Contributors to Air Pollutants

Air pollutants are gases in various forms – sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, chlorofluorocarbons, aerosols, carbon dioxide, to name a few.
All these gases when inhaled are injurious to health

Different activities produce these gases thus polluting the air around.  Both nature and man are the causes.
In certain parts of the world forest fires is a common feature. This cannot be stopped and it is only when it has reached a certain level that efforts are made to deal  with it . By then enough damage is done to the environment around. The smoke – mostly carbon dioxide – that emanates from these fires spreads far and wide. It takes months to get the situation back to normal.
We have the volcanoes that bellow out poisonous gases again vitiating the environment. This can sometimes even kill those in the neighbourhood. Here again this is beyond the control of man. The gases that emanate from volcanoes include carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen and even carbon monoxide, argon, helium and nitrogen. These gases just do not stay in the vicinity but spread around.
It is difficult to believe that there could be radioactive decay of rocks deep within the earth causing irretrievable harm to the environment.

The biggest contributors of air pollution however is man himself.

With the lifestyle that demands products that need to be manufactured in factories and power plants bellowing out smoke consisting of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide from their chimneys is indeed a threat to the environment.

The teaming million cars that one sees on roads emitting gases mostly carbon monoxide is a disturbing trend.
The volatile substances that are used on a daily basis such as purifiers, perfumes, paints float in the air mixing with other pollutants creating an atmosphere which if not controlled can spell doom to the world that we live.

The chlorofluorocarbons used in refrigerators are understood to be the main cause for damaging the earth’s ozone layer.

The garbage that mounts up uncollected rotting on the sides of roads emanate a combination of several gases playing its part to destroy the already contaminated air.

The smoke puffed out by smokers results in passive smoking and this smoke contains particulate matter which is particles large enough that can block air passages in the lungs.

Most households and other establishments have exhaust fans. No doubt the fumes go out but they circulate in the atmosphere sparing none.

And last but not the least are the dust particles. There is not an inch of space that could be considered dust free. Dust is wiped off but where does it go. It gets into the atmosphere.

It is beyond one’s imagination as to the air we breathe hardly contains any oxygen, affecting the lungs and also leading to unheard of diseases. Oxygen is man’s life line

Only desperate measures can save this world from air pollution. The need is felt and the world is up in arms to contain it.

Individual’s contribution to contain it is the need of the hour.