Adopted a LibreTexts for your class? Small solid particles and liquid droplets are collectively termed particulates. However, particulate pollutants, though minor, are the most dangerous among the primary pollutants (100 times more harmful than carbon monoxide). smog, see previous section) are oxidising agents which attack plants by oxidising their sulphydril (–SH) groups of proteins into disulphides. But various pollutants from natural and man-made sources are entering the atmosphere daily and these disturb the dynamic equilibrium in the atmosphere. Effects of Acid Rain. Cattle are affected by air pollution, particularly under smog conditions. It is produced from the combustion of any sulphur-bearing material. Acid rain originated from U.K. but far away in Sweden, it damaged some 8,000 lakes of which 4,000 are dead. It refers to rising air and ocean temperatures around the world. And this can have consequences. Pure air is colourless and odourless. Your email address will not be published. In presence of ozone,carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbon participate in photochemical reactions (in presence of sunlight). The following figure and flow-sheet illustrate the action of catalytic converters: Use of catalytic converters in two stages helps in. Maintaining biodiversity Water pollution 13. This is a very neatly written article. The first reaction above occurs in presence of ozone and water vapour. elimination of pollutants from exhaust gases before they are discharged into the atmosphere. Meteorology is based on the physical parameters such as temperature, wind, moisture, and movement of air masses in the atmosphere. In our current age of industrialisation and modernisation, the biggest source of air pollution is the burning of fossil fuels. Examples include fine particles produced by the burning of coal, noxious gases such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide; ground-level ozone and tobacco smoke. Whether air pollution affects female infertility is under debate. View english sba on air pollution.docx from BIOLOGY MISC at Mcarthur High School. Air pollution is caused by releasing gases into the atmosphere. of the atmosphere and the chemical reactions going on in the atmosphere. Some pollutants are absorbed on Soot If it falls on plants, it may kill them (see Figure below). Wood fires add large amounts of smoke particles into the atmosphere in and out of houses. The contamination of air can be caused due to many factors such as poisonous or harmful gases, smoke, fog, smog, dust, etc. Hence efforts for carbon monoxide pollution control are mainly aimed at automobiles. #119 Air pollution by sulfur dioxide (SO2), acid rain SO2 released into the air when coal and oil are burned. These reactions lead to photochemical smog formation, which is characterized by brown hazy fumes which irritate the eyes and lungs and also cause serious damage to plants. Loss of ozone has created an ozone hole over Antarctica. It is perfect time to make a few plans for the long run and it’s time to be happy. For … SOX (sulphur oxides) from flue gases of industrial plants can be removed by means of chemical scrubbers. Air pollution causes acid rain, ozone depletion, and global warming. Plants are affected both by gaseous pollutants and by particulates deposited on soil. We were learning about the effects of urbanization on ecosystems, and pollution and urban heat islands came up in our discussions. Thank you, I will try and check back more frequently. SO2 released into the air when coal and oil are burned. Air pollution is one of the present-day health problems throughout the world. AIR POLLUTION. Free PDF Download for MCQs on Air Pollution of on CoolGyan Prepared by Expert Subject Teachers From Latest Updated Books as per latest CBSE/NCERT Guidelines. The product, sulphuric acid is formed on aerosol (fine particle suspended in air as in smoke, fog, mist, etc.) Explain how air pollution is related to acid rain and ozone depletion. It occurs when a warm air mass moves above a cold air mass resulting in air stagnation of the latter (cold air) in which air pollutants get trapped. the air pollution affects both the plants as well as animals. Air pollution 12. Natural processes, particularly trees, emit large quantities of hydrocarbons in air. Table:Primary Air Pollutant sources and Their Quantities (Million Tons per Year). The major cause of outdoor air pollution is the burning of fossil fuels. It also damages buildings. Menu GCSE Maths Edexcel GCSE Maths Topic Questions Past Papers Auto-mobiles are significant sources of hydrocarbons. They influence the climate through the formation of cloud, rain and snow by acting as nuclei upon which water can condense into raindrops. In vitro and in vivo studies suggested that air pollutants could act as endocrine disruptors, promote oxidative stress and exert genotoxic effect. A typical list of 24 extremely hazardous substances in the atmosphere has been submitted by the United Air Pollution by Emissions from vehicles Transport vehicles moving by road, rail, water or air using fossil fuels like coal or petroleum oils produce smoke containing poisonous gases and supply to air pollution. Outdoor air pollution involves exposures that take place outside of the built environment. of the atmosphere and the chemical reactions going on in the atmosphere. The total loss of the ozone layer would be devastating to most life. Heavy smog. Register free for online tutoring session to clear your doubts. Air pollution consists of chemical substances and particles released into the air, mainly by human actions. Air Pollution part 1: Grade 9 understanding for IGCSE Biology 4.12 The extended topic on “Human Influences on the environment” is one that is well worth revising thoroughly. Air Pollution and Biosphere Air pollutants are present largely in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. Ranching and using chemicals such as fertilizers also cause air pollution. in blast furnaces: CO2             +         C     ———————————>          2CO This is known as reducing smog in contrast with photochemical smog which is known as oxidising smog (consisting of hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and ozone). The product, sulphuric acid is formed on aerosol (fine particle suspended in air as in smoke, fog, mist, etc.) Well, it contains all of the air that we breathe. Photochemical smog occurs in coastal cities in winter climate, e.g. Ozone and peroxyacylnitrate (PAN) (in photochemical It also disturbs the nitrogen cycle, kills plankton, and disrupts ocean food webs. Acid rain over a period of time tends to reduce the soil pH (= log H+ i.e. Human activities are partly responsible for changing the meteorology of the earth. Air pollution, release into the atmosphere of various gases, finely divided solids, or finely dispersed liquid aerosols at rates that exceed the natural capacity of the environment to dissipate and dilute or absorb them. The causes of death were bronchitis, pneumonia, and other respiratory troubles particularly among aged people. Table 6.3 gives a list of annual production of particulate matter from the two sources. Hence, to control air pollution, it is mandatory to take a pollution certificate for the vehicles from the traffic police. This restricts the absorption of carbon dioxide and hence reduce the rate of photosynthesis as well as rate of transpiration. I抣l definitely return. The air pollution definition says that when any physical, chemical or biological change takes place in the air and contaminates it, then it is called air pollution. This leads to air pollution when the normal properties of air are upset and both man and environment suffer. Man-made sources—coal-fired power stations and other industries contribute about 33 per cent of SOX pollution while natural sources, viz. Both are affected by air pollution. They are released in aerosol sprays, coolants, and other products. Sources of Air Pollution Pollution enters the Earth's atmosphere in many different ways. negative logarithm of hydrogen ion concentration which is an index of acidity, alkalinity or neutrality) and renders it acidic and less fertile. Have questions or comments? World-wide Addition of Particulate Matter to the Atmosphere (in Million Tons). Click here to let us know! Sulphur dioxide, SO2 is always associated with a little of sulphur trioxide, SO3. you make blogging look easy. Deforestation & … If some one wants expert view on the topic of blogging and site-building after that i advise him/her to visit this website, Keep up the fastidious job. Unfortunately, the layer of good ozone is being destroyed by air pollution. Air pollution, one of the man-made activities, has some impact on meteorology, i.e. I recently did a mini unit with my students on urban ecology. Particulates play key roles in the atmosphere. These particles and gases may come from exhaust from cars and trucks, factories, dust, pollen, mould spores, volcanoes and wildfires. Deforestation & peat destruction 14. Besides these, acid rain damaged forests in Germany and lakes in Sweden and Canada. Pollutants in the air take many forms.They can be gases, solid particles, or liquid droplets. They also affect photosynthesis by plants. These trees in a European forest were killed by acid rain. smog, see previous section) are oxidising agents which attack plants by oxidising their sulphydril (–SH) groups of proteins into disulphides. Global warming & the impact of change 15. They reduce visibility by scattering and absorption of solar radiation. The harmful products in the chain reaction are NO2 and aldehyde, R CHO. Air pollution is a health and environmental issue across all countries of the world, but with large differences in severity. Power stations burn large amounts of these fossil fuels. Air Pollution Affects the Health of Everyone Clean air is essential for life and health. Water pollution 13. Designed by the teachers at SAVE MY EXAMS for the CIE IGCSE Biology 0610 / 0970 syllabus. Greenhouse gases trap heat energy in the Earths atmosphere. The ground air, l–100 metres high, is very much polluted in urban and industrial areas. Air pollution is the introduction of particulates, biological molecules, or other harmful gases into Earth's atmosphere, causing disease, death to humans, damage to other living organisms such as food crops, or the natural or built environment. You can do a simple study to determine some of the factors that affect air pollution. From auto exhaust emissions NOX is removed as discussed above by means of catalytic converters. In this context temperature inversion plays an important role. Many of the effects of air pollution have global implications.There are three major air pollution issues at the moment. This can be in the form of excessive gases like carbon dioxide and other vapours that cannot be effectively removed through natural cycles, such as the carbon cycle or the nitrogen cycle. Copyright © 2019 - 2021 Biology-Teach All rights reserved. industrial facilities) and mobile sources (e.g. Some pollutants are absorbed on vegetation, buildings and water surfaces. Thus by means of platinum catalytic converters, auto exhaust emissions are cleaned up through reduction-oxidation reactions. Earth’s atmosphere is vast. Soot particles containing metal oxides, catalyze the oxidation of sulphur dioxide to trioxide. • Gases, mists, particulates and aerosols emitted by industries and other chemical and biological processes used by man. That’s because protein structure and function are very sensitive to pH. It has been described above that much of nitrogen oxides, NOX and sulphur oxides, SOX entering the atmosphere are transformed into nitric acid (HNO3) and sulphuric acid (H2SO4) respectively. The acids lower the pH of precipitation, forming acid rain. The finer particles (< 3 µ ) are the worst causes of lungs damage due to their ability to penetrate deep in our respiratory tract and thence in lungs where they remain for years and cause all sorts of diseases such an cough, bronchitis, asthma, and finally cancer. The same soil sample on sterilization failed to remove carbon monoxide from air. beryllium, cadmium, chromium, manganese, nickel, vanadium, etc.A soot particle has an average size 0.1–20 µ . (carbon)             (oxygen)                 (carbon monoxide), Such converters built into the automobile engines promote oxidation-reduction cycles and ensure complete combustion of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons. Methane, CH4 is a major hydrocarbon. A side reaction also follows by another route through the aldehyde, R CHO; it gives an injurious end product, peroxy acyl nitrate (PAN) which is a strong eye irritant. with other gases leads to smog formation, e.g. All life relies on a relatively narrow range of pH, or acidity. Air pollution consists of chemical substances and particles released into the air, mainly by human actions. Understanding the drivers of abundance and biodiversity decline across numerous taxa is imperative for designing conservation policy. The following figure and flow-sheet illustrate the action of catalytic converters: Use of catalytic converters in two stages helps in Use of catalytic converters in the internal combustion engines of automobiles helps in cleaning up the exhaust emissions. Answer: The pressure horn Causes noise pollution which increases blood pressure, disturbs concentration, lowers working capacity and may lead to nervous disorders. They originate both from natural and man-made sources. Man has become the victim of air pollution. Among man-made sources, fly ash from thermal power plants deserve mention. I haven’t done any analysis of past papers (life is too short) but my hunch is that questions on these topics have been over-represented in the past few years. As a matter of fact, USA and other developed countries contribute most to air pollution. Air pollution causes acid rain, ozone depletion, and global warming. This temperature rise is at least partially caused by an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Air pollution is the largest environmental cause of disease and early death in the world today. The major cause of outdoor air pollution is the burning of fossil fuels. In Leeds, U.K. there was drastic decrease in growth of lettuce and radish in heavily polluted industrial areas compared to less polluted areas of the city. We also acknowledge previous National Science Foundation support under grant numbers 1246120, 1525057, and 1413739. Wow, amazing blog layout! The removal of particulate matter from gas streams is an essential step for air pollution control. Sources of Air Pollution: Detailed revision notes on the topic Air Pollution. Menu GCSE Maths Edexcel GCSE Maths Topic Questions Past … Air pollutants are present largely in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. [129] They are particularly common in highly populated, urban areas, where there may be a combination of stationary sources (e.g. I haven’t done any analysis of past papers (life is too short) but my hunch is that questions on these topics have been over-represented in the past few years. I抣l make sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your helpful information. It is also affected by the chemical properties. This ozone layer shields Earth from most of the sun’s harmful UV radiation. A potting soil sample weighing 28 kg can completely remove in 3 hours 120 ppm carbon monoxide from ambient air. • Volcanic activity, vegetation decay, forest fires emitting carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide and tiny particles of solids or liquids sprayed from the seas and land by wind. The atmosphere also provides organisms with gases needed for life. Fig.1 Catalytic converters for treating auto emissions. Air pollution is caused by particles of solid and liquid and some gases that are suspended in the air. Sulphuric acid is one of the constituents of acid rain. Air pollution may come from anthropogenic or natural sources. ATS GCSE Biology - Biodiversity and air pollution Definitions is the variety of all the different spe… ensures the stability of ecosystems by… on Earth relies on us maintaining a goo… Required fields are marked *. If it falls into lakes, it lowers the pH of the water and kills aquatic organisms. Alternatively, sulphur oxide in aqueous solution is treated with citric acid salt and the resulting solution is exposed to a stream of hydrogen sulphide gas whereby sulphur is deposited. elimination of pollutants from exhaust gases before they are discharged into the atmosphere. Global warming is an environmental phenomenon caused by natural and anthropogenic air pollution. In winter sulphur oxides from thermal power plants along. generate acidic precipitation, known as acid rain. Meteorology is based on the physical parameters such as temperature, wind, moisture, and movement of air masses in the atmosphere. Soot particles originate from fuel combustion and consist of highly condensed product of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)—roughly 100 condensed aromatic rings. Particulates cause increased corrosion of metals which assume serious dimensions in industrial and urban areas. In California, USA the presence of sulphur dioxide in air and metallic pollutants in soil killed vegetation in an area of 300 km2 and affected growth on a further 350 km2 of land. States Environmental Protection Agency (1973): Acrylonitrile, Arsenic, Asbestos, Benzene, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chlorinated solvents, Chlorofluorocarbons, Chromate, Coke oven emissions, Ethylene oxide, Lead, Mercury, Ozone, Sulphur dioxide, Vinyl chloride, Toxic waste disposal emissions and leachates (washings), etc. This sulphur can then be recovered and utilised. Such converters built into the automobile engines promote oxidation-reduction cycles and ensure complete combustion of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons. Designed by the teachers at SAVE MY EXAMS for the CIE IGCSE Biology 0610 / 0970 syllabus. London smog (1952) is well-known for its disastrous effect. 4,000 people. The Phoenix metropolitan area, like many large cities, has problems with air pollution at certain times of the year. In the first converter nitrogen oxides are reduced to nitrogen (+ ammonia) in presence of finely divided catalyst platinum, and the reducing gases, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. Ground-level ozone is harmful to the respiratory systems of humans and other animals. In air NOX is converted into nitric acid, HNO3 by natural processes: This nitric acid is one of the constituents of acid rain discussed in a subsequent section. The primary pollutants discharged into the atmosphere, undergo chemical changes in presence of water vapour, oxygen and solar ultra-violet radiation and produce secondary pollutants. Learn air pollution biology with free interactive flashcards. Other free radicals which are formed are: R CH2O2• in the second step by reaction with oxygen, R CH2O•; R CH2O• in the third step by reaction with nitric oxide; HO2• in the fourth step by reaction with oxygen—a stable aldehyde R CHO is another product at this stage; HO• is formed in fifth step by reaction with nitric oxide (nitrogen dioxide is another product here); and finally, the starting free radical R CH2• is regenerated by reaction with hydrocarbon, R CH3 thereby sustaining the chain reaction. If acid rain falls on the ground, it may damage soil and soil organisms. Question 4: Use of pressure horn is prohibited in certain places. What are effects of pollution? I desire to learn more issues approximately it! Power stations burn large amounts of these fossil fuels. Air pollution comes from many sources, including waste expelled into the atmosphere by numerous factories. Combustion of fossil fuels and other fuels releases carbon dioxide. The flue stack gases are led through a bed of (slurry) of limestone, CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) which absorbs sulphur dioxide quite efficiently.The method is economical but the disposal of solid waste, The hydrogen content of soot is 1–3 per cent and oxygen content 5–10 percent due to partial surface oxidation. Such a phenomenon is observed in Denver, USA on the east of the Rocky mountains. Air pollution is caused by releasing gases into the atmosphere. Learn about Pollution of Air and Water topic of Biology in details explained by subject experts on Vedantu.com. Biology Menu Toggle Class 11 Biology … In all developed countries it is mandatory by law for all automobiles to fit their engines with catalytic converters. Your email address will not be published. There are five primary pollutants which together contribute more than 90 per cent of global air pollution: Transportation accounts for more than 46 per cent of the total pollutants produced per year and hence remains the principal source of air pollution. Indoor air can also be polluted. This contributes to the greenhouse effect and leads to global warming. They are responsible for damage to buildings, sculptures, paintings, etc. (carbon dioxide)         (carbon). Thanks for the post. Heavy smog (SO2) conditions prevailed in London for five days which killed about London smog (1952) is well-known for its disastrous effect. This leads to inhibition of individual enzyme activity. It refills lakes and rivers with precipitation. These combine with hydrogen chloride, HCl from HCl emissions (both by man-made and natural sources) and. The best equipment is the Electrostatic Precipitator. Carbon monoxide is the major industrial pollutant, with a tonnage matching that of all other pollutants together. The latter concentration in rural air is much less than in urban air. Biology Notes for IGCSE 2014. What are some ways you could use less energy? This happens when warm air blows over a mountain range and over cool air on the other side of the range. droplet. I have read this submit and if I may I want to counsel you some fascinating issues or suggestions. Introduces indoor/outdoor air pollution, acid rain, and ozone depletion as issues affecting the atmosphere. the science of atmospheric phenomenon. What benefits does the ozone layer provide. Most air pollution is created by people, taking the form of … Bio Monitoring of Air Pollution: Plants are used to monitor (bio monitoring) air pollution and such plants are referred to as indicator plants. Bad ozone forms near the ground when sunlight reacts with pollutants in the air. The major sink is soil micro-organisms. Acid rain over a period of time tends to reduce the soil pH (= log H+ i.e. Ozone and peroxyacylnitrate (PAN) (in photochemical. The atmosphere also has other roles and functions, so when we interfere with the atmosphere, we interfere with some important biological processes. the science of atmospheric phenomenon. London smog. The flue stack gases are led through a bed of (slurry) of limestone, CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) which absorbs sulphur dioxide quite efficiently.The method is economical but the disposal of solid waste, It has been described above that much of nitrogen oxides, NOX and sulphur oxides, SOX entering the atmosphere are transformed into nitric acid (HNO3) and sulphuric acid (H2SO4) respectively. Ozone depletion results in higher levels of UV radiation reaching Earth. Carbon dioxide is emitted into t… Each year 350 million tons of CO (275 million tons from human sources and 75 million tons from natural sources) are emitted all over the world in which USA alone shares 100 million tons. These pollutants (secondary) have harmful effects on soil, vegetation, crops, animals, men and materials. [ "article:topic", "showtoc:no", "license:ccbync", "authorname:ck12", "program:ck12" ], https://bio.libretexts.org/@app/auth/3/login?returnto=https%3A%2F%2Fbio.libretexts.org%2FBookshelves%2FIntroductory_and_General_Biology%2FBook%253A_Introductory_Biology_(CK-12)%2F06%253A_Ecology%2F6.29%253A_Air_Pollution, information contact us at info@libretexts.org, status page at https://status.libretexts.org. States Environmental Protection Agency (1973): Air pollution, one of the man-made activities, has some impact on meteorology, i.e. Chemicals discharged into the air that have a direct impact on the environment are called primary pollutants. FREE Biology revision notes on Land, Water & Air Pollution. High concentrations can cause undesirable health, economic, or aesthetic effects. Acid rain can be checked if its constituents, sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide are controlled as discussed above. The petroleum and diesel-fed automobiles account for major share of carbon monoxide emission. The formation of NO and NO2 is based on the chemical reactions: These reactions occur inside the automobile engines so that the exhaust gases consist of NOX. It is the contamination of air by harmful gases, dust and smoke which affects plants, animals and humans drastically. The first reaction above occurs in presence of ozone and water vapour. Power plants, motor vehicles, and home furnaces all burn fossil fuels and contribute to the problem (see Table below). Good ozone forms in a thin layer high up in the atmosphere, between 15 and 35 kilometers above Earth’s surface. Choose from 500 different sets of air pollution biology flashcards on Quizlet. They develop breathing troubles, loss of appetite and show low milk yield while many of them die. This leads to air pollution when the normal properties of air are upset and both man and environment suffer. Taj mahal stones are affected by acid rain. Perhaps you can write next articles regarding this article. It plays an important role in preventing mutations in the DNA of organisms. Air Pollution part 1: Grade 9 understanding for IGCSE Biology 4.12 The extended topic on “Human Influences on the environment” is one that is well worth revising thoroughly. It is part of the water cycle. in Los Angeles, USA which have the heaviest vehicular traffic. contribute about 85 million tons of methane to the atmosphere each year. These pollutants (secondary) have harmful effects on soil, vegetation, crops, animals, men and materials. The causes of death were bronchitis, pneumonia, and other respiratory troubles particularly among aged people. The major cause of outdoor air pollution is the burning of fossil fuels. How long have you been blogging for? The number of particles in the atmosphere vary from several hundred per cm3 in clean air to more than 100,000 per cm3 in highly polluted air (urban/ industrial area). Sulphur dioxide is a colourless gas with a pungent odour. generate acidic precipitation, known as acid rain. 029 - Air PollutionIn this video Paul Andersen explains how air pollution is any chemicals in the atmosphere that negatively affect human health. Electrostatic precipitator is based on the principle that aero-sol particles acquire charge when subjected to an electrostatic field. That is to say, diesel and petroleum engines in automobiles are primarily responsible for about 70 per cent of CO emissions.The sources of carbon monoxide, CO are the chemical reactions: (i) incomplete combustion of fuel or carbon containing compounds: 2C       +       O2        ————–>          2CO It is also affected by the chemical properties This reduces the local problem but creates problems for far away areas through acid rains (see below). Table 2. Its rate of loss has slowed with restrictions on pollutants, but it is still at risk. An increase or decrease in the composition of these gases is harmful to survival. Natural sources of air pollution are: 10.1 Atmospheric Pollution – Environmental Biology 10.1 Atmospheric Pollution Air pollution occurs in many forms but can generally be thought of as gaseous and particulate contaminants that are present in the earth’s atmosphere. However, it has been seriously polluted by human activities. The atmosphere plays an important part in maintaining Earth’s freshwater supply. The air above the ground becomes polluted. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has had the biggest effect on global warming. Detailed revision notes on the topic Air Pollution. Particulates such as dust and soot are deposited on plant leaves and block the stomata (opening in the epidermis of plants). Home Search Pdf Classification > Cells ... #119 Air pollution by sulfur dioxide (SO2), acid rain . 4,000 people. In fact, more people die each year from air pollution than automobile accidents. Nitrogen and sulfur oxides, mainly from motor vehicle exhaust and coal burning, create acids when they combine with water in the air. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The above data are taken from those in USA (1990). In humans, this increases skin cancers and eye cataracts. The hydrogen content of soot is 1–3 per cent and oxygen content 5–10 percent due to partial surface oxidation.