Air pollution

Air pollution refers to the

release of pollutants into the
air—pollutants which are
detrimental to human health
and the planet as a whole.
Nine out of ten human
beings currently breathe air
that exceeds the WHO’s guideline limits for pollutants, with
those living in low- and middle-income countries suffering the
most. In the United States, the Clean Air Act, established in
1970, authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
to safeguard public health by regulating the emissions of
these harmful air pollutants. By volume, about 78% of this
mixture is nitrogen and about 21% is oxygen. Carbon dioxide,
argon, methane, ozone and water vapour are also present in
very small quantities. There could be differences in the
amount of smoke in the atmosphere place to place. Addition
of such substances to the atmosphere modifies it. When air is
contaminated by unwanted substances which have a harmful
effect on both the living and the
non-living, it is referred to as air
pollution.
 What Causes Air Pollution?
“Most air pollution comes from
energy use and production,”
says John Walke, director of
the Clean Air Project, part of
the Climate and Clean Energy
program at NRDC. “Burning
fossil fuels releases gases and
chemicals into the air.” And in
an especially destructive feedback loop, air pollution not only
contributes to climate change but is also exacerbated by it.
“Air pollution in the form of carbon dioxide and methane
raises the earth’s temperature,” Walke says.

1. The Burning of Fossil Fuels

Most of the air pollution takes place due to the burning of
fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gasoline to produce energy
for electricity or transportation. The release of carbon
monoxide at a high level indicates how much fossil fuel is
burned. This also emits other toxic pollutants into the air.
Inhaling air induced with
pollutants due to the burning of
natural gas and fossil fuel
reduces heart’s ability to pump
enough oxygen causing one to
suffer from respiratory illness.
2. Industrial Emission
Industrial activities emit several pollutants in the air that
affects the air quality more than we can even imagine.
Nitrogen dioxide, Sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide are
key pollutants that are emitted from industries that use coal
and wood as their primary energy source for the production of
their goods. Industrial pollution effects associated with your
health can range from irritation in your eyes and throat to
breathing issues, which at times can even lead to chronic
illness.

3. Indoor Air Pollution

Use of toxic products also called
Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOCs), inadequate ventilation,
uneven temperature, and
humidity level can cause indoor
air pollution, whether you are in an office, school, or at our
comfortable home. House air pollution can take place due to
ignorant factors, for instance, smoking tobacco inside a room
or leaving mold-infected walls untreated. The use of wood
stoves or space heaters is capable to increase the humidity
level which can directly affect the health of a person in no
time.

4. Wildfires
Climate change is not just increasing
wildfire but also spiking air pollution.
Burning stubble and farm residue is also a major contribution
to wildfire. It causes increased pollutant matters in the air
which collides with other harmful substances like chemical
gas and pollen creating smog. Smog makes the air hazy and
people find it difficult to breathe.

5. Transportation
There is no denying that vehicle
pollution is the major contributor
to air pollution, especially in
urban cities. Vehicle emits carbon
monoxide, hydrocarbons,
nitrogen oxide, and particulate
matter. When vehicle pollution is
high in the atmosphere, it creates a hole in the ozone layer
contributing to smog and causing various health issues.
6.Open Burning of Garbage Waste
Open burning of garbage is much
more harmful to your health and the
environment than one may
think.Exposure to open burning of
garbage waste can pose serious
health risks including cancer, liver issues, impairment of the
immune system, and reproductive functions; can also affect
the developing nervous system.
Effects of Air
Pollution
EFFECTS ON FAUNA
All animals, despite their size, can be affected by pollution.
Animals depend on oxygen that
comes from the air, and when the air is contaminated, harmful
gases and particulates are inhaled. Experts agree that
pollution affects animals in the same way as it does humans.
The pollution that animals inhale can accumulate in their
tissues over time, causing damage to their organs.

EFFECTS ON MAN
ASTHMA: Ozone is one of
the most common air
pollutant. Ozone triggers
asthma because it is very
irritating to the lungs and
airways. It has also caused
the need for more doses of
asthma drugs and
emergency treatment for asthma. Ozone can reduce lung
function and make make breathing difficult.
Dizziness and nausea Pollutants, such as carbon monoxide,
can interfere with the delivery of oxygen throughout the body,
which may cause fatigue, headaches, dizziness, nausea,
confusion and disorientation when inhaled at high levels.
COUGHIING: Breathing polluted air can cause a dry or tickly
cough. This can occur even in otherwise
healthy people, who haven't previously been diagnosed with
any sort of lung condition.
CANCER:Unprotected exposure to fine particulate matter air
pollution can be equivalent to smoking multiple cigarettes per
day, potentially increasing the risk of cancer, which is mainly
the result of environmental factors.

EFFECTS ON ECOLOGY
CHLOROSIS:- Chlorosis is a condition
in which leaves produce insufficient
chlorophyll. Sulphur dioxide enters
plants along with normal air
components moving into the leaves
and reacting with cells inside the leaf which ultimately leads to
chlorosis.Ozone injury also leads to the same.

GREEN HOUSE EFFECTS:-.

Air pollution includes
greenhouse gases. One of these
is carbon dioxide, a common
part of the exhaust from cars
and trucks. Greenhouse gases
cause global warming by
trapping heat from the sun,
in the earth atmosphere.Greenhouse gases are a natural
part of earth atmosphere, but in the last 150 years or so ,the
amount in our atmosphere has increased.
ACID RAIN :- Acid rain is caused by a chemical reaction that
begins when compounds like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
oxides are released into the
air. These substances can
rise very high into the
atmosphere, where they
mix and react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to
form more acidic pollutants, known as acid rain.

OZONE LAYER (O3) DEPLETION

The hole in the ozone
layer is caused by air
pollutants. Chemicals
used as refrigerants, such
as chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs), contain chlorine
atoms. Releasing chlorine
atoms into the
atmosphere destroys
ozone. A single chlorine
atom can destroy thousands of ozone molecules.
 How can Air Pollution be Prevented
Usage of public transport and carpooling
– by reducing the amount of fuel combusted
for an individual’s transportation needs,
he/she can lower the amount of pollutants
being released into the atmosphere and cause
less air pollution.

Switching off the lights when they’re not in

use – the majority of our electricity is
produced from the combustion of fossil fuels,
which are a huge contributor towards air
pollution. Therefore, conserving electricity is
an effective way of preventing air pollution.

Reusing and recycling products – By reusing products (that can be

reused), the amount of energy that goes into manufacturing another one of
those products is conserved. Recycling of products is also more energy-
efficient than the manufacture of new ones.

Avoiding the burning of garbage and smoking – burning of garbage is a

huge contributor to air pollution. Another contributor to air pollution is
cigarette smoking. Avoiding these activities and spreading awareness of
their negative consequences can be of great help in the prevention of air
pollution.

Avoiding the use of firecrackers-Personally avoiding the use of

firecrackers and spreading awareness about their negative consequences is a
great way to help prevent air pollution.

CASE STUDY
 AIR QUALITY ASSESSSMENT INKOLKATAPRESENT
COMPOSITION OF AIR IN KOLKATA
According to the Census of
India (2011), Kolkata had 4.5
million population,with the
urban agglomeration, which
comprises the city and its
suburbs, home to
approximately 14.1 million
people, which makes it the third
most densely populated metropolitan area in the country .The first
count is for Kolkata City(4.5 million), which is under the Kolkata
Municipal Corporation (KMC), while the second count (14.1
million) is for the Kolkata Metropolitan Authority(KMA), which
comprises the city (KMC) and its suburbs. Air Pollution in Kolkata
becomes acute during winter, when pollution ranges higher than at
other times. On the other hand, the worst-polluted traffic intersections
double the city's average pollutants during busy hours .A joint study
by Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI), West
BengalDepartment of Environment
and the Central Pollution Control
Board (CPCB)has found that
around 70% of people in the
city of Kolkata suffer from
respiratory disorders caused by
air pollution . In 1995, an
estimated 10,647 premature
deaths were attributed to air
pollution in Kolkata Studies have demonstrated that children inhaling
polluted air in Kolkata suffer from adverse lung reactions and genetic
abnormalities in exposed lung tissues Approximately47% of Kolkata’s
population suffers from lower respiratory tract symptoms with the
lungs of city residents being approximately seven times
more burdened compared to their rural counterparts due to air
pollution Other air pollution-related health problems, including
haematological abnormalities, impaired liver function, genetic
changes, and neurobehavioral problems, are found to be more
prevalent amongst those categories of workers exposed to
high levels of vehicular emission. They include roadside hawkers,
traffic policemen, and taxi and auto drivers.

GOVERNMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS:

● Kolkata is making serious efforts to improve air quality. Some of
the challenges that face on the road towards successful policy-
making are human migration, coal burning industries,
diesel driven vehicles, legislation harmonization and
harmonization of databases, standards, researches and
methodologies.
● Ministry of Transport and Highways, etc.) andlocal (Department
of Environment and local bodies and authorities).
● In recent years a number of legal interventions have
taken place regarding vehicle emissions, fuel quality,
introduction of cleaner fuels and reducing old vehicles which has
greatly influenced the overall efforts to improve the air quality
inKolkata .
● There were various awareness campaigns raised, among which
was the one when the West Bengal Pollution Control Board
(WBPCB) give publicity to theSupreme Court’s decision
regarding the use of fireworks only between 6 a.m.and 10 p.m.
through a request made to mobile phone network companies to
send messages to their users with specific text on raising
awareness.
● Also, in2004 the WBPCB carried out a large number
of inspections at firework manufacturing facilities during
 October and November (just before the festival season) and
seized a large number of prohibited ones.
● Another action to improve the air quality in Kolkata was the
conversion of coal-fired boilers to oil fired under the India
Canada Environment Facility (ICEF)project where the
industries, WBPCB and ICEF were partners. It was
introduced as a strict regulation, but the industries were
reimbursed 50% of the total costs involved in the needed
conversion. The situation in 2004 showed that more than 70% of
the industries had undergone this conversion.
● The overall success of this action has been estimated to be
about a 90% reduction in total PMemitted from all boilers used in
industries .
● In 2008 a major decision was taken to improve the air quality in
Kolkata.
● In July 2008 high court ordered the phasing out of the 2-stroke
autos and old commercial vehicles from the streets of Kolkata
byDecember 2008. Due to lot of political pressure, the
government was forced to push the deadline to July 2009.
● In another policy, the decision was taken to replace the old
vehicles with new CNG (Concentrated Natural Gas) vehicles.
● So, the implementation took place or started to take place from
the beginning of August 2009.