AIR POLLUTION

AIR POLLUTION:

vehicle exhausts are responsible for between 45 and 50 percent of all air pollution. Carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides are the byproducts of incomplete combustion. Many people have health issues, including asthma, due to the presence of these dark fumes created by unfiltered car exhaust. Carbon monoxide (CO), one of the chemicals produced, is one of the most hazardous gases and can cause a wide range of health issues. Also, because it has such a profound effect on the developing brains of young people, it disproportionately impacts children. Nitrogen oxides are the second most common contaminant in the air. Nitrogen oxide is a hazardous gas released into the atmosphere by human activities like the combustion of fuel. As a result of its reaction with precipitation, NO quickly becomes the acidic Nitrogen trioxide (NO3), which alters the soil's ph. If it rains acid rain, the soil will become even more acidic, damaging crops and rendering them un plantable. 

Sulphur dioxide is the final remaining air contaminant (SO2). As a byproduct of the combustion of coal, fossil fuels, etc., which all include Sulphur (S), SO2 is released into the atmosphere. In addition, short-term exposure to high levels of SO2 has been related to three potentially dangerous symptoms: wheezing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing. When released into the atmosphere, the form of Nitrogen Oxides it takes results in acid rain. Last but not least, there are numerous factors that contribute to air pollution. However, many of these can be mitigated by limiting human activities that release pollutants such as vehicle exhaust, nitrogen oxides, and Sulphur dioxide. 

 Air pollution affects every country on Earth. To 

what extent does our society contribute to the pollution of the air? 

Pollution is the release of potentially dangerous materials into the environment, whether these materials are produced purposely or by natural processes. Air pollution is a leading cause of environmental problems like water contamination, soil pollution, and so on. Car exhaust, Oxides Of nitrogen ( NOx (NO, NO2, NO3), and Sulfur Dioxide are just a few of the many productions that contribute to the perilous level of air pollution we face today (SO2). Air Pollution is not a new topic. It is a problem that we have noticed since the industrial revolution, when trees, houses and cars were covered in soot from the factories. People demanded change then, just as they are demanding it now. With all the talk of acid rain, global warming, and ozone depletion it seems hopeless, but it isn't. Everyone can make a difference. After reading this you will understand the causes, effects, and possible solutions to the problems of acid rain, global warming and ozone depletion. 

You will also see that things are bad but not hopeless". We call snow and fog "Acid Rain" because their acidity levels are higher than average. pH indicates how acidic or basic a given material is. The pH scale runs from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. For the most part, rainfall has a pH of 5.5. (Slightly acidic). The pH of the rain in Norway on April 20, 1974, was 2.4, while the pH of the rain in West Wv in 1978, 2.0. The air quality hasn't improved much since the 1970s, when this happened. This extremely corrosive rain is devastating to both plant and animal life, as well as to infrastructure. We get acid rain when water vapors combine with nitrogen oxides, Sulphur dioxide, and carbon monoxide. To put it simply, the combustion of fossil fuels results in the emission of these gases into the atmosphere (natural gas, coal, and oil). Gases are largely produced by coal-burning power plants. 

 Acid rain causes extensive damage. When it rains, the acidity of the precipitation binds to the soil's minerals, tying these up because then plants can't use them. When a plant doesn't get enough of a certain mineral, it weakens and dies. The leaves perish due to the rain, which further weakens the plant and makes it more vulnerable to fungi and other illnesses. 

This is a serious issue in the farming industry. The animals that inhabit these bodies of water are impacted by the rain. Plants in water bodies, such as lakes and rivers, are similarly affected. There is nothing left to eat for such fish and other creatures. The metals in the soil are pulled into the water by the acid and kill the animals that manage to live. There has been a lot of damage done to buildings because of the acid rain. Lime, which is used in most of the masonry in our buildings, reacts violently with acids. Old tombstones and statues show the results of this weathering. Many of the gravestones have become so weathered that the engraved text is nearly unreadable. This process of weathering occurs naturally. Even though rain is already slightly acidic, the increased acidity caused by air pollution speeds up the process significantly. The business community is actively seeking for ways to reduce air pollution. Stopping the use of fossil fuels altogether is the ideal option, however this cannot be done at this time. Researchers are exploring new approaches to pollution prevention. One method is to clean the coal in preparation for combustion. 

However, not all of the Sulphur will be removed by washing. Some kind of chemical method will have to be developed to get rid of the rest. The issue is what to do about the surplus of Sulphur. Cleaning the smoke before it's released into the environment is another option. Smokestacks have had many filters added to them, however even these have limited success. The "greenhouse effect," or global warming, is another serious environmental issue brought on by smog. Trapped solar energy is what leads to the greenhouse effect, which is created by gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ozone (O3), nitrous oxide (N2O), and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Light from the sun enters the atmosphere, travels through it to the Earth, where it is absorbed and transformed into heat. 

The diminished heat energy prevents the covering of gases from letting the heat escape again. Amount of co2 causes a greenhouse effect that warms the planet naturally. Earth would be too frigid for human habitation if not for the natural greenhouse effect. Through the emission of the aforementioned gases, we have amplified this effect. Manufacturing processes and vehicle emissions both contribute to elevated CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Forest loss exacerbates the situation since plants require some of the atmospheric CO2 to produce their food. 

Aerosol cans are a major source of CFC emission into the atmosphere. Refrigerators and air conditioners use them, and these appliances often develop leaks as a result. Sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxide in car exhaust, releasing oxygen that then bonds with other oxygen molecules to form ozone. However, while ozone is helpful in the stratosphere because it blocks harmful ultraviolet radiation, its presence in the troposphere and lower atmosphere is harmful to life on Earth. A lot of people are probably wondering why exactly global warming such a horrible thing is. Really, 

who wouldn't want summer to last forever? The problem is that it would keep getting warmer and warmer, never settling for a pleasant temperature. It would have mild winters and sweltering summers. If this trend continues and worsens, some scientists say we'll have to leave the south and keep going north to avoid the heat. It will turn parched and desert-like in several spots. The question of what will become of the polar ice caps is raised in light of this unprecedented warming. Rising temperatures will cause ice sheets to melt and thus cause sea levels to rise dramatically. 

Our coastal areas are mostly below sea level. An increase would cause flooding throughout, including throughout much of the state of Texas. There has been an annual increase of.5 degrees Celsius in average temperature. There are others who would use this as evidence that global warming does not exist because it is significantly lower than with what scientists had anticipated. For starters, there are two ways in which the air pollution that surrounds the planet can be felt. Both allowing heat to enter the atmosphere and keeping it out have a role in global warming. Even while the majority of the sun's rays are making it through and staying there once inside, some are being deflected by the pollution and never making it to the atmosphere. There isn't enough sun will be reflected, though, so warming will be the general trend. By reducing and eventually ceasing the emission of greenhouse gases, we can mitigate the greenhouse effect. The catalytic converter is one tool that is being utilized to achieve this goal. Attached to the vehicle's exhaust pipe, the device lessens carbon monoxide emissions. Limiting the release of chlorofluorocarbons is another strategy. New coolants for industrial cooling are in development, and the use of aerosol cans is slated to be outlawed by the year 2000. Deforestation can be slowed by increasing tree planting efforts. 

 Ozone depletion is the final remaining significant environmental hazard brought on by air pollution. Remember that ozone is composed of three molecules of oxygen? (O3). It reaches its peak concentration between 20 and 25 kilometers above the Ground atmosphere. The ozone layer shields us from the sun's harmful rays, preventing us from wilting and dying. It protects against the cancer-causing ultraviolet (UV) rays. The ozone layer has been shown to have two significant holes: one huge just above the south pole, and one smaller just above the north pole. Both of these spots receive no shade whatsoever from the sun's rays. As was previously indicated, CFCs find widespread application in appliances including refrigerators, air conditioners, and spray cans. They are taken into the stratosphere because they do not decompose in the troposphere. As a highly reactive chemical, ozone quickly reacts with the carbon in CFCs. Upon being exposed to UV light, a CFC molecule releases one of its chlorine atoms. In an ozone complex, chlorine combines to one of the breathing atoms to produce chlorine carbonyl and oxygen in the atmosphere (O2). The chlorine is then released again in a separate process, where it can react with yet another ozone molecule. Since these gases tend to congregate at the poles due to wind currents, that is where the two ozone holes appear to reside. 

Nitrous oxide is another contaminant that is depleting ozone. It is released in the exhaust of jet engines. The high-flying jets deliver the pollution to the precise location where it may do the most harm. Alternative jet fuel that doesn't emit Nitrous gas is one answer, as is the use of hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) in place of CFCs and reducing overall CFC use. The production of ozone is ongoing. The issue arises because it is being depleted at a faster rate than it can be restored. In order to mitigate their effects, we need to reduce their emission rate. As a result, the ozone layer will have more time to heal. The only way to ensure this issue does not return is to maintain low emission levels. 

 These issues are certainly significant, and they are, but they are not yet irreparable. Some simple, every day actions can have a positive impact on the planet. Lights should be limited to the space you are currently in. Less power will need to be generated at Detroit Edison if people switch off lights when they leave the room and don't have every light on in the house, which means less coals will be used as well as less CO2 and then the other gasses will be produced or released into the atmosphere. Planting a tree on you yard or participating in a tree-planting initiative are two other simple ways to aid the cause. You can save money by using pump bottles rather than just aerosol cans or by sharing rides to and from work. When you know at least ten other people who make the same commute every day, there's no use in driving alone. To reduce your impact on the environment and save money on fuel, try taking a slower route. This may seem counterintuitive but travelling at higher speeds increases the strain on your car's engine, the amount of gas you use, and the emissions you release. You may do your part to protect the planet simply by adhering to the posted speed limit or going five miles per hour slower.