS REACTIONS
• reactions that involve water as one of the
reactants
• acid hydrolysis reactions involve acid solutions
• base hydrolysis reactions involve base solutions

𝑠𝑢𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑒 + 𝐻2 𝑂 → 𝑔𝑙𝑢𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑒 + 𝑓𝑟𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑒

𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑒 + 𝐻2 𝑂 → 𝑔𝑙𝑢𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑒 + 𝑔𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑠𝑒
HYRDOLYSIS REACTIONS
• Alkyl Halides: R-X
• converted to alcohol and halogen is released
• example: Chloroform(CHCl3) to formic acid and
hydrochloric acid

𝐻2 𝑂 + 𝑅𝑋 → 𝑅𝑂𝐻 + 𝐻 + + 𝑋 −
HYRDOLYSIS REACTIONS
FREE RADICAL REACTIONS
• Free Radicals: atomic or molecular species
with unpaired electrons.
• Cl*
CF2Cl2 + uv  CF2Cl* + Cl*
Cl* + O3  ClO* + O2
*ClO + O  Cl* + O2
• O*
ozone breakdown: O3 + uv  O2 + O*
ozone formation : O2 + uv  O* + O*
2O2 + 2O*  2O3
FREE RADICAL REACTIONS
• Superoxide and Hydroxyl Radical
• participate in unwanted side reactions resulting in
cell damage
• cancer are thought to be the result of reactions
between free radicals and DNA
• some of the symptoms of aging are also attributed
to free-radical induced oxidation of many of the
chemicals making up the body
• anti-oxidants neutralize free radicals such as
retinoic acid, vitamin E and green teas/dark
chocolates by donating their own electrons
FREE RADICAL REACTIONS
• Reactive oxidative species (ROS) like sunlight and
carcinogens lead to the formation of free radicals
CHEMICALS OF CONCERN
• Organic Compound
• contains C and H covalently bonded together
• may also contain other atoms like N,S,P and
halogens
• Aliphatic Compounds
• are organic compounds, in which carbon atoms are
joined together in straight or branched chains
ALIPHATICS
AROMATICS
Persistent Organic
Pollutants (POPs)
PERSISTENT ORGANIC
POLLUTANTS (POPs)
• carbon containing chemical compounds that,
to a varying degree, resist photochemical,
biological and chemical degradation.
• often halogenated and characterized by low
water solubility and high lipid solubility.
PERSISTENT ORGANIC
POLLUTANTS (POPs)
• semi-volatile, a property which permits them
either to vaporize or to be adsorbed on
atmospheric particles.
• undergo long range transport in air and water
from warmer to colder regions of the world.
PERSISTENT ORGANIC
POLLUTANTS
• Chemical substances that persist in the
environment, bioaccumulates through the
food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse
effects to human health.
PERSISTENT ORGANIC
POLLUTANTS (POPs)
• Long range transport of POPs is the cause why
they are found in regions where they are not
used or produced.
 CHEMICALS
• Aldrin and Dieldrin
• Endrin
• Chlordane
• DDT
• Heptachlor
• Hexachlorobenzene
• Mirex
• Toxaphene
• PCBs
• Dioxins and Furans
PERSISTENT ORGANIC
POLLUTANTS (POPs)
• Exposure to POPs can be associated with the
following health effects in humans:
• Immune system biochemical alterations;
• Reproductive deficits;
• A shortened period of lactation in nursing
mothers;
PERSISTENT ORGANIC
POLLUTANTS (POPs)
• Exposure to POPs can be associated with the
following health effects in humans:
• Neurobehavioral impairment including learning
disorders, reduced performance on standard
tests, and attention deficits;
• Diabetes;
• Cancer.
BIOACCUMULATION AND
BIOMAGNIFICATION
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING
SUBSTANCES (EDS)
• exogenous substances that cause adverse
biological effects by interfering with the
endocrine system and disrupting the functions
of hormones
• can result in changes in growth, development,
reproduction or behavior that can affect the
organism itself, or the next generation
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING
SUBSTANCES (EDS)
EMERGING POLLUTANTS