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Page 1: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,
Page 2: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Air is one of the essential factors making life on t he Earth possible.Protection of air from pollution is a matter of grea t importance.

Air pollution

2

Oxygen un nitrogen compose ~99 % of inhaled air.

Unfortunately, we inhale also:

Natural Anthrophogenic

Very small amount of

other gases

Droplets of the

waterDust

Page 3: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Pollutants spread rapidly and to far distances in the atmosphere

3

Troposphere contain almost 95 % of the all air mass

Page 4: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Air pollution comes from:

Both industrial processes and heating contributes to air pollution.

Thermo-electro

power-plants

Transport

vehicles

AAIR POLLUTIONIR POLLUTION SOURCESSOURCES

4

Factories

Dry cleaning

solventsSmoking

Page 5: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Picnics

Aviation

5Fires

Page 6: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Primary

SecondaryCO CO2

SO2 NO

hydrocarbons

Suspended NO2 SO3 HNO3

Primary pollutants (sulphur

dioxide) come in air directly by

natural or anthropogenic

processes

Secondary pollutants (sulphur acid) are deriving in air

from primary pollutants in chemical reaction between

primary pollutant air compounds

6

Natural Pollution

sourcesStationary

Mobile

Suspended

participles

NO2 SO3 HNO3

H2SO4 H2O2

O3

NO3- SO4

2-

salts

Anthropogenic

Page 7: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

7

Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollut ion: (1) greenhouse effect, (2) particulate contamination, (3) increased UV radiati on, (4) acid rain, (5) increased ground

level ozone concentration, (6) increased levels of nitrogen oxides.

Page 8: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Air movement and turbulence to

Pollutants spread rapidly and to far distances in t he atmosphere; therefore, the problem of atmospheric pollution should be dealt wi th on a global scale, and

international cooperation is vital in this regard.

Turbulence made by airplanes

Air pollutionAir pollutionAir pollution

Air movement and turbulence to

make easy dissipation of the

pollutants

8

Nowadays countless very harmful substances can enter the air of a work area or the atmosphere in the form of gas, vapour, aerosols or dust. Some of them return back on

the Earth surface in a form of solid participles, drops of liquid or polluted rain.

Page 9: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

The air pollution problem has been accompanying us already since the times the ancient people discovered fire.

The ancient people’s health or even life were endan gered by high concentrations of such pollutants as carbon monoxide (CO) released from incompletely burnt

firewood and other compounds emitted during burning. Furthermore, the ancient Romans already knew about lead and mercury poisoning

in mines.

Already in 1273. Edward I, the king of England forbid to burn low quality coal, to

HISTORY OF HISTORY OF HISTORY OF AIR POLLUTIONAIR POLLUTIONAIR POLLUTION

9

Air pollution hazard has sharply increased since

the development of Industrial Revolution and the

mining industry.

smoke tails from factory chimneys

motor vehicles

new hazardous substances

(petrol with tetra-ethyl lead)

photo-chemical smog

Already in 1273. Edward I, the king of England forbid to burn low quality coal, to

reduce air pollution.

Edward I

Page 10: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

In troposphere are thousands of air pollutants, but main air pollution

comes from substances of the nine groups :

1. Carbon oxides (CO un CO2)

2. Sulphur oxides (SO2 un SO3)

3. Nitrogen oxides (N2O, NO un NO2)

Air pollutantsAir pollutantsAir pollutants

10

3. Nitrogen oxides (N2O, NO un NO2)

4. Volatile organic substances methane (CH4), benzol (C6H6), formaldehyde

(CH2O), freon‘s

5. Dispersed solid participlesdust, soot, pollen, asbestos, compounds of lead, arsenic,

cadmium and other heavy metals, nitrates, sulphates,

drops of liquid with sulphur acid, oil products, dioxins',

polycyclic biphenyl's, pesticides

Page 11: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

6. Photo-chemical oxidant’s - ozone (O3), peroxsil-nitrates,

hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl radical (OH-), aldehydes, which forms

in atmosphere under reaction between oxygen, nitrogen oxides and

volatile hydrocarbons in presence of Sun radiation

7. Radioactive substances (radon (Rn222),

iodide (J131), strontium (Sr90), plutonium (Pu239)

and other radioactive isotopes, which comes in

Air pollutantsAir pollutantsAir pollutants

11

9. Noise , rises using transport vehicles,

mechanisms in industry or building, devices for households

(vacuum cleaner, radio, mower, etc).

and other radioactive isotopes, which comes in

atmosphere in gaseous or dispersed form

8. Heat always to result, when one energy form converting into

other, especially by burning fossil fuel in car’s engine, furnace of

factory, thermo-electro plant, stove or fireplace

Page 12: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Considerable pollution source group is motor

transport – as motor exhaust gases contain various

harmful substances.

The exhaust gas composition may differ depending

on driving habits, engine operating conditions, fuel

supply and quality.

In the process of incomplete combustion of fuel

hydrocarbons, they are transformed into

carcinogenic substances – polyaromatic

hydrocarbons.

Air pollution trends in the worldAir pollution trends in the worldAir pollution trends in the world

12

War is one of the substantial air polluter !

Although a range of air environmental protection measures are being implemented today, it is

estimated that the losses incurred by the effects of polluted air on the human health – medical

expenses, loss of working capacity – still amount to hundreds of millions of EUR’s per year just

in the European Union

To protect both workers and residents, several criteria (limit value) have been

established in order to limit the maximum permissible concentrations of various

harmful substances in the air.

Page 13: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Pollution from WarPollution from War

13

Agent Orange, rocket fuel, lead, mercury, petroleum, asbestos, countless carcinogenic solvents. This toxic stew settles into the soil in which we grow our food, seeps down into the water we drink and floats unseen in the air we breathe making us sick — terribly sick – and killing many of us, or leading to birth defects, cancer, miscarriages, and kidney and thyroid disease.

More recently in Alaska, as a result of nuclear testing off that state’s coast, doctors say workers there will develop cancer at twice the rate as the general public.

The Vietnamese Red Cross estimates that 150,000 children have birth defects caused by the U.S. military’sspraying of Agent Orange during the Vietnam war.

Page 14: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Smog is a type of air pollution; the word "smog" is a combination of

“smoke” and “fog”. Modern smog is a type of air pollution derived

from emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes

that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary

pollutants that also combine with the primary emissions to form

photochemical smog.

Smog is also caused by large amounts of coal burning in an area caused by

a mixture of smoke, sulphur dioxide and other components.

The term "smog" is generally attributed to Dr. Henr y des Voeux in his 1905 paper, "Fog and Smoke" for a meeting of the Public Health Congress.

14

Characteristic coloration for smog in California in the beige cloud bank behind Golden Gate Bridge. The brown

coloration is due to the NOx in the photochemical smog.

Page 15: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOGPHOTOCHEMICAL SMOGPhotochemical smog was first described in the

1950s. It is the result of chemical reaction of sunlight, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere.

This mixture of air pollutants can include the following:

aldehydes; nitrogen oxides, especially,nitrogen dioxide; peroxyacil nitrates; tropospheric ozone; volatile organic

compounds.

15

compounds.

All of these chemicals are usually highly reactive and oxidizing. Photochemical smog is therefore considered to be a problem of modern industrialization.

It is present in all modern cities, but it is more common in cities with sunny, warm, dry climates and a large number of motor vehicles.

Because it travels with the wind, it can affect sparsely populated areas as well.Heavy smog in Moscow. Russia.

Domodedovo International Airport. 2010.

Page 16: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

HEALTH EFFECTS BY SMOGHEALTH EFFECTS BY SMOGSmog is a serious problem in many cities and continues

to harm human health.

Ground level ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide are especially harmful for senior citizens, children, and people with heart and lung conditions such as emphysema, bronchitis and asthma.

It can inflame breathing passages, decrease the lungs' working capacity, cause shortness of breath, pain when inhaling deeply, wheezing, and coughing. It can cause eye and nose irritation and it dries out the protective membranes of the nose and throat and interferes with the body's ability to fight infection,

16

interferes with the body's ability to fight infection, increasing susceptibility to illness.

Hospital admissions and respiratory deaths often increase during periods when ozone levels are high.

The USA EPA has developed an Air Quality Index to help explain air pollution levels to the general public:

- eight hour average ozone mole fractions of 85 to 104 nmol/mol are described as "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups", 105 nmol/mol 124 nmol/mol as "unhealthy" and 125 nmol/mol to 404 nmol/mol as "very unhealthy“,

- the "very unhealthy" range for some other pollutants are: 355 μg m−3 - 424 μg m−3 for PM10; 15.5 μmol/mol - 30.4 μmol/mol for CO and 0.65 μmol/mol - 1.24 μmol/mol for NO2

.

Highland Park Optimist Club wearing smog-gas masks at banquet,

Los Angeles, 1954.

Page 17: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

MAJOR SMOG INCIDENTS IN THE USAMAJOR SMOG INCIDENTS IN THE USA

1948, October, 30-31, Donora, PA: 20 died, 600 hospitalized, thousands more stricken. Lawsuits were not settled until 1951,

1953, November, New York: Smog kills between 170 and 260 people,

17

1954, October, Los Angeles: heavy smog shuts down schools and industry for most of the month,

1963, New York: blamed for 200 deaths,

1966, New York: blamed for 169 deaths.

Smog in New York City as viewed from the World Trade Center in 1988

Page 18: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Photochemical smogPhotochemical smog

18

Page 19: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG –– AREAS AFFECTEDAREAS AFFECTED

Photochemical smog more frequently happening in places, where is sunny, hot and dry

climate, as well as, heavy street traffic.

19

Beijing air on a day after rain (left)

and a smoggy day (right), August 2005.Characteristic smog cities are Los Angeles, Denver,

Sidney, Mexico City, Toronto, Beijing, Manila, Ruhr

Areas, Buenos Aires, however smog usually are in

summer time.

Page 20: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Burning coal and heavy oil fractions with high content of sulphur compounds, a industrial smog take shape.

Earlier its happened mainly in winter time.

Industrial smog consist manly of sulphur dioxide, droplets of sulphur acid and solid participles.

INDUSTRIAL SMOGINDUSTRIAL SMOG

20

Claude Monet made several trips to London between 1899 and 1901, during which he painted views of the

Thames and Houses of Parliament which show the sun struggling to shine through London's smog-laden

atmosphere.

Page 21: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Normal distribution of

pollution in air

Cooler air

Cool air

Warm air

DDISTRIBUTION OF ISTRIBUTION OF THE THE POLLUTION IN AIRPOLLUTION IN AIR

Thermal inversion and

concentration of pollution in

air

21

Cool air

Warm inversion layer

Cool air

Page 22: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

22Fog in Riga

Page 23: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Tobacco smokePollen

Pigments of paint

Soot

Ash

Sea salt dust

Small participles Medium participles Big participles

Solid participles by sizeSolid participles by size

Pollen by magnificationPesticides’

dust

Photochemical

smog

Dust from metallurgy

Coal dust

Flour

Cement dust

Tobacco smokePollen

0,001 0,01 0,1 1,0 10,0 100,0 Micrometers (μm) or microns

23

Page 24: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Air pollution in urban territories are distributed not only by non-equal heating of the Earth surface by Sun, but by specific of the ci ty planning and building – as

result there take a shape “heat islands” too.

Distribution of the pollution in citiesDistribution of the pollution in cities

24

Turbulence of the air flow in city’s streets with high,

but regular structure

Effect of the trees on air flows in cities

Page 25: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Burning coal or heavy oil fractions in air is emitted huge quantity of the

sulphur dioxide (SO2), solid participles and nitric oxides.

For reduction of local pollution in

50-60-ies of the 20 century has been built

more and more higher chimneys, which

distribute pollution above thermal

inversion layer.

Local pollution has been

reduced, but in territories

before the wind pollution

growth rapidly and polluted

ACIDIC PRECIPITATIONACIDIC PRECIPITATION

25

inversion layer.growth rapidly and polluted

territories enlarged.

Since 1950 global pollution with sulphur and

nitrogen oxides increased threefold.

Page 26: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

NATURALNATURAL PHENOMENA AND AIR POLLUTIONPHENOMENA AND AIR POLLUTION

The principal natural phenomena that contribute acid-producing gases to the atmosphere are emissions from volcanoes.

Thus, for example, fumaroles from Laguna Caliente crater of Poas Volcano create extremely high amounts of acid rain and fog with acidity 2 of pH, clearing an

area of any vegetation and frequently causing irritation to the eyes and lungs of inhabitants in nearby settlements.

Acid-producing gasses are created also by biological processes that occur on the

26

Acid-producing gasses are created also by biological processes that occur on the land, in wetlands, and in the oceans. The major biological source of sulphur

containing compounds is dimethylsuphide.

Nitric acid in rainwater is an important source of fixed nitrogen for plant life, and is also produced by electrical activity in the atmosphere such as lightning.

Acidic deposits have been detected in glacial ice thousands of years old in remote parts of the globe.

Soils of coniferous forests are naturally very acidic due to the shedding of needles and this phenomenon should not be confused with acid rain.

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HUMAN ACTIVITY AND AIR POLLUTIONHUMAN ACTIVITY AND AIR POLLUTION

The principal cause of acid rain is sulphur and nitrogen compounds from human sources, such as electricity

generation, factories, and motor vehicles.

Coal power plants are one of the most polluting. The gases can be carried hundreds of kilometers in the atmosphere

27

can be carried hundreds of kilometers in the atmosphere before they are converted to acids and deposited.

In the past, factories had short funnels to let out smoke but this caused many problems locally; thus, factories now have taller

smoke funnels .

However, dispersal from these taller stacks causes pollutants to be carried farther, causing widespread ecological damage .

Page 28: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

CHEMICAL PROCESSESCHEMICAL PROCESSES

In the gas phase sulphur dioxide is oxidized by reaction with the hydroxyl radical via an intermolecular reaction:

SO2 + OH· → HOSO2·

which is followed by:

HOSO2· + O2 → HO2

· + SO3

In the presence of water, sulphur trioxide (SO3) is converted rapidly to sulphuric acid :

SO3 (g) + H2O (l) → H2SO4 (l)

Nitrogen dioxide reacts with OH to form nitric acid:Nitrogen dioxide reacts with OH to form nitric acid:

NO2 + OH· → HNO3

When clouds are present, the loss rate of SO2 is faster than can be explained by gas phase chemistry alone. This is due to reactions in the liquid water droplets.

Hydrolysis: sulphur dioxide dissolves in water and then, like carbon dioxide, hydrolyses in a series of equilibrium reactions:

SO2 (g) + H2O ↔ SO2·H2O

SO2·H2O ↔ H+ + HSO3−

HSO3− ↔ H+ + SO3

2−

Page 29: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Wind

Transformation on

sulphur acid (H2SO4)

and nitric acid (HNO3)

Nitrogen oxide

(NO)

Soil dust and ammonia partly

neutralize acidic salts

Sulphur dioxide

(SO2) and nitrogen

dioxide (NO2) Formation of salts,

Acidic droplets mixes with

rain or snow producing acid

precipitation

Formation of the acidic precipitationFormation of the acidic precipitation

Water drops and solid participles fall down un surface quite soon, therefore “acid rains” are

more regional, instead of continental or global problem.

29

Ocean

Acid

fog

dioxide (NO2) Formation of salts,

but sulphates and

nitrates fall down

on surface

In lakes, especially in

more shallow, water

become more acidic

City

Farm

Page 30: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

Processes involved in acid deposition (note that only SO2 and

NOx play a significant role in acid rain).

Page 31: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

� Industrial areas and big cities

characterize rain acidity as pH≈4

In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

pH

� gastric juice (1,0-3,0),

lemon juice (2,3)� vinegar, vine

� sparkling drinks

Accumulator solution

� tomato juice� eel, trout (4,5)

� coffee, bred, pike

� urine (5,0-7,0)

Acid fog (2,0-

3,5)

Normal rain

water (5,0-5,6)

Acidic

HOW HOW ACIDIACIDIC ARE ENVIRONMENT ?C ARE ENVIRONMENT ?

characterize rain acidity as pH≈4

� At very polluted places acidity can be

tenfold higher with pH≈3

� In some places, situated before the wind from big cities and active industrial territories, as well as on mountain ranges and summits pH=2,3

31

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

� urine (5,0-7,0)

� milk (6,6), saliva, salmon,

molluscs� blood (7,3-7,5), eggs

� shampoo

� baking natron, phosphate

detergents, chlorine bleach� soap solution

� ammonia solution (10,5-

11,9),

� non-phosphate

detergents

� cleaning fluid

water (5,0-5,6)

Sea water (7,8-

8,3)

Distilled water

Alkaline

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HOW HOW ACIDIACIDIC ARE ENVIRONMENT ?C ARE ENVIRONMENT ?

32

Hydrangea Hydrangea macrophylla blossoms vary from pink to

blue, according to a pH-dependent mobilization and uptake of soil

aluminium into the plants.

Page 33: Air is one of the essential factors making life on the ...€¦ · NO 3-SO 4 2-salts Anthropogenic. 7 Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect,

This chart shows that not all fish, shellfish, or the insects that they eat can tolerate the same

amount of acid; for example, frogs can tolerate water that is more acidic (i.e., has a lower pH)

than trout.

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HOW HOW ACIDIACIDIC ARE HUMAN ?C ARE HUMAN ?

The pH of different cellular compartments, body fluids, and organs is usually tightly regulated in a process

called acid-base homeostasis.The pH of blood is usually slightly basic with a value of pH 7.365. This value is often referred to as physiological pH in

biology and medicine.Plaque (iekaisums) can create a local acidic environment that can result in

34

acidic environment that can result in tooth decay (sairšana) by

demineralisation.Enzymes and other proteins have an optimum pH range and can become inactivated or denatured outside this

range.The most common disorder in acid-base homeostasis is acidosis, which means an acid overload in the body, generally

defined by pH falling below 7.35.

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EMPHYSEMAEMPHYSEMAEmphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes

shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lungs are destroyed.

It is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD (pulmonary refers to the lungs).

Emphysema is called an obstructive lung disease because the destruction of lung tissue around smaller sacs, called alveoli, makes these air sacs unable to hold their

functional shape upon exhalation.

It is often caused by long-term exposure to air pollution or smoking.

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“Acid rains”“Acid rains” induce chain of the undesirable effects on

land, if pH<5,1.

Damage of monuments, buildings,

metal constructions

Wash out of soil Ca

and K compounds, which

Consequences of the “acid rains”Consequences of the “acid rains”

36

Wither away trees, especially, coniferous trees, which grow on

mountain slopes, exposed to acid fog and acid clouds flows

Small solid participles, mainly sulphates, form a mist in

many industrial countries and regions

and K compounds, which

are

a nutrients for

plants

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37

Since 1998, Harvard University wraps some of

the bronze and marble statues on its campus,

such as this “Chinese Stele", with waterproof

covers every winter, in order to protect them

from erosion caused by acid rain

(or, actually, acid snow).Trees killed by acid rain.

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“Acid rains”“Acid rains” induce the undesirable effects in water ecosystems, if pH<5,5

Under acidification processes in the lakes non-toxic inorganic mercury substances

transform into very toxic methyl-mercury, which dissolve in fats and can

accumulate in fishes, therefore to cause real threats for people, who consume

these poisoned creations.

Consequences of the “acid rains”Consequences of the “acid rains”

If pH to decline under 6, many fish species lose their ability for reproduction, but, if in water

pH<4,3, fish don’t live at all.

38

Fishes, water plants and

microorganisms perish in the lakes

and rivers.

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EXTENSION OF REGIONS WITH “ACIDIC PRECIPITATION” EXTENSION OF REGIONS WITH “ACIDIC PRECIPITATION”

39

Sensitive soils,

potentially

problematic regions

Air pollution regions,

emissions arouse the

“acid rains”

Very

problematic

regions

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“Acid rains”, which originate in

one country, can be transfer to

other countries by wind.Intensity levels of

“acid rains”

High

Low

Medium

High (>25%)

Medium (15-25%)

Low (<15%)

Damage of forests, %

“Forests’ death” areas in Europe“Forests’ death” areas in Europe

40

Norway, Switzerland, Austria,

Sweden, Netherland and

Finland receive ¾ of “acid

rains” from other countries.

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Emissions

Direct impact on

leaves or needles

Dry air

Strengthen

evaporation

Strengthen

Reduced

precipitation

High

sensitivity

towards

diseases

and vermins

(kaitēkļi)

Acid rains

AIR POLLUTION IMPACT ON FORESTAIR POLLUTION IMPACT ON FOREST

41

Damage of bark

Soil acidification

Lake

Disappear soil

microorganisms

Unaffected roots

perishing

Difficulties to

ingest

nutrients and

water

Release of toxic metal ions

Washing out

of acids and

soil

compounds

Underground water

Strengthen

transpiration

Inadequacy

of

water

and

nutrients

(kaitēkļi)

Reduced

photo-

synthetic-

activity

Crown of

the tree and

needles

decay

Downfall

of the

tree

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NONO2 2 POLLUTION IN RIGA POLLUTION IN RIGA

42

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NONO2 2 POLLUTION IN VENTSPILS AND LIEPAJAPOLLUTION IN VENTSPILS AND LIEPAJA

43

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Air monitoring in Latvia is carried out by Environment, geology and

meteorology centre by using differential optical absorption

spectrophotometric stations and devices.

AAIR MONITORING IN IR MONITORING IN LLATVIAATVIA

Regular air monitoring measure

concentration of sulphur dioxide (SO2),

Device for measurements of

solid participles PM10 and

PM2.5

44

concentration of sulphur dioxide (SO2),

nitric dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), benzol

(C6H6), solid participles PM10 and PM2.5

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Latvia

Riga

AIR MONITORING STATIONS IN RIGA AND LATVIAAIR MONITORING STATIONS IN RIGA AND LATVIA

Rīga

45

air monitoring stations for traffic pollution

air monitoring stations for background measurements

air monitoring stations for industrial pollution

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AIR MONITORING STATIONS IN LATVIA, 2010AIR MONITORING STATIONS IN LATVIA, 2010

46

Air quality stations in cities

Regional reference stations

National monitoring programme, 2010.

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Co

nce

ntr

ati

on

, μ

g/m

3

AIR POLLUTION IN RIGAAIR POLLUTION IN RIGA

47

Benzol OzoneSulphur

dioxideNitrogen dioxide

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12Months

Co

nce

ntr

ati

on

, μ

g/m

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Air pollution is usually associated with the qualit y of outdoor urban air. However, the health of humans may be much more affected by air pollutio n in their living environment – dwelling

and working premises.

In the rooms is limited

dispersion of emitted

pollution

In the rooms is slow down degradation of the

pollutants

Specific structure

of the pollutants

INDOOR AIR QUALITYINDOOR AIR QUALITY

48

People of developed countries, especially, residents of cities, main part of life stay

indoor !

COUNTRY-FOLKstay indoor 65% of

time

CITY DWELLER

89% of time

indoor

6% of time

in car5% of time

outside

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INDOOR AIR QUALITYINDOOR AIR QUALITY

49

A common air filter, being cleaned with a vacuum cleaner

Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum)absorb some airborne contaminants

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Ventilation modes:Ventilation modes:

Infiltration – limited non-control air

exchange (through chink, opening, door,

chimney)

Intensive ventilation – air

exchange by force with devices

Natural ventilation – air exchange by

natural flow through special openings

IIMPORTANCEMPORTANCE OF THE VOF THE VENTILATIONENTILATION

Natural ventilation, affected by

wind and chimneyNatural ventilation flows

Outflow

Inflow Outflow

Fresh

air

Air from

rooms

Balanced

ventilation system 50

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Sick building syndrome (SBS) is a combination of ailments (a syndrome) associated with an individual's place

of work (office building) or residence. A 1984 World Health Organisation report into the syndrome

suggested up to 30% of new and re-modelled buildings worldwide may be linked to symptoms of SBS. Most

of the sick building syndrome is related to poor indoor air quality .

Causes of the syndrome :

DustMicroorganisms

(bacteria, fungi, viruses) Tobacco smokeProducts of fuel

combustion

SSICK BUILDING SYNDROMEICK BUILDING SYNDROME

51

Building occupants complain of symptoms such as sensory irritation of the eyes, nose, throat; neural-toxic

or general health problems; skin irritation; nonspecific hypersensitivity reactions; and odour and taste

sensations.

In most cases, SBS symptoms will be relieved soon after the occupants leave the particular room or zone.

However, there can be lingering effects of various neurotoxins, which may not clear up when the occupant

leaves the building. Particularly in sensitive individuals there can be long-term health effects.

Pollen

Noxious vapours by chemicals

(glue, paint, etc.) used in

building materials

Outdoor

pollution

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CONSEQUENCES OF THE INDOOR CONSEQUENCES OF THE INDOOR POLLUTION IN THE WORLDPOLLUTION IN THE WORLD

52

Mortality, fatal cases

per one million

0-10

10-50

50-100

100-200

200-300

300-400

400-610

No data

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THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION !THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION !