Air Pollutants

“Any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in the atmosphere in such concentration
as may be or tend to be injurious to human beings or other living creatures or plants or
property or environment”.
Primary Pollutant: Those are directly
releasing into the environment from
the identifiable sources.
Secondary Pollutant: Primary pollutants
react each other in the presence of
sunlight to produce new harmful compounds.
Primary Pollutants
Five major compounds release into the atmosphere in unmodified forms.
1. Carbon monoxide.
2. Sulphur dioxide (SO2), H2S.
3. Nitrogen Oxide (NO).
4. Hydrocarbons.
5. Particulate Matters: Ash, smoke, dust, fumes, mist, and spray.
6. CO2 , HF, olefinic and aromatic hydrocarbons and radioactive compounds.
Carbon Monoxide (CO):
A. Produced by burning of organic materials (Coal, gas, wood, trash,etc.).
B. Automobile is biggest source.
C. Toxic, because it binds with haemoglobin, reduces oxygen levels in blood.
D. Not a persistant pollutant, combines with oxygen to form CO2 .
E. Most communities meets EPA standards, but during rush hour traffic can produce high level of CO.
Sulphur Dioxide
Produced by burning sulphur containing level (oil, coal)

Major Source: Coal burning power plants

Reacts in atmosphere to produce acids

One of the major component of acid rains

When inhaled very corrosive to lungs tissue

Nitrogen Oxides
Produced from the burning of fossil fuels
Contribute to acid rain, smog
Automobile engine is main source.
New technology helping to reduce but no of automobiles are high.
Source % of contribution
Natural Sources 1
Fuel combustion 17
On road motor vehicles 49
Other mobile sources 31
Miscellaneous 2
Hydrocarbons
Hydrocarbons – organic compounds with hydrogen and carbon.
From incomplete burning or evaporated from fuel supplies.
Major source is automobiles and industry.
Contribute to smog.
Improvement in engine will help you to reduce.
Particulates
Particulates – small piece of solid materials and liquid droplets (2.5mm – 10 mm)
Examples: Ash from fire, asbestos from brakes and insulation, dust.
Easily noticed: smokes stacks.
Can accumulate in lungs and interfere with the ability of lungs to exchange the gases.
Some particulates are known carcinogens.
Those working in dusty conditions are at high risk.
Properties of PM
PM Size Source
Dust 1-200 microns Natural disintegration of rock and soil/
by the mechanical grinding and
spraying

Smoke 0.01-1 microns By combustion/ other chemical

process
Fumes 0.1-1 micron Released from the chemical or
metallurgical processes
Mist <10 microns By condensation/industrial process
Fog Sufficiently dense to obscure Gas molecules entrapped by liquid
vision water
Aerosol <1 micron All air-borne suspensions
Secondary Pollutants: Ozone
Ozone is highly reactive gas composed of 3 oxygen atoms.
It is both natural and manmade that occurs in the earths upper atmosphere (the stratosphere) and
lower atmosphere (the troposphere).
Tropospheric ozone – what we breath is formed primarily from the photochemical reactions
between major class of pollutants VOC’s and NOX
Peroxyacetyl Nitrate (PAN)
Smog is caused by the interaction of some hydrocarbons and oxidants under the influence of
sunlight giving rise to dangerous peroxyacety nitrate.
It is thermally unstable and decomposes into peroxyethanoyl radicals and nitrogen dioxide gas.
Photochemical Smog
Aerosol and Mist
 Sources of Air Pollution
Natural Sources:
1. Volcanos
2. Forest Fire
3. Dust storms
4. Biogenic Sources
5. Smoking Mountains
Anthropogenic (Man Made) Sources
Point sources
Industrial processing, power plants, fuel combustion etc..

Area Sources
Residential Heating of coal, gas, oil,
Regular/Process (Through Stack or Chimney)
Fugitive (Non-Point sources)

Mobile Sources
Vehicular
Railroad Locomotives
Channel vessels etc.
 Fugitive Sources
Paved/Unpaved roads
Building construction process
Loading/Unloading
Agricultural Activities – spraying pesticides.
Refused Burning – leaf burning, MSW burning.
Material Handling, storage.
Leakages – valves, flanges
 Significance
Nose Level – impact is high

Cognizance is not taken

Quantification is difficult

Poor regulation

Air quality modelling is difficult

Control
Good house keeping
Maintain moisture level at the handling of the materials.
Regular checks of valves and flanges.
Channelize the emissions
Enclose the area etc.
Effects of Air Pollution: On living and
non living beings
Sources, Health and Welfare Effects
Sources and Effects of Air Pollution on Vegetables
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
NAAQS