The Ozone Layer:

Earths Protective Shield

PART I. THE EARTHS

ATMOSPHERE

Earths Atmosphere: Overview

It is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth
that is retained by Earth's gravity.
The atmosphere protects life on Earth by
absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the
surface through heat retention (greenhouse
effect), and reducing temperature extremes
between day and night (the diurnal temperature
variation).
The atmosphere has a mass of about 5e18 kg or
1/1,200,000 the mass of Earth.

Earths Atmosphere: More Info

The atmosphere becomes thinner and
thinner with increasingaltitude, with no
definite boundary between the
atmosphere andouter space.
The Karman Line, at 100km (62mi) is
often used as the border between the
atmosphere and outer space.
The study of Earth's atmosphere and its
processes is calledatmospheric
scienceoraerology.

PART II. OZONE: PROPERTIES

Ozone: What is It?

Ozone comes from a Greek word meaning
to smell.
It is a form of oxygen that is made up of 3
oxygen atoms. Ozone is basically oxygen
that has undergone rearrangement from
normal diatomic O2 to triatomic form, O3.
This can be summarized by the chemical
reaction:
Energy + 3O2 = 2O3

 Ozone is an allotrope of oxygen.

Allotropes are two or more forms of the
same element that differ in their molecular
or crystal structure and, therefore their
properties.
Carbon, for example, has 3 familiar
allotropes: diamond, graphite and
fullerenes.

Ozone: Properties
Pure ozone is a blue gas, with a strong irritating
smell.
It is about 1.5 times heavier than air and has a
vapor density of 24.
It is more soluble than oxygen in water, about
49% by volume at 0C.
It gets liquefied to a deep blue color liquid,
when cooled in liquid air.
Ozone, under standard atmospheric
temperature and pressure, is an unstable gas
that decomposes readily into molecular oxygen.

 In the troposphere, ozone is considered a

pollutant. It is a main agent in photochemical
smog and other types of air pollution.
It is a severe irritant to the respiratory system.
It causes eye irritation, lung inflammation,
asthma, chest pain and coughing.
It causes rubber to harden and crack.

 It causes damage to crops, especially

cotton, peanuts, and soybeans.
However, in the stratosphere it makes life
possible by filtering out UV rays from the
sun.

PART III. UNDERSTANDING

RADIATION

Solar Radiation
Our local star, the Sun, emits many types of radiant
energy in the form of electromagnetic waves.
However, our Sun does not emit all types with equal
intensity. The greatest intensity is in the form of
visible light. 53% of the total energy comes in the
form of infrared radiation. This is the major source of
heat in the planet. 39% as visible light and 8% as
ultraviolet radiation.
In spite of its small percentage, the sun's UV radiation
is potentially the most damaging to living things.

Particles of Energy
In 1909, a German physicist named Max
Planck theorized that that electromagnetic
energy could be emitted only
inquantizedform. In other words, the
energy could only be a multiple of an
elementary unit.
Five years later, Albert Einstein further
suggested that radiation itself should be
viewed as constituted of individual
bundles of energy called photons.

 The two views are linked in a simple

relationship that is one of the most
important equations in modern science. It
is also an equation that is relevant to the
role of ozone in the atmosphere:
Energy = h*v
where h = Plancks constant ( 6.63e-34
J*s)
v = frequency of radiation

Your Turn!
Compare the energy of a photon of a radio
signal with the frequency of 100 MHz at
300e7 nm wavelength to the energy of a
photon of UV light with frequency of 1e15
Hz and wavelength of 300 nm.
UV = 6.6e-19 J per photon
Radio Signal = 6.63e-26 J per photon
UV energy = 10 million x Radio Signal
energy

PART IV. STRATOSPHERIC OZONE

SHIELD

The Oxygen/Ozone Shield

In the mesosphere, some ordinary oxygen
molecules are split into oxygen atoms by shortwavelength (<242 nm), high-energy UV radiation.
Some of these highly-reactive atoms diffuse into
the stratosphere where they react with O2
molecules to form ozone.
The ozone in turn absorbs longer-wavelength
(242-320 nm), but still lethal, UV radiation thus
"shielding" us from harmful radiation.

 Undisturbed, the concentration of ozone in

the stratosphere remains constant. Over
300 billion tons of ozone are destroyed
and created every day by this cyclic
process.
Because of these reactions, only a small
fraction of UV radiation reaches the Earths
surface.

Biological Effects of UVR

The effects of UV radiation can be on: skin, eyes,
systemic.
The sensitivity to UVR damage is given
genetically and differs significantly among
populations and individuals;
Dark skinned people are about 10 times less
sensitive than the light skinned people;
Fair skinned individuals with blond hair and blue
eyes are the most sensitive;

EYES
Cataracts can develop, causing the lens to
cloud up.
Result: blurred vision and, without treatment,
blindness.
SKIN
Exposure can lead to accelerated aging,
wrinkling and various forms of skin cancer.
IMMUNE SYSTEM
A reduced immune response may make the
body more susceptible to infectious diseases.

CROPS
Interference with photosynthesis could
result in lower crop yields.
MARINE LIFE
Radiation affects the growth of
phytoplankton, the mainstay of the ocean
food chain.

Ultraviolet Index
Because of the damage that can be
caused by exposure to UVR, a UV index
forecast is released nationally in
newspapers, newscasts and on the Web.
UV Index range from 1-11+ and is based
on how long it takes for damage to occur.

Categories of UV Radiation

Stratospheric Ozone: Formation

and Fate
Theozone-oxygen cycleis the process by
whichozoneis continually regenerated in
theEarth'sstratosphere, all the while
convertingultraviolet radiation (UV) intoheat. In
1930Sydney Chapmanresolved
thechemistryinvolved. The process is commonly
called the Chapman cycle by atmospheric
scientists.
There are four steps in the cycle: Monatomic
oxygen formation, Ozone formation, Ozone
Decomposition, Diatomic oxygen formation.

 This natural process both ozone formation

and ozone decomposition. Ozone forms from
O2 via steps 1 and 2 and decomposes back to
O2, the material from which it originates, in
steps 3 and 4 thus completing the cycle.
The lifetime of a given ozone molecule
depends strongly on altitude, ranging from
days to years. In the center of the ozone
layer, an O3 molecule can persist several
months before dissociating into O2 and O.

PART V. OZONE DEPLETION

Ozone Depletion: A Global

Phenomenon
Stratospheric ozone concentrations have
been measured over the past 80 years at
ground experimental stations all over the
planet and more than 20 years by satellite.
The succeeding figure shows
measurements made in Antarctica from
1980 to 2012. This graph reports the total
ozone levels above Earths surface in
Dobson Unit (DU). A DU corresponds to
about one ozone molecule for every billion
molecules of air.

 Ozone depletiondescribes two distinct

but related phenomena observed since the
late 1970s: a steady decline of about 4%
per decade in the total volume
ofozoneinEarth'sstratosphere(theozone
layer), and a much larger springtime
decrease in stratospheric ozone over
Earth's polar regions. The latter
phenomenon is referred to as theozone
hole.

 The thickness of the ozone layer changes with

latitude and also with seasons. The cycling of
ozone concentration is most prevalent over
Antarctica, in part because the chemical reactions
responsible for ozone destruction occur more
rapidly on the surfaces of ice crystals. During the
Antarctic winter (June - August), more clouds
containing ice crystals are formed and the levels
of ozone decrease. In the early 1970s, serious
concerns were raised because the ozone layer
was not recovering properly during the warm
months.

 The major naturally occurring cause of ozone

destruction is a series of reactions involving water
vapor and its breakdown products. The great
majority of H2O molecules that eveporate from
the ocean and lakes fall back to the surface of the
Earth as rain or snow. But a few (~5ppm) reach
the stratosphere. There, photons of ultraviolet
radiation trigger the dissociation of water
molecules into hydrogen (H*) and hydroxyl (*OH)
free radicals. These free radicals participate in
many reactions, involving reactions that
ultimately convert O3 to O2

 Another natural cause of ozone destruction is nitrogen

monoxide or nitric oxide (NO). Most of the NO is formed when
N2O reacts with oxygen atoms. N2O is produced in the soil and
oceans by microorganisms. This is a natural cycle of nature
and there is really little that can or should be done to control
this process.
Even when effects of water, nitrogen, and other naturally
occurring compounds are included in measurements, the
measured ozone is still lower than predicted. Data indicates
that there has been decrease in ozone concentration over the
past 20 years. There is a good deal of fluctuation in the data,
but the trend is clear. These changes cannot be correlated with
changes in solar radiation intensity. There must be something
that ultimately causes these changes.

PART VI. CFCs AND THE OZONE

HOLE

What are CFCs?

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) are compounds composed
of the elements chlorine, fluorine and carbon. CFCs
do not occur in nature; they are artificially-made. This
is an important verification point in the CFC debate
because there are no known natural sources of CFCs.
Two most common CFCs are CFC-11 and CFC-12. The
introduction of CFC-12 as a refrigerant in the 1930s
was hailed as a great triumph of chemistry and an
advancement in consumer safety and environmental
protection. CFCs replaced ammonia and sulfur
dioxide which were more toxic and corrosive.

 By 1940s, CFCs were in widespread use in refs

and aircons. The many desirable properties (such
as nontoxic, stable, cheap) of CFCs soon led to
other uses: propellants in aerosol cans, foaming
agents for plastics, solvents, sterilizers, etc.
By 1970, chemical companies were selling over
1.5 million metric tons of CFCs each year. Sooner
or later, all of it was making its way into the
atmosphere. At that time, scientists assumed
there would be no adverse environmental
consequences.

 Then in 1973, chemists Rowland and Molina began

studies about CFCs and the atmosphere. They pointed
out that because CFCs were so stable, they have very
long lifetimes. This causes them to accumulate in the
troposphere and later disperse into the stratosphere.
They demonstrated that UV would decompose CFC
molecules releasing chlorine atoms. They theorized
that this chlorine atom would catalyze the destruction
of the ozone layer.
Rowland and Molinas hypothesis was hotly disputed by
the chemical industry. The chairman of DuPont called it
a science-fiction tale and utter rubbish .

 However, evaluations by the U.S. National

Academy of Sciences supported the ozone
depletion hypothesis. In fact, studies
indicated that other chemicals containing
chlorine, bromine, and fluorine might also
contribute to the destruction of
stratospheric ozone. Such chemicals
included carbon tetrachloride used for dry
cleaning and methyl bromide, a widely
used weed killer

 In 1985, a team of British scientists made

measurements of ozone in the
stratosphere over Antarctica. Their data
left no doubt about the connection bet.
CFCs and ozone depletion. Their studies
were the basis for an international treaty
banning the use of CFCs. For their
important research, Rowland and Molina
were awarded the 1995 Nobel Peace in
Chemistry.

 Discovery of the ozone hole Natural Histo

ry Museum.flv

 Frank Sherwood Rowland(June 28,

1927 March 10, 2012)

+ Frank Sherwood
Rowland(June 28, 1927
March 10, 2012)
Mario Jos Molina-Pasquel
Henrquez(March 19, 1943present)

 When_CFCs_meet_Ozone.mp4

Lifetimes of CFCs

 Ozone Hole Comparison- 1979, 1987, 200

6, 2011.mp4

PART VII. RESPONSE TO A GLOBAL

CRISIS

We Can Reverse Ozone Depletion

According to researchers in the field, we should
immediately stop producing all ozone-depleting
substances. However, models indicate that even with
immediate and sustained action, it will take about 60
years for the Earths ozone layer to recover the
levels of ozone it had in 1980, and it could take
about 100 years to recover to pre-1950 levels.
In 1987, representatives of 36 nations met in
Montreal, Canada and developed the Montreal
Protocol. This treatys goal was to cut emissions of
CFCs by about 35% between 1989 and 2000.

 After hearing more bad news about

seasonal ozone thinning above Antarctica
in 1989, representatives of 93 counties
had more meetings and in 1992 adoped
the Copenhagen Protocol, an
amendment that accelerated the phase
out of key ozone-depleting chemicals. The
ozone protocols set an important
precedent by using prevention. If nations
continue to follow these agreements,
ozone levels should return to 1980 levels
by 2068 (18 years early that expected)

Substitutes for the Future

Substitutes are available for most CFCs, and others
are being developed. However, the most widely used
substitutes are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which act
as greenhouse gases. An HFC molecule can be up to
10,000 times more potent in warming the atmosphere
than a molecule of CO2. Currently, HFCs account for
only 2% of all greenhouse gas emissions, but the IPCC
has warned that global use of HFCs is growing rapidly.
Scientists, including Mario Molina, have called for
applying the Montreal Protocol to HFCs to prevent a
great deal of atmospheric warming. As of 2010, the
proposal has not yet been adopted.

Action Done in the PHL

Every year on September 16, the United Nations
(UN) leads the celebration of the International Day
for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, also known
as World Ozone Day. In thePhilippines, the entire
month of September is celebrated as Ozone
Protection Month.
The celebration of World Ozone Day was proclaimed
by the UN General Assembly to commemorate that
date a quarter of a century ago, when 24 countries
signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that
Deplete the Ozone Layer.

 The DENR, through the Philippine Ozone Desk

(POD) of the Environmental Management
Bureau (EMB), is the national coordinator for
the implementation of the Montreal Protocol
in thePhilippines.
Through the Multilateral Fund (MLF) and other
implementing agencies, the Philippines has
been a beneficiary of over US$36 million in
investment and non-investment projects in
the country since 1991.

 About 81 per cent of the funding for investment projects

was used to purchase consumable equipment and tools
that were distributed to manufacturing companies,
training, and service institutions, particularly those
involved in refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
Other industries involve aerosols, fire extinguishers, rigid
and flexible foam, and cigarettes.
One particular system used to phase out ODS, as
implemented by the DENRs National CFC Phaseout Plan
(NCPP) Project, was the voucher system, where qualified
refrigeration and air conditioning (particularly mobile)
service shops were given fund assistance to acquire
equipment they could use for recovering refrigerants.

 In turn, the recovered refrigerants were turned over to a

Collection, Transport and Storage (CTS) facility. To date,
there have been 2,521 vouchers approved and awarded
across 16 regions nationwide, 37% of which are in the
National Capital Region.
Established in September 2010, the CTS facilitys
administrators were provided different equipment to
identify, collect, store and reclaim refrigerants. As of
August 2012, the facility has collected more than 8,045
kilograms of ODS, almost half of which were mixed
refrigerants. These were re-processed and prepared for
disposition by legitimate importers, dealers, resellers and
end-users.

 With all these efforts, thePhilippineshas

been able to phase out 3,300 ozone
depleting potential (ODP) tons in the
manufacturing and servicing sectors from
1991 to 2011. Of these, CFCs constituted
97.8 per cent; halons, two per cent; and
methyl bromide, 0.2 per cent.

 ScienceCasts- Dont
Let This Happen to Your Planet.mp4

Conclusion
The ozone story shows what can happen
when the world underestimates problems.
It also underscores the difficulty of
imposing environmental regulations that
clash with economic interests, especially in
the face of scientific uncertainty. If
policymakers wait until there is unarguable
evidence of danger before they act, it may
be too late to prevent serious
environmental damage.
Eugene Linden, Who Lost the Ozone? Time,
10 May 1993 pp. 56-57

References

Cefrey, H. (2002). What if the Ozone Layer Grows Larger? .

New York :
Childrens Press.

Miller, G. I. & Spoolman, S. E. (2012). Environmental Science

(14th ed.). Australia: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning.
Thompson, G. R. & Turk J. P. (2007). Earth Science and the
Environment.
(4th ed.). California: Thompson Brooks/Cole.

Christensen, N. (2013). The Environment and You. Boston:

Pearson.

Hill, J. W., Mcreary, T.W. & Kolb, D. K. (2013). Chemistry for

Changing Times. (13th ed.). Boston: Pearson.

References

Dutch, S. I., Monroe, J. S., & Moran, J. M. (1998). Earth

Science. California: West/Wadsworth.

Perthuis, C. I. (2011). Economic Choices in a Warming

World. (Michael Westlake, trans.). Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Lemonick, M. D. (1992, February 9). The Ozone Vanishes.
Time Magazine. 270, 40-42.

Web/Video References:
http://www.theozonehole.com/montreal.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone_depletion
http://www.denr.gov.ph/news-and-features/features/997-thephilippines-and-the-montreal-protocol-protecting-the-atmospherefor-future-generations.html
ScienceCast-Dont Let This Happen to Your Planet. Retrieved from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H18S3JoMOA
When CFCs Meet Ozone. Retrieved from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1wrEvc2URE
Ozone Hole Comparison: 1979, 1987, 2006, 2011. Retrieved from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t27fdgK-x3g