Air Pollution

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Thought of the Day

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you…

Hazrat Isa (A.S)

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Air Pollution

The presence in the atmosphere of one or more air contaminants in sufficient quantities and of such characteristics and duration as to be injurious to human, plant, or animal life, to health, or to property, or to unreasonably interfere with the enjoyment of life or property

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The Atmosphere

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Composition of the Atmosphere

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Air Pollutant

An air pollutant can be considered as a substance in the air that, in high enough concentrations, produces a detrimental environmental effect

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Environmental Effect

An environmental effect is defined as a measurable or perceivable detrimental change resulting from contact with an air pollutant

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Ambient Air

Ambient air is the air to which the general public has access, i.e. any unconfined portion of the atmosphereAmbient concentrationThe appropriately time averaged concentration of a substance at a location to which the general public has access

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Air Pollutants

The two basic physical forms of air pollutants are

Particulate Matter GasesCarbon Monoxide (CO) Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

Nitrogen Dioxides (NO2) Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

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Particulate Matter• A criteria air pollutant• Particulate matter includes dust, soot, and

other tiny bits of solid materials that are released into and move around in the air

• Particulates are produced by many sources

• burning of diesel fuels by trucks and buses• incineration of garbage• mixing and application of fertilizers and

pesticides• road construction• industrial processes such as steel making,

mining operations• agricultural burning (field and slash

burning)• fireplaces and woodstoves

• Particulate pollution can cause eye, nose, and throat initiation and other health problems

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Particulate Matter

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Relative Size of Particles

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PM 10, 2.5, 0.1

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Types and Sources of Air Pollution

A primary pollutant is one that is emitted into the atmosphere directly from the source of the pollutant and retains the same chemical formA secondary pollutant is one that is formed by atmospheric reactions of precursor or primary emissions. Secondary pollutants undergo a chemical change once they reach the atmosphere

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Natural Sources (Biogenic)

VolcanoesWind StormsSand StormsForest FiresPollenNatural DecompositionNatural Radioactivity

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Dust Storm over Southwestern Asia

• The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this natural-color image on March 20, 2012

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Man Made Sources (Anthropogenic)

Mobile SourcesAutomobiles

Trains Aero planes

Stationary Sources (Non Moving Sources)

Power Plants Industrial Facilities

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Criteria Pollutants

The criteria pollutants are Carbon Monoxide (CO) Sulfur Oxides (SOx)

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)

Ozone (O3)

Lead (Pb) Particulate Matter (PM)

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Carbon Monoxide (CO)• Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless,

odorless, poisonous gas• slightly lighter than air• produced through the incomplete

combustion of carbon• operations of internal combustion

engines, such as automobiles• CO enters the bloodstream and reduces

the delivery of oxygen to the body’s organs and tissues

• most serious for people with cardiovascular disease

• Exposures to elevated carbon monoxide concentrations are associated with impairment of visual perception, work capacity, manual dexterity, learning ability, and performance of complex tasks

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Sulfur dioxide (SO2)• Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a corrosive,

poisonous gas • produced in power plants, particularly use

high-sulfur coal as a fuel• SO2 and oxides of nitrogen after being

released into the atmosphere, can be chemically converted into sulfates and nitrates

• may later be deposited on the ground in the form of so-called acid rain or snow

• At high concentrations, SO2 affects breathing and produces respiratory illness

• alterations in the defenses of the lungs• aggravation of existing respiratory and

cardiovascular disease• Sulfur dioxide can also produce damage

on trees and agricultural crops

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Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is produced when

fuels are burned at high temperatures• main sources are transportation vehicles

and power plants• NO and NO2 are inhaled, they can irritate

the lungs and lower resistance to respiratory infections such as influenza

• continued or frequent exposure to high concentrations causes increased incidence of acute respiratory disease in children

• Nitrogen oxides are also an important precursor of both ozone and acidic precipitation

• may affect both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

• limit for nitrogen dioxide is also designed to support the limit for ozone

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Ozone (O3)• Ozone (O3) is formed in the atmosphere as

a result of chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds, such as hydrocarbons (HCs)

• If inhaled, damages lung tissue• reduces lung function• sensitizes the lungs to other irritants• Scientific evidence indicates that ambient

levels of ozone not only affect people with impaired respiratory systems, such as asthmatics, but healthy adults and children

• Specific effects, particularly at elevated concentrations, include eye and lung irritation

• Ozone is also responsible for several billion dollars of agricultural crop loss in the United States each year.

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Lead (Pb)• Lead (Pb) is a heavy, comparatively

soft metal used as an additive to gasoline

• household paint• shotgun pellets• stained-glass windows• When taken into the body, it

accumulates in the blood, bones, and soft tissues

• Because it is not readily excreted, it also affects the kidneys, liver, nervous system, and blood-forming organs

• Excess exposure may cause neurological impairments such as seizures, mental retardation, and/or behavioral disorders.

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Particulate Matter• Particulates are solids or liquids

produced by the combustion of fuel in stationary power plants

• diesel-powered vehicles• various industrial processes• produced by plowing and burning of

agricultural fields• If particulates are inhaled, they can

lead to respiratory symptoms• aggravate existing respiratory • cardiovascular disease• alter the defenses of the body against

foreign materials, damage lung tissue, and produce latent cancers and premature mortality.

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National Primary US Air Quality Standards

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Table 1:  Sources, Health and Welfare Effects for Criteria Pollutants.

Pollutant Description Sources Health Effects Welfare Effects

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Colorless, odorless gas Motor vehicle exhaust, indoor sources include kerosene or wood burning stoves.

Headaches, reduced mental alertness, heart attack, cardiovascular diseases, impaired fetal development, death.

Contribute to the formation of smog.

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Colorless gas that dissolves in water vapor to form acid, and interact with other gases and particles in the air.

Coal-fired power plants, petroleum refineries, manufacture of sulfuric acid and smelting of ores containing sulfur.

Eye irritation, wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, lung damage.

Contribute to the formation of acid rain, visibility impairment, plant and water damage, aesthetic damage.

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Reddish brown, highly reactive gas.

Motor vehicles, electric utilities, and other industrial, commercial, and residential sources that burn fuels.

Susceptibility to respiratory infections, irritation of the lung and respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, chest pain, difficulty breathing).

Contribute to the formation of smog, acid rain, water quality deterioration, global warming, and visibility impairment.

Ozone (O3) Gaseous pollutant when it is formed in the troposphere.

Vehicle exhaust and certain other fumes.  Formed from other air pollutants in the presence of sunlight.

Eye and throat irritation, coughing, respiratory tract problems, asthma, lung damage.

Plant and ecosystem damage.

Lead (Pb) Metallic element Metal refineries, lead smelters, battery manufacturers, iron and steel producers.

Anemia, high blood pressure, brain and kidney damage, neurological disorders, cancer, lowered IQ.

Affects animals and plants, affects aquatic ecosystems.

Particulate Matter (PM) Very small particles of soot, dust, or other matter, including tiny droplets of liquids.

Diesel engines, power plants, industries, windblown dust, wood stoves.

Eye irritation, asthma, bronchitis, lung damage, cancer, heavy metal poisoning, cardiovascular effects.

Visibility impairment, atmospheric deposition, aesthetic damage.

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Perfect Combustion

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Incomplete Combustion

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Emissions

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Anthropogenic Sources (Man-Made Sources)

• Mobile Sources• On-Road Sources• Non-Road Sources

• Stationary Sources• Point Source• Area Source

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Mobiles Sources• Responsible for more than

half of the air pollution• cars are primary source• vehicles produce 75-90% less

pollution for each mile driven than their 1970 counterpart

• no. of vehicles have increased immensely

• Mobile Sources Pollutants• 45% VOC emissions• 50% NOx emissions• 60% CO emissions• 50% hazardous air pollutants in

urban air

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Mobile Sources

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Air Quality Index

• The Air Quality Index (AQI), also known as the Air Pollution Index (API) or Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) is an index for reporting daily air quality

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How does the AQI work?• Think of the AQI as a yardstick

that runs from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern

• An AQI value of 100 generally corresponds to the national air quality standard for the pollutant, which is the level EPA has set to protect public health

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Air Quality IndexLevels of Health Concern Numerical

Value Meaning

Good 0-50 Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.

Moderate 51-100

Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a

moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are

unusually sensitive to air pollution.

Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 101-150

Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general

public is not likely to be affected.

Unhealthy 151-200

Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious

health effects.

Very Unhealthy 201-300 Health alert: everyone may experience more serious health effects.

Hazardous > 300Health warnings of emergency

conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.

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Green House Gases

Carbon Dioxide

Water Vapors

Methane

Nitrous Oxide

Chlorofloro Carbons CFCs

Ozone

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Acid Rain / Acid Deposition• Acid deposition occurs when emissions of

sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere react with water, oxygen, and oxidants to form acidic compounds

• These compounds fall to the earth in either dry form (gas and particles) known as Dry Deposition or wet form (rain, snow, and fog) known as Wet Deposition

Duration of the reaction• It takes days or weeks for atmospheric

SOx and NOx to be converted to acids and deposited on the earth's surface, acid deposition occurs in a multistate scale hundreds of miles away from its sources

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World Health Day 2012

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Thank You