Air Pollution

Chapter 44A
 Pollution
Pollution is the
release of waste
matter or energy
into the environment
by man so that it
causes damage or
deterioration to
living systems and/or Photo from National Geographic
Society - Exploring your world
environment.
Pollutants
CO
A pollutant is any C particles
NO2
substance brought C6H6
about by human
activities or source
of energy which, at
an unacceptable
level, causes
damage to the
environment or is
harmful to living
systems.
Some air pollutants
 Carbon
monoxide
 Sulphur dioxide
 Nitrogen oxides
 Hydrocarbons
 Ozone
 Particulates
Carbon monoxide
A poisonous gas, can cause death.

Combines with haemoglobin in red

blood cells to form stable complex,
carboxyhaemoglobin.

The haemoglobin is NOT available

for carrying oxygen. May cause
death.
Sulphur Dioxide
Causes damage to respiratory
systems and increase in asthma
attacks( 哮喘 ).

Acid rain – damage buildings,

thought to be responsible for the
deaths of large numbers of trees in
Europe and America.
Nitrogen oxides
A poisonous gas that damage lung
tissues and blood vessels.

Acid rain

Give rise to photochemical smog.

Hydrocarbons
Cause photochemical smog.

Some hydrocarbons, e.g. benzene,

are known carcinogens.
Ozone
Irritates the eyes.

Makes more serious asthma.

Damages plants.
Particulates
Impair lung function by
constricting respiratory passage
and damaging lung tissue, cause
respiratory disease.

Certain particles are suspected to

cause cancer.
Harmful effect
 Concentration (ppm)
 Duration of exposure
 CO
4000 ppm or higher cause
death in 1 hour ( or 1000
ppm for 4 hours)
Concentrations
 ppm = number of molecules of
pollutants per million (106)
molecules of air
 % by volume
 Microgram per cubic metre ( µg m-
3
)
Concentrations
Convert 0.05 ppm of CO into
other concentration units
• % volume
∀ µg m-3
Answers
a. 0.000005%

• In 1 m3 , there is 0.05/106 m3 of CO

Using Ideal gas equation,

m = pVMr / RT

Mass of CO = 101x103 x 0.05 x 10-6 x 28 / 8.31 x 298

= 5.71 x 10-7 g = 57.1 µg

Thus, the concentration = 57.1 µg/m3

Acid rain
 Normal rainwater pH = 6.5
 pH 2.5 has been recorded in some
parts of the world
 SO2 + H2O → H2SO3
 SO2 + O2 → SO3 → H2SO4
 4NO2 + 2H2O + O2 → 4HNO3
Effect of acid rain
 pH < 4.5, calcium metabolism in fresh
water fish will be affected, poor health
and growth.
 Soil of pH < 4.5, absorption of cations
by plants will be affected, death of
plants.
 Corrodes metals and accelerates the
deterioration of building, rock and
statue.
Photochemical smog
 NO2 → NO + O (under U.V. light)
 O + O2 + M → O3 + M
 O + hydrocarbons → aldehydes
 O3 + hydrocarbons → aldehydes
 Hydrocarbons + O2 + NO2 →
CH3- C-O-O-NO2 (PAN
molecule)
O
Photochemical smog
 Smoke + Fog (Brownish
haze)
 Reaction initiated by sunlight
+ NOx + hydrocarbons
 Effects:
1. Cause headaches, eye, nose
and
throat irritations.
2. Impair lung function,
coughing.
3. Cause rubber and fabrics to
deteriorate.
Sources and properties of
Ozone
 In lower part of atmosphere
 NO2 → NO + O (under UV light)
O + O2 → O3
 From air by electric sparks in
engines, photocopiers, motors.
 Lightning
 Too reactive to remain for a long
time
 Adverse effect on health
Desirability of ozone
 Stratosphere (20 –50 km above
earth’s surface), filter out 99%
dangerous UV:
Create:
O2 + uv light (250 nm) → 2 O•
O• + O2 + M → O3 + M
Destroy:
O3 + uv light (215-295 nm) → O2 + O•
O• + O3 → 2O2
Depletion of the ozone
layer

Ozone:

O←O=O Ozone Hole

Chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs)
 Unreactive , low flammability and
toxicity.
 Use as : Aerosol propellants,
solvents, refrigerants, blowing
agents in foam plastic.
 Causes for accumulation:
Unreactive, lifetime about 75 years
Insoluble in water
Depletion of ozone layer
 CFCs give Cl free radicals which destroy
ozone.
 CCl3F+uv light → CCl2F. + Cl.
 Cl. + O3 → ClO. + O2 (1)
 ClO. + O → Cl. + O2 (2)
 Repeat (1) (2)
 Step (1) is considerably faster than O +
O3 → 2O2
 Disturb the balance in the production
and destruction of ozone.
Adverse effect of ozone
depletion
 Reduced crop yield
 Higher incidence of skin
cancer and eye cataract
Control of the ozone
depletion problem
 Control the production
and consumption of
CFCs (Montreal
Protocol)
 Recycling of CFCs
 Using substitutes
Possible alternatives for
CFCs
 Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
such as CF3CHCl2 , they break
down more quickly in atmosphere,
though lower % of Cl, could
damage if overused.
 Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) such as
CF3CH2F, no chlorine and ‘ozone
safe’, toxicity problem still
unsolved.
Possible alternatives for
CFCs
 Hydrocarbons such as butane and
propane, no chlorine, flammable
and poisonous.
 Water and steam, effective for
some cleaning applications.
Pollution control in H.K.
 Environmental protection
department (EPD), established
1986
 Formulating policy
 Monitoring
 Enforcing legislation
 Planning
 Handling complaints and enquiries
Measures to improve air
quality
 Use of unleaded petrol
 Installation of catalytic converters
in car
 Limitation of sulphur content in
fuel
 Desulphurization of Flue Gas
 Installation of Electrostatic
Precipitators in power plants

Web page
 Environmental Protection Departmen
Past AL papers
 Ozone depletion (1998 5b)
 Catalytic converter (1998 6b)
 SO2, ppm calculation (1999 6d)
 SO2 (2000 5a)
 Smog (2000 5b)
 CFC (2001 6a)