Ozone layer depletion and

Global warming
 Ozone layer depletion

Ozone and Ozone layer:

Ozone gas is found on the upper surface of
stratosphere at the height of about 50km
in the form of a layer called ozonosphere.
Ozone is an unstable gas and for its
formation destruction UV ray is essential,
which come from the sun.
Function:
• It regulates the weather and climate of the
earth.
• It filters away the ultraviolet radiation and
protects the earth as protective layer.
 Ozone layer depletion
Ozone hole:
• Ozone hole was at detected at first in 1975.
• Some British scientists noticed effects of O3 hole in
1985.

Photochemical reaction:

O + O2 --------UV-------------- O3
O3 --------------UV-------------- O + O2

In these processes a part of the harmful UV rays is

converted in to infra-red (IF- infrared -
wavelength just below visible light) rays,
which is not lethal to man. It has heating effect.
When ozone destruction is being greater then the
formation known as ozone depletion.
Form:
Earth receives UV radiation in 3 forms i.e.
– UVA in the wavelength range 315-400 NM
– UVB in the wavelength range 289-314 NM
– UVC in the wavelength range 100-280 NM

Among these UV-B is most dangerous.

Cause of O3 depletion:

CFCs, CCl4, CH4 etc. are main chemicals

which check the ozone formation. These
carbon compounds produce the chlorine,
which breaks the O3 molecules and
reduces O3 content in the atmosphere.
Reaction:
Cl +O3-------------------------- ClO + O2
ClO ---------------------------- Cl + O

One atom of Cl is sufficient to destroy a lack

of ozone molecules.
Halocarbon:
Cl, Fl, Br, I when make proper combination with
carbon (C).
• CFCs- Chlorofluorocarbons called Primary
halocarbon.
• BFCs- Bromofluorocarbons.
• CCl4 – Carbon tetrachloride
• Methail Chloroform.
CFCs:
CFCs were developed as a replacement for the
refrigerants because it is extremely stable,
nontoxic and inert, relative to the electrical
and mechanical machinery.
Use:
• CFCs 11 and 12 developed in 1930s as
refrigerants (refrigeration, building and
mobile air conditioning).

• By 1970s, used as- Aerosol propellant like-

hair spray, deodorants, insecticide.

• Industrial blowing agent for flexible, rigid

plastic foams, polyurethane and
polystyrene foams and industrial cleaning
agents and solvents

• CFC-113 used as solvent, especially for

microelectronic production.
 US Regulatory Action — IMOS
Report
• June 1975 — Oregon banned CFC
aerosols effective 1977
• October 1976 — Regulatory plan
announced
– Phase 1 — Restrict “non-essential”
aerosol uses of CFCs 11 and 12
– Phase 2 — Restrict additional uses of
CFCs and other ozone depleters
Alternative sources of CFCs:
Two viable substances in the form of HCFC
and HFC-34 are considered to be harmless
for ozone. Out of these two HFC-34 is the
less harmful because, absence of chlorine
in it but it has some problem i.e.
* It is expensive
*Inflammable
*Toxic in nature
So, we can use instead of these Butane,
Propane because it is—
- Less expensive
- Less harmful
- Freely available
 Ozone Depletion
• Today’s Propellants:
– Hydro-fluoro carbons (HFCs)
– Chloro-methyl carbons (CMCs)
• Disadvantage: Expensive & other effects
unknown
– Ammonia
• Disadvantage(s): pungent, toxic, and
flammable
– Hydrocarbons
• Disadvantage(s): flammable
– Carbon Dioxide
• Disadvantage: greenhouse gas
Effects of UV rays:
The effects of O3 depletion eventually increase the
UV rays penetration to the surface of the earth.
• 1% drops in stratrospheric O3 increase 2-3 % UV.
• In next century UV rays may be increase 3-4% at
the tropics and 10-12 % at high altitude.

Effects on Agricultural crops:

• Agricultural crop losses.
• Increase food production costs because of
physical damages of growing plant.
• Damage is also spread in other plants of the
earth’s physical ecosystem.
 Effects of UV rays:

Effects on health:
• Sunburn, Ageing, Wrinkling of skin.
• Destruction of protein, Mutation of genes.
• EPA ( Environmental Protection Agency)
said-
– By increasing of 1% UVB rays increases basal
cell cancer1% and squamous cell cancer 2%.
– It may caused melanoma skin cancer
– Cataracts disease in eye by about 0.2%.
 Global warming:

When the solar radiation first fall on the top

of the atmosphere the harmful UV
radiations are absorbed by the O3 UV rays
are essential. In this process a part of the
harmful UV rays are converted in to IF
rays which is not lethal to man.
IF radiations coming to earth from the sun
are of short wavelengths but the IF rays
reflected from the earth are of long
wavelengths. The IF radiation reflected
from the earth cannot escape out from the
carbon dioxide layer present in the
atmosphere. CO2 gas has the ability to
absorb IF radiation reflected from the
earth surface.
 Global warming
The heating up of earth’s atmosphere due to
trapping in IF rays reflected from the earth
surface by the CO2 layer in the
atmosphere called Green house effect
which cause global warming.
• It has been observed that
• CO2 can increase temperature by 50% .
• CFCs can increase temperature by20%.
• Other air pollutants can increase
temperature by 10%
 Greenhouse gases
Greenhouse gases are made out of:
•water vapour
•carbon dioxide
•methane
•nitrous oxide
•ozone
•chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
They are all natural gases, but extra
greenhouses gases can be made by
humans from pollution
 How are extra greenhouse
gases produced?
Extra greenhouse gases are produced
through activities which release carbon
dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone
CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). These
activities include:
• Burning coal and petrol, known as 'fossil
fuels'
• Cutting down of rainforests and other
forests
• Animal waste which lets off methane
Global Concern:
• Montreal Protocol (1987): A conference at a global level
Result:
– It was decided to cut level of CFCs to 50% by 1999.
– India and China opposed and refused to sign in this protocol
– Developing countries were supported their decision.
• Toronto (Canada) (1988): The world conference on the
changing atmosphere.
Result:
-To reduce 20% CO2 emission by 2005.
• London protocol (1990):
Result:
-India China and several other countries demanded more
time to reduce CFCs consumption
-Developed countries agreed to stop CFCs consumption
completely by 2000AD.
-Other developing countries by 2010 AD.
• Rio de Janerio ( 1992): No result was obtained because of
interference of the industrialized country.
Impacts of Global Warming: The world is
undoubtedly warming. This warming is largely
the result of emissions of carbon dioxide and
other greenhouse gases from human activities
including industrial processes, fossil fuel
combustion, and changes in land use, such as
deforestation. Continuation of historical trends of
greenhouse gas emissions will result in additional
warming over the 21st century, with current
projections of a global increase of 2.5ºF to 10.4ºF
by 2100, with warming in the U.S. expected to be
even higher. This warming will have real
consequences for the United States and the
world, for with that warming will also come
additional sea-level rise that will gradually
inundate coastal areas, changes in precipitation
patterns, increased risk of droughts and floods,
threats to biodiversity, and a number of potential
challenges for public health
Impacts of Global Warming
If Earth gets hotter, some of the important changes could
happen:
• Water expands when it's heated and oceans absorb more
heat than land, so sea levels would rise.
• Sea levels would also rise due to the melting of the glaciers
and sea ice.
• Cities on coasts would flood.
• Places that usually get lots of rain and snowfall might get
hotter and drier.
• Lakes and rivers could dry up.
• There would be more droughts making hard to grow crops.
• Less water would be available for drinking, showers and
swimming pools.
• Some plants and animals might become extinct because of
the heat.
• Hurricanes, tornadoes and other storms which are caused
by changes in heat and water evaporation may get more
common.
The following may be the consequences of global warming.

• Melting glaciers, snow and mountains ice caps.

• Flooding of low-lying coastal areas.
• Increase in sea level.
• Increase in the flow of rivers and change in rainfall
pattern.
• Chances of submersion of islands.
• Occurrence of more cyclones and hurricanes.
• This will cause damage of agricultural crops.
• Fresh water will be contaminated with the salty water of
sea.
• Human population will be displaced.
• The forest vegetation will not be able to adapt with the
changing temperature and may face destruction.
• As a result of global warming, the temperature of
southern Europe and Central America will rise and affect
the rain fall in these areas.
• The effect of global warming on the Tropics and Southern
hemisphere will be uncertain.