Air Based

Hazards
RUSHALI N SHAH

M PHARM QA (SEM II)

L. M. COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Contents

• Introduction

• Sources Of Air Pollution

• Classifi cation Of Pollutants

• Effects Of Air Pollution

• Air Pollution Control

Air Pollution

• The WHO defi nes Air Pollution as

the presence of materials in the
air in such concentration which
are harmful to man and his
environment.

• A number of ingredients fi nd their

way in the air and these are
mostly gases, which rapidly
spread over wide areas.

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SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION

1. Burning Fossil Fuels

• Burning of wood, charcoal and other fossil fuels causes air pollution
by the release of carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon sulphur dioxide etc.
Petroleum consists mainly of hydrocarbons, sulphur and nitrogen.

2. Emissions from Automobiles

• Vehicles are mainly responsible for more than 80% of total air
pollution. The major pollutants released from automobiles,
locomotives, aircraft etc., include CO, unburnt hydrocarbons and
nitrogen oxide .
CONT…

3. Industries

• Paper and pulp factories, petroleum refi neries, fertilizer plants, and steel
industries, thermal power plants are the main sources of air pollution. They
add various harmful gases like CO, SO3, NO, Hydrocarbons etc., to the
atmosphere.

4. Agricultural Activities
• Spraying of insecticides and
weedicides also cause air pollution.
These, when inhaled create severe
problems to both animals and man.
CONT…

5. Natural Causes

• Gas emissions from active volcanoes, marsh gas, spores of fungi and
pollens are the natural causes of air pollution.
Other Sources Of Air Pollution:

 Domestic sources:
 Natural sources : Wind

Fungi
Dust
Bacteria
 Miscellaneous:- Pesticide

Radioactive fallout
Fertilizer dust
Mining activity
Mills and plants
Air Pollutants:

• Carbon monoxide
• Sulphur dioxide
• Nitrogen oxide
• Carbon dioxide
• Hydrocarbons
• Benzene
• Hydrogen sulphide
• Ozone
• Particulate matter

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Classification Of Pollutants:

PRIMARY POLLUTANTS SECONDARY POLLUTANTS

• Which Are Emitted Directly From • Which Are Produced In The
Identifi able Sources. Atmosphere When Certain Chemical
Reactions Take Place Among Primary
• Examples are:
Pollutants.
Particulate Matter (PM)
Sulphur Dioxide, • Atmospheric sulfuric acid is one
Nitrogen Oxides, example of a secondary pollutant.
Volatile Organic Compounds (Vocs),
Carbon Monoxide
Lead.

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CARBON MONOXIDE: SULPHUR DIOXIDE:
• Produced When Coal And Fuel Oil
• Produced When Carbon Does Not
Are Burned.
Burn In Fossil Fuels.
• Present In Power Plant Exhaust.
• Present In Car Exhaust.

 Effects:  Effects:
Reduce Oxygen Carrying Capacity Of
Blood. Narrows The Airway, Causing
Decrease In Vision And Causes Cardio Wheezing And Shortness Of Breath,
Vascular Disorders.
especially In Those With Asthma.

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GROUND LEVEL OZONE: PARTICULATE MATTER
• At Upper Level, Ozone Shields Ear th • Industries and automobiles
From Sun’s Harmful UV Rays but at
release fi ne particles into the air.
Ground Level, Ozone Is Harmful
Fly ash and soot from burning of
Pollutants
coal, metal dust containing lead,
• Formed From Car, Power And Chemical
chromium, cadmium and zinc from
Plant Exhaust
metallurgical processes are

 Eff ects examples of particulate pollutants

in the air
Reduces Lung Function By Infl aming And
Damaging Lining Of Lungs

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Hazardous Air Pollutants

• Hazardous air pollutants, also known as toxic air pollutants or air toxics,
are those pollutants that are known or suspected to cause cancer or other
serious health eff ects, such as reproductive eff ects or birth defects, or
adverse environmental eff ects.

• Examples of toxic air pollutants include

i. benzene, which is found in gasoline;

ii. perchloroethylene, which is emitted from some dry cleaning facilities; and

iii.methylene chloride, which is used as a solvent and paint stripper by a

number of industries.
Effects Of Air Pollution On Human:

 Short term effect are: irritation to nose,

eye, throat, bronchitis, headache etc.
 Long term affect are: lung disease,
chronic respiratory problem, damage
to heart, brain, eyes etc.
 Eye irritation due to NOx, O3, PAN,
particulates.
 Nose and throat irritation due to SO2,
NOx etc.
 CO and NO react with haemoglobin and
reduce O2 carrying capacity of blood.
Effects Of Air Pollution On Plant:

 Oxides of nitrogen and fl uorides

reduce crop yield.
 Hydrocarbons cause premature
yellowing, fall of leave and fl ower
buds, discoloration and curling of
sepals and petals.
 Leaf injury and damage to young
plants.
 Decreased growth rate and increased
death rate.
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL:

 Cannot be fully prevented but can be controlled.

1. Preventative measures

2. Control measures using equipments.

3.Preventative measures (source control)

o Selection of suitable fuel. (Low sulphur coal in power plant, using of
CNG)
o Modification in industrial process.
o Selection of suitable site and zoning for industrial unit.
CONT…

2. Control measures
o Collecting pollutants by using equipment
(eg Cyclone separator, Fabric fi lters etc)
o Destroying the pollutants by thermal
or catalytic combustion.
o Changing the pollutants to less toxic
form.
o By releasing the pollutants through tall
chimneys for greater dispersion.
CONCLUSION

• To conclude, air pollution is something worse than what we

usually think and hear from the news. It doesn’t only aff ect us
humans, but it could also destroy our plants, trees, and even
cause our animals to not breathe properly and have respiratory
problems.

• Therefore, it’s important to become more environmentally-

conscious and get the pollution out of our house. Easy solutions
such as air purifi ers can help decrease air pollution at home.
References

• https://www.epa.gov/haps /what-are-hazardous-air-pollutants

• Dr. Y. K. Singh Environmental Science New age international (p)

limited, publishers new delhi.

• http://noair-rors.weebly.com /air-pollution.html

• https://www.bestairpurifi erratings.com /eff ects-of-pollution-on-human

s-animals-plants-and-the-environment /
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