Contents

Preface
I. Introduction
II. Sources of Air Pollution
   A. Natural sources
   B. Man made sources
III. Consequences of Air Pollution
IV. Pollutants and Their Effects
   A. Carbon monoxide
   B. Green house gases
   C. Ozone
   D. Sulphur dioxide
   E. Nitrogen oxides and other gases
   F. Particulate matter
   G. Domestic air pollution
   H. Air Pollution Control Devices
VI. Conclusion


Preface

Air pollution is not an occurrence of the recent past or from the onset of industrialization in the middle of 19th century. It is certainly as old as the first use of fire and the dust storms that assuredly occurred on earth long before the advent of" Homo sapiens". Due to rapid industrialization and agricultural revolution the level of air pollution has risen to unsafe limits. This booklet describes the air pollution in detail.

I. Introduction

Pollution is an act of making something physically impure and unclean. Air refers to the invisible, tasteless mass of gases that surround the earth. The physical addition of material that turn the air impure or unclean is called air pollution. The phenomenon of air pollution in man's living environment is not a recent origin. High levels of smoke pollution in indoors was witnessed at ancient times as our distant ancestors used to lit fires inside their houses. However, with growing urbanization, industrial expansion, random deforestation threatened the ecological balance. Since long in varying degrees the hazards and harmful effects of air pollution in urban mass have been recognized.

Burning of low grade coal, which causes smoke and smog are used for domestic as well as industrial purposes is by far the largest source of pollution. The exhausts of poorly maintained automobiles are another source of pollution. Total emission in India has been estimated to be about 23,412 million tonnes per annum. Out of this, 63.42% is contributed by industrial sectors, 29.82% by domestic sector and 6.76% by automobiles. The 1984 Bhopal tragedy is an example of air pollution caused by improper maintenance of industry.

By polluting air, man, the primary causal factor, has not only endangered himself but also caused destruction to plants. The sources of air pollution, effects, and control measures are described in the following pages.