What are the Causes and Effects of Air Pollution?

Rachel Carson, a biologist during the mid-1900s was frightened that some other time, there will be no birds flying in the sky. Why is that so? Because pollution is becoming worst as human population becomes bigger and bigger. And so, irresponsible living that causes pollution is becoming common.

One of the pollutions that Carson discussed in her book entitled “SILENT SPRING” is air pollution.

Nowadays, do you think the air you are inhaling is pure and fresh? Do you think it is healthy enough for your body? Probably the answer is NO.

WHAT ARE THE AIR POLLUTANTS, ITS CAUSES OR SOURCES, AND ITS EFFECTS?

Human activity contributes the general or the largest amount of pollution in the air, although there is additional list of natural sources too. No doubt, those fossil fuels are the highly important source of harmful atmospheric releases.

1. Sulfur dioxide is one of the air pollutants. It is a gas, most likely a colorless gas with a strong suffocating odor. It is destructive to organic materials and causes irritation to the lungs, nose, and eyes. Therefore, it is quite dangerous. Sulfur is contained within all fossil fuels and is being released in the form of sulfur dioxide when fossil fuel ignition happens. The combustion of fossil fuels accounts for nearly all caused by human sulfur emissions.

Other sources of sulfur dioxide aside from burning of fossil fuels are industries, forest fires, smelting plants, electric generation plants, volcanic eruption, petroleum refineries, and industrial boilers.

There are lots of harmful effects of sulfur dioxide and that includes a severe headache, respiratory problems, reduced the productivity of plants, yellowing and damage of limestone and marble, yellowing and reduced storage time for the paper, increased rate of corrosion of iron, zinc, steel and aluminum.

1. Nitrogen Oxides are also produced by burning of the fossil fuels and that includes gas-fired power stations, coal, and motor vehicles. Other sources are forest fires, smelting of plants, electric generation plants, industrial boilers, and many others.

Its effects are leaf damage or affect the photosynthetic activities of the plants and can also cause respiratory problems to humans.

1. Carbon monoxide is a highly toxic gas, which has no odor, taste, and color. Like the first two air pollutants, carbon dioxide is commonly produced by fossil fuel combustion. Automobile exhaust, biological oxidation by marine living things, and photochemical reactions in the atmosphere are such source of carbon monoxide.

Some of the effects of carbon monoxide to human and to the environment are it affects the respiratory activity as hemoglobin has more affinity for carbon monoxide than for oxygen. Thus, carbon monoxide with HB and thus reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of blood. This results in a headache, blurred vision, unconsciousness, and death due to asphyxiation or lack of oxygen.

1. Ammonia. A strong and hazardous caustic gas. Agriculture, specifically livestock farming and animal wastes, is the main source of the release of ammonia.
2. Airborne particles. These are tiny fragments of liquid or solid nature suspended in the air.
3. Volatile organic compounds are also the cause of air pollution, which may include a wide range of organic air pollutants, from pure hydrocarbons to partially oxidized hydrocarbons to organic compounds containing chlorine, sulfur, or nitrogen.

Volatile organic compounds may directly affect human health ( an example is leukemia) and indirectly as contributors to the formation of tropospheric ozone, with all the negative effects of ozone on human health and environment.

1. Persistent Organic Pollutants. These are compounds, which are resistant to degradation and persistent in the environment, and may include dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organ chlorine pesticides such as DDT. Exposure of these persistent organic pollutants takes place through diet ( an example is animal fat consumption), environmental exposure or accidents and may lead to cancers, neurobehavioral disorders, and other illnesses.
2. Chlorofluorocarbons. The sources of this air pollutant are air conditioners, refrigerators, foam shaving cream, spray cans, and cleaning solvent.

Chlrofluoro carbons destroy the ozone layer, which then permits harmful Ultra violet rays of the sun to enter the Earth atmosphere.

1. A biological matter like the pollen grains from flowers can also be an air pollutant, which may cause allergy to individuals.
2. Fungal spores, viruses, bacteria, etc., are microbes, which can live in the air and causes infectious diseases.

Other air pollutants are nitrate, particulate matter leads halides (lead pollution), silicon dioxide, asbestos particles (produced by mining activities), PAN-peroxyacetyl (photochemical), and more.

GENERAL EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION TO OUR ENVIRONMENT

1. Ozone depletion. Hydrocarbons such as the chlorofluorocarbons destroy the ozone molecules, which deplete or diminish the ozone layer. Lately, ozone holes have been detected in the atmosphere by experts, which let the Ultraviolet rays of the sun reach the earth’s surface and is very harmful to human.
2. Aerosol formation. If the aerosol form a thick layer in the troposphere, they affect the weather conditions by blocking the solar radiation. Aerosols are also deposited on the leaves and affect the photosynthesis. Aerosols disperse the organic metallic pollutants far and wide.
3. Formation of acid rain. As the smoke from power plants and factories mixed with the water in the air, acid rain will form. Thus, it causes respiratory and skin disorders. It can also affect the productivity of plants by damaging the leaves. As the acid rain enters the soil, it affects the soil pH and other conditions. It also enters the ground and rivers, which causes harm to the aquatic life. Acid rain also causes damage to marbles and thus damages buildings and monuments.
4. Photochemical smog. It forms a yellowish-brown haze especially during winter and hampers visibility. It also causes many respiratory disorders and allergies as it contains polluting gasses.
5. Global warming. Global warming results in big changes of climate of different regions, distribution of plants and animals because they are going to look for a better place to live, and disturbance of agriculture and food production. As global warming worse, snow caps will melt and resultant to increase in sea levels.

* Is the effects terrifying? Yes, it really does. But I did not research and write any of this to scare, instead to remind us all to be responsible enough and take control on the cleanliness of our environment. Though we cannot stop air pollution because of the many causes, however, it can be controlled if we would like to. It is always in our own decision and choice if we want a fresh living air to breathe in daily. Mind our environment because it does a big factor for a healthy and longer life. 🙂 🙂 🙂