ASSIGNMENT 3

CPE 665 AIR POLLUTION

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

Prepared by:
AMINATUZZAHARAH BINTI MUSA
2016250332
EH220 8F

Prepared for:
DR. SAFARI BIN ZAINAL

Submit on: 5th April 2019

1) Explain sulphur cycle and nitrogen cycle

Sulphur cycle

(Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2014)

Figure above shows that the sulphur cycle. Sulphur cycle is a circulation of sulphur through a
nature as majority sulphur is stored underground in rocks and minerals including sulphate salts
in an ocean. Actually, sulphur cycle consists of two processes which is atmospheric and
terrestrial process. For terrestrial process, the sulphur cycle begins with the weathering of rocks,
means that the release of stored sulphur in a rock into atmosphere. When sulphur being contact
with air in atmosphere, it converted into sulphate (SO4) and then, sulphate absorbed by plants
and microorganisms and converted into organic forms. After that, these organic forms is
consumed by animal such as cow through their food. Waste products also produce from that
organism. As times fly, the organisms would die and decompose, then, when they are
decompose, some of the sulphur from decomposition of living things and waste products are
released as a sulphate and some are enters the tissues of microorganism. Then, the sulphur is
recycle back according to the cycle. Other natural sources that release sulphur into atmosphere
including volcanic eruption and evaporation of water. Besides, some of sulphur from
atmosphere also runoff into ocean. Within ocean, sulphur cycles through marine communities
and some of the sulphur is release back into atmosphere, then, the remaining of the sulphur is
lost to the ocean depths and combine with iron to form ferrous sulphide for marine sediments.
Not only that, human activities also contributed to the abundance of sulphur in atmosphere
such as from burning of fossil fuels, processing of metals and release of sulphur due to
industrial activities. The release of sulphur into atmosphere with the nitrogen and other
chemical gas (contains sulphate) cause acid rain which fall into water and soil, then, sulphur
cycle occurs.

Nitrogen cycle
Figure above shows that how nitrogen cycle occur (Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica,
2018). Nitrogen is an element that to be limiting to plantgrowth and mostly, nitrogen occur in
atmosphere as an inorganic compound (N2) with 79% of the volume of the atmosphere. Some
nitrogen are fixed by lighting and convert into ammonia (NH3). In the natural world, nitrogen
comes from bacteria and prokaryotes. Some nitrogen-fixing bacteria species are living freely
in soil or water and the others are living inside the plants. Nitrogen gas in atmosphere is convert
into biological usable forms in a nitrogen fixation process to be used in a living things (plants).
This is because, plants cannot use nitrogen in its gaseous form and only able to assimilate it
after convert into ammonia (NH3) and nitrates (NO3-). Nitrogen-fixing bacteria actually capture
atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into ammonia, then, taken up by plants and used to make
organic molecules. Then, the plants are eaten by animals and nitrogen-containing molecules
are transferred to animal’s body. The nitrogen-containing molecule are absorbed into animal’s
body and excreted as waste, such as urea found in urine. As times fly, animals and plants will
die and decomposed by bacteria and fungi, certain microbes such as detritivores are participate
in decomposition of nitrogen into ammonia by ammonification process, then, ammonia are
convert into nitrites and nitrates. The nitrates are assimilate by plants and nitrogen cycle occurs.
At the end of the cycle, the denitrifying prokaryotes break down nitrates by de-nitrification
process to obtain oxygen with releasing of N2 gas to the atmosphere. Besides, certain species
of nitrogen-fixing bacteria can coexist symbiotically in root nodules with necessary nitrogen
are providing to the plants. Besides, volcanic eruption and human activities such as burning of
fossil fuel and use of nitrogen-containing fertilizer in agriculture also contributed in nitrogen
cycle.

2) Explain similarity and difference between sulphur and nitrogen cycle

Similarity
I. Both sulphur and nitrogen cycle react with oxygen and water in atmosphere to cause
acid rain.
II. Both sulphur oxides and nitrogen dioxide could cause bad affect to human health and
living things when they present in large quantities.
III. Both cycles involved in combustion of fossil fuel process and had been release to the
atmosphere in large quantities.
IV. Formation of PM10 (Particulate matter 10 micro meters in diameter) in urban areas due
to the sulphur and nitrogen cycles.
Differences
I. Sulphur oxides formed from underground thing such as rock where sulphur cycle
begins with the weathering of rocks (release of stored sulphur in a rock into atmosphere),
while nitrogen oxides formed by the reaction of atmospheric nitrogen with oxygen in
high temperature flames.
II. The product of sulphur oxides that are removed by control equipment such as cyclone
is CaSO4 in which it is a low-solubility solid that can be settled in landfills, while the
products of nitrogen oxides are N2 and O2 gas where both of these gas will be released
to the atmosphere.

3) Discuss advantages and disadvantages of SOx and NOx

Advantages
Sulphur oxides
 It is widely used as preservative in food 
and drinks industries. For example, dried
fruits such as raisins, dried apricots and
prunes.
 It is used as a coolant in the refrigeration 
industry because it easily condensed and
possessing a high heat of evaporation.
 Mostly, in car racing, nitrogen gas is used
Nitrogen oxides
It help bring in the inert nitrogen from
atmosphere into plants and animals as
plants need nitrogen to live and to
synthesis its chlorophyll.
It can help in maintaining the earth
temperature as our earth contain 79%
nitrogen in atmosphere.
instead of oxygen gas because it is more
stable over long term and less likely to
migrate through tire.

Disadvantages
Sulphur oxides
 Affects human health when it is breathed 
in especially for asthma patient. It
irritates the nose, eyes, throat and people 
tend to difficult to breath as they need to
depend on inhaler most of the time.
Nitrogen oxides
Exposed to high levels of nitrogen
dioxides can cause chronic lung disease.
A higher level of nitrogen dioxides in
atmosphere can cause damage to human
  Can cause acid rain, where sulphur react
with oxygen and water in atmosphere,
then it forms sulphuric acid. Sulphuric 
acid actually is the main component of
acid rain. Acid rain also can cause
deforestation, corrosive to building
materials and paints, and affect aquatic
life.
 Actually, there are eight nitrogen oxides.
respiratory tract, respiratory infections
and asthma.
It also can fade the colour of furniture and
fabrics, and cause harmful to plant life
when present in large quantities which is
beyond plant assimilation capabilities.
Besides, excess nitrogen present in soil
also can stunted the growth of plant as it
cannot growth normally.
Some of these are oxides natural and the
rest are manmade. Main nitrogen oxides
present in the air are nitrous oxide, nitric
oxide and nitrogen dioxide. Nowadays,
people starts to concern with nitrous
oxides (N2O) because it can contribute to
global warming and might have
possibility in destruction of ozone layer.

References
Britannica, T. E. (2014, may 20). Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from Encyclopaedia
Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/science/sulfur-cycle

Britannica, T. E. (2018, november 23). Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from

Encyclopaedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/science/nitrogen-cycle

Lecture notes air pollution of NOx control and SOx control