10/6/2009

Ozone Layer Depletion

by
Evelyn R. Laurito
University of Santo Tomas
Manila, Philippines

Ozone Layer

Found in the stratosphere,
10-50 km from the earth’s surface

90% of the ozone (O3)in the atmosphere

Highest amount of ozone is at 15-35 km

Good Ozone filters harmful radiation from
the sun

Solar Radiation

The Sun produces
radiation of different
wavelengths

Radiowaves

Gamma and x-rays

Ultraviolet radiation

UV-a : 320-400 nm

UV-b : 280-320

UV-c : 200-280

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Stratospheric UVb Filtering

UVb
Ozone Molecule radiation

Oxygen Molecule

O2 + UVb radiation → O + O

Stratospheric Ozone Formation

O2 + O → O3 + Heat

Stratospheric Ozone Concentration

1mm = 100 dobson units

Std: 300 dobson units

1 mm

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Ozone Hole

Average Ozone: O3 ≈ 300 du

OZONE HOLE: O3 < 220 du

Dobson Units

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
 Discovered in 1929 by Thomas
Midgeley
 CFCl3 or CF2Cl2 – FREON
 Hailed as a wonder substance
• Non-
Non-toxic, Non-
Non-reactive, Non
Non--
flammable,
 Used as refrigerant, insulation,
cleaning agent
 The fatal property of the CFCs:
they are photolysed by UV
light emitted by the Sun.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Molina, Cruzen and
Rowlands won a Nobel
Prize in Chemistry“ for
their work in Ozone
depletion by CFCs

Paul J Mario J F. Sherwood

Cruzen Molina Rowland

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Stratospheric Ozone Destruction

CFCl3 + UV → CFCl2 + Cl
Cl + O → ClO
ClO + O3 → O2 + O2
A Single Atom of Cl can destroy up to
100,000 ozone molecules

Ozone Hole over Antarctica

 During polar winter, air begins to cool. Thermal gradient causes
"polar night jet".
 Due to the Coriolis Effect, this air moves in a circular path called a
Polar Vortex
 Air trapped inside jet radiates to space, cooling further.
 Air remains isolated from about May until October or November.
 Temperatures within the polar vortex get very cold, (- (-88 to -73 oC).
 At 195 K, HNO3 and H2O co- co-condense to form cloud particles -
polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs)

Simulation of Polar Vortex formation

http://www.atm.ch.cam.ac.uk/tour/tour_mpeg/anim_clono2.mpg

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Polar stratospheric clouds

NO2-

ClO- ClONO2 HNO3

CH4 NO-
Cl- Cl2
HCl

Polar stratospheric cloud Ice

Volcanic Eruptions and Polar

Stratospheric Clouds

Volcanic aerosols also can cause

ozone destruction due to sulfuric
acid clouds similar to polar
stratospheric clouds

Ozone Depletion

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Largest Ozone Hole

 Image of the
largest
Antarctic ozone
hole ever
recorded
(September
2006)

October, 2009

Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion

Nonmelanoma skin cancer

10-20% increase in
Nonmelanoma skin cancer

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Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion

Eye cataracts

10-20% incidence
Increase increase inof
Nonmelanoma skin cancer
eye cataracts

Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion

Marine Organisms Growth

Affects growth
10-20%
Increase of marine
increase
incidence inof
organisms
Nonmelanoma skin cancer
eye cataracts

Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion

Immune System Deficiency

Immune System Deficiency

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Montreal Protocol

In 1986, The
Montreal Protocol
was signed.
Destruction technology

Its aim is to phase for CFCs stored in refs
and aircons
out the use of
CFCs

At present, there
are 186 signatories Discover Alternative
Chemicals for CFCs Ban CFC Production

Success Story?

It is estimated that it will require

at least 50 years before adequate
chlorine can be removed from the
stratosphere by natural processes
and the Antarctic ozone hole
disappears.

CONCLUSION

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