Air pollutants sources and effects 

Air pollution is mainly caused due to two reasons first humans and second due to air pollutants present in the atmosphere.

And if you want to control or stop pollution in air, first you have to know about air pollutants, their sources and its effect.

When you get full and complete information about their sources. Then you will recognise the real cause and will be able to control it.

Through this article we conveyed air pollutants full information from where they are generated and how they will affect you and your family.

Let's start

Air pollutants sources and effects

CO ( carbon monoxide)

It is colorless, odorless, tasteless gas, chemically inert under normal condition of temperature and pressure.

It has no effect at normal concentration (0.1 ppm) but at higher concentration it is seriously affects  the human metabolism.

Sources

a) CO reduce the oxygen carrying capacity of blood by reacting with hemoglobin and cause giddiness, laziness and exhaustion.

b) Natural process such as volcanoes ,natural gas emission ,electrical discharge during cloud formation, seed generation , marsh gas production etc contribute to carbon monoxide in the atmosphere through in small amounts.

b) Transportation sources contribute about 64% of carbon monoxide in the air.

c) Forest fires in agriculture burning contribute about 17% of CO the in the atmosphere.

d) Industrial processes such as electric furnace and blast furnace in the iron and steel industry, petroleum refining ,paper industry gas manufacture and coal mining etc cause about 9.6 % of CO in air.

Effects

a) It reduce visions and cause cardiovascular disorders. 

b) CO is a very dangerous asphyxiation and its is highly levels are fatal to human life.

Carbon dioxide(CO2)

The content of CO2 in the air has increased by approximately 15% during the last century inspite of the fact that photosynthesis green plants balance.This CO2-O2 ratio to a large extent .

Further more ,this increase has been accomplished by a corresponding decrease in atmospheric oxygen.

Sources

Fossil fuel combustion

Jet plane use O2 and release CO2.

Agriculture practices (deforestation)

Forestry

Effects

a) CO2 is comparatively less dangerous than CO and cause nause and headache.

b) Its major effects is on the climate of Earth. CO2 absorb infrared terrestrial radiation continue increase in CO2 concentration could result in raising temperature of the Earth surface.

So significantly that polar eyes would melt causing a rise in the ocean level . As a consequence the costal town would be flooded.

Oxides of nitrogen

NOx group include it possible oxides of nitrogen,NO , NO2 and N2O are primarily involved in air pollution.

NO is colourless ,odourless gas, but NO2 is reddish Brown and have suffocating odour NO and NO2 and are formed as

N2 + O2 <------------> 2NO

2NO + O2 <-----------> 2NO2

The formation of NO occurs at high temperature . The second reaction is also favoured at high temperature about 1100°c is also formed by photolytic reaction.

Sources

Fuel combustion in automobile and industries

Lightning

Forest fires

Bacterial decomposition of organic matter

Natural ionizing radiation.

Effects

a) Like CO,nitric oxide can also combined with haemoglobin and reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of blood.

b) NO is moderately toxic as it concentrate in air is not high.

c) NO2 is more toxic it irritates alveoli of the lungs and it high concentration may cause acute Bronchitis.

Oxides of sulphur

In general it is called as SOx, include sulphur dioxide and sulphur trioxide. SO2 is a colourless gas having pungent and suffocating odour 

Sources

Most of the SOx pollution (67%) is due to volcanic activity and other natural sources.

Remaining (33%) admission are due to

Burning of solid and fossil fuel

Transportation

Industries like paper manufacturing plants refining sulphuric acid plants

Open burning of refuse and municipal incinerator.

Effects

a) Irritation in mucous membrane

b) Causes bronchitis

c) Effect statues and other properties

d) Due to high concentration of So2 plant can cause chlorosis, metabolic inhibitions , plasmolysis and even death.

Hydrocarbon

The gaseous and volatile hydrocarbon and mystery responsible for air pollution, common hydrocarbon include methane, ethane and ethylene, acetylene, terpenes ,etc .

Sources

a) Coalfields

b) Natural fires

c) Incomplete combustion from car engine

d)Industrial sources( refineries)

e) Forest fires

f) Agriculture burning

g) Coal waste fires

Effects

a) Some hydrocarbon have carcinogenic and lachrymatory effects.

b) Comparatively harmless hydrocarbons like ethylene, undergo chemical reaction in the presence of sunlight and nitrogen oxide forming photochemical oxidants ( like Ozone , PAN ) which are harmful.

Photochemical oxidants

As mentioned above the major photochemical oxidants is ozone ( O3 ) ozone is produced in the upper atmosphere by solar reaction ,small concentration of these gases diffuse downward and become the major concern in air pollution.

In the presence of sunlight , the oxide of nitrogen react with the unborn hydrocarbon released by the exhaust of automobiles ( fuel combustion ) and following a series of complex reaction produce secondary pollutants like peroxyacetylnitrate (Pan ) ozone, aldehydes and ketones.

Effects

a) Irritation of eyes ,nose and throat.

b) Cause headache, pharyngitis, laryngitis etc.

In plant it can cause yellowing and premature falls of leaves.

c) It affects rubber plants textile fibres etc

Conclusion

I hope you get the information about all the sources and effects of air pollutants 

when we realise that the air pollutant can cause cardiovascular disease and even cancer.

Then we realise that to control pollution is our duty.

Through this not only we protect environment but also our family.

It inspires us to motivate other people and ourselves to take part in  nature protection activity.