Air pollution as a disaster

1. Air Pollution
Presented By
Pragna Prathap
Kerala Agricultural University

2. What is Air pollution ???
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals,
particulates, biological materials, or other
harmful materials into the Earth's atmosphere,
possibly causing disease, death to humans,
damage to other living organisms such as food
crops, or the natural or built environment.

3. Air Pollutants
An air pollutant is a substance in the air that can
have adverse effects on humans and the
ecosystem.
The substance can be solid particles, liquid
droplets, or gases.
A pollutant can be of natural origin or man-
made.
Pollutants are classified as primary or secondary.

4. Primary P0llutants
Primary pollutants are
usually produced from a
process
Ash from a volcanic
eruption.
carbon monoxide gas from
motor vehicle exhaust
sulfur dioxide released
from factories.
Secondary pollutants are
not emitted directly.
They form in the air when
primary pollutants react or
interact.
Ground level ozone is a
prominent example of a
secondary pollutant.
Secondary Pollutants

5. Major Primary Air Pollutants Are:
Sulphur oxides, esp. sulphur dioxide (SO2)
Nitrogen oxides
Carbon monoxide (CO)
Volatile organic compounds classified as methane (CH4) and
non-methane (NMVOCs)
Particulate matter (PM), atmospheric particulate matter, or
fine particles - these are tiny particles of solid or liquid
suspended in a gas

6. Contd..,
Free radicals, radioactive pollutants, odours
Toxic metals such as lead and mercury and their
compounds
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): these are notorious for
depleting the protective ozone layer
Ammonia (NH3)

7. Secondary Air Pollutants
Include-
Smog
"Smog" is a combination of smoke and fog. Photochemical
smog is the result of chemical reaction of sunlight, nitrogen
oxides, and volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere.
Smog is a serious threat to human health and is regarded as
a problem of modern industrialization.

8. Ground Level Ozone (O3)
Becomes toxic at high amounts.
Human activities including combustion of fossil
fuels contribute to high levels of ozone in the air.
Ozone is a normal component of the atmosphere
and serves as a protective layer (ozone layer).
Pollutants such as CFCs deplete the ozone layer.

9. Peroxyacetyl Nitrate (PAN)
Peroxyacetyl nitrate (pan)is produced from
nitrous oxides and volatile organic
compounds (vocs).

10. Short Term Effects Of Pollution
Irritation to the eyes, nose and throat.
Respiratory infections.
Headache, nausea, and allergic reactions.
Asthma and emphysema

11. Long Term Effects Of Pollution
Chronic respiratory diseases.
Lung cancer.
Heart diseases.
Damage to the brain, nerves, liver or kidneys.

12. Major air pollution disasters
The “GREAT” London smog Melbourne dust storm Malaysian haze Southeast Asian haze

13. Bhopal Gas Tragedy
In 1984, union carbide plant released massive amounts of
methyl isocyanate into the air.
Because the gas was denser than air, it spread around the
surrounding communities.
Over 3,000 people were killed in the 6 hours of leakage,
Over 5,00,000 people were exposed.

14. THANK YOU