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Air Pollution

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25 views

Air Pollution

Uploaded by

qasimleopard360
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Environmental Science

Dr. Abubakar Dar


Associate Lecturer

Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture & Environment


The Islamia University of Bahawalpur
Air Pollution
What is air pollution?

 Air pollution is one such form that refers to the contamination of the
air, irrespective of indoors or outside
 Air pollution is the contamination of atmosphere (air) that disturbs
the natural composition and chemistry of air
 A physical, biological or chemical alteration to the air in the
atmosphere (that makes it difficult for plants, animals and humans to
survive as the air becomes dirty) can be termed as pollution
 Any additional gas, particles or odors that are introduced into the air
(either by nature or human activity) to distort this natural balance and
cause harm to living things can be called air pollution
Types of pollutants

 Primary pollutants: The pollutants that are a direct result of the


process can be called primary pollutants
 A classic example of a primary pollutant would be the sulfur-
dioxide emitted from factories
 Secondary pollutants are the ones that are caused by the inter
mingling and reactions of primary pollutants
 Smog created by the interactions of several primary pollutants is
known to be as secondary pollutant
 Acid rain which is formed when sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide
react with water
 NO2, which is formed as NO combines with oxygen in the air
What are the common air
pollutants around?
What are the causes of air pollution?

 Air pollution can result from both human and natural actions
 Natural events that pollute the air include;
 forest fires
 volcanic eruptions
 wind erosion
 pollen dispersal
 evaporation of organic compounds
 natural radioactivity
 Pollution from natural occurrences is not very often
 Human activities are the main cause of air pollution
Burning of fossil fuels

 SO2 emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum
and other factory combustibles
 Emission from vehicles including trucks, jeeps, cars, trains, & airplanes
 CO & NOx caused by improper or incomplete combustion & generally
emitted from vehicles
 NOx that is produced from both natural & man-made processes
Agricultural activities

 Ammonia is a very common by-product from agriculture related


activities
 Ammonia is one of the most hazardous gases in the
atmosphere
 Use of insecticides, pesticides & fertilizers in agricultural
activities
 They emit harmful chemicals into the air & can also
cause water pollution
Exhaust from factories & industries

 Manufacturing industries release large amount of CO,


hydrocarbons, organic compounds, & chemicals into the air
 Manufacturing industries can be found at every corner of the
earth & there is no area that has not been affected by them
 Petroleum refineries also release hydrocarbons & various other
chemicals that pollute the air & also cause land pollution
Mining operations

 Mining is a process wherein minerals below the earth are extracted


using large equipment
 During the mining process dust & chemicals are released in the
air causing massive air pollution
 This is one of the reason which is responsible for the deteriorating
health conditions of workers & nearby residents
Indoor air pollution

 Household cleaning products, painting materials emit toxic chemicals in


the air
 Have you ever noticed that once you paint walls of your house, it
creates some sort of smell which makes it literally impossible for you
to breathe?
 Spray of insecticides etc.
 Mosquito or housefly control
Effects of air pollution

 1. Respiratory and heart problems


 Air pollution creates several respiratory & heart conditions along with
cancer, among other threats to the body
 Several millions people have been died due to air pollution
 Children in areas exposed to air pollutants are said to commonly
suffer from pneumonia and asthma
 2. Global warming
 Air pollution causes global warming
 Increase in world temperature & sea levels, & melting of ice,
displacement & loss of habitat
Greenhouse effect
Effects of air pollution…continue

 3. Acid Rain
 During rains, the water droplets combines with the air pollutants
(such as NO2 & SO2), becomes acidic & then falls on the ground
in the form of acid rain
 Acid rain can cause great damage to human, animals & crops
 4. Effect on Wildlife
 Just like humans, sea or land animals also face some
devastating effects of air pollution
 Toxic chemicals present in the air can force wildlife species to
move to new place & change their habitat
Effects of air pollution…continue

 5. Depletion of ozone layer


 Ozone exists in earth’s stratosphere & is responsible for
protecting humans from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays
 Earth’s ozone layer is depleting due to the presence of
chlorofluorocarbons & hydro chlorofluorocarbons in the
atmosphere
 Thinning of ozone layer can result in access of harmful rays on
earth & can cause skin & eye related problems
 UV rays also have the capability to affect crops
Solutions for air pollution

 1. Use public mode of transportation


 Encourage people to use more & more public modes of
transportation (e.g. bus & train) to reduce pollution
 Make use of carpooling. If you & your colleagues come from the
same locality & have same timings you can explore this option to
save energy & money
Solutions for air pollution…continue

 2. Conserve energy
 Switch off fans & lights when you are going out
 Large amount of fossil fuels are burnt to produce electricity
 You can save the environment from degradation by reducing the
amount of fossil fuels to be burned
Solutions for air pollution…continue

 3. Understand the concept of Reduce, Reuse & Recycle (3Rs)


 Do not throw away items that are of no use to you. In-fact reuse them
for some other purpose, e.g. use old jars to store cereals or pulses
 4. Use energy efficient devices
 CFL lights consume less electricity as against their counterparts
 They live longer, consume less electricity, lower electricity bills & also
help you to reduce pollution by consuming less energy
Solutions for air pollution…continue

 5. Emphasis on clean energy resources


 Clean energy technologies like solar, wind and geothermal are on high
these days
 Governments of various countries have been providing grants to
consumers who are interested in installing solar panels for their home

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