L-3

Sources of Air Pollution

Air Pollution and Control
(Elective--I)
(Elective
 Contents of unit-II
• L-3  Sources of Air Pollution : Natural and
artificial..
artificial
• Classification of pollutant
pollutant..
• L-4  Classification of pollutants, Quantity and
composition of particulate & gaseous pollutant.
pollutant.
• Units of measurement.
measurement.
• L5 Problems on unit (ppm to µg/m3 and vice
versa) conversion
• TEST
TEST--1 on Unit-
Unit-I and Unit-
Unit- II
 Fundamental Causes of Air
Pollution
• During the last couple of centuries we
witnessed an emergence of several
fundamental trends that became the major
forces behind the dramatic levels of air
pollution worldwide
worldwide..
• Industrialization set in motion the widespread
use of fossil fuels which are now the main
drivers of pollution as we know it
it..
• Population growth causes the demand for
food and other goods to go up, which is met
by expanded production and use of natural
resources. This then leads to higher levels of
atmospheric pollution.
• Globalization has in a way become a
facilitator of air pollution. Big industry takes
advantage of lapses environmental controls
in developing nations and moves its
manufacturing facilities to such “pollution
havens” from where air pollution travels
around the world without any obstacles.
When we say air pollutants and sources,
above picture comes to our mind
 Air Pollutants
• Any substance occurring in the
atmosphere that may have adverse effects
on humans, animals, plant life, and/or
inanimate materials.
• Air pollutants have known or suspected
harmful effects on human health and
environment.
• A source of air pollution is any
activity that causes pollutants to
be emitted into the air.
• Natural sources of air pollution,
also known as biogenic sources.
sources.
• Human
Human--generated pollutants or
sources.
anthropogenic sources.
Classification of sources of air
pollutant sources- 1st way
1) Natural Sources
- forest fires (CO2, ash)
- volcanic eruptions (sulfur, mercury)
- Biological decay
- Disintegration of rocks
 2) Artificial Sources

- Vehicular pollution
- cooking
- Industries etc
Natural Artificial
 Classification of sources of air pollutant sources-
2nd way
Total sources

Stationary Mobile

Point Area Line Area

sources sources sources sources
Eg:- 1. Industrial Eg:- 1. Highway Eg:- 1. Railway
Eg:- 1. Domestic
processing vehicles station
heating of coal
2. Power plants 2. Railways 2. Bus stand
and gas
3. Volcano 3. Air ports
2.Onsite
incineration
Line source
Area source
source

Point source

Volcano

Open burning
 Mobile sources
• "Mobile sources" is a term used to
describe a wide variety of vehicles,
engines, and equipment that generate
air pollution and that move, or can be
moved, from place to place.
• Mobile sources are classified as On
On--
Non-road sources.
road and Non-
• "On road"" or highway sources include vehicles
On--road
used on roads for transportation of passengers or
freight. On-
On-road sources include light-
light-duty vehicles
(LDVs, also referred to as passenger cars), heavy-
heavy-
duty vehicles (HDVs), and motorcycles that are used
for transportation on the road. On-
On-road vehicles may
be fuelled with gasoline, diesel fuel, or alternative
fuels, such as alcohol or natural gas.
• "Non road"" sources include gasoline and
Non--road
diesel powered vehicles, engines, and
equipment used for construction, agriculture,
transportation, recreation, and many other
purposes. These sources emit both criteria
pollutants and other hazardous air pollutants.
• Mobile sources pollute the air through
combustion and fuel evaporation. These
emissions contribute greatly to air pollution
nationwide and are the primary causes of air
pollution in many urban areas. Combustion is
the process of burning.
• Motor vehicles and equipment typically burn
fuel in an engine to create power.
• Petrol, Gasoline and diesel fuels are mixtures
of hydrocarbons, which are compounds that
contain hydrogen and carbon atoms.
Difference between perfect combustion
and typical engine combustion
• Perfect Combustion
Fuel (hydrocarbons) + Air (oxygen and nitrogen)
Carbon dioxide (CO2) + water (H2O) +
unaffected nitrogen
• Typical Engine Combustion
Fuel + Air Unburned Hydrocarbons + Nitrogen
Oxides (NOx
(NOx)) + Carbon monoxide (CO) +
Carbon dioxide + water
Classification of air pollutants:-
Based on states of mater

Air pollutant

Gaseous Particulate
pollutants pollutant
Eg :- Fumes, mist, fog,
Eg :- CO, NOx, SOx etc
smoke, dust etc
 Gaseous pollutants

• Gaseous pollutants are those

pollutants which gets mixed with
the air and do not normally settle
out..
out
 Particulate pollutants

• Which comprise of finely divided

solids or liquids and often exists in
colloidal state as aerosols
Classification of air pollutants:- Based
on Chemical Composition
Air pollutant

Organic pollutants Inorganic pollutant

Eg :-1. Aldehydes, Eg :- 1. Carbon compounds- CO,
2. Ketones, CO2
3. Alcohols 2. Nitrogen Compounds – NOx, NH3
4. Hydrocarbons
3. Sulphur compounds- SOx,
H2s,H2SO4
4.Oxidising afents – O3
5. Halogens- HF, HCl
Organic and inorganic pollutants
• Organic :-
:- Contains H-
H-C (hydrocarbons)

• Inorganic :-
:- Do not contain hydrocarbons
Classification of air pollutants:- Based
on Origin
Air pollutant

Primary Secondary
pollutants pollutant
Eg :- CO, NO2, SO2,SPM, Eg :- O3, PAN, Smog,
Halogen compounds PBN, Formaldehyde
 Primary pollutants

• Primary air pollutants are those

which are emitted from identifiable
sources..
sources
 Secondary air pollutants

• Secondary air pollutants are those

which are produced in the air by the
interaction among two or more
primary pollutants or by reaction
with normal atmospheric
constituents with or without photo
activation
 Primary Pollutants

CO CO2 Secondary Pollutants

SO2 NO NO2 SO3
Most hydrocarbons HNO3 H2SO4
Most suspended H2O2 O3 PANs
particles
Most NO3 and SO24– salts
–

Natural
Sources Stationary

Mobile
 Objective questions
Q1. _____________or ______________ sources
include vehicles used on roads for transportation of
passengers or freight.
Q2. ______________sources include gasoline and
diesel powered vehicles, engines, and equipment
used for construction, agriculture, transportation,
recreation, and many other purposes.
Q3. ________________ pollutants are emitted from
identifiable sources.
Q4. Ozone is __________________ pollutant.
Q5. Secondary air pollutants need
___________________ for formation.
Q6. ___________ sources pollute the air through
combustion and fuel evaporation.
Q7. Natural sources of air pollution, also known as
_______________________..
_______________________
Q8. Human-
Human-generated pollutants are also known as
__________________________.
Q9. Air port can be categorized under
______________ sources.
Q10. Domestic cooking is _________________
type of source
 Theory questions
Q1. Explain classification of sources of air
pollution with suitable examples.
Q2. Write detailed classification of air pollutants.
Q3. Define by giving examples
1. Primary air pollutants
2. Secondary air pollutants
3. On
On--road sources
4. Non
Non--road sources
AIR POLLUTION AND
SOURCES
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