Case Study: The Donora

GROUP 4
Smog 1948
Introduction
PRESENTER:
DENZIL GENTOLIO SEGUNTO
Air pollution

 Air pollution is the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to
the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to
materials.
 There are different types of air pollutants, such as gases, particulates, and
biological molecules.
 Human activities and natural processes can generate air
pollution.
Sources of
Air pollution
Air pollution has four
sources types:
Mobile sources

Stationary sources

Area sources

Natural sources.
 Smog

 The word smog is derived from the words smoke and fog
According to National Geographic, Smog is type of air pollution that reduces
visibility.
Smog is common in industrial areas and remains a familiar sight in cities today
It refers hazy air that makes people have breathing difficulties
This type of pollution is composed of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides,
ozone, and smoke
 In 1948, Donora, Pennsylvania, a mill town on the
Monongahela River 24 miles (39 km) southeast of
Pittsburgh.
For the entire five days, the town was covered with
thick Lethal Smog. It kills 20 people and left 6000
residents ill. Donora has two huge factories; The
American steel and Wire co. and the Zinc works. The two
factories emits profound amount of Pollutants. The
The Donora Pollutants mixed with the Fog from Monongahela River,
in which creates the Smog. The Smog was trapped
Smog because of Temperature Inversion.
The Lethal Smog was product of Unregulated
Manufacturing Industries. The Incident made the
Government Authored the Clean Air Act to fight and
prevent Air pollution.
Background of the
Study
PRESENTER:
JON LLOYD TENGASANTOS FACUN
Background of the Study

During 18th century and early 19th century, people transition from hand
production methods to machines powered by fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are made
from decomposing plants and animals
The burned fuels emit hazardous substances into air, in which has serious health
implications to people. As a result, Industrial revolution have altered earth’s
history.
Background of the Study

Donora is a self-governing town in Washington county, Pennsylvania, United

States. It is surrounded by two major factories, The American steel and Wire co.
plant extended about 2 miles south of the Donora-Webster bridge.
It daily emitted reddish-brown exhaust; the blast furnaces were black. The other
plant, the Zinc works plant extended about 1 mile north of the bridge, was the
worst industry pollutant in Donora, it emitted noxious yellow
smoke, a result of the sulfur dioxide with which it was laced.
Background of the Study

What made the 1948 event more severe was a temperature inversion, a situation
in which warmer air aloft traps pollution in a layer of colder air near the surface.
The pollutants in the air mixed with fog to form a thick, yellowish, acrid smog
that hung-over Donora for five days
Background of the Study

The sulfuric acid, nitrogen dioxide, fluorine, and other poisonous gases that
usually dispersed into the atmosphere were caught in the inversion and
accumulated until rain ended the weather pattern.
The Smog accumulated can irritate your eyes, nose, and throat, worsen existing
heart and lung problems or cause lung cancer with regular long-term exposure or
worse, early death
Smog has two distinctive types, sulfurous
smog, and photochemical smog.

1. Sulfurous smog, called as London smog which is a result of a high concentration

of sulfur oxides in the air of London, England in December of 1952. These
chemicals are formed using sulfur-bearing fossil fuels or coal.
2. Photochemical Smog, called as Los Angeles smog which is a result of a
photochemical reaction of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbon emitted by
automobiles and other sources in Los Angeles, California.
This means that the smog that happened in Donora was Sulfurous Smog.
Background of the Study

The Donora smog resulted in killing 20 citizen and left a third of the population
ill. Of those who were killed, all were between the ages of 52 and 85 years-old
and had a history of health problems specifically in respiratory problems. The
sickened 6,000 others faced headaches, stomach pains, and vomiting.
Due the pleading of doctors and residents of Donora, the factories have been
ordered shutdown. The smog has been fully retreated due to the storm rolled into
town on Halloween, October 31, 1948.
Background of the Study

Today, under the Clean Air Act (CAA), United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) sets boundaries on air pollutants, including limits and
specifications on standard of air quality anywhere in the United States
EPA has the Authority to limit emissions of air pollutants coming from diverse
sources such as chemical plants, utilities, and steel mills. Overall, this regulation
can maintain the air quality of a certain community, also to prevent what has
happened to Donora incident.
Evaluation of the
Case
PRESENTER:
ULYSSES CATALAN RADAZA
 State:
The transition of people from hand production
Evaluation of methods to machines powered by fossil fuels
plays huge role in Donora Smog.
the Case Evaluation:
Industrial revolution played crucial role in
Donora smog.
 State:
Half of the entire population of Donora works
Evaluation of for Two Major Factories.
Evaluation:
the Case
The American Steel and Wire co. plant and
Zinc works plant is responsible for pollutants into
the air
 State:
No standard to regulation for air quality index
of Industrial Factories brought lethal danger to
Evaluation of people.
the Case Evaluation:
The lack of regulations in Industrial Factories
leads to them to be blinded in negative effects of
Industry.
 State:
Temperature inversion made air pollution In
Donora more Severe.
Evaluation:
Evaluation of Temperature inversion is a situation in which
the Case the warmer air upward traps the pollution in a
layer of colder air near the surface. In which,
normally, the nitrogen dioxide, sulfuric acid,
fluorine, and other poisonous gas are dispersed in
the atmosphere.
 State:
The Ignorance of the authorities Donora for the
effects of Industrial Revolution may be considered.
Evaluation of Evaluation:
the Case The lack of research in Air pollution and its
effects on people, made the authorities reluctant to
consider that the factories are responsible for the
smog.
 State:
There was an alleged cover up of what
Evaluation of happened in Donora Smog.
the Case Evaluation:
Records from the Donora’s fatal event, and
events that are similar were missing from U.S.
public health service’s archives and U.S. steel.
 State:
The incident of Donora Smog has initiated the
government to recognize the health and
Evaluation of environmental effects of Air pollution.
Evaluation:
the Case The Donora Smog incident informed us that we
should be aware to the environmental effects of Air
pollution.
 State:
There was an alleged cover up of what happened in Donora
Smog.
Evaluation:
Records from the Donora’s fatal event, and events that are
similar were missing from U.S. public health service’s archives
Evaluation of and U.S. steel.

the Case State:

The incident of Donora Smog has initiated the government
to recognize the health and environmental effects of Air
pollution.
Evaluation:
The Donora Smog incident informed us that we should be
aware to the environmental effects of Air pollution.
Proposed Solution
PRESENTER:
JUSTIN MARI LAZARO SALAZAR
 Use of Industrial Electrostatic
Precipitators

Industrial Electrostatic Precipitators are used in industry to control their

particulate matter emissions
The use of electrostatic precipitators includes the ionization of contaminated air
flowing between electrodes, the charging, migration, and collection of the
contaminants on oppositely charged plates, and the removal of particles from the
plates. The contaminants or particles can be either dry dusts or liquid droplets.
Use of Industrial Electrostatic
Precipitators

The process starts with air flowing through the electrostatic precipitator where
the particles are left behind on the plates.
The electrostatic precipitator is considered a unique air pollution control device
where the forces of collection act only on the particles and not on the entire air
stream.
Use of Industrial Electrostatic
Precipitators
A typical precipitator, regardless of its design, has these six
essentials, components: discharge electrodes, collection electrodes,
high voltage electrical system, rappers, hoppers, and a shell.
1. Discharge electrodes are either metal wires that hang vertically in the
precipitator, a number of wires attached together in rigid frames, or a rigid
electrode made from a single piece of metal.
Use of Industrial Electrostatic
Precipitators
3. Collection electrodes collect the particulate matter that is charged by the
discharge electrodes. Collection electrodes are typically flat plates with a
charge opposite that of the discharge electrodes.
4. High voltage equipment creates the electric field between the discharge
and collection electrodes used to charge particles within the ESP.
5. Rappers impart vibrations to the electrodes thus removing the collected
particles. Rappers remove particulates from both the discharge and
collection electrodes. Occasionally, water sprays are used to
remove particles from collection electrodes.
Use of Industrial Electrostatic
Precipitators
3. Hoppers are located at the bottom of the precipitator and are used to collect
and temporarily store the ash which is removed during the rapping
processes.
The shell provides the base which supports the ESP components and encloses
the unit.
Use of Industrial
Electrostatic
Precipitators
Figure 1. Foshan Boton Air
Technology Industrial
Electrostatic Precipitators.
Use of Industrial Electrostatic
Precipitators

Particulates are removed from the ESP hopper via a discharge device such as
a rotary airlock valve.
The bulk materials are transported to their last destination for removal or
storage via a material conveying system.
Pneumatic conveyors are typically designated as either positive or negative
pressure depending on whether they employ a compressed air blower
(positive) or a vacuum system (negative) to move ash and dust
through a tube.
Use of Industrial Electrostatic
Precipitators
This solution was chosen because the huge factories in Donora disperse the
pollutants in the environment without consideration of its damaging
consequences.
The Smog is composed of two things, the Temperature inversion and air
pollutants.
Industrial Electrostatic Precipitators would filter the Gaseous particles air
pollutants that the factories emit. It has high efficiency up to 99.9% collection
efficiency even with finer particles
Recommendation
PRESENTER:
RONWARDS JAY LOTO DOLATRE
 1. For the Government.
Government plays huge role in managing the state and
regulating industries.

2. For the Managers of Manufacturing Industries.

We recommend the Manufacturing Industries to manage
the pollution they emit and be responsible for the
Recommendation consequences of their actions.

3. For the People.

We recommend the people to be contented and not be
greedy. Greediness of human being further destroys our
environment.
Thank Group 4:
Ronward Jay Loto Dolatre
Jon Lloyd Tengasantos Facun

you Ulysses Catalan Radaza

Justin Mari Lazaro Salazar
Denzil Gentolio Segunto