1. Air Pollution

2. Thought of the Day
Do unto others as you would
have them do unto you…
Hazrat Isa (A.S)
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3. 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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4. The Atmosphere
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5. Composition of the Atmosphere
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6. 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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7. 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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8. Ambient Air
Ambient air is the air to
which the general public
has access, i.e. any
unconfined portion of the
atmosphere
Ambient concentration
The appropriately time
averaged concentration of
a substance at a location
to which the general
public has access
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9. Air Pollutants
The two basic physical
forms of air pollutants are
Particulate Matter
Gases
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Nitrogen Dioxides (NO2)
Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOCs)
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10. Particulate Matter
• A criteria air pollutant
• Particulate pollution can
• Particulate matter includes dust, soot, and
other tiny bits of solid materials that are cause eye, nose, and
released into and move around in the air
• Particulates are produced by many
throat initiation and other
sources health problems
• 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
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11. Particulate Matter
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12. Relative Size of Particles
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13. PM 10, 2.5, 0.1
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14. 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 form
A 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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15. Natural Sources (Biogenic)
Volcanoes
Wind Storms
Sand Storms
Forest Fires
Pollen
Natural Decomposition
Natural Radioactivity
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16. 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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17. Man Made Sources
(Anthropogenic)
Mobile Sources
Automobiles
Trains
Aero planes
Stationary Sources (Non
Moving Sources)
Power Plants
Industrial Facilities
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18. 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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19. 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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20. 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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21. 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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22. 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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23. 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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24. 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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25. National Primary US Air Quality
Standards
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26. 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, Headaches, reduced Contribute to the
indoor sources include mental alertness, heart formation of smog.
kerosene or wood burning attack, cardiovascular
stoves. diseases, impaired fetal
development, death.
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Colorless gas that Coal-fired power plants, Eye irritation, wheezing, Contribute to the
dissolves in water vapor petroleum refineries, chest tightness, shortness formation of acid rain,
to form acid, and interact manufacture of sulfuric of breath, lung damage. visibility impairment,
with other gases and acid and smelting of ores plant and water damage,
particles in the air. containing sulfur. aesthetic damage.
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Reddish brown, highly Motor vehicles, electric Susceptibility to Contribute to the
reactive gas. utilities, and other respiratory infections, formation of smog, acid
industrial, commercial, irritation of the lung and rain, water quality
and residential sources respiratory symptoms deterioration, global
that burn fuels. (e.g., cough, chest pain, warming, and visibility
difficulty breathing). impairment.
Ozone (O3) Gaseous pollutant when it Vehicle exhaust and Eye and throat irritation, Plant and ecosystem
is formed in the certain other coughing, respiratory damage.
troposphere. fumes. Formed from tract problems, asthma,
other air pollutants in the lung damage.
presence of sunlight.
Lead (Pb) Metallic element Metal refineries, lead Anemia, high blood Affects animals and
smelters, battery pressure, brain and kidney plants, affects aquatic
manufacturers, iron and damage, neurological ecosystems.
steel producers. disorders, cancer, lowered
IQ.
Particulate Matter (PM) Very small particles of Diesel engines, power Eye irritation, asthma, Visibility impairment,
soot, dust, or other matter, plants, industries, bronchitis, lung damage, atmospheric deposition,
including tiny droplets of windblown dust, wood cancer, heavy metal aesthetic damage.
liquids. stoves. poisoning, cardiovascular
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effects.

27. Perfect Combustion
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28. Incomplete Combustion
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29. Emissions
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30. Anthropogenic Sources
(Man-Made Sources)
• Mobile Sources
• On-Road Sources
• Non-Road Sources
• Stationary Sources
• Point Source
• Area Source
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31. 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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32. Mobile Sources
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33. 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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34. 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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35. Air Quality Index Numerical
Levels of Health Concern Meaning
Value
Air quality is considered satisfactory,
Good 0-50
and air pollution poses little or no risk.
Air quality is acceptable; however, for
some pollutants there may be a
Moderate 51-100 moderate health concern for a very
small number of people who are
unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Members of sensitive groups may
Unhealthy for
101-150 experience health effects. The general
Sensitive Groups
public is not likely to be affected.
Everyone may begin to experience
health effects; members of sensitive
Unhealthy 151-200
groups may experience more serious
health effects.
Health alert: everyone may experience
Very Unhealthy 201-300
more serious health effects.
Health warnings of emergency
Hazardous > 300 conditions. The entire population is
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more likely to be affected.

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37. Green House Gases
Carbon Dioxide
Water Vapors
Methane
Nitrous Oxide
Chlorofloro Carbons CFCs
Ozone
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38. 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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39. World Health Day 2012
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40. Thank You
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