Air

Dr Adwitiya Das
Assistant Professor
Department of Community Medicine
Medical College Hospital, Kolkata
Composition
Air in occupied rooms
Indices of thermal comfort
Air pollution
I. Sources
II. Pollutants
III. Indoor air pollution
IV. Monitoring
V. Effects
VI. Prevention & control
 Composition
Component %
Nitrogen 78.7 %
Oxygen 20.93
Carbon dioxide 0.03%
argon, neon, krypton. Trace amounts
xenon and helium
Air rendered impure by :
(1) Respiration of men and animals
(2) Combustion of coal, gas, oil etc.
(3) Decomposition of organic matter
(4) Trade, traffic & manufacturing processes which give
off dust, fumes, vapours and gases
 Air of occupied room
• (a) CHEMICAL CHANGES
• (b) PHYSICAL CHANGES
(i) Rise in temperature
(ii) Increase of humidity
(iii) Decrease in air movement
(iv) Body odours
(v) Bacterial pollution
 Indices of thermal comfort
1. AIR TEMPERATURE
2. AIR TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY
3. COOLING POWER(Air temp, humidity & movement): Kata
Thermometer
4. EFFECTIVE TEMPERATURE: [Numerical value of effective
temp.=temp. of still, saturated air which would induce the same
sensation of warmth or cold as that experienced in the given
conditions.]
5. CORRECTED EFFECTIVE TEMPERATURE: [temp., velocity, humidity &
mean radiant heat]:Globe thermometer
6. McARDLE'S MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SWEAT RATE: P4SR[combination
of dry & wet bulb temp., mean radiant air temp., air velocity under
different work intensity]
 Comfort zones
Comfortable thermal conditions are those under which a person can
maintain normal balance between production and loss of heat, at normal
body temperature and without sweating
 Air pollution
“Air pollution" signifies the presence in the ambient
(surrounding) atmosphere of substances (e.g., gases,
mixtures of gases and particulate matter) generated by
the activities of man in concentrations that interfere with
human health, safety or comfort" or injurious to
vegetation and animals and other environmental media
resulting in chemicals entering the food chain or being
present in drinking-water and thereby constituting
additional source of human exposure.
 Types of air pollutants
• Primary or Secondary
• Gaseous or Particulate
 Sources of air pollution
• AUTOMOBILES: hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide,
lead, nitrogen oxides & particulate matter
• INDUSTRIES:
– Combustion of fuel: smoke, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen
oxides, fly ash.
– Petrochemical industries: hydrogen fluoride,
hydrochloric acid and organic halides.
– May discharge carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide,
ozone, hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide.
 Sources of air pollution
• DOMESTIC SOURCES: smoke, dust, sulphur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides
• TOBACCO SMOKING
• MISCELLANEOUS : burning refuse,
incinerators, pesticide spraying, natural
sources (e.g., wind borne dust, fungi, molds,
bacteria) & nuclear energy programmes.
Meteorological factors: Temp. inversion
 Pollutants Source Effect

CO Incomplete combustion C containing CO poisoning, increased

material in automobiles, industrial Carboxy-Hb
process, heating facilities and
incinerators.
SO2 Combustion of sulphur-containing Inflammation of the
fossil fuel, smelting of sulphur- respiratory tract causes
containing ores, industrial processes, coughing, mucus secretion,
domestic fires, power generation & aggravation of asthma and
motor vehicles chronic bronchitis, and increased
proneness to RTI. Eye irritant,
possible cvs effects
Lead Combustion of alkyl lead additives in Lead poisoning: hematological &
motor fuels neurological effects
CO2 Combustion using coal, oil, gas May increase global temperature
Hydrocarbon Incineration, combustion of coal, Photochemical smog
s wood, processing & use of
petroleum
Cadmium Steel industry, waste incineration, Environmental pollutant
zinc production, tobacco smoke
Pollutants Source Effect
H2S Coke production, viscose rayon Unpleasant odour.
production, waste-water treatment Conjunctival irritation,
plants, wood pulp production using neuro-psychiatric
sulphate method, sulphur extraction symptoms
process, oil refining, tanning industry,
livestock rearing systems with liquid
manure storage.
Ozone Effect of sunlight on NO2, VOC from Photochemical smog,
Vehicles, industry asthma
Nitrogen oxides Combustion, road traffic Bronchitis & asthma on
long term exposure
PAH Automobile exhaust, cigarette smoke Lung cancer
[eg, benzo(a) pyrene,
Benzanthracene, Benzo
(b) fluoranthene,
nephthalene]
Particulate matter[eg. Power plant, industry, oil refiners, CPD, asthma, lung
Sulfate, nitrate, vehicles cancer
ammonia, carbon,
mineral dust]
Major indoor air pollutants
 Monitoring of air pollution
1. Sulphur dioxide concentration: estimated by lead peroxide
device
2. Smoke/Soiling index: Known volume of air is filtered through
a filter paper disc, discoloration produced is compared
against standards in photoelectric meter.
3. Suspended particles(dust & grit): Measured “Midget
impinger”[mg/cumm. air]
4. Coefficient of Haze: amount of smoke or other aerosol per
cumm. air.
5. Air Pollution Index: Arbitrary index combining multiple
indicators, eg., USA: 10 times SO2 conc.+2 times CO conc.+2
times Coeff. of Haze.
 Effects of air pollution
• Health effects
– Immediate: Irritation of mucosa, suffocation, ALI, death
– Delayed: Bronchitis, COPD, Asthma, lung Ca.
• Social & economic effects
– Destruction of plant & animal life
– Corrosion of metal
– Cost of cleaning, maintenance & repair
• Global effects
– Acid rain
– Global warming
– Depleted ozone shield
– Effect on animals
 Prevention & control
• General measures:
– Control of traffic
– Vehicle maintenance & servicing, unleaded petrol
– Green belts
– Health education
– Population stabilization
• Engineering technology:
– Containment: arresters[enclosure, ventilation, cleaning]
– Replacement: LPG, electricity
– Dilution
• Legistlation: Indian Factories Act, Clean Air Act, The
Air(Prevention and control of pollution act), Smoke
Nuisance Act.
• International action
 Ventilation
• Natural
– Perflation & aspiration of wind
– Diffusion
– Inequality of temperature
• Artificial
– Exhaust ventilation
– Plenum ventilation
– Balanced ventilation
– Air conditioning