HUMAN ACTIVITIES HAVE CAUSED

AIR POLLUTION THAT

THREATENED THE SURVIVAL OF
LIVING THINGS
Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of particulates, biological molecules, or other harmful materials
into the Earth's atmosphere, possibly causing disease, death to humans, damage to other living
organisms such as food crops, or the natural or built environment.
The atmosphere is a complex natural gaseous system that is essential to support life on
planet Earth. Stratospheric ozone depletion due to air pollution has been recognized as a threat
to human health as well as to the Earth's ecosystems.
Indoor air pollution and urban air quality are listed as two of the world's worst toxic pollution
problems in the 2008 Blacksmith Institute World's Worst Polluted Places report.[1] According to the
2014 WHO report, air pollution in 2012 caused the deaths of around 7 million people

Pollutants
An air pollutant is a substance in the air that can have adverse effects on humans and the
ecosystem. The substance can be solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. A pollutant can be of
natural origin or man-made. Pollutants are classified as primary or secondary. Primary pollutants
are usually produced from a process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption. Other examples
include carbon monoxide gas from motor vehicle exhaust, or thesulfur dioxide released from
factories. Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary
pollutants react or interact. Ground level ozone is a prominent example of a secondary pollutant.
Some pollutants may be both primary and secondary: they are both emitted directly and formed
from other primary pollutants.
Major primary pollutants produced by human activity include:

Sulfur oxides (SOx) - particularly sulfur dioxide, a chemical compound with the formula
SO2. SO2 is produced by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Coal and petroleum

often contain sulfur compounds, and their combustion generates sulfur dioxide. Further
oxidation of SO2, usually in the presence of a catalyst such as NO2, forms H2SO4, and
thus acid rain.[2] This is one of the causes for concern over the environmental impact of the
use of these fuels as power sources.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) - Nitrogen oxides, particularly nitrogen dioxide, are expelled from
high temperature combustion, and are also produced during thunderstorms by electric
discharge. They can be seen as a brown haze dome above or a plumedownwind of cities.
Nitrogen dioxide is a chemical compound with the formula NO2. It is one of several nitrogen
oxides. One of the most prominent air pollutants, this reddish-brown toxic gas has a
characteristic sharp, biting odor.

Carbon monoxide (CO) - CO is a colorless, odorless, toxic yet non-irritating gas. It is a

product by incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, coal or wood. Vehicular
exhaust is a major source of carbon monoxide.

Volatile organic compounds - VOCs are a well-known outdoor air pollutant. They are
categorized as either methane (CH4) or non-methane (NMVOCs). Methane is an extremely
efficient greenhouse gas which contributes to enhanced global warming. Other hydrocarbon
VOCs are also significant greenhouse gases because of their role in creating ozone and
prolonging the life of methane in the atmosphere. This effect varies depending on local air
quality. The aromatic NMVOCs benzene, toluene and xylene are suspected carcinogens and
may lead to leukemia with prolonged exposure. 1,3-butadiene is another dangerous
compound often associated with industrial use.

Particulates, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM), atmospheric particulate

matter, or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas. In contrast,
aerosol refers to combined particles and gas. Some particulates occur naturally, originating
from volcanoes, dust storms, forest and grassland fires, living vegetation, and sea spray.
Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels in vehicles, power plants and various
industrial processes also generate significant amounts of aerosols. Averaged worldwide,
anthropogenic aerosolsthose made by human activitiescurrently account for
approximately 10 percent of our atmosphere. Increased levels of fine particles in the air are
linked to health hazards such as heart disease,[3] altered lung function and lung cancer.

Persistent free radicals connected to airborne fine particles are linked to cardiopulmonary
disease.[4][5]

Toxic metals, such as lead and mercury, especially their compounds.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) - harmful to the ozone layer; emitted from products are
currently banned from use. These are gases which are released from air conditioners,

refrigerators, aerosol sprays, etc. CFC's on being released into the air rises to stratosphere.
Here they come in contact with other gases and damage the ozone layer. This allows harmful
ultraviolet rays to reach the earth's surface. This can lead to skin cancer, disease to eye and
can even cause damage to plants.

VARIOUS DISEASES RELATED TO RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Inflammatory lung disease

Characterized by a high neutrophil count, e.g. asthma, cystic fibrosis, emphysema, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disorder or acute respiratory distress syndrome. [1]

Restrictive lung diseases

Restrictive lung diseases are a category of respiratory disease characterized by a loss of lung
compliance,[2] causing incomplete lung expansion and increased lung stiffness, such as in infants
with respiratory distress syndrome.

Respiratory tract infections

Infections can affect any part of the respiratory system. They are traditionally divided into upper
respiratory tract infections and lower respiratory tract infections.

Upper respiratory tract infection

The most common upper respiratory tract infection is the common cold. However, infections of
specific organs of the upper respiratory tract such as sinusitis, tonsillitis, otitis
media, pharyngitis and laryngitis are also considered upper respiratory tract infections.

Lower respiratory tract infection

The most common lower respiratory tract infection is pneumonia, an infection of the lungs which
is usually caused by bacteria, particularly Streptococcus pneumoniae in Western countries.
Worldwide, tuberculosis is an important cause of pneumonia. Other pathogens such as viruses
and fungi can cause pneumonia for example severe acute respiratory
syndrome andpneumocystis pneumonia. A pneumonia may develop complications such as a lung
abscess, a round cavity in the lung caused by the infection, or may spread to the pleural cavity.
Poor oral care may be a contributing factor to lower respiratory disease. New research suggests
bacteria from gum disease travel through airways and into the lungs

WAYS TO PREVENT AIR POLLUTION

Save energy around the house. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, saving energy can reduce carbon emissions. Because most energy sources
require burning fossil fuels, the less energy you use, the greener you are. Set your
appliances and lights on a timer to turn off after a certain period of inactivity. Use
compact fluorescent bulbs instead of standard lightbulbs, and use your microwave
instead of the oven to heat small items.

2
Manage your heating and cooling. Turn your thermostat down in the winter and up in
the summer whenever you are at work, sleeping or on vacation. You can also turn
your water heater down to 120 degrees to save power. Make sure your insulation is
up to the recommended level for your area, and insulate pipes that pass through
unheated spaces. Check to see that your windows and doors are not leaking warm or
cool air. To make sure your furnace and air conditioners are running efficiently,
perform regular maintenance.

3
Cut back on the amount of packaging you purchase and the amount of household
waste you produce. The process of manufacturing packaging releases harmful
emissions into the atmosphere, so patronize brands that use as little packaging as
possible. Recycle everything you can: aluminum, paper, glass, plastic and cardboard
are usually easy to recycle. When you are disposing of chemical-based substances
like paint, batteries, pesticides or solvents, check with your local waste management
office for a safe, eco-friendly method.

4
Reduce the amount of time you spend in the car. Carpool or use public transportation
whenever you can. For shorter distances, walk or ride your bike to do errands.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, changing to carpooling can save
a person over $1,000 per year. If you avoid driving alone only one day every week for
a year, you can save hundreds of dollars in expenses, not to mention the wear and

tear on your car. When you must drive, refill your gas tank during colder times of the
day and avoid spilling gas to prevent evaporation into the atmosphere.

5
Improve your fuel economy. According to the EPA, a 1 percent increase in fuel
economy equals a 1 percent decrease in carbon dioxide emissions .Avoid accelerating
quickly, braking hard and driving at high speeds, particularly when in heavy traffic.
Remove excess weight from your car and remove unused roof racks or bike carriers,
which cause drag.

PRACTICE OF GOOD HABIT TO MAINTAIN A CLEAN AIR

1. We can grow more trees.

2. Higher chimneys helps the emission to be released higher up in the
atmosphere.
3. Mining places should have more trees grown .
4. Industries should be away from residential areas.
5. Railway tracks must be electrified.

END...