Environmental Effects Of Air Pollutants

People may believe that the most important environmental issues threatening our world would be human overpopulation, ocean acidification, and pollution. However we are forgetting how important every environmental issue is to our planet and the humans that populate it. Ozone depletion affects both the planet and the people. It is a very serious environmental issue that if not solved can cost us some serious loss. The depletion of our ozone layers and the creation of the ozone hole has occurred since the 1980’s, and it 's only getting worst. The ozone layer is a form of oxygen in the molecular form of O3. It is an unstable gas with a pungent odour, it is bluish and it is located in two parts of the atmosphere: the stratosphere and the

The ozone is a form of oxygen that combines three oxygen atoms in each molecule. Its important because its like a filter. CFCS, also known as, chlorofluorocarbons are used to break up some of the ozone molecules

The ozone should always stay in tact to protects the earth from UV radiation, which is harmful to humans (skin cancer) and also the earth (global warming). If allowed to build up indoors, VOCs often contribute to lightheadedness, headaches, allergies and more importantly has also scientifically proven harmful to asthma sufferers. As a matter of fact, according to Professor Roy Harrison, professor of environmental health at Birmingham University, there is a body of research on VOCs in the indoor environment which links them with those kinds of symptoms - headaches and not feeling so good (news.bbc.co.uk). After proven to have negative effects on the ozone layer as well as humans, the production of CFCs was shut down and in fact it’s banned in the US. Some scientists were not convinced by the act of banning CFCs in spite of all these evidences. “Given the large economic impact of a ban — it was estimated that industries relying on CFC production generated $8 billion in business and employed 200,000 people in 1974 — several scientists in the field advocated waiting a few years for science to make more progress on the issue before making any policy decisions.” (bio.sunyorange.edu)

In the late 1970’s scientists concluded that products releasing carbonflourochloride (CFC) was causing the ozone to deplete. The ozone layer is a protective layer from the sun’s rays and depleting the ozone layer allowed the stronger, harmful to health on earth, rays to get through. International action was taken in 1987 and the Montreal Protocol came into being. It was an international treaty to phase out CFC producing products. It went into effect in 1988 and has achieved international success. Once the Montreal Protocol had been agreed to the World Health Organization released information on the harmful effects CFC’s were having on the ozone

How do CFCs or chlorofluorocarbons affect Canada’s Ozone layer. To answer this question we first have to understand chlorofluorocarbons and the earth's ozone layer. Chlorofluorocarbons are chemical compounds made up of three chlorine atoms. One fluorine atom and 1 carbon atom. There were many uses for CFCs ranging from, being used as coolants in refrigerants to propellants for aerosols to being used as solvents for dry cleaning. As CFCs are non- flammable and not very toxic we thought they were a revolutionary compound, but unfortunately CFCs were one of the leading causes for the depletion of our ozone layer. ozone is a type of oxygen, an ozone molecule consists of three oxygen atoms whereas a regular oxygen molecule only consists of two.

However, the interaction of CFCs with the relatively unstable O3 that makes up ozone caused a depletion of this molecule in the atmosphere – thus diminishing the total amount of protective ozone. Once CFCs were realized to be destructive and responsible for a great deal of damage to the ozone, measures were put in place to reduce the amount of CFCs in products. These reductive measures are probably responsible for stemming a lot of ozone depletion. Pure chlorine is another particle that is seriously accountable for ozone damage because of the reactions it makes with O3 (Kerr). Bromide and halocarbons are other key damagers (Fahey/Ravishankara and Kerr). A crucial component in the reduction of ozone damage is to decrease the emissions of these and other harmful materials, both in product development and production, as well as in product functioning itself.

In the lower atmosphere, particularly near the surface, ozone isn't so beneficial. Often a primary ingredient in smog, ozone causes damage in lung when inhaled. The American Lung Association's website (http:/www.lungusa.org/) contains many

Sulphur dioxide is naturally released into the atmosphere by volcanic activity and geothermal hot springs. Since volcanic activity varies year to year, it is difficult gain an accurate measure of the increase in atmospheric sulphur dioxide due to industrial sources.

This odorless, colorless, and poisonous gas is formed by the combustion of fossil fuels such as gasoline and is emitted primarily from cars and trucks. When inhaled, CO blocks oxygen from the brain, heart, and other vital organs. Fetuses, newborn children, and people with chronic illnesses are especially susceptible to the effects of CO.

There are four major gases that cause the greenhouse effect.  These chemicals are Chloroflourocarbons (CFC’s), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), and Methane (CH4).  “CFC’s destroy ozone molecules by the thousands, causing a smaller amount of ozone in the ozone layer.  This allows more UV rays hit the Earth’s surface, causing a slight increase of the Earth’s temperature.  The more ozone molecules destroyed, the more UV rays enter the Earth’s atmosphere, making the temperature even higher”(What Is The Greenhouse Effect).

Scientists all over the world have been widely researching to find out ways in which the ozone layer is being destroyed through human actions. The ozone layer is gradually being destroyed by ozone depleting chemicals. These chemicals include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydroflourocarbons (HFCs), methyl bromide, halons, methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride among others (Ryding 173). These chemicals are used locally in coolants, fire extinguishers, solvents, pesticides, aerosol propellants and foaming agents.

In some parts of the world, vegetation releases significant amounts of VOCs, especially during warmer days. VOCs react with other anthropogenic organic carbon compounds and anthropogenic pollutants to bring about a seasonal mist of secondary pollutants. Some of the elements or species that can produce significant amounts of VOCs include poplar, black gum, oaks and will. The production of VOCs from these aforementioned sources brings about an increased amount of ozone levels eight times than low-impact tree species.

It affects all aspects of our environment from plant life, crops, and forests, to materials, aesthetics, and visibility. Plant life is more susceptible than humans to air pollution, as it wasn’t uncommon to see brutally damaged vegetation or totally desolate land downwind from coal-burning power plants that put sulfur dioxide out into the air. Crop and forest damages are mainly from ozone exposure, which causes the leaves to turn yellow and have black flecking. Crops are mostly affected during the summer when they are actively growing and the ozone levels are at their highest. Forests, however, are affected the worse. Trees that are laden from the ozone effect are attacked more by insects and other pathogens.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s): CFC’s are lowering the average concentration of ozone in the stratosphere. “Since 1978 the use of CFC’s in aerosol cans has been banned in the United States, Canada and most Scandinavian countries. Aerosols are still used around the world and accounts for 25% of global CFC’s use”. (Miller 448). Spray cans discarded or leaking refrigerator and air conditioning equipment and the burning plastic foam products release the CFC’s into the atmosphere. Depending on the type, CFC’s stay in the atmosphere from 22 to 111 years.” Chlorofluorocarbons move up to the stratosphere gradually over several decades. Under high energy ultra violet (UV) radiation break them down and release chlorine atoms, which speed up the breakdown of ozone (O3) into oxygen (O2). Chlorofluorocarbons, also known as Freons, are green house gas that contributes to global warming. Photochemical air pollution is commonly referred to as “smog”. Smog is the contraction of the words smoke and fog, smog has been caused by water condensing on smoke particles, usually from burning coal. With the introduction of petroleum to replace coal economies in countries, photochemical smog has become predominant in many cities, which are located in sunny warm and dry climates with many motor vehicles. The worst episodes of

al., 2004). However, approximately 90% of chloroform comes from natural sources. Therefore, if increased UV radiation has a similar effect on other natural chloroform-emitting sources, the increase in organohalogens could be much more significant. If such an increase were significant, it would create a vicious circle – increased UV radiation causes stress to living organisms; increased stress causes a higher production of organohalogens; organohalogens breakdown stratospheric ozone; lower levels of ozone increase earth’s surface radiation.