IEK211 - AIR POLLUTION CONTROL TECHNOLOGY

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ASSIGNMENT 1
Air pollution is a mixture of solid particles and gases. Car emissions, factory
chemicals, dust, pollen and mold spores may be suspended as pollutants. It is
created by the release of hazardous or harmful amounts of pollutants into Earth's
atmosphere. Air pollution sources include gases such as ammonia, carbon
monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons and
biological molecules. It can be characterized as the existence of foreign material
whether gaseous or particulate matter or a mixture of both in the environment that is
bad for human health and welfare.
Primary pollutants are pollutants released directly from known sources can be in
the form of particulate matter or gaseous material emitted by natural events.
Example of primary pollutants is Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxide, Carbon Dioxide
and Volatile Organic Compounds. Secondary pollutants are the pollutants which are
generated in the atmosphere are called secondary air pollutants when certain
chemical reactions happen among the primary pollutants and with others in the air.
For example, nitric acid, carbonate acid and ozone.
There are many effects of air pollution. It can affect human health. Particulates can
cause carcinogenic effects accumulate in the lungs and interfere with the exchange
of gases in the lungs. Prolonged exposure can cause asthma and lung cancer.
Smoking the cigarettes is responsible for the greatest of carbon monoxide exposure
to human health. Nitrogen Oxide can irritate the lungs; worsen asthma and influenza
susceptibility and common colds. Many volatile organic compounds such as benzene
and formaldehyde and toxic particulate matter can cause cancer and mutations.
Lead can cause cancers and neurological problems.
Apart from that, the other effect of air pollution is ozone layer depletion. The upper
stratosphere consists of significant amounts of ozone which acts as an effective
ultraviolet light screen. This region is known as the ozone layer which extends up to
60 km above the earth's surface. Ozone is a form of 3 atoms oxygen instead of 2. It
is produced in the atmosphere, naturally. Ozone depletion may be caused by the
addition of certain chemicals. Ozone depletion has effects on human health crop
production and environment. Excessive ultraviolet radiation triggers sunburn,
cataract, skin aging and skin cancer. It weakens the immune system by helping the
body resist certain infections such as measles and other deadly diseases.
Photochemical smog is an intensely oxidizing polluted atmosphere that largely
consists of ammonia, Nitrogen Oxide, hydrogen peroxide, biological peroxides, PAN
and peroxy benzoil nitrate.

After that, the effect of air pollution to the environment is global warming, Carbon
dioxide and other gasses allow light to pass but atmospheric heat traps much like
glass in greenhouse heat traps. It is believed this greenhouse effect is responsible
for global warming. Carbon dioxide contributes only 56% of greenhouse heating.
Earth's average surface temperature is about 15 °C. Global warming raises the
average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere, oceans and land masses.
Next, the acid rain is also caused of air pollution. Acid rain is a rain or any other
form of precipitation that is unusually acidic for example hydrogen ion levels. The
process of wet deposition can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and
infrastructure. Acid rain is caused by emissions of ammonium, carbon, nitrogen and
sulfur compounds which react to acids with the atmospheric water molecules.

As conclusion, air pollution is an environmental issue we should look up and take it

seriously for. It mostly happened because of human activities which destroy our
mother’s nature. Many steps have been taken to monitor and control air pollution in
this world such as zoning for industrial activities for land use. All body should take
part to supervise and reduce the air pollution which is hazardous.