Air Pollution in Enviroment

1. In The Name Of Allah, Most Gracious,
Most Merciful

3. EnvironmEntal Pollution is “The
contamination of the physical and biological
components of the atmospheric system to
such an extent that normal environmental
processes are adversely affected”.
tyPEs of EnvironmEntal Pollution
There are three major types of
environmental pollution:
 Air Pollution
 Water Pollution
 Soil Pollution (Contamination)

4. air Pollution
• Air pollution is a release into the
atmosphere of any substances, ex.
chemicals or airborne particles, which
are harmful both to the human and
animal health as well as the health of
the wider environment.

5. CausEs of air
Pollution
Natural Causes
 Forest Fires
 Volcanic Eruptions
 Vegetation Decay Processes In Soil.
Anthropogenic (Human-made) Causes
 Burning of Fossil Fuels (Oil, Gas & Coal)

6. funDamEntal CausEs of air
Pollution Industrialization
Industrialization set in motion the widespread use of fossil fuels
which are now the main drivers of pollution.
 Population Growth
It causes the demand for food and other goods to go up, which
is met by expanded production and use of natural resources.
This then leads to higher levels of atmospheric pollution.
 Globalization
Globalization has in a way become a facilitator of air pollution.
Big industry takes advantage of negligent environmental
controls in developing nations and moves its manufacturing
facilities to such “pollution havens” from where air pollution
travels around the world without any obstacles.

7.  Combustion Engine Exhaust
The exhaust from vehicles contains
carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and
gaseous oxide. This type of air pollution
creates smog.
 Petroleum Refineries
Petroleum refineries release
hydrocarbons and various particulates
that pollute the air.
 Chemicals
Pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers and
herbicides all cause air pollution.

8.  Radioactive Fallout
Radioactive fallout from the nuclear
power plants also causes air pollution.
 Indoor Air Pollution
This happens when there is not
enough ventilation to disburse the
toxic fumes produced in homes.
Sources of indoor air pollution include
Biological contaminants like mold,
tobacco smoke, Household products
and pesticides.

9. air Pollutants
 Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
The main sectors producing sulfur dioxide are:
 Power Generation and Refineries
 Manufacturing industry
 Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
The main sectors producing nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
are:
 Road Transport
 Deforestation & Fires
 Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Major sources of CO2 are Fossil Fuels Burning and
Deforestation.
 Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Chlorofluorocarbons are greenhouse gases that
contribute to global warming.

10.  Carbon Monoxide (CO)
The top sectors producing carbon
monoxide are:
 Biofuel Combustion
 Agriculture Waste Burning
 Ammonia (NH3)
 Agriculture, specifically livestock
farming & animals waste, is the
main source of ammonia
emissions.

11. lEGal rEGulations
In general, there are two types of air
quality standards.
1. The first class of standards (such
as the National Ambient Air Quality
Standards) set maximum
atmospheric concentrations for
specific pollutants.
2. The second class (such as the Air
Quality Index) take the form of a
scale with various thresholds, which
is used to communicate to the
public the relative risk of outdoor
activity.

12. air Quality inDEX
(aQi) The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a number
used by government agencies to characterize
the quality of the air at a given location. As the
AQI increases, an increasingly large
percentage of the population is likely to
experience severe adverse health effects.
 To compute the AQI requires an air pollutant
concentration from a monitor or model.
 Air quality index values are divided into
ranges, and each range is assigned a
descriptor and a color code.

13. AQI
Air
Quality
Level of
Health
Concern
Health Implications
0 - 50 Excellent Low No health implications
51 -100 Good Moderate No major health implications
101-150
Slightly
Polluted
Unhealthy for
Sensitive Groups Slight irritations may occur.
151-200 Lightly Polluted
Unhealthy Individuals with breathing or heart
diseases may have problems.
201-300
Heavily
Polluted Very Unhealthy
People with breathing or heart problems
will experience reduced endurance in
activities.
300+
Severely
Polluted
Hazardous
Healthy people will be noticeably
affected. There may be strong irritations
and symptoms and may trigger other
illnesses.

14. EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION

15. Each air pollutant exerts their own specific adverse
impacts, ranging from mild to really damaging.
We can distinguish between short-term acute effects and
long-term chronic effects of air pollution.
Air pollutants enter the body primarily through the
respiratory system which thus becomes their main
victim.

16. Effects of Air Pollution
• Effects on Humans
• Effects on Animals
• Effects on Trees
• Economic Losses
• Effects of Smog
• Effects of Acid Rain
• Global Warming and Air Pollution

17. Effects on Humans
• Sulphur Dioxode
• Nitrogen Dioxide
• Carbon monoxide
• Ozone
• Ammonia
• Volatile Organic Compounds
• Airborne Particles

18. Effects on Humans
• Sulphur Dioxide Effects:
Asthma sufferer
•Irritation of eyes, nose, throat;
damage to lungs when inhaled
•Acute and chronic asthma
•Lung cancer

19. Effects on Humans
• Nitrogen Dioxide Effects:
•Increased incidence of respiratory
illness
•Increased airway resistance (due to inflammation)
•Damage to lung tissue
•Nitrogen dioxide affects people with existing medical
conditions more severely than healthy people. Children
are affected easier than adults.

20. Effects on Humans
• Carbon Monoxide Effects:
•Toxicity of the central nervous system and
heart
•Headaches, dizziness, nausea and unconsciousness
•Loss of vision
•Decreased muscular coordination
•Abdominal pain

21. Effects on Humans
• Ozone Effects:
•Burning nose and watering eyes
•Coughing, wheezing and throat irritation
•Rapid, shallow, painful breathing
•Susceptibility to respiratory infections
•Inflammation and damage to the lining of the lungs
•Aggravation of asthma
•Fatigue
•Cancer

22. Effects on Humans
• Ammonia Effects:
On the respiratory system :
•Nose & throat irritation and burns
•Swelling of the throat and airways; airways destruction
•Chronic lung disease
•Cough
•Asthma
•Inhaling large amounts of ammonia can be fatal
On the skin & eyes :
•Skin burns
•Skin conditions, ex. dermatitis
•Burning sensation in the eyes
•Ulceration & perforation of the cornea (can occur
months after exposure); blindness
•Cataracts & glaucoma

23. Effects on Humans
• Effects of Volatile Organic Compounds:
•Tiredness, dizziness, nausea, confusion, unconsciousness
•Anemia
•Bone marrow damage
•Liver damage
•Dysfunction of the central nervous system:
oBehavioral problems
oMemory loss
oDisturbance of the circadian rhythm
•Cardiovascular diseases
•Cancer; specifically leukemia
•As facilitators in ozone formation, VOCs may indirectly
contribute to respiratory problems

24. • Effects of Airborne Particles:
Effects on Humans
•Stuffy noses, Sore throats , Wet cough, dry cough
•Head colds
•Burning eyes
•Wheezing; shortness of breath
Children are of course more susceptible to particulate
pollution.
Specific children’s disorders caused by airborne particles
may include:
•Infant death
•Low birth weight
•Reduced lung function

25. Effects on Animals
• Acid rain contains much higher than normal
amount of sulphuric and nitric acid i-e actually
toxic to aquatic life in lakes and streams.
• This poses threat to aquatic life as well as the
food chain in general. It is also harmful to
plants and degrades buildings and
monuments.

26. •Pollution may affect animals through plants on
which they feed.
•For example, if a certain plant is negatively
affected by air pollutants, this will also affect the
animals that depend on this particular plant for
food.
•Tropospheric ozone may damage animal lung
tissue.
Effects on Animals

27. Effects on Trees and Plants
Here is how sulphur dioxide may affect trees & plants :
– Cell metabolism disruption (membrane damage, respiration
and photosynthetic effects)
– Leaf injury and loss
– Reduced growth and reproduction
– Increase in susceptibility of plants to attacks by insect
herbivores
• Particulate air pollution effects on plants & trees may include :
– Blocked stomata
– Increased leaf temperature
– Reduced photosynthesis
– Reduced fruit set, leaf growth, pollen growth
– Reduced tree growth

28. Effects on Trees and
Plants
• Acid rain (as a product of sulphur and
nitrogen pollution) can kill trees,
destroy the leaves of plants, can
infiltrate soil by making it unsuitable
for purposes of nutrition and
habitation.
• It is also associated with the reduction
in forest and agricultural yields.

29. Air Pollution Effects – Economic
Losses
Some of these economic effects are :
• Direct medical losses
• Lost income from being absent from work
• Decreased productivity
• Travel time losses due to reduced visibility
• Losses from repair of damage to buildings
• Increased costs of cleaning
• Losses due to damage to crops & plants
Some of these economic effects are :
• Direct medical losses
• Lost income from being absent from work
• Decreased productivity
• Travel time losses due to reduced visibility
• Losses from repair of damage to buildings
• Increased costs of cleaning
• Losses due to damage to crops & plants

30. Effect Of Smog
• Though "smog" is sometimes
described as a combination of
smoke and fog, it is actually a
mixture of pollutants and
ground-level ozone.
• The pollutants that help make
smog come mostly from vehicle
emissions, factories, power
plants and consumer products
like paint and solvents.
• Smog can cause problems such
as respiratory ailments, reduced
visibility, damage to vegetation,
colds, and eye irritation.

31. Depletion of Ozone Layer
• Over the years, the
constant use of industrial
and domestic chemical,
mostly CFC's used in
refrigerators and other
solvents have depleted an
area of this layer.
• This area is found over an
ice shelf in Antarctica and
the ice caps are melting
with the result of a rise in
sea level. This depletion is
causing global warming
or the greenhouse effect.

32. Global Warming and Air Pollution
Effects of global warming :
- Sea temperatures would increase, the
water would enlarge and the sea levels
rise.
- Low-lying areas would be flooded.
Some islands would disappear
altogether.
- Hot regions could become hotter and
deserts would extend.
- Some plants and animals would
become extinct

33. Global Warming and Air Pollution
Is Climate Change Making Us Sick?
More floods, heat waves, insect-borne
disease... Global warming affecting our
health badly.
Every one degree rise means 75 deaths
Deaths can be caused by the body’s inability to
adapt and cool itself sufficiently. However,
the main causes of death and illness are
cardiovascular and respiratory disease.

34. Air Pollution; Prevention & Control

35. Air Pollution; Prevention Awareness
In many countries in the world, steps are being taken to stop the
damage to our environment from air pollution.
 Scientific groups study the damaging effects on plant, animal and
human life.
Legislative bodies write laws to control
emissions.
Educators in schools and universities
teach students, beginning at very young
ages, about the effects of air pollution.

36. Solution to Air Pollution Problem..
 The first step to solving air pollution is assessment . Researchers have investigated
outdoor air pollution and have developed standards for measuring the type and
amount of some serious air pollutants.
 Scientists must then determine how much exposure to pollutants is harmful.
 Once exposure levels have
been set, steps can be undertaken
to reduce exposure to air
pollution.These can be
accomplished by regulation of
man-made pollution through legislation.

37. Control through Legislation
Many countries have set controls on pollution emissions for
transportation vehicles and industry.
This is usually done to through a variety of coordinating
agencies which monitor the air and the environment.

38. PEPA
Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency is an attached
department of the Ministry of Environment and responsible
to implement the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act,
1997 in the country.
An Act to provide for the protection, conservation,
rehabilitation and improvement of environment, for the
prevention and control of pollution, and promotion of
sustainable development.
It has set the NEQS; to monitor and control Environment
Pollution levels.

39. Reduction in Air Pollution
Reductions in air pollution can be achieved by a variety of
methods including pollution prevention, control technologies, and
control measures.
A control strategy may include a combination of different
voluntary measures or mandatory controls, and may focus on one
or several pollutants or sources of air pollution.

40. Control of Emissions
Air pollution control technologies have achieved stunning
results in reducing emissions from the manufacturing and
mobile source sectors by as much as 90 to 99 percent.
Mercury and OtherToxic
Air Pollutants
Ozone
Particle Pollution

41. Mercury and Other Toxic Air
Pollutants
 Control of mercury emissions is based upon reduction of the emissions and
pollutant releases into the atmosphere by the industries that use mercury within
their processes, emit mercury or dispose of products containing mercury, such
as thermometers.
 Emission standards for hazardous
air pollutants have been established
for industries emitting toxic air
emissions.

42. Mercury and Other Toxic Air Pollutants
 Strategies for controlling mercury and other toxic air pollutants include;
Product Substitution,
Process Modification,
Work-Practice Standards,
Materials Separation;
Coal Cleaning (relevant to mercury control);
Flue GasTreatmentTechnologies; and alternative strategies.
 Significant sources of toxic air pollution are motor vehicles, so programs to reduce
emissions from cars, trucks and buses also decrease concentrations of toxic air
pollutants.These programs include;
Reformulated gasoline,
National low emission vehicle (NLEV) program,
 Gasoline sulfur control requirements.

43. Ozone Depletion Control; NOx & VOCs
Ozone control strategies generally target nitrogen oxides (NOx) and
volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
 Control strategies may comprise a set of regulations that specify emission limits and
control equipment like;
Reasonable Available ControlTechnology (RACT),
Best Available ControlTechnology (BACT),
Lowest Achievable Emission Rates (LAER).

44. Particle Pollution
 Particle pollution, or particulate matter (PM) pollution control strategies
reduce primary PM emitted directly by a source, or PM precursor emissions
(NOx, SOx,VOC, and ammonia) that react in the atmosphere to form fine PM.

45. PM Contd
 Control strategies could include a set of regulations that specifies emission
limits.
 PM control equipment or programs may address specific industrial processes,
that burns diesel fuel, and sources
such as dust from agricultural
activities.

46. Effective Air Pollution Control Methods
Activated Carbon.
Bio filters; Clearing the Air.
Catalytic Oxidizers; DrivingTowards Cleaner Emissions.
Acid Gas Control - SO2 ; Use of Wet or Dry Scrubbers.

47. Activated Carbon
It is a popular air pollution control method. One of the most common
forms of carbon treatment in air pollution control is carbon
adsorption.
This method sees the use of
dry chemical scrubbing media
such as carbon filters for the
adsorption of fumes from the air.

48. Bio filters; Clearing the Air
 Bio Filtration is a method of pollution control in which process pollutants are
biologically degraded using micro-organisms.The most common application of
bio filters is the micro biotic oxidation of contaminants in the air.

49. Catalytic Oxidizers; Driving Towards Cleaner
Emissions.
 Catalytic Oxidizers are placed in the exhaust system of cars to reduce emissions
from the exhaust pipe.
 The ideal byproducts of a car’s engine are carbon dioxide, some water and nitrogen.
However in reality engines continue to release unburned hydrocarbons which
damage the environment.

50. A BIG Problem!!!
Gas Flares: (or flare stacks) burning off unwanted substances
and releasing them into the environment.
Examples of gas flare usage include chemical plants, landfills and oil
rigs.Their most common purpose is to protect against unplanned
over-pressuring of the plant equipment.

51. Acid Gas Control - SO2 ; Use of Wet or Dry
Scrubbers.
 Several systems for dry scrubbing are available, including Spray Dryer Absorbers (SPAs)
and Dry Sorbent Injectors (DSIs). SPAs remove the presence of acid gases from the
environment through absorption in the dryer.
 DSIs are mainly used in medical waste applications. The ability of DSIs to reduce air
pollution is limited in the less advanced systems.
 Dry scrubbers are ideal for air pollution reduction applications in which the lowest level
of water involvement is vital.

52. Ways To Prevent Air Pollution
 The fact is that human activities contribute the most to air pollution.
Considering the harmful effects of air pollution, it is very essential that
everyone should contribute to prevent air pollution.
Car Pool
Vehicle Care
PublicTransport
Alternative Energy Source
Saving Energy
Minimize Air Pollutants

53. Geo Sequestration
In a typical geo sequestration process, carbon dioxide (CO2) is captured
at an industrial facility, compressed and transported by pipeline to a
suitable storage location. There, it is injected into a deep geological
formation beneath the Earth’s surface.
CO2 is the biggest contributor to the greenhouse gas effect because it
traps heat from the Sun in the Earth's atmosphere.This leads to climate
change; GlobalWarming. Other gases, such as methane, nitrous oxide,
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), etc also add to the problem.

54. THANK YOU!!!