AIR POLLUTION

What is Air Pollution?

Pollution is now a commonplace term, that our ears are attuned
to. We hear about the various forms of pollution and read about
it through the mass media. Air pollution is one such form that
refers to the contamination of the air, irrespective of indoors or
outside. A physical, biological or chemical alteration to the air in
the atmosphere can be termed as pollution. It occurs when any
harmful gases, dust, smoke enters into the atmosphere and
makes it difficult for plants, animals, and humans to survive as
the air becomes dirty.

Air pollution can further be classified into two sections- visible

air pollution and invisible air pollution. Another way of looking at
air pollution could be any substance that holds the potential to
hinder the atmosphere or the well being of the living beings
surviving in it. The sustainment of all things living is due to a
combination of gases that collectively form the atmosphere; the
imbalance caused by the increase or decrease in the
percentage of these gases can be harmful to survival.

The Ozone layer considered crucial for the existence of the

ecosystems on the planet is depleting due to increased
pollution. Global warming, a direct result of the increased
imbalance of gases in the atmosphere has come to be known
as the biggest threat and challenge that the contemporary
world has to overcome in a bid for survival.

Types of Pollutants:

In order to understand the causes of Air pollution, several

divisions can be made.

Primarily air pollutants can be caused by primary sources or

secondary sources. The pollutants that are a direct result of the
process can be called primary pollutants. A classic example of
a primary pollutant would be the sulfur-dioxide emitted from
factories

Secondary pollutants are the ones that are caused by the

intermingling and reactions of primary pollutants. Smog created
by the interactions of several primary pollutants is known to be
as a secondary pollutant.

Various Causes of Air pollution

1. The burning of fossil fuels;

Sulfur dioxide emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels like

coal, petroleum and other factory combustibles are one the
major cause of air pollution. Pollution emitting from vehicles
including trucks, jeeps, cars, trains, airplanes cause an
immense amount of pollution. We rely on them to fulfill our daily
basic needs of transportation.
But, their overuse is killing our environment as dangerous
gases are polluting the environment. Carbon Monoxide caused
by improper or incomplete combustion and generally emitted
from vehicles is another major pollutant along with Nitrogen
Oxides, that is produced from both natural and man-made
processes.

2. Agricultural activities;

Ammonia is a very common byproduct from agriculture-related

activities and is one of the most hazardous gases in the
atmosphere. Use of insecticides, pesticides, and fertilizers in
agricultural activities has grown quite a lot. They emit harmful
chemicals into the air and can also cause water pollution.

3. Exhaust from factories and industries;

Manufacturing industries release a large amount of carbon

monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and chemicals
into the air thereby depleting the quality of air. Manufacturing
industries can be found at every corner of the earth and there is
no area that has not been affected by it. Petroleum refineries
also release hydrocarbons and various other chemicals that
pollute the air and also cause land pollution.

4. Mining operations;

Mining is a process wherein minerals below the earth are

extracted using large equipment. During the process dust and
chemicals are released in the air causing massive air pollution.
This is one of the reasons which is responsible for the
deteriorating health conditions of workers and nearby residents.
5. Indoor air pollution;

Household cleaning products, painting supplies emit toxic

chemicals in the air and cause air pollution. Have you ever
noticed that once you paint the walls of your house, it creates
some sort of smell which makes it literally impossible for you to
breathe?

Suspended particulate matter popular by its acronym SPM, is

another cause of pollution. Referring to the particles afloat in
the air, SPM is usually caused by dust, combustion, etc.

Disastrous Effects of Air pollution

1. Respiratory and heart problems;

The effects of air pollution are alarming. They are known to

create several respiratory and heart conditions along with
Cancer, among other threats to the body. Several million are
known to have died due to direct or indirect effects of Air
pollution. Children in areas exposed to air pollutants are said to
commonly suffer from pneumonia and asthma.

2. Global warming;

Another direct effect is the immediate alterations that the world

is witnessing due to global warming. With increased
temperatures worldwide, increase in sea levels and melting of
ice from colder regions and icebergs, displacement and loss of
habitat have already signaled an impending disaster if actions
for preservation and normalization aren’t undertaken soon.
3. Acid rain;

Harmful gases like nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides are

released into the atmosphere during the burning of fossil fuels.
When it rains, the water droplets combine with these air
pollutants, becomes acidic and then falls on the ground in the
form of acid rain. Acid rain can cause great damage to human,
animals, and crops.

4. Eutrophication;

Eutrophication is a condition where a high amount of nitrogen

present in some pollutants gets developed on sea’s surface
and turns itself into algae and adversely affect fish, plants and
animal species. The green colored algae that are present on
lakes and ponds is due to the presence of this chemical only.

5. Effect on wildlife;

Just like humans, animals also face some devastating effects of

air pollution. Toxic chemicals present in the air can force wildlife
species to move to a new place and change their habitat. The
toxic pollutants deposit over the surface of the water and can
also affect sea animals.

6. Depletion of the ozone layer;

Ozone exists in the Earth’s stratosphere and is responsible for

protecting humans from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Earth’s
ozone layer is depleting due to the presence of
chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the
atmosphere. As the ozone layer will go thin, it will emit harmful
rays back on earth and can cause skin and eye related
problems. UV rays also have the capability to affect crops.

When you try to study the sources of Air pollution, you enlist a
series of activities and interactions that create these pollutants.
There are two types of sources that we will take a look
at Natural sources and Man-made sources.

Natural sources of pollution include dust carried by the wind

from locations with very little or no green cover, gases released
from the body processes of living beings (Carbon dioxide from
humans during respiration, Methane from cattle during
digestion, Oxygen from plants during Photosynthesis). Smoke
from the combustion of various inflammable objects, volcanic
eruptions, etc along with the emission of polluted gases also
makes it to the list of natural sources of pollution.

While looking at the man-made contributions towards air

pollution, smoke again features as a prominent component.
The smoke emitted from various forms of combustion like
in biomass, factories, vehicles, furnaces, etc. Waste used to
create landfills generate methane, that is harmful in several
ways. The reactions of certain gases and chemicals also form
harmful fumes that can be dangerous to the well being of living
creatures.
Solutions For Air Pollution:

1. Use public mode of transportation;

Encourage people to use more and more public modes of

transportation to reduce pollution. Also, try to make use of
carpooling. If you and your colleagues come from the same
locality and have same timings you can explore this option
to save energy and money.

2. Conserve energy;

Switch off fans and lights when you are going out. A large
number of fossil fuels are burnt to produce electricity. You can
save the environment from degradation by reducing the number
of fossil fuels to be burned.

3. Understand the concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle;

Do not throw away items that are of no use to you. In-fact reuse
them for some other purpose. For e.g. you can use old jars to
store cereals or pulses.

4. Emphasis on clean energy resources;

Clean energy technologies like solar, wind and geothermal are

on high these days. Governments of various countries have
been providing grants to consumers who are interested in
installing solar panels for their home. This will go a long way to
curb air pollution.
5. Use energy efficient devices;

CFL lights consume less electricity as against their

counterparts. They live longer, consume less electricity, lower
electricity bills and also help you to reduce pollution by
consuming less energy.

Several attempts are being made worldwide on a personal,

industrial and governmental levels to curb the intensity at
which air pollution is rising and regain a balance as far as the
proportions of the foundation gases are concerned. This is a
direct attempt at slacking Global warming. We are seeing a
series of innovations and experiments aimed at alternate and
unconventional options to reduce pollutants. Air pollution is one
of the larger mirrors of man’s follies, and a challenge we need
to overcome to see a tomorrow.