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Ozone

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12 views

Ozone

Uploaded by

Vishal Cv
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Ozone Layer Depletion

Source of ozone

 Consisted of 3 oxygen atoms, unlike


ordinary oxygen molecule (which has 2
atoms).
 It has a bluish colour.
Dual role of Ozone
 At near ground level, ozone is an air
pollutant. Even at a low concentration
(ppm), it is irritating to respiratory
system.
 It is strongly oxidizing, and is now
commonly used in sterilization of water.
 Its presence in the stratosphere is vital
to life on Earth as it can absorb harmful
ultra-violet radiation (known as UVB,
wavelength 270-315nm) from sunlight.
Structure of Atmosphere
Source: NASA
Formation of Ozone in
stratosphere
O2 + (radiation < 240nm) → 2 O
O2 + O + M → O 3 + M

Molecule M carries the energy of the


reaction but remain unchanged.
Destruction of Ozone (I)
 Ozone can be destroyed by a number of free
radical catalysts, the most important of which are
the hydroxyl radical (OH·), the nitric oxide radical
(NO·) and atomic chlorine (Cl·) and bromine (Br·).
 Human activity has dramatically increased the
chlorine and bromine. These elements are found
in certain stable organic compounds, especially
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which may find their
way to the stratosphere without being destroyed
in the troposphere due to low reactivity. Once in
the stratosphere, the Cl and Br atoms are
liberated from the parent compounds by the
action of ultraviolet light, and can destroy ozone
molecules through a variety of catalytic cycles.
Destruction of Ozone (II)
Cl + O3 → ClO + O2

ClO + O → Cl + O2

In sum O3 + O → O2 + O2
=>Increase rate of recombination of
oxygen, leading to an overall
decrease in the amount of ozone.
Ozone hole in September
2006

“Largest hole in the record.”


~Size of North America

Source: NASA
Concentration Ozone in Antarctic
region
Consequences of Ozone
depletion
 Since the ozone layer absorbs UVB
ultraviolet light from the Sun, ozone
layer depletion is expected to
increase surface UVB levels.
 Possible linked to higher incidence of
skin cancer.
 Lead to decrease of crop yield.
Montreal Protocol
 The Montreal Protocol on Substances That
Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international
treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by
phasing out the production of a number of
substances believed to be responsible for ozone
depletion. The treaty entered into force on
January 1, 1989.
 Due to its widespread adoption and
implementation it has been hailed as an example
of exceptional international cooperation
 "Perhaps the single most successful international
agreement to date...".
Ozone Depleting
Substances
 Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were used in
air conditioning/cooling units, as aerosol
spray propellants prior to the 1980s, and in
the cleaning processes of delicate
electronic equipment.
 It is calculated that a CFC molecule takes
an average of 15 years to go from the
ground level up to the upper atmosphere,
and it can stay there for about a century,
destroying up to 100,000 ozone molecules
during that time.
Current situation
 CFCs have been replaced to some extent
by the less damaging hydro-chloro-fluoro-
carbons (HCFCs), although concerns
remain regarding HCFCs also. In some
applications, hydro-fluoro-carbons (HFCs)
have been used to replace CFCs.
 HFCs, which contain no chlorine or
bromine, do not contribute at all to ozone
depletion although they are potent
greenhouse gases.
Recovery of Ozone Layer
 Since the adoption and strengthening of the
Montreal Protocol has led to reductions in the
emissions of CFCs, atmospheric concentrations of
the most significant compounds have been
declining. These substances are being gradually
removed from the atmosphere.
 By 2015, the Antarctic ozone hole would have
reduced by only 1 million km² out of 25
 Complete recovery of the Antarctic ozone layer will
not occur until the year 2050 or later.
 A detectable recovery will not occur until around
2024, with ozone levels recovering to 1980 levels
by around 2068.

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