AIR POLLUTION EPISODES

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• Air pollution may be defined as the
presence in the air (outdoor
atmosphere) of one or more
contaminants or combinations
thereof in such quantities and of
such durations as may be or tend to
be injurious to human, animal or
plant life, or property, or which
unreasonably interferes swith the
comfortable enjoyment of life or
property or conduct of business.

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• Bag filter: It is device removing the
dust particles from the waste gases
of the industrial processes. It is in the
form of a tabular medium made of
woven or felted fabric.
• It has got the collecting efficiency of
99%.
• The bag are connected to a dust
hopper fitted with a dust discharge
device.
• It is necessary to have low gas
velocities of the order of about 1 to 3
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• Cyclone collector: The effluent gases
flow through a light circular spiral
which produces centrifugal force on
the suspended particles which in turn
• Are forced to move outward through
the gas stream and get collected.
This device has an efficiency of 95%
removal for the particulates having
size varying from 5 µ to 10 µ.

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• Domestic pollution: It is estimated
that nearly 85% of household use
wood, cow dung and crop residues as
fuels. The smoke envelopes the
indoor environment and several
steps such as cleaner fuels, improved
stoves,
And better ventilation may be
taken to use to reduce the indoor
pollution.

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• Electrostatic precipitator: It works on
the principle that when the
particulates move through a region
of high electric potential, they
become charged and attracted to an
oppositely charged area where they
are collectedAnd removed. It can
operate at high temperature with
efficiency of about 95 to 98%.

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• Emmisions from vehicles : It should
be seen that the vehicles moving on
the road give out exhaust
constituents within prescribed limits
only. The design Of the engine should
be such that complete combustion
takes place inside the engine only.
• Height of the chimney stack: The
height of the chimney stack should
be such that when the residual
particles are dispered, they are
spread evently over a wide area.
• Odour control: The odorous gases
can be absorbed by passing them 8
• Particulate emissions: The
characteristics of sources should be
such that fewer particulates are
formed. The coal may be changed
from coal to natural gas .The
combustion may altogether be
eliminated at the power plants by
using the nuclear energy. The open
burning of municipal garbage may be
substituted by the sanitary landfill.

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• Planning of trees: It is found that the
planning of trees is helpful in
reducing air pollution due to dry ash
and coal dust from coal handling
system.
• 10)Wet Scrubber: This are the
collection devices in which the
particles are washed out of the gas
flow by a water spray.
• 11) Zoning: If zoning is properly
done, It results in considerable
improvement of health of the
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 HEALTH EFFECTS OF THE BHOPAL GAS
LEAK

• HEALTH EFFECTS OF THE BHOPAL

GAS LEAK
• The world's worst industrial disaster
occurred in India on the night of
December 2-3, 1984. The accident
took place at the Union Carbide plant
situated in Bhopal, (pop.
• 900,000) the capital city of Madhya
Pradesh, one of the largest states in
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• The accident was apparently initiated
by the introduction of water into the
methylisocyanate (MIC) storage tank
resulting in an uncontrollable
reaction with liberation of heat
• and escape of MIC in the form of a
gas. Safety systems like the flare
tower (to burn excessgas), caustic
soda scrubber (for neutralization)
and the refrigeration unit were either
not
• functioning or inadequate to deal
with the large volume of escaping
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 EXPOSURE CONDITIONS
• It is estimated that about 27 tons of
methyl isocyanate escaped from the
two tanksin the plant during a period
between one to two hours.1 The release
occurred aroundmidnight with adverse
prevailing atmospheric conditions
(inversion and a low wind speed)which
prevented dispersion of the gas.7
Eyewitness accounts report that a cloud
of gasenveloped the area and moved
slowly along. Because of the
unexpectedness, time and briefperiod
of release of the gas, air monitoring was
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not possible nor was it
• Based on quantity of the chemical
released and area of spread, (40 sq.
km.) theCentral Water & Air Pollution
Control Board estimated MIC
concentration to be about 27ppm, a
figure which is about 1400 times that
of the OSHA workplace standard of
0.02 ppmfor 8 hrs. This calculation,
however, assumes equal
concentration over the whole area
ofcontamination and does not
account for variability of
concentration with distance.
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Bhopal Gas Company 15
 London’s Smog Incidence
• The famous London Smog Incident of
England took place between 5th and
8th .An anticyclone reached London
from north-west and became
stationary .The whole London
wasunder the pool of cool stagnant
air with a very effective lidoverhead.
The temperature was ranging
between -5 ˚c to 0 ˚c.
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London Smog Episode 17
• About 4000 people died due to
suffocation. It is understood that the
incident occurred due to a
combination of fog and Pollution
mainly by sulphur dioxide released
when sulphur
• Containing coal and oil were burnt
either domestically or in fossil fuel
power plants.

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 Los Angeles’ Smog
Incidence
• A Smog of photochemical nature was
recorded there on 16-12-1966.The
concentration of ozone was as high
as 1.75 mg/m3 as against the normal
one of 0.21 to .32 mg/m3.

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Los Angeles’ Smog Incidence 21
• Various effects:-
• It cases coughing and chest
soarness.
• It degrades the rubber and cellulose.
The primary as well as the secondary
reaction both result into toxic
compounds and it forms a continuous
chain reaction.
• It is harmful to both, plants and
animals.
• It is highly irritant to the eyes.
• It kills the leaf tissue. 22