Ozone Depletion

Maruful Hasan Depertment of Chemical Engineering Oklahoma State University

Introduction
What is Ozone gas and Ozone layer? How Ozone layer is depleting? Why we should care about this depletion? How the world responded to this problem?

What is Ozone and Ozone Layer

Ozone (O3) is a highly-reactive from of oxygen.
Unlike oxygen (O2), ozone has a strong scent and is blue in color. Ozone exists within both the tropospheric and stratospheric zones of the Earths atmosphere

Ozone Layer
Exosphere
Thermosphere
400 km 300 km

Mesosphere Stratosphere Troposphere

50 km 40 km 10 km

Dynamic Equilibrium
creation of ozone

breakdown of ozone

Impacts to Ozone
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
What are they? How do they impact the ozone layer?

CFCs as Refrigerants
Traditional Refrigerants
(ammonia, sulfur dioxide, methyl chloride)

vs.

CFCs

- Highly volatile - Caustic and toxic

- Non-flammable - Non-toxic

- Remove heat through vaporization of liquefied gas (only adequate as refrigerants) - Expensive
- Heavy (transport, storage)

- Trap heat (good insulators!)

- Inexpensive

- Light
-Extremely stable, inert

Ozone Break Down by CFC

1974: Rowland and Molina
Cl C

F
Cl C F F Cl

UV + radiation

+
Clfree radical

Anthropogenic Ozone Depletion

creation of ozone

breakdown of ozone

Impacts of Ozone Depletion

Human Health Skin cancer Melanoma Cataracts Immune system function Increased incidence, severity and duration of infectious diseases Reduced efficacy of vaccinations

Ecological Health Pathogen locally up & down Biodiversity locally up & down Aquatic organisms adversely impacted Decreased biomass productivity Polar systems especially vulnerable

Policy responses to Ozone depletion

Mario Molina and Sherwood Rowland showed in 1974 that CFC gases destroy ozone Coordinating committee on Ozone Layer (CCOL) established by UNEP in the 1970s Vienna Convention for the protection of the ozone layer held in 1985 Montreal Protocol to ban substances that deplete the ozone layer held in 1987 Amendments to the Montreal Protocol: London - 1990, Copenhagen - 1992 and Montreal - 1997

Current Rate of Ozone Depletion

Decrease in rate of ozone depletion (since 1997) Slowing of buildup of harmful Cl- from CFCs Ozone hole is still growing, but Models anticipate restoration of normal balance of ozone in stratosphere by 2050

Summary
Ozone gas and Ozone layer Process of Ozone layer is depletion Harmful effect of Ozone layer depletion The world response to Ozone Layer.

Conclusion
Protecting Ozone Layer is very important because it protect us from harmful UV radiation. Policy should be strictly enforce to stop production of Ozone Depleting Materials.

Thank You

Questions?