DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

I YEAR (2106 17)

APPLIED CHEMISTRY POWER POINT PRESENTATION

TAE-05
TOPIC EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION

ON HUMAN HEALTH

AIR POLLUTION

It is the introduction ofparticulates ,biological

molecules, or other harmful materials
intoEarth's atmosphere, causing diseases,
allergies, death to humans, damage to other
living organisms such as animals and food crops,
or thenaturalorbuilt environment
Air pollution may come fromAnthropogenic or
natural sources.
Indoor air pollution and urban air quality are
listed as two of the world's worst toxic pollution
problems in the 2008Blacksmith
InstituteWorld's Worst Polluted Places report.
According to the 2014WHOreport, air pollution
in 2012 caused the deaths of around 7 million
people worldwide,an estimate roughly matched
by theInternational Energy Agency

AIR POLLUTANT
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 manmade. Pollutants are classified as primary or
secondary. Primary pollutants are usually produced
from a process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption.
Other examples includeCarbon Monoxide gas from
motor vehicle exhaust, or theSulfur-Dioxidereleased
from factories. Secondary pollutants are not emitted
directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary
pollutants react or interact.Ground level ozoneis a
prominent example of a secondary pollutant. Some
pollutants may be both primary and secondary: they
are both emitted directly and formed from other
primary pollutants.

HOW IT IS CAUSED ?
Major primary pollutants produced by human
activity include:
Sulfur oxides(SO x)
o

Particularly sulfur dioxide, a chemical

compound with the formula SO2. SO2is
produced by volcanoes and in various
industrial processes. Coal and
petroleum often contain Sulfur
compounds, and their combustion
generates Sulfur-Dioxide. Further
oxidation of SO2, usually in the
presence of a catalyst such as NO2,

 Nitrogen oxides(NO x)

o Nitrogen oxides, particularlyNitrogen

dioxide, are expelled from high
temperature combustion, and are also
produced
duringThunderstormsbyElectric
discharge. They can be seen as a
brownHazedome above or
aPlumedownwind of cities. Nitrogen
dioxide is a chemical compound with
Carbon
the formula
NO2. monoxide(CO)
o It is one of several nitrogen oxides.
o CO is a colourless , odourless, toxic yet
One of the most prominent air
non-irritating gas. It is a product
pollutants, this reddish-brown toxic
byIncomplete Combustionof fuel such
gas has a characteristic sharp, biting
as natural gas, coal or wood. Vehicular
odour.
exhaust is a major source of carbon

 Volatile organic compounds(VOC)

VOCs are a well-known outdoor air

pollutant. They are categorized as either
methane (CH4) or non-methane
(NMVOCs). Methane is an extremely
efficient greenhouse gas which
contributes to enhancedglobal warming.
Other hydrocarbon VOCs are also
significant greenhouse gases because of
Particulates
their role in creating
ozone and
prolonging the life of methane in the
o atmosphere.
AlternativelyThis
referred
tovaries
as particulate
effect
depending
matter
atmospheric
particulate
on local(PM),
air quality.
The aromatic
NMVOCs
matter,
ortoluene
fine particles,
are tiny
benzene,
and xylene
are particles
of
solid or liquid
suspended
in a gas.
suspected
carcinogens
and may
lead In
to
contrast,
refers to exposure.
combined
leukemia aerosol
with prolonged
o

 Chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs)

o Harmful to theozone layer; emitted from

products are currently banned from use.
These are gases which are released from
air conditioners, refrigerators, aerosol
sprays, etc. CFC's on being released into
the air rises tostratosphere. Here they
come in contact with other gases and
damage theozone layer. This allows
Minor air pollutants include:
harmful ultraviolet rays to reach the
earth's
surface.
can lead
to skin
1. A large
number
of minorThis
Hazardous
Air Pollutants.
cancer,
disease
to eye
and
cantheeven
2. Some
of these
are regulated
in USA
under
Clean Air Act and in
Europe
under
the Air Framework
Directive
cause
damage
to plants.
3. A variety of Persistent Organic pollutants, which can attach to
particulates

EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION

ON HUMANS :
Air pollution is a significant risk factor for a
number ofpollution-related diseasesand
health conditions including respiratory
infections, heart disease,COPD, stroke and
lung cancer.The health effects caused by air
pollution may include difficulty in breathing,
wheezing, coughing,asthmaand worsening
of existing respiratory and cardiac
Cardiovascular
Disease
conditions. These
effects can result in
A
2007 review
of evidence
found ambient
air
increased
medication
use, increased
doctor
pollution
exposure
a riskmore
factorhospital
correlating
or emergency
roomisvisits,
with
increased
mortality
from
admissions
andtotal
premature
death.
cardiovascular events (range: 12% to 14%

HOW WE CAN AVOID IT ?

There are now practical alternatives to
the three principal causes of air pollution.
1. Combustion of fossil fuels for space heating
can be replaced by usingGround Source Heat
Pumps &Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage.

Electrostatic precipitators

An electrostatic precipitator (ESP), or

electrostatic air cleaner is a particulate
collection device that removes particles
from a flowing gas (such as air), using the
force of an induced electrostatic charge.
Electrostatic precipitators are highly
Particulate scrubbers
efficient filtration
devices that minimally
impede the flow of gases through the
Wet scrubber is a form of pollution
device
control technology. The term describes a
variety of devices that use pollutants
from a furnace flue gas or from other gas
streams.

Drive Less:

I.

Cars and trucks are responsible for around

half of the air pollution in the world. The best
way to approach a reduction in vehiclerelated air pollution is to drive less and
exercise smart driving habits.
II. Acceptable options may include carpooling,
walking, riding a bike, shopping by phone or
mail, riding
public
transportation,
and
Select
Air-Friendly
Products:
telecommuting.
The
home, yard, and office are common places
where products containing harmful smogforming chemicals are used. Preventing this
type of air pollution is achieved by selecting
water-based products or items that possess
low amounts of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs). When painting, you should choose
water-based paints with labels containing the

OST AFFECTED COUNTRIES DUE TO AIR POLLUTION

China:The

terrible condition of
the air in its cities is just one
example of how this
country,growing at breakneck
speed, does not exercise
sufficient control over its
emissions. Development of this
kind must take account of
United States: Not only is it
environmental risks, given that
one of the worst countries
in just a few years it has
overtaken the United Statesininterms in of
terms of tons of CO2emittedCO2emissions, but also
with regard to water
into the atmosphere.
pollution and endangered

species. In a country that

Brazil:
Another of the countries experiencing
greatest economic development in recent
years, once again, accompanied by
anincrease in greenhouse gas emissions
to the atmosphere.
This is added to by thespeed of
deforestationof the Amazon region, one
Japan:

of the world's biggest

green
lungs. Brazil
Fukushima is just the tip of the iceberg
is also among the top countries in terms
in a country where
pollution
getting
ofendangered
species
and water
worse day by day. The Japanese
pollution.
government set atarget of a 3.8%

reduction
in emissions
by 2020.Despite
Other
countries
with high emission
rates
this,in February
2014 the highest
rateand
areRussia,
India, Germany,
Australia
of pollution of
was
reached
Canada.Most
the
emissions that reach the
atmosphere comefrom coal (43%), followed by
oil (33%). Countries must rapidly direct their

THANK YOU
SUBMITTED TO :
P R O F. E K TA R AU T

SUBMITED BY :
PRATIK R SHENDE (J
22)
ROHAN DESHMUKH ( J
23 )
SANKET KHOBRAGADE
(J25)