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Air pollution is a serious environmental problem. Why you shouldn't pollute the air

Air pollution is a serious environmental problem. Why you shouldn't pollute the air

14.10.2019

One of the main conditions for the preservation of human health and longevity is clean air. Unfortunately, in today's realities in many parts of the world, achieving compliance with this key requirement seems like an impossible mission. But is it really impossible to make the air we breathe cleaner? And what exactly pollutes the atmosphere the most?

All sources that negatively affect the state of the air basin are divided by ecologists into anthropogenic and natural. It is the first category that causes the greatest damage to the environment - factors associated with human activities. Atmospheric air pollution occurring due to natural causes is not only negligible on a global scale, but is also self-eliminating in nature.

Industry that kills

Industry is the number one source of air pollution in developing and some developed countries. The lion's share of emissions into the atmosphere comes from energy, non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy enterprises. Less harmful to the air basin, but still dangerous are such industries as oil production and oil refining, mechanical engineering. In places where industrial production is concentrated in the atmosphere, phenols, hydrocarbons, mercury, lead, resins, oxide and sulfur dioxide are present in significant quantities.

In developed countries, air pollution with harmful substances has become a pressing problem a century ago. That is why the process of creating environmental legislation there began earlier than in other states. Thus, the Netherlands was the first to track the emissions of enterprises by adopting relevant laws in 1875-1896. In the United States, an act to control the purity of the air was voted in 1955. In Japan, the law on monitoring and limiting harmful emissions appeared in 1967, in Germany (FRG) - in 1972.

When the charms of civilization harm?

Transport, being a necessary condition for the functioning of modern society, is also the main threat to human health. All machines that use different types of fuel for work pollute the atmosphere to one degree or another. For example, a car actively absorbs oxygen from the air. Instead, it emits carbon dioxide, water vapor and toxic substances (carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, aldehydes, soot, benzopyrene, sulfur dioxide). The contribution that individual modes of transport make to air pollution is as follows:

85% of harmful emissions come from cars and trucks;
5.3% - for river and sea vessels;
3.7% and 3.5% for air and rail vehicles, respectively:
agricultural vehicles (seeders, planters, combines, tractors, arable equipment) pollute the atmosphere least of all (2.5%).

Each country solves the problem of air pollution in its own way. Indicative in this regard is the experience of Denmark. After the Second World War, residents of a small Scandinavian country, whose streets were flooded with cars, began to resent gas pollution. When the oil crisis of the 70s broke out, the Danish authorities had no choice but to go along with the public. A developed cycling infrastructure was created in the country, a huge tax was introduced on the purchase and use of a car. The local residents liked the idea: the actions “Copenhagen without cars” and “Sundays without cars” became massive. Now Denmark is the most cycling country in the world, one of the three cleanest and most prosperous states for a person.

Wind, sun and water are our best friends?

Large-scale pollution of atmospheric air with harmful substances is caused by the work of heat and power enterprises. The operation of power plants running on coal, diesel, fuel oil, kerosene and gasoline is accompanied by the release of hazardous compounds of heavy metals, carbon monoxide, carbon, and nitrogen. Outside the city, as a rule, dumps of ash left during the burning of coal accumulate.

The use of liquid fuels can reduce ash formation, but such a replacement does not affect the amount of nitrogen and sulfur oxide emissions. Nuclear power plants pollute the air with aerosols, radioactive gases and iodine. All types of traditional fuels are certainly harmful. Perhaps conditionally harmless is the gas.

How to avoid ? Alternative energy sources make the air cleaner. Another argument speaks in favor of using the energy of the tides, wind and sun - the limited reserves of gas and oil. China, India, the USA, Japan, the EU can boast of advanced experience in the field of energy. Alternative sources in these countries account for up to 20% of the total energy generation. Tidal power plants are being built in coastal regions, and solar power plants are being built in southern countries. Geothermal power plants, which generate energy from the natural heat of the planet, are located near thermal springs.

Eco farms are the future

Agricultural production causes more damage to water bodies, land and trees than air, but is still considered one of the main sources of . As a result of the use of manure in livestock companies, ammonia is released. Pesticides used in agriculture also pose a danger to humans, animals and plants. The solution to the problem could be a new type of agricultural complexes that operate without the use of herbicides and pesticides. The introduction of the concept of environmentally friendly farms is in full swing in European countries, Canada, and the USA. Successful farms for the production of healthy products operate in Russia.

Dust storm pollution

Among natural sources, soil weathering is the largest contributor to air pollution. Strong dust content is typical for areas with a low degree of soil moisture and poorly developed vegetation. Global air pollution with dust occurs in the Takla-Makan, Gobi, Sahara deserts, local - in the Mongolian and Central Asian region. In Europe, dust clouds that change the composition and quality of the atmospheric boundary layer dominate in the southeastern and eastern parts. The speed and distribution area of pollution depends on the particle size. Fine dust is kept in the air for 1.5-3 weeks, spreads throughout the hemisphere. Large particles spread over hundreds of kilometers, settling within hours or days.

How does soil weathering affect human health? If our body is able to filter out large particles, then fine dust easily penetrates through the upper respiratory tract and settles in the lungs. According to WHO studies, an increase in the content of suspended particles in the air by 10 μg / m 3 leads to an increase in mortality by 0.5–1%.

Dust storms harm not only humans. They are dangerous for the entire planet. The accumulation of hundreds of thousands of dust particles interferes with the normal outflow of excess heat from the Earth. How to solve the problem of wind erosion of soils? To prevent dust storms, a system of windbreaks and forest belts is being created, and agricultural activities are being carried out to increase the adhesion of soil particles.

Volcanism and forest fires

A volcanic eruption is a rare event, accompanied by catastrophic consequences. Every year, during a natural disaster, the atmosphere is replenished with 40 million tons of substances. Most of the gases emitted by volcanoes are water vapor. Eruptions are one of the reasons for the increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Polluted air is also dangerous because the sulfur oxide released by the volcano, reacting with water, turns into sulfuric acid.

During the hot period, the problem of forest fires is acute. The cause of fire can be both solar activity and non-compliance with human safety rules. During a natural disaster, atmospheric air is polluted with aerosols, vapors, and toxic gases. Forest fires are the second source of methyl chloride release after the ocean. Indirect air pollution also occurs: due to the destruction of vegetation, oxygen production decreases.

Other sources of pollution

Oceans and seas slightly affect the degree of air pollution in the world. In the process of evaporation, crystals of sea salts (potassium bromide, calcium chloride, magnesium, sodium) enter the atmosphere from the water. The proportion of substances that enrich the air masses noticeably increases during a storm. Evaporation of sea salts in itself is not dangerous, however, along with them, other, toxic, compounds can be present in the water. Thus, air pollution is inextricably linked to the ecological state of the ocean.

In addition to substances of terrestrial origin, cosmic dust is also present in the atmosphere. Scientists have calculated that 40,000 tons of such particles settle on our planet every year. This means that dust from space is a tiny source of air pollution that does not cause serious problems. However, if its quantity increases, it can significantly affect the climatic conditions of the Earth.

Finally, no matter how trite it may sound, the air is polluted daily by people who smoke. The composition of cigarettes includes about 400 substances, including ammonia, nitrobenzene, formaldehyde, toluene and many other toxic compounds. All of them inevitably get into the air along with tobacco smoke and do not dissolve, but settle, for example, on the soil. We can draw an analogy with passive smoking and conclude that our planet suffers from it, and the only way out is for already addicted people and to prevent the younger generations from being involved in this process.

So, the main sources of air pollution are associated with human activities. Anthropogenic factors that worsen the state of the air basin include industrial production, transport, and thermal power engineering. The degree of influence of each of these causes in different regions of the world varies markedly. Among natural sources, the ecological state of the atmosphere is most threatened by soil weathering.

Atmospheric air protection is a key problem in the improvement of the natural environment. Atmospheric air occupies a special position among other components of the biosphere. Its significance for all life on Earth cannot be overestimated. A person can go without food for five weeks, without water for five days, and without air for only five minutes. At the same time, the air must have a certain purity and any deviation from the norm is dangerous to health.

Atmospheric air also performs the most complex protective ecological function, protecting the Earth from the absolutely cold Cosmos and the flow of solar radiation. Global meteorological processes take place in the atmosphere, climate and weather are formed, a mass of meteorites is delayed.

The atmosphere has the ability to self-purify. It occurs when aerosols are washed out of the atmosphere by precipitation, turbulent mixing of the surface layer of air, deposition of polluted substances on the surface of the earth, etc. However, under modern conditions, the possibilities of natural systems for self-purification of the atmosphere are seriously undermined. Under the massive onslaught of anthropogenic pollution, very undesirable environmental consequences, including those of a global nature, began to appear in the atmosphere. For this reason, atmospheric air no longer fully fulfills its protective, thermoregulatory and life-supporting ecological functions.

Outdoor air pollution

Atmospheric air pollution should be understood as any change in its composition and properties that has a negative impact on human and animal health, the condition of plants and ecosystems.

Atmospheric pollution can be natural (natural) and anthropogenic (technogenic).

Natural air pollution is caused by natural processes. These include volcanic activity, weathering of rocks, wind erosion, mass flowering of plants, smoke from forest and steppe fires, etc. Anthropogenic pollution is associated with the release of various pollutants during human activities. In terms of its scale, it significantly exceeds natural air pollution.

Depending on the scale of distribution, various types of atmospheric pollution are distinguished: local, regional and global. Local pollution is characterized by an increased content of pollutants in small areas (city, industrial area, agricultural zone, etc.). With regional pollution, significant areas are involved in the sphere of negative impact, but not the entire planet. Global pollution is associated with changes in the state of the atmosphere as a whole.

According to the state of aggregation, emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere are classified into:

3) solid (carcinogenic substances, lead and its compounds, organic and inorganic dust, soot, tarry substances, etc.).

The main pollutants (pollutants) of the atmospheric air generated in the process of industrial and other human activities are sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter. They account for about 98% of the total emissions of harmful substances. In addition to the main pollutants, more than 70 types of harmful substances are observed in the atmosphere of cities and towns, including formaldehyde, hydrogen fluoride, lead compounds, ammonia, phenol, benzene, carbon disulfide, etc. However, it is the concentrations of the main pollutants (sulfur dioxide, etc.) most often exceed the permissible levels in many Russian cities.

The total global release into the atmosphere of the four main pollutants (iollutants) of the atmosphere. In addition to these main pollutants, many other very dangerous toxic substances enter the atmosphere: lead, mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals (emission sources: cars, smelters, etc.); hydrocarbons (among them, benz (a) pyrene is the most dangerous. It has a carcinogenic effect (exhaust gases, coal furnaces, etc.), aldehydes and, first of all, formaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide, toxic volatile solvents (gasolines, alcohols, ethers), etc.

Emission into the atmosphere of the main pollutants (pollutants) in the world and in Russia:

Substances, million tons	sulphur dioxide	nitrogen oxides	carbon monoxide	Solid particles
Total global emission
Russia (only stationary sources)

Russia (including all sources),

The most dangerous pollution of the atmosphere is radioactive. At present, it is mainly due to globally distributed long-lived radioactive isotopes - products of nuclear weapons tests conducted in the atmosphere and underground. The surface layer of the atmosphere is also polluted by emissions of radioactive substances into the atmosphere from operating nuclear power plants during their normal operation and other sources.

Another form of atmospheric pollution is local excess heat input from anthropogenic sources. A sign of thermal (thermal) pollution of the atmosphere is the so-called thermal waves, for example, a “heat island” in cities, warming of water bodies, etc.

In general, the level of air pollution in our country, especially in Russian cities, remains high, despite a significant decline in production, which is associated primarily with an increase in the number of cars, including faulty ones.

Main sources of air pollution

Currently, the main contribution to atmospheric air pollution in Russia is made by the following industries: thermal power engineering (thermal and nuclear power plants, industrial and municipal boiler houses, etc.), then ferrous metallurgy, oil production and petrochemistry, motor transport, metallurgy enterprises and production of building materials.

The role of various sectors of the economy in air pollution in the developed industrial countries of the West is somewhat different. So, for example, the main amount of emissions of harmful substances in the USA, Great Britain and Germany falls on motor vehicles (50-60%), while the share of heat power is much less, only 16-20%.

Thermal and nuclear power plants. Boiler installations. In the process of burning solid or liquid fuels, smoke is released into the atmosphere, containing products of complete (carbon dioxide and water vapor) and incomplete (oxides of carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, hydrocarbons, etc.) combustion. The volume of energy emissions is very high. Thus, a modern thermal power plant with a capacity of 2.4 million kW consumes up to 20 thousand tons of coal per day and emits 680 tons of SO2 and SO3 into the atmosphere per day, 120-140 tons of solid particles (ash, dust, soot), 200 tons of nitrogen oxides .

The conversion of installations to liquid fuel (fuel oil) reduces ash emissions, but practically does not reduce emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides. The most environmentally friendly gas fuel, which pollutes the atmosphere three times less than fuel oil, and five times less than coal.

Sources of air pollution with toxic substances at nuclear power plants (NPPs) are radioactive iodine, radioactive inert gases and aerosols. A large source of energy pollution of the atmosphere - the heating system of dwellings (boiler plants) produces little nitrogen oxides, but many products of incomplete combustion. Due to the low height of the chimneys, toxic substances in high concentrations are dispersed near the boiler plants.

Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. When smelting one ton of steel, 0.04 tons of solid particles, 0.03 tons of sulfur oxides and up to 0.05 tons of carbon monoxide are emitted into the atmosphere, as well as in small quantities such hazardous pollutants as manganese, lead, phosphorus, arsenic, and mercury vapours. and others. In the process of steelmaking, vapor-gas mixtures consisting of phenol, formaldehyde, benzene, ammonia and other toxic substances are emitted into the atmosphere. The atmosphere is also significantly polluted at sinter plants, at blast furnace and ferroalloy production.

Significant emissions of waste gases and dust containing toxic substances are observed at non-ferrous metallurgy plants during the processing of lead-scurvy, copper, sulfide ores, in the production of aluminum, etc.

Chemical production. Emissions from this industry, although small in volume (about 2% of all industrial emissions), nevertheless, due to their very high toxicity, significant diversity and concentration, pose a significant threat to humans and the entire biota. In a variety of chemical industries, atmospheric air is polluted by sulfur oxides, fluorine compounds, ammonia, nitrous gases (a mixture of nitrogen oxides), chloride compounds, hydrogen sulfide, inorganic dust, etc.).

Vehicle emissions. There are several hundred million cars in the world that burn a huge amount of oil products, significantly polluting the air, especially in large cities. The exhaust gases of internal combustion engines (especially carburetor ones) contain a huge amount of toxic compounds - benzapyrene, aldehydes, nitrogen and carbon oxides, and especially dangerous lead compounds (in the case of leaded gasoline).

The largest amount of harmful substances in the composition of the exhaust gases is formed when the vehicle's fuel system is not adjusted. Its correct adjustment allows to reduce their number by 1.5 times, and special converters reduce the toxicity of exhaust gases by six or more times.

Intensive atmospheric air pollution is also noted during the extraction and processing of mineral raw materials, at oil and gas refineries, during the emission of dust and gases from underground mine workings, during the burning of garbage and burning rocks in dumps (heaps), etc. In rural areas, foci air pollution are livestock and poultry farms, industrial complexes for the production of meat, pesticide spraying, etc.

“Every inhabitant of the Earth is also a potential victim of strategic (transboundary) pollution,” A. Gore emphasizes in the book “The Earth in the Scales”. Transboundary pollution refers to pollution transferred from the territory of one country to the area of another. Due to its unfavorable geographical position, the European part of Russia received 1204 thousand tons of sulfur compounds from Ukraine, Germany, Poland and other countries. At the same time, in other countries, only 190 thousand tons of sulfur fell out from Russian sources of pollution, i.e., 6.3 times less.

Outdoor air pollution

Air pollution affects human health and the natural environment in various ways - from a direct and immediate threat (smog, etc.) to a slow and gradual destruction of various life support systems of the body. In many cases, air pollution disrupts ecosystem components to such an extent that regulatory processes are unable to return them to their original state, and as a result, homeostatic mechanisms do not work.

The physiological impact on the human body of the main pollutants (pollutants) is fraught with the most serious consequences. So, sulfur dioxide, combining with moisture, forms sulfuric acid, which destroys the lung tissue of humans and animals.

The effect of carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide) on the human body is widely known: in case of poisoning, a fatal outcome is possible. Due to the low concentration of CO in the atmospheric air, it does not cause mass poisoning, although it is dangerous for those suffering from cardiovascular diseases.

Among the suspended solid particles, the most dangerous particles are less than 5 microns in size, which can penetrate the lymph nodes, linger in the alveoli of the lungs, and clog the mucous membranes.

Very unfavorable consequences, which can affect a huge time interval, are also associated with such minor emissions as lead, benzo (a) pyrene, phosphorus, cadmium, arsenic, cobalt, etc. They depress the hematopoietic system, cause oncological diseases, reduce body resistance to infections, etc.

The consequences of exposure to the human body of harmful substances contained in the exhaust gases of cars are very serious and have the widest range of action: from coughing to death. Severe consequences in the body of living beings are caused by a toxic mixture of smoke, fog and dust - smog. There are two types of smog: winter smog (London type) and summer smog (Los Angeles type).

Anthropogenic emissions of pollutants in high concentrations and for a long time cause great harm not only to humans, but also to the rest of the biota. There are known cases of mass poisoning of wild animals, especially birds and insects, when emissions of harmful pollutants in high concentrations (especially salvos).

As for plants, the emissions of harmful substances act both directly on their green parts, getting through the stomata into tissues, destroying chlorophyll and cell structure, and through the soil - on the root system. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is especially dangerous for plants, under the influence of which photosynthesis stops and many trees die, especially conifers: pines, spruces, fir, cedar.

Environmental consequences of global air pollution

The "greenhouse effect", along with ozone depletion and acid rain, is caused by global man-made air pollution. Many scientists consider them as the biggest environmental problems of our time. From the second half of the XIX century. A gradual increase in the average annual temperature is observed, which is associated with the accumulation in the atmosphere of the so-called "greenhouse gases" - carbon dioxide, methane, freons, ozone, nitrogen oxide, etc.

Greenhouse gases block long-wavelength thermal radiation from the Earth's surface, and an atmosphere saturated with them acts like the roof of a greenhouse. It, passing inward, most of the solar radiation, almost does not let out the heat radiated by the Earth.

In connection with the burning of more and more fossil fuels (annually more than 9 billion tons of standard fuel), the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is constantly increasing. Due to emissions into the atmosphere during industrial production and in everyday life, the content of freons, methane, and, to a lesser extent, nitrogen oxide increases.

The "greenhouse effect" is the cause of the increase in the average global air temperature near the earth's surface. The report of the UN International Panel on Climate Change claims that by 2100 the temperature on Earth will increase by 2-4 degrees. The scale of warming in this relatively short period will be comparable to the warming that occurred on Earth after the Ice Age, which means that the environmental consequences can be catastrophic. First of all, this is an increase in the level of the World Ocean due to the melting of polar ice, a reduction in the areas of mountain glaciation, etc. An increase in ocean level of only 0.5-2.0 m by the end of the 21st century will lead to a violation of the climatic balance, flooding of coastal plains in more than 30 countries, degradation of permafrost, swamping of vast territories, etc. Obviously, that a tangible environmental effect can only be obtained by combining these measures with the global direction of environmental policy - the maximum possible preservation of communities of organisms, natural ecosystems and the entire biosphere of the Earth.

"Ozone holes" are significant spaces in the ozone layer of the atmosphere at an altitude of 20-25 km with a markedly reduced (up to 50% or more) ozone content. The depletion of the ozone layer is recognized by all as a serious threat to global environmental security. It weakens the ability of the atmosphere to protect all life from harsh ultraviolet radiation (“UV radiation”). Therefore, in areas with a low ozone content, sunburns are numerous, increasing | number of skin cancer cases, etc.

Both natural and anthropogenic origin of "ozone holes" is assumed. The latter, according to most scientists, is more likely and is associated with an increased content of chlorofluorocarbons (freons). Freons are widely used in industrial production and in everyday life (cooling units, solvents, sprayers, aerosol packages, etc.). In the atmosphere, freons decompose with the release of chlorine oxide, which has a detrimental effect on ozone molecules.

"Acid rain" is formed by industrial emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere, which, when combined with atmospheric moisture, form dilute sulfuric and nitric acids. As a result, rain and snow are acidified (pH value below 5.6).

The total global anthropogenic emissions of SO2 and NOx amount to more than 255 million tons annually. Acidification of the natural environment negatively affects the state of ecosystems. Under the action of acid precipitation, not only nutrients are leached from the soil, but also toxic metals: lead, cadmium, aluminum, etc. Then they themselves or their toxic compounds are absorbed by plants and soil organisms, which leads to very negative consequences.

The impact of acid rain reduces the resistance of forests to droughts, diseases, natural pollution, which leads to their degradation as natural ecosystems. Fifty million hectares of forest in 25 European countries are affected by a complex mixture of pollutants. Coniferous mountain forests are dying in the Northern Appalachians and Bavaria. There have been cases of damage to coniferous and deciduous forests in Karelia, Siberia and other regions of our country.

An example of the negative impact of acid rain on natural ecosystems is the acidification of lakes. It is especially intense in Canada, Sweden, Norway and Finland. This is explained by the fact that a significant part of sulfur emissions in the USA, Germany and Great Britain falls on their territory.

In Russia, the area of acidification is several tens of millions of hectares. Cases of acidification of the lakes of Karelia are known. Increased acidity of precipitation is observed along the western border (transboundary transport) and in a number of large industrial regions. For example, in the area of the city of Norilsk and in the Northern Urals, vast areas of taiga and forest-tundra have become almost lifeless due to emissions of sulfur dioxide by the Norilsk Mining and Chemical Combine.

Sources of air pollution

The main sources of air pollution are natural and anthropogenic. The main natural sources of atmospheric air pollution are wind erosion, volcanism, biological processes, forest fires, the removal of substances from the surface of the seas and oceans, and space substances. Anthropogenic sources of atmospheric air pollution include transport, industry, household services, and agriculture. The main industrial sources of pollutant emissions are thermal power engineering, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, chemical industry, production of building materials. Of all modes of transport, road transport is distinguished by a significant amount of pollutants.

The main natural source of air pollution is wind erosion. On the entire earth's surface, 4.6-8.3 billion tons of terrigenous dust are annually deposited from the atmosphere (oceans account for 10-20% of the total flow). The main areas of this dust formation are steppes and deserts. Depending on the power of dust formation, global and local sources are distinguished. The global sources include the Sahara region, the Gobi and Takla-Makan deserts, the local ones are the deserts of Central Asia, Mongolia, China, etc. These areas are characterized by increased air dustiness: in the Sahara, 60-200 million tons of terrigenous aerosol enter the air annually.

The level of dust content in the air is affected by the degree of moisture content of the soil cover, the absence and poor development of vegetation. Therefore, the main areas of terrigenous dust formation are areas with a small amount of atmospheric precipitation and a significant amount of solar radiation. For example, for dry soil, with an increase in wind speed up to 4 m/s, constant dustiness of the surface air is observed. At a wind speed of more than 4 m/s, there is a sharp increase in the dust content in the air. Therefore, there is a latitudinal zonality in the distribution of dust. For example, in Russia the amount of air suspension increases from 5-20 µg/m3 in forests to 20-100 µg/m3 in steppes, 100-150 µg/m3 in dry steppes and deserts of Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

The second natural source of air pollution is volcanism. The contribution of volcanism to atmospheric aerosol is estimated at about 40 million tons per year (from 4 to 250 million tons), which is about 0.5% of the mass of soil aerosol. Large volcanic eruptions are accompanied by the formation of gas and ash clouds, the area and mass of which is comparable to the largest dust clouds of eolian origin. The ejecta products of large volcanic eruptions move at a distance of 1000 km. For example, during a volcanic eruption in Alaska, ash material entered the Atlantic through Canada and the United States. However, most of the ejected material is concentrated near volcanoes.

As a result of volcanic eruptions, dust and gases are emitted into the atmosphere: CO2, SO2, H2O, H2, N, NCl, HF, etc. In all likelihood, the existence of a sulfate aerosol layer in the stratosphere is associated with volcanic activity.

Biological processes affect the content of CO2, O2, N in the atmosphere. Plants are responsible for the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Microorganisms convert molecular nitrogen into other compounds and form molecular nitrogen from organic matter, ammonium, nitrate and nitrite salts.

Microbiological processes play an important role in the content of sulfur compounds in the atmosphere. Sulfur is a part of amino acids, after the death of plants, the main part of organic sulfur is decomposed by microorganisms. Under anaerobic conditions, hydrogen sulfide is formed, and under aerobic conditions, sulfates are formed. During microbiological destruction, organic substances emit a significant amount of methane into the atmosphere.

Insects play a certain role in the formation of the gas composition of the atmosphere. Annually, termite mounds emit 4.6-10 16 g of CO2 into the atmosphere; 1.5-10 14 g CH4; 1.0-10 13 g CO.

Plants produce large amounts of pollen. At the height of flowering, a single plant releases several million pollen granules per day into the air. In spring, the maximum amount of pollen is released by trees, in summer - by sorrel and plantain, in autumn - by meadow cross. The pollen of grasses and pines can remain in suspension for a long time and move to a considerable height. For example, in the USA, pollen clouds are found up to a height of 12 thousand meters. Plant pollen is the cause of a number of allergic respiratory diseases.

Forest fires are a significant source of air pollution. Fires affect the gas composition of the atmosphere. The ground part of the biomass, which usually partially burns during fires, is 70-80%. If we assume that during forest fires, on average, 30% of surface biomass burns out, then from 1 km2 of forest area (covered by fires), 5-6 thousand tons of carbon (in the form of CO2, CO and hydrocarbons) are emitted in tropical forests, in forests temperate zone - from 300 to 1200 tons.

The source of air pollution is the seas and oceans. Evaporation of moisture from these reservoirs enriches the air with crystals of sea salts. These salts are mainly represented by sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium bromide. The largest amount of salts enters the atmosphere during large waves and storms. In the coastal regions of Great Britain, from 25 to 35 g of salts fall out per 1 m2 of soil, 70% of which consists of sodium chloride.

Cosmic dust enters the atmosphere (up to 10 thousand tons/day). The origin of the dust has not been established. This dust is associated with the sun or is formed in the zodiacal nebulae. According to the content of chemical elements, the particles are divided into "stone" and "iron". Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Cr predominate in "stone" particles (they make up 75% of cosmic particles), and Fe, Co, Ni predominate in "iron" ones. The increase in the amount of cosmic dust disrupts the thermal balance of the atmosphere, which affects the climate.

As noted above, anthropogenic sources of air pollution are industry, transport, household and agriculture. The structure of pollutant emissions is different depending on the source of emissions.

According to the state of aggregation, emissions of harmful substances are classified into:

1) gaseous (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, etc.);
2) liquid (acids, alkalis, salt solutions, etc.);
3) solid (dust, soot, etc.).

Anthropogenic air pollution is represented by both primary and secondary impurities. Secondary impurities are formed as a result of chemical reactions between several compounds or between an admixture and natural gas. These impurities include aldehydes.

In the total air pollution in some countries, the participation of industry is 35%, domestic heating systems - about 23%, vehicles - 42%. Every day, New York alone emits 4 thousand tons of carbon monoxide, more than 3 thousand tons of sulfur dioxide and 300 tons of industrial dust into the atmosphere.

In Russia, thermal power engineering is the main source of air pollution. Oil and refined products burned in thermal power plants determine the level of air pollution in Western Europe by almost 60%. During the processing and combustion of fuel, solid particles, carbon dioxide, sulfur and nitrogen oxides, and metal oxides are formed. Vanadium oxide and benzopyrene are the most toxic ingredients.). The efficiency of power plants is 30-40%, i.е. most of the fuel is wasted. The resulting energy is eventually converted into heat. Consequently, in addition to chemical, there is thermal pollution of the atmosphere.

Ferrous metallurgy is the next largest source of air pollution. Metallurgical enterprises deliver large volumes of dust, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide into the atmosphere, as well as phenol, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, naphthalene, benzene, cyclic hydrocarbons and other chemicals. The chemical and petrochemical industries, due to the diversification of enterprises, are characterized by a wide variety of quantitative and qualitative composition of emitted gases. The structure of forest industry emissions is represented by nitrogen oxides, sulfates, and organic substances.

Air pollution level

Observations of the state of atmospheric air indicate a decrease in the average concentrations of suspended solids, soluble sulfates, ammonia, benzo (a) pyrene, soot, hydrogen sulfide, formaldehyde, due to a decline in production and the closure of enterprises. At the same time, the average concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbon disulfide, phenol, hydrogen fluoride increased, which is associated with the irregularity of the work of enterprises. An increase in the concentrations of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde was also noted on the highways of large cities and the territories adjacent to them.

Thus, according to observations, over a number of years in 254 cities of Russia, the level of air pollution has changed insignificantly.

The average annual concentrations of suspended solids (dust), nitrogen dioxide, phenol and hydrogen fluoride reached one MPC, carbon disulfide exceeded 2 MPC, formaldehyde - 3 MPC, benzo (a) pyrene - 1 MPC and the standard of the World Health Organization - 2.6 times. All environmental pollutants have specific emission sources. Most of them, under the influence of natural factors, are neutralized or destroyed over time.

Every year, when analyzing information on atmospheric air pollution, cities with the highest level of air pollution are included in the priority list of cities. For example, when compiling such a list, due to the harsh winter, the concentrations of benzo (a) pyrene caused by emissions from boilers and stove heating increased. Compared with the previous year, an increase in the average concentrations of benzo (a) pyrene by 22% was noted.

Due to atmospheric air pollution by this substance, the priority list has expanded to include 45 cities. In Angarsk, Kamensk-Uralsky, Norilsk, Omsk, Stavropol, Usolie-Sibirsky, air pollution levels continued to rise.

Air pollution in the cities included in the list is characterized by high concentrations of specific pollutants. In almost every city, the greatest contribution to air pollution is determined by the concentrations of benz (a) pyrene, formaldehyde, methyl mercaptan, carbon disulfide, benzene and other substances.

The main contribution to the high level of air pollution is made by enterprises of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, chemistry and petrochemistry, construction industry, energy, pulp and paper industry, and in some cities, boiler houses. From year to year, atmospheric air pollution by substances characteristic of road transport is increasing.

The main cause of high air pollution is emissions of specific substances. In order to take effective measures to improve the quality of atmospheric air and emissions from industrial enterprises and vehicles in cities, primarily benz (a) pyrene, formaldehyde, ammonia, carbon disulfide and other pollutants that determine high air pollution in cities and industrial centers, special attention should be given to cities that are for the first time included in the list of cities with maximum single concentrations of pollutants exceeding 10 MPC, and with the highest level of air pollution.

One of the main air pollutants by mass is carbon dioxide CO2. Together with oxygen, it is an atmospheric biogen, which is mainly controlled by biota. In the 20th century, there has been an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the share of which has increased by almost 25% since the beginning of the century, and by 13% over the past 40 years.

In addition, about 2% of the total mass of emissions into the atmosphere were harmful substances with high toxicity (carbon disulfide, fluorine compounds, benzo (a) pyrene, hydrogen sulfide, etc.). Industrial emissions are especially high from stationary sources - ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises in cities. For example, sulfur dioxide emissions (million tons / year): in Norilsk - 2.4, Monchegorsk - 0.2, Nikel - 0.19, Orsk - 0.17; carbon monoxide emissions (million tons/year): in Novokuznetsk - 0.44, Magnitogorsk - 0.43, Lipetsk - 0.41, Cherepovets - 0.4, Nizhny Tagil - 0.3, etc.

Hundreds of millions of tons of aerosols enter the atmosphere from natural and anthropogenic sources every year. Natural sources include dust storms, volcanic eruptions and forest fires. Gaseous emissions (eg SO2) lead to the formation of aerosols in the atmosphere. Despite the fact that aerosols stay in the troposphere for several days, they can cause a decrease in the average air temperature near the earth's surface by 0.1 - 0.3C0. No less dangerous for the atmosphere and biosphere are aerosols of anthropogenic origin, formed during the combustion of fuel or contained in industrial emissions. The mineral composition of aerosols of anthropogenic origin is diverse: iron and lead oxides, silicates, and soot. They are contained in emissions from thermal power plants, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, building materials, and road transport. Dust deposited in industrial areas contains up to 20% iron oxide, 15% silicates and 5% soot, as well as impurities of various metals (lead, vanadium, molybdenum, arsenic, antimony, etc.). Aerosols emitted into the atmosphere also contain chlorine, bromine, mercury, fluorine and other elements and compounds hazardous to human health.

The concentration of aerosols varies over a very wide range: from 10 mg/m3 in a clean atmosphere to 2.10 mg/m3 in industrial areas. The concentration of aerosols in industrial areas and large cities with heavy traffic is hundreds of times higher than in rural areas. Among aerosols of anthropogenic origin, lead is of particular danger to the biosphere, the concentration of which varies from 0.000001 mg/m3 for uninhabited areas to 0.0001 mg/m3 for residential areas. In cities, the concentration of lead is much higher - from 0.001 to 0.03 mg/m3.

Aerosols pollute not only the atmosphere, but also the stratosphere, affecting its spectral characteristics and causing a risk of damage to the ozone layer. Aerosols enter the stratosphere directly with emissions from supersonic aircraft, but there are aerosols and gases diffusing in the stratosphere.

The main aerosol of the atmosphere - sulfur dioxide (SO2), despite the large scale of its emissions into the atmosphere, is a short-lived gas (4 - 5 days). According to current estimates, at high altitudes, aircraft engine exhaust can increase natural SO2 levels by 20%. Although this figure is not large, an increase in the intensity of flights already in the 20th century may affect the albedo of the earth's surface in the direction of its increase. SO2 emissions in the surface layer can increase the optical depth of the atmosphere in the visible parts of the spectrum, which will lead to some decrease in the solar radiation in the surface air layer. Thus, the climatic effect of SO2 emissions is opposite to the effect of CO2 emissions, however, the rapid washing out of sulfur dioxide by atmospheric precipitation significantly weakens its overall impact on the atmosphere and climate. The annual release of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere only as a result of industrial emissions is estimated at almost 150 million tons. Unlike carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide is a very unstable chemical compound. Under the influence of short-wave solar radiation, it quickly turns into sulfuric anhydride and, in contact with water vapor, is converted into sulfurous acid. In a polluted atmosphere containing nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide is quickly converted into sulfuric acid, which, when combined with water droplets, forms the so-called acid rain.

In practice, two standards are used to determine the degree of atmospheric air pollution: the maximum allowable average daily concentration (MPCdc) - to assess averaged over a long period (from a day to a year) concentrations and MPCmr - to assess directly measured maximum single concentrations of a chemical in the air of populated areas ( at 20 min exposure).

Control of air pollution in Russia is carried out in almost 350 cities. The monitoring system includes 1200 stations and covers almost all cities with a population of more than 100 thousand inhabitants and cities with large industrial enterprises.

The maximum one-time concentrations of such air pollutants as dust, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, phenol, hydrogen fluoride exceed the corresponding MPCmr in more than 75% of the cities controlled for each impurity. In many cities, an excess of pollution by 5-10 times or more has been registered, while the air is polluted with several harmful substances at once. Among these most polluted cities are: Berezniki, Bratsk, Yekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, Lipetsk, Magnitogorsk, Moscow, Novokuznetsk, Norilsk, Cherepovets and many others.

More than 50 million people are exposed to various harmful substances contained in the air at concentrations equal to 10 MPC, and over 60 million people are exposed to harmful substances whose concentration exceeds 5 MPC.

Air pollution is greatly influenced by the precipitation of acidic compounds. Today, sulfuric and nitric acid precipitation falls on large areas of the Russian Federation. As a rule, they are formed in the area of operation of non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises and chemical processing of sulfurous gas condensate, as well as on the trajectories of air mass transfer from these enterprises. So, in the Norilsk region, sulfuric acid precipitation poisoned the tundra, lakes and wildlife for many hundreds of kilometers around. Sulfuric acid emissions from Norilsk enterprises are carried with rain to Canada.

Transboundary pollution

Environmental pollution is significantly affected by transboundary transfers of pollutants from countries neighboring Russia.

The main areas of transboundary influence on the Russian atmosphere are:

Western and Eastern Europe (especially Germany and Poland);
- North-eastern regions of Estonia (shale mining and processing area);
- Ukraine (radioactive contamination in the Chernobyl region, a high concentration of industrial sites in the central part, in the Kharkiv region and Donbass);
- Northwest China (radioactive contamination);
- Northern Mongolia (mining regions).

The main areas of Russia's transboundary influence on the atmosphere of adjacent territories include:

Kola Peninsula (mining regions) - to Finland and Norway;
- St. Petersburg industrial hub - to Finland and Estonia;
Southern Urals (industrial and radioactive contamination) - to Kazakhstan;
- Novaya Zemlya, the Kara and Barents Seas - possible spread of radioactive contamination to adjacent territories.

The water exchange of Russia with adjacent territories is characterized by a significant predominance of the inflow of surface waters over their outflow. In addition, the state of the water resources of the Volga and Don basins has an impact on the ecological situation in the Caspian and Black Seas, which are interstate water bodies.

The meteorological synthesizing center "Vostok" within the framework of the EMEP program (MSC-E, Moscow), based on expert assessments of data on emissions, performed approximate calculations of the transboundary transport of lead and cadmium. The results of these calculations showed that the pollution of the territory of Russia with lead and cadmium transported from other countries, mainly from countries that are parties to the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, significantly exceeds the pollution of the territory of these countries with lead and cadmium from Russian sources, which is due to the dominance of west-east air mass transfer.

"Import" of these metals to Russia from Poland, Germany and Sweden is more than 10 times higher than their "export" from Russia. "Import" of lead from Ukraine, Belarus and Latvia is 5 - 7 times higher than its "export" from Russia, and "import" of cadmium from these countries and Finland - 7 - 8 times. At the same time, lead deposition in the European territory of Russia (ETR) is quite significant and annually: from Ukraine - about 1100 tons, Poland and Belarus - 180 - 190 tons each, Germany - more than 130 tons. , Poland - almost 9 tons, Belarus - about 7 tons, Germany - more than 5 tons, Finland - over 6 tons. These receipts are especially significant for the western regions of Russia.

From the sources of the Russian Federation, the total fallout of lead and cadmium on its European territories is about 70%, and the sources of other countries account for 30%. However, the share of transboundary pollution of the western regions of Russia with these metals significantly exceeds 30%.

city air pollution

Clean air plays a very important role for the normal functioning of the human body. After all, scientists have long found out that not only the functioning of the respiratory system, but also the activity of other organs and systems largely depends on the qualitative composition of the atmosphere. People who live in cities with especially polluted air are more likely to seek doctoral help than those who live in ecologically clean places.

Air pollution by enterprises

Among the most polluted cities in Russia there are a number of settlements that are subject to extreme density of emissions into the environment from industrial enterprises.

In the first place are such cities as Norilsk, Zapolyarny, Karabash, and Satka. In these settlements, non-ferrous metallurgy is based on outdated technologies. Thus, about 2,000 tons of pollutants are emitted into the atmosphere in Norilsk every year.

The second place among the dirtiest industrial cities is Sterezhevoy, located in the Tomsk region, where oil production flourishes.

As for the third place, it contains the cities of Myshkin and Polysaevo, where gas compressor stations are located.

The highest rates of atmospheric pollution are recorded in settlements where the largest coal-fired state-owned RESs are located in Russia - the village of Reftinsky in the Sverdlovsk Region, the city of Troitsk in the Chelyabinsk Region.

Air pollution from vehicles

There are a number of cities in Russia, the atmosphere of which is ninety percent affected by pollution from vehicle exhaust gases. Among these settlements are Nazran (99.8%) and Nalchik (more than 95%). In addition, they include Elista, Krasnodar, Stavropol, Rostov-on-Don, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kaluga and Voronezh. Thus, the total annual emissions in Moscow reach almost 995 thousand tons, and in St. Petersburg - about 488 thousand tons.

A significant density of polluting emissions from vehicles is typical for cities that are the centers of regions (Kazan, Tver, Tambov, etc.), for large port and resort cities (Sochi and Novorossiysk), as well as for settlements with an increased number of vehicles (for example, Tolyatti). So in Tolyatti, 71.3 thousand tons of emissions enter the air annually, and in Novorossiysk - about 67.8 thousand tons.

Cities such as Orsk, Karabash, Nizhny Tagil, Bryansk, Astrakhan, Penza, etc. are considered to be the cleanest from automobile exhausts. Far Eastern cities are also relatively clean, in which Japanese cars are actively used.

There are also 46 cities in Russia that equally suffer from emissions from various industrial enterprises and vehicles. They are represented mainly by regional capitals: Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Omsk, Volgograd, Barnaul, Ryazan, Kemerovo, etc. Their lists also include such settlements as Salekhard, Novorossiysk, Biysk, Vyborg, etc.

So, for example, in Novosibirsk, 128.5 thousand tons of aggressive substances are emitted into the air annually, and in Volgograd - 134.1 thousand tons of aggressive substances.

From the point of view of the general level of air pollution, the maximum amount of various emissions is observed in Norilsk, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Cherepovets and Asbest.

Atmospheric air pollution in cities around the world

If we talk about the level of air pollution in the world, then there are a number of cities that are absolute leaders. Among them are several Chinese cities, for example, Linfen and Tianjin. The air of these settlements is polluted by industrial emissions and automobile exhausts. So, for example, in Tianjin, the concentration of lead in the air exceeds the norm by ten times. Thus, we can conclude that the maximum air pollution by enterprises is typical for industrial countries, among which China should be singled out in the first place.

Some Iranian settlements, for example, Ahvaz, Senendej, Kermanshah, etc., can be attributed to the most polluted cities in the world. These are provincial cities dominated by heavy industry.

If we pay attention only to air pollution from cars, then the largest cities, represented by Madrid, Stockholm, Vienna, Tokyo, Toronto, Los Angeles and New York, are most affected by exhaust gases. So in Madrid, about 200 tons of lead per year gets into the air, as well as in Vienna.

Ukraine

In second place is Mariupol, on the territory of which there are several metallurgical plants of the giants. A year in such a city, 294,000 tons of aggressive substances enter the air.

Air pollution from transport, more precisely from automobile exhausts, is the strongest in Odessa, Kyiv and Uzhgorod.

Human air pollution is increasing with the level of industrialization. However, the level of development of modern science helps to reduce the amount of aggressive substances entering the atmosphere from industrial enterprises and cars by an order of magnitude. Most developed countries have been actively using such technologies in everyday life for many decades.

Air pollution problem

Two global environmental problems associated with air pollution pose a serious threat to the health and prosperity of mankind and other forms of life: abnormally high values of ultraviolet radiation from the Sun coming to the earth's surface, due to a decrease in the ozone content in the stratosphere, and climate change (global warming) caused by into the atmosphere of a large number of so-called. greenhouse gases.

Both problems are closely interrelated, since they depend on the entry into the atmosphere of almost the same gases of anthropogenic origin. For example, fluorochlorine-containing freons (chlorofluorocarbons) contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer and play an important role in the occurrence of the greenhouse effect.

Depletion of the ozone layer. Stratospheric ozone is concentrated mainly at altitudes from 20 to 25 km. Absorbing 99% of the short-wave radiation of the Sun, which is dangerous for all living things, ozone protects the earth's surface and the troposphere from it, protecting people from sunburn, skin and eye cancer, cataracts, and so on. In addition, it does not allow most of the tropospheric oxygen to turn into ozone.

Along with the formation of ozone in the atmosphere, the reverse process of its decay takes place, which also occurs during the absorption of solar ultraviolet radiation. Hydrogen oxides (HOx), methane (CH4), gaseous hydrogen (H2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the atmosphere can also deplete stratospheric ozone. If there is no anthropogenic impact, there is a certain balance between the formation and decay of ozone molecules.

The global chemical time bomb is artificial chlorofluorocarbons, which help reduce the average concentration of ozone in the troposphere. Chlorofluorocarbons, first synthesized in 1928 and known as freons, or freons, became a marvel of chemistry in the 1940s. Chemically inert, non-toxic, odorless, non-flammable, non-corrosive to metals and alloys, and inexpensive to manufacture, they quickly gained popularity and were widely used as refrigerants. Sources of chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere are aerosol cans, damaged refrigerators, and air conditioners. It is obvious that freon molecules are too inert and do not decay in the troposphere, but slowly rise up and after 10-20 years enter the stratosphere. There, ultraviolet radiation from the sun destroys the molecules of these substances (the so-called photolytic decomposition process), as a result of which the chlorine atom is released. It reacts with ozone to form atomic oxygen (O) and an oxygen molecule (O2). Chlorine oxide (Cl2O) is unstable and reacts with a free oxygen atom to form an oxygen molecule and a free chlorine atom. Therefore, a single chlorine atom, once formed from the decay of a chlorofluorocarbon, can destroy thousands of ozone molecules.

Due to seasonal decreases in ozone concentration (the so-called ozone holes), which were observed, in particular, over Antarctica and, to a lesser extent, over other regions, short-wave ultraviolet radiation of the Sun, dangerous for a living cell, can penetrate to the earth's surface. According to forecasts, increased doses of ultraviolet radiation will lead to an increase in the number of victims of sunburn, as well as an increase in the incidence of skin cancer (this trend is already observed in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Chile), eye cataracts, etc.

Greenhouse effect. The Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius was the first to suggest the heating of the atmosphere and the earth's surface as a result of the greenhouse effect. Solar energy enters the Earth's atmosphere in the form of short-wave radiation. Some of it is reflected into outer space, the other is absorbed by air molecules and heats it, and about half reaches the earth's surface. The surface of the Earth heats up and emits long-wave radiation, which has less energy than short-wave radiation. After that, the radiation passes through the atmosphere and is partly lost in space, while most of it is absorbed by the atmosphere and re-reflected to the Earth's surface.

This process of secondary reflection of radiation is possible due to the presence in the air, albeit in small concentrations, of impurities of many gases (the so-called greenhouse gases) of both natural and anthropogenic origin. They transmit shortwave radiation but absorb or reflect longwave radiation. The amount of thermal energy retained depends on the concentration of greenhouse gases and how long they stay in the atmosphere.

The main greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons. Undoubtedly, the most important among them is water vapor, and the contribution of carbon dioxide is also significant. 90% of the carbon dioxide annually released into the atmosphere is formed during respiration (oxidation of organic compounds by plant and animal cells). However, this intake is compensated by its consumption by green plants in the process of photosynthesis. The average concentration of carbon dioxide in the troposphere due to human activity increases by about 0.4% annually. Based on computer simulations, a forecast was made according to which, as a result of an increase in the content of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the troposphere, global warming will inevitably occur. If it is justified and the average air temperature on Earth rises by only a few degrees, the consequences can be catastrophic: the climate and weather will change, the conditions for the growth of plants, including crops, will be significantly disrupted, droughts will become more frequent, glaciers and ice sheets will begin to melt, which, in in turn, will lead to an increase in the level of the World Ocean and flooding of the coastal lowlands.

indoor air pollution

Indoor air pollution is the leading cause of cancer. The main sources of this pollution are radon, products of incomplete combustion, and the evaporation of chemicals.

Radon. Radon exposure is believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer. This mainly occurs in homes that have been built on unconsolidated sediments or bedrock enriched with uranium-bearing minerals. Radon gas - a product of the radioactive decay of uranium - enters the house, seeping from the soil. The solution to this problem largely depends on the type of building structures. In addition, the improvement of the environmental situation contributes to the ventilation of buildings, such as ventilation windows of foundations. Ventilation pipes inserted into the base of the foundation can remove radon directly from the ground to the outside, into the atmosphere.

products of incomplete combustion. Incomplete combustion of fuels in stoves, fireplaces and other heating devices, as well as smoking, produces carcinogenic chemicals such as hydrocarbons. In homes, carbon monoxide is a major concern, as it is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, making it very difficult to detect. Undoubtedly, the main and very insidious indoor air pollutant, and, therefore, very dangerous for human health, is cigarette smoke, which causes lung cancer and many other respiratory and heart diseases. Even non-smokers, being in the same room with smokers (so-called passive smokers), put themselves at great risk.

Isolation of chemicals. Mothballs, bleaches, paints, shoe polish, various cleaning products, deodorants are just a few of the wide range of chemicals that every person is exposed to almost daily (especially industrial workers) and which release carcinogens. For example, plastics, synthetic fibers, and cleaners evaporate benzene, while foam insulation, plywood, and chipboard are sources of formaldehyde. Such emissions can cause headache, dizziness and nausea.

Protection of air from pollution

Have you ever thought about how important air is in our lives? Just imagine that human life cannot last more than two minutes without it. We rarely think about it, taking the air for granted, however, there is a real problem - the Earth's atmosphere is already quite polluted. And she suffered at the hands of man. And this means that all life on the planet is in danger, because we constantly inhale various toxic substances and impurities. How to protect the air from pollution?

How do people and their activities affect the state of the atmosphere?

The faster the modern society develops, the more needs it has. People need more cars, more appliances, more products for everyday use, the list goes on. However, the bottom line is that in order to meet the needs of modern people, you need to constantly produce and build something.

To do this, forests are rapidly cut down, new companies are created, plants and factories are opened, which daily emit tons of chemical waste, soot, gases, and all kinds of harmful substances into the atmosphere. Every year, hundreds of thousands of new cars appear on the roads, each of which contributes to air pollution. People unreasonably use resources, minerals, dry up rivers, and all these actions directly or indirectly affect the state of the Earth's atmosphere.

The gradually deteriorating ozone layer, designed to protect all life from radioactive solar radiation, is evidence of unreasonable human activity. Its further thinning and destruction will lead to the death of both living organisms and the plant world. How to save the planet from atmospheric pollution?

What are the main sources of air pollution?

modern auto industry. Currently, there are more than 1 billion cars on the roads of all countries of the world. In Western and European countries, almost every family has at its disposal several cars. Each of them is a source of exhaust gases that enter the atmosphere in tons. In China, India and Russia, the situation does not seem to be the same yet, but the number of cars in the CIS has clearly increased significantly.

Factories and plants. Of course, we cannot do without industry, but we should not forget that when we receive the goods we need, in return we pay with clean air. Soon, humanity will have nothing to breathe if factories and industrial enterprises do not learn how to process their own waste instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.

Combustion products of oil and coal consumed at thermal power plants rise into the air, filling it with very harmful impurities. In the future, toxic waste falls out with precipitation, feeding the soil with chemicals. Because of this, green spaces are dying, but they are necessary to absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. What would we do without oxygen? We will perish ... So air pollution and human health are in direct proportion.

Measures to protect air from pollution

What measures can humanity take to stop polluting the air on the planet? Scientists have long known the answer to this question, but in reality, few people are implementing these measures.

What should be done:

1. Officials should strengthen control over the organization of the work of factories and industrial enterprises that is safe for nature and the environment. It is necessary to oblige the owners of all factories to install treatment facilities in order to reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere to zero. Violations of these obligations should be penalized, possibly in the form of a ban on the operation of enterprises that continue to pollute the air.
2. To release new cars that would work only on environmentally friendly fuel. If the production of cars that consume gasoline and diesel fuel as fuel is stopped, and replaced by electric cars or hybrid cars, then buyers will have no choice. People will buy cars that do not harm the atmosphere. Over time, there will be a complete replacement of old cars with new, environmentally friendly ones, which will bring great benefits to us, the inhabitants of the planet. Already now, many people living in the countries of the European continent make a choice in favor of such transport.
The number of electric vehicles in the world has already reached 1.26 million. According to the forecast of the International Energy Association, in order to prevent a rise in temperature due to warming by more than 2 degrees, it is necessary to increase the number of electric vehicles on the roads to 150 million by 2030 and 1 billion by 2050 with other available production indicators.
3. Ecologists agree that if the operation of obsolete thermal power plants is stopped, the situation will stabilize. However, first you need to find and implement new ways of extracting energy resources. Many of them are already successfully used. People have learned to turn the energy of the sun, water and wind into electricity. Alternative types of energy resources are not associated with the release of hazardous waste into the external environment, which means that they will help protect the air from pollution. In reality, in Hong Kong, more than half of the electricity generation comes from coal-fired thermal power plants, and therefore the share of carbon dioxide emissions has increased by 20% in recent years.
4. In order for the ecological situation to stabilize, it is necessary to stop destroying natural resources - cut down forests, drain water bodies and start using minerals wisely. It is necessary to constantly increase green spaces so that they help purify the air and enrich it with oxygen.
5. It is necessary to raise public awareness. In particular, information on how to protect the air from pollution for children. In this way, it is possible to change the approach of many people to the current state of the situation.

Air pollution creates many new problems - cancer rates are increasing, people's life expectancy is shortening, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. The real trouble is that the spoiled ecology threatens global warming, and this will lead to serious natural disasters in the future. Even now, the protest of our planet against the thoughtless activities of people is manifested in the form of floods, tsunamis, earthquakes and other natural phenomena. Humanity needs to seriously think about how to protect the air from pollution.

At today's meeting in Rwanda, delegates from nearly 200 countries agreed to reduce the use of greenhouse gases (hydrofluorocarbon gases) used in refrigeration and air conditioning, according to Reuters. Hydrofluorocarbon gases destroy the Earth's ozone layer many times more than carbon dioxide (10 thousand times). The Minister of Natural Resources of Rwanda reported to journalists on the signing of the agreement following the meeting.

Human air pollution

Industry that kills

When the charms of civilization harm?

The contribution that individual modes of transport make to air pollution is as follows:

85% of harmful emissions come from cars and trucks;
5.3% - for river and sea vessels;
3.7% and 3.5% for air and rail vehicles, respectively;
agricultural vehicles (seeders, planters, combines, tractors, arable equipment) pollute the atmosphere least of all (2.5%).

Air pollution protection

Protecting the environment from pollution is one of the most important problems of our time. Getting into the air, water and soil, toxic chemicals (industrial poisons) create a real threat to the existence of humans, plants and animals on our planet. The development of industry and transport, an increase in population density, human penetration into the stratosphere and outer space, the intensification of agricultural production (the use of pesticides), the transportation of petroleum products, the disposal of hazardous chemicals at the bottom of the seas and oceans, and the ongoing testing of nuclear weapons - all this contributes to a global and ever-increasing pollution of the human natural environment.

Currently, about one million different chemical compounds of anthropogenic origin are constantly found in the biosphere, and their number is constantly growing. Almost 250,000 new chemicals are synthesized annually in the world, many of which become potential pollutants of the atmosphere, water and soil. Of particular concern is air pollution, without which life on Earth is impossible. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution occurs when a pollutant or several air pollutants are present in the atmosphere in such quantity and for such a period of time that they cause harm or may contribute to harm to people, animals, plants and property, or may cause unimaginable damage to human health and property.

The main sources of air pollution are emissions from industrial enterprises, as well as the processes of evaporation and combustion of fuel (thermal power plants, internal combustion engines, etc.), forest fires. As a result of meteorological processes, air pollutants spread in the atmosphere over considerable distances, which leads to global air pollution of our planet. Now there is no fundamental difference in the composition of the atmospheric air of rural and industrial regions (the difference is only in the quantitative content of pollutants).

Under these conditions, the problem of combating atmospheric pollution, which is especially acute in industrialized countries, is of paramount importance. Reasonable use of natural resources and nature protection, the creation of state reserves and national parks, an increase in the number of green spaces, a reduction in industrial emissions of harmful chemicals into the atmosphere and the development of waste-free chemical technology - these are the main ways to solve environmental problems, the goal of which is ultimately for the benefit of all mankind . However, the solution of such a set of tasks for the protection of atmospheric air and other environmental objects is impossible without the creation of an effective air quality control system. The need to develop comprehensive methods for the determination of various toxic substances in the atmosphere is generally recognized. The global pollution of the atmosphere and the oceans, as well as the importance and difficulty of the tasks of combating this pollution, have led to the need for broad international cooperation in the field of environmental protection. There are numerous international programs aimed at protecting the main components of the environment from pollution, protecting wildlife and habitats. Under the auspices of the UN, WHO, UNESCO, WMO (World Meteorological Organization) and other international organizations, most of these programs are being successfully implemented. The CMEA countries are cooperating especially successfully in environmental protection. Contacts on the fight against atmospheric pollution are developing fruitfully between the CMEA member countries and other states of the world interested in a radical solution of these problems.

The importance of taking measures to control air pollution, as well as the need to develop effective and reliable analytical methods for determining the content of industrial poisons in the atmosphere and air of the working area, led to the fact that in the 70s the interest of analytical chemists in this problem, one of the most complex and difficult s of analytical chemistry.

Express, sensitive and selective methods have been developed for the determination of microimpurities of toxic organic substances, inorganic gases and heavy metal aerosols in the air. Some countries have approved standard methods (mandatory for domestic use) for monitoring the main air pollutants - carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, photooxidants and heavy metal aerosols. The number of publications on air pollution analysis methods has also increased significantly. Over the past 10 years, more than 20 monographs and about 30,000 articles have appeared on analysis techniques, methods for concentrating microimpurities of toxic substances from the air, methods for identifying pollutants and the correct methods for their determination.

Air Pollution Convention

Public outcry against the harmful effects of acid rain in Europe led to the signing of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution in 1979, which entered into force in 1983. The convention was the first regional environmental agreement and contributed to the reduction of major harmful pollutants in Europe and North America.

With 51 of the 56 member states of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the Convention covers most of the region. Over the past 30 years, the Convention has been supplemented by 8 protocols that aim to regulate the reduction of air pollution in order to protect human health and the environment. Each of these protocols covers pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, persistent organic pollutants, volatile organic compounds, ammonia and toxic heavy metals.

Over the years, the Convention has made a significant contribution to the implementation of the reduction of air pollution in the region.

There was a decrease in concentration levels:

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) by 70% in the European Union and 36% in the United States;
nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 35% in the European Union and 23% in the United States;
ammonia (NH3) by 20% in the European Union;
non-methane volatile organic compounds by 41% in the European Union;
particulate matter (PM 10) by 28% in the European Union.

The fact that the implementation of the Convention is moving forward has led to the inclusion of new goals and activities in a collaborative approach that aims to address multiple challenges. The Gothenburg Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone has entered and aims to reduce the harmful effects of SO2, NOx, VOCs and ammonia.

The protocol will soon be revised to include more pollutants in its list. A revision of the protocols on heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants is also envisaged, which will lead to a reassessment of standards, more stringent targeting and the inclusion of new pollutants (including solubles, dust and particulate matter).

European Union

The member states of the European Economic Community were among the first countries to sign and ratify the Convention. Over the past 30 years, this region has recorded a significant reduction in harmful air pollutants.

The European Commission's Directorate-General for the Environment (DG Environment) has a specific strategy for cooperation with the Convention, focusing on three key areas: the development and use of air pollutant models, the identification of sources of pollution, and the definition of a common approach to the impact of air pollution. The work carried out by the European Union under the Convention was recently presented in a report prepared by the European Environment Agency (EEA); this report provides data on air pollution in each country. The EU's commitment to carry out the necessary research provides a significant contribution to understanding the current state of the air, air pollution and its harmful effects.

North America

The transboundary effects of air pollution led Canada and the United States of America to ratify the Convention early in its existence. Both states recognized that reducing air emissions in North America, as well as in Europe, is a critical factor in reducing air pollution and its harmful effects. Canada and the United States of America implement the Convention through bilateral agreements: cooperation on air pollutants by mode of transport under the Canada-US Agreement on Improved Air Conditions, the International Strategy for the Protection of the Great Lakes from Toxic Substances Pollution (with Mexico) under the auspices of the Commission on Environmental Affairs environment and the Joint Strategy for Improved Air Conditions. Among the achievements of this collaboration are the Acid Rain and Ozone Annexes (to the Canadian-American Air Conditioning Agreement), which include commitments to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds.

Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia

The Convention is increasingly focusing on providing expertise and guidance on the situation in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, helping the peoples living in this region to implement their initiative to follow the protocols and reduce the impact of air pollution. This year, the Protocol on the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or their Transboundary Fluxes, the Protocol on Heavy Metals and the Gothenburg Protocol will be discussed again in order to set firmer targets and create more flexible conditions, which will give nations the opportunity to change obsolete technologies and ensure the best air pollution monitoring system.

In addition, the Agreement continues to assist these nations in guiding and developing policies for the effective implementation of the protocols; these are actions that will have an effective impact on reducing harmful emissions and thus protecting human health and the environment. This year, the Convention Secretariat launched assistance projects to the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Moldova, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Although much has been done in the past 30 years, scientific research continues to identify new risks and pose new challenges. In this regard, the Convention aims to include new pollutants in its list, such as soluble substances, dust, particulate matter (PM 2.5). Climate change is the main environmental challenge; Greenhouse gases and air pollutants share largely the same source, so air pollution and climate change are closely linked. This challenge for the future of the Convention should play a constructive role in the implementation of policies aimed at combating climate change and air pollution.

Thus, the Convention recognizes the importance of working together on climate change and initiating cooperation with other international agreements: the Stockholm Convention under the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the Mercury Pollution Research Agreement to be adopted in the near future; the purpose of such work is to further use these links and jointly search for possible solutions.

The Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution has become an important international agreement dealing with air pollution, its impact on the environment and human health. The Convention aims to protect man and the environment from air pollution, as well as to gradually reduce and prevent air pollution. The Convention is supplemented by 8 protocols (see link below).

To date, 51 States have signed and ratified the Convention. Affecting Europe and North America, the Convention continues to address air pollution issues in collaboration with one of the most effective scientific monitoring systems and a number of task forces studying the harmful effects of air pollution. With a history of cooperation spanning three decades, the Convention continues to identify new sources of air pollution and set global standards to clean the air we breathe.

The European Long Range Air Pollution Monitoring and Evaluation Program (EMEP) and international cooperation programs are groups of scientists and research centers that use the best available technologies to map, model, and investigate levels of air pollutants and their effects. .

Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants to include 7 new pollutants

The revision of the Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants, envisaged in the near future, aims to include 7 harmful pollutants that should be subject to stricter regulation.

A list of these contaminants: hexachlorocyclohexane, octabromodiphenyl ether, pentachlorobenzene, pentabromodiphenyl ether, perfluorooctane sulfonates (PFOS), polychlorinated naphthalenes and short chain chlorinated paraffins.

Acid rain is rain (or snow) that becomes acidic (pH less than 5.6) as a result of its combination with gaseous pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx). Acid rain can cause acidification of surface waters, soils and ecosystems.

Acidification surround

environmental conditions are caused by the combination of oxidizing substances with rain and snow, or by the direct deposition of gases or particles on vegetation (dry deposition).

Black carbon is formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuels and biomass; its source is soot of anthropogenic and natural origin. Black carbon warms the planet by absorbing heat into the atmosphere and lowering the albedo of, for example, snow. It is also a constituent of particulate matter.

Eutrophication is the increase in the concentration of chemical nutrients in an ecosystem to an extent that causes an increase in the primary productivity of the ecosystem. Depending on the degree of eutrophication, its negative environmental consequences can be hypoxia, deterioration of water quality, reduction in populations of fish and other animals.

The flexible mechanism concerns emissions trading, the clean development mechanism and joint implementation projects. These mechanisms, defined under the Kyoto Protocol, are designed to reduce emission reductions. Flexible mechanisms allow Parties to achieve carbon reductions or removals from the atmosphere in other countries. Ground-level ozone is a toxic pollutant that forms when pollutants from vehicles, power plants, refineries and other sources react chemically in the presence of sunlight. In contrast, stratospheric ozone is a kind of natural filter that protects the Earth from ultraviolet radiation. Ground-level ozone can cause irritation to the mucous membranes of the nose, eyes, throat, coughing and wheezing, and can damage plants (including agricultural cash crops).

Heavy metals are metallic elements with a high atomic weight, such as mercury, chromium, cadmium, arsenic, and lead. They can become toxic to living organisms at low concentrations and tend to accumulate in the food chain.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are chemical compounds of nitrogen and oxygen that form when gases are exposed to high temperatures. NOx has an acidifying effect on soil and water, contributes to material damage, and the formation of ground-level ozone.

Particulate matter (PM) or fine particles are tiny particles that are made up of a complex mixture of solid and liquid particles.

Unlike aerosols, they refer to particles and gases at the same time. Sources of particulate matter can be natural or artificial sources. PM are considered the most dangerous pollutants for human health.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are chemicals that persist in the environment, accumulate in the food web and pose a risk of negative impacts on human health and the environment. This group includes priority pollutants pesticides (such as DDT), industrial chemicals (such as polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs) and unintentionally produced POPs (such as dioxins and furans). Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a gas produced by the combustion of sulfur particles, such as oil and coal, and can also come from a number of industrial processes.

Volatile organic compounds are carbon-containing organic compounds that readily evaporate into the atmosphere at room temperature. VOCs contribute to the formation of smog and can lead to some health problems.

indoor air pollution

The sources of air pollution in residential premises are the finishing materials that we use in the repair. Vinyl wallpaper on the walls, linoleum covering the floor, parquet varnish, oil paint, polystyrene foam ceiling panels - all this turns the apartment into a real gas chamber. These materials can become very dangerous sources of indoor air pollution as they emit phenol, formaldehyde, esters of carboxylic acids. When purchasing these materials, you must require a certificate and not be tempted by suspicious cheapness. Do not use materials intended for external work when repairing indoors.

Phenol and formaldehyde are emitted from chipboard panels used in the manufacture of furniture, if they are not covered with a laminating material. These toxic substances cause damage to the kidneys, liver, changes in blood composition, and are strong allergens. If a person suffers from bronchial asthma, inhaling these substances can cause suffocation. The smell that appears in the apartment after purchasing new furniture should disappear after three months.

Cleaning the room too thoroughly with too many household chemicals can be a source of indoor air pollution. Some of these products contain elevated levels of formaldehyde, a recognized carcinogen, while others pollute the air with harmful chemicals. In some cases, it is better to abandon these sources of indoor air pollution and use the old "grandfather" cleaning methods without "chemistry".

It is necessary to carefully monitor the serviceability of gas-powered appliances, stoves, fireplaces, because. they can be a source of carbon monoxide, causing headaches, blurred vision. Faulty gas appliances during operation can emit nitrogen dioxide, which irritates the eyes, nasopharynx, weakening the pulmonary system. Smokers are also a source of indoor air pollution, so you need to ventilate the room where people smoke even more often.

Indoor air quality

Until recently, the problem of outdoor air pollution attracted the attention of environmentalists. However, studies conducted in many countries have shown that indoor air can be ten times more polluted than outdoor air. But even if the levels of indoor air pollution are low, it still poses a great danger, as people are exposed to it for a long time, spending on average up to 80% of the daily time indoors. According to various estimates of scientists, it turned out that the air in the rooms is 4-6 times dirtier than the outside air and 8-10 times more toxic. The main components of indoor air pollution are gases, biological pollutants, radon, and some other substances harmful to human health.

According to American allergists, 50% of human diseases are either caused or exacerbated by indoor air pollution. Particularly susceptible to air pollution are: children, teenagers, pregnant women, the elderly, as well as people suffering from allergies, asthma, or other diseases of the respiratory system.

More than 100 chemical compounds are determined in the air of office premises. Including hazardous to health aerosols of lead, mercury, copper, zinc, phenol, formaldehyde in concentrations often several times higher than the maximum permissible limits. Experts from the World Health Organization have recognized indoor air pollution as a major risk factor for human health and the main cause of a catastrophic increase in cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.

Environmental pollution of indoor air can be divided into two types: chemical and bacteriological. To date, about 1000 chemical and biological types of pollution found in indoor air are known.

Indoor air pollution can cause diseases of various levels of severity, ranging from simple malaise and headaches to severe allergies and cancer.

Water and air pollution

Air pollution

One of the most important problems of the modern city is increasing air pollution. Over large cities, the atmosphere contains 10 times more aerosols and 25 times more gases. At the same time, 60-70% of gas pollution comes from road transport.

Automotive

Automobile exhaust gases are a mixture of approximately 200 substances. They contain hydrocarbons - unburned or incompletely burned fuel components, the proportion of which increases sharply if the engine is running at low speeds or at the moment of increasing speed at the start, that is, at a red traffic light and during traffic jams (accumulation of vehicles on the road interfering with normal movement).

Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and most other engine gases are heavier than air, so they all accumulate near the ground. Carbon monoxide combines with hemoglobin in the blood and prevents it from carrying oxygen to the tissues of the body. Exhaust gases also contain aldehydes, which have a pungent odor and irritant effect. Due to incomplete combustion of fuel in a car engine, part of the hydrocarbons turns into soot. 1 liter of gasoline can contain about 1 gram of tetraethyl lead, after the destruction of which lead is released in the form of compounds, which in turn tends to accumulate in the body. One passenger car annually absorbs more than 4 tons of oxygen from the atmosphere, emitting about 800 kg of carbon monoxide, about 40 kg of nitrogen oxides and almost 200 kg of various hydrocarbons with exhaust gases.

With the growth of the well-being of residents, the number of cars is growing and, consequently, the concentration of toxic substances in the air is also increasing. Undoubtedly, in the near future, pollution of the air basin of cities by road transport will pose the greatest danger. This is mainly due to the fact that at present there are no cardinal solutions to this problem, although there is no shortage of individual technical projects and recommendations.

Industrial

As a result of the use in industry and the formation in the process of various productions of large quantities of toxic substances, masses of pollutants are also emitted into the surrounding air. Enterprises of the metallurgical, chemical, cement and other industries emit dust, sulphurous, fluorine and other harmful gases and compounds released during various technological production processes into the atmosphere. The emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere at oil refineries occurs mainly due to insufficient sealing of equipment. For example, atmospheric air pollution with hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide is observed from metal tanks of raw stock parks for unstable oil, intermediate and trade parks for light oil products. The main emissions from chemical industry enterprises are carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, ammonia, dust from inorganic industries, organic substances, hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, chloride compounds, fluorine compounds, etc. These compounds reduce the transparency of the atmosphere, give 50% more fog, 10% more rainfall, 30% less solar radiation. The most dangerous for the environment production associated with the use of varnishes and paints. Their emissions of anthropogenic organic substances amount to 350 thousand tons per year, while the rest of the chemical industry as a whole emit 170 thousand tons per year.

The atmosphere of modern cities (especially large ones) is extremely polluted. According to research data, there are 46 kg (!) of harmful substances per resident of Moscow per year. Many scientists see increasing air pollution in developed cities as the main reason for the increase in lung diseases.

The vegetation cover of cities is usually almost completely represented by "cultural plantations" - parks, squares, lawns, flower beds, alleys. Their area in millionaire cities usually does not exceed 30% (Moscow), which is about 25-30 m2 per person (in Paris this number is 6, in London - 7.5, in New York - 8.6).

Man has to intervene more and more in the economy of the biosphere - that part of our planet in which life exists. The Earth's biosphere is currently undergoing increasing anthropogenic impact. Due to more active condensation of moisture in cities, there is an increase in precipitation by 5-10%. Self-purification of the atmosphere is prevented by a 10-20% reduction in solar radiation and wind speed. With low air mobility, thermal anomalies over the city cover atmospheric layers of 250 - 400 m, and temperature contrasts can reach 5 - 6 ° C. Temperature inversions are associated with them, leading to increased pollution, fog and smog.

Smog (photochemical fog)

Photochemical fog (smog) is a multicomponent mixture of gases and aerosol particles of primary and secondary origin. The composition of the main components of smog includes: ozone, nitrogen and sulfur oxides, numerous organic peroxide compounds, collectively called photooxidants. Photochemical smog occurs as a result of photochemical reactions under certain conditions: the presence in the atmosphere of a high concentration of nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and other pollutants, intense solar radiation and calm (or very weak air exchange in the surface layer) necessary to create a high concentration of reacting substances. Such conditions are created more often in June - September and less often in winter. Next, a chain of chemical transformations occurs, the result of which is the formation of oxidants, which are a source of free radicals.

According to their physiological effects on the human body, they are extremely dangerous for the respiratory and circulatory systems and often cause premature death of urban residents with poor health. Scientists believe that every year thousands of deaths in cities around the world are related to air pollution.

Significant gas contamination of the air basin in cities also leads to a decrease in insolation and a reduction in the receipt of ultraviolet radiation to the earth's surface. This negatively affects the health of citizens, since low insolation slows down the excretion of a number of toxic substances from the body, in particular heavy metals and their compounds, in addition, low insolation inhibits the synthesis of a number of important enzymes in the body. Meanwhile, residents of large cities very often, especially in winter, experience its deficiency.

Many technogenic substances entering the air environment of cities are hazardous pollutants. They cause damage to human health, wildlife, material values. Some of them, due to their long existence in the atmosphere, are transported over long distances, due to which the pollution problem turns from local to international. This mainly concerns pollution by sulfur and nitrogen oxides.

The rapid accumulation of these pollutants in the atmosphere of the Northern Hemisphere (annual increase of 5%) has given rise to the phenomenon of acidic and acidified precipitation. They suppress the biological productivity of soils and water bodies, especially those that have their own high acidity.

Water pollution

Another equally important problem of the modern city is water pollution. Among industrial products, toxic synthetic substances occupy a special place in terms of their negative impact on the aquatic environment and living organisms. They are increasingly being used in industry, in transport, and in public utilities.

Pollution of the water basin in cities should be considered in two aspects - water pollution in the water consumption zone and pollution of the water basin within the city due to its runoff.

Water pollution in the water consumption zone

Water pollution in the water consumption zone is a serious factor that worsens the ecological state of cities. It is produced both by discharging part of the untreated effluents of cities and enterprises located above the water intake zone of a given city and water pollution by river transport, and by getting into water bodies of part of the fertilizers and pesticides applied to the fields. In areas of increased moisture, about 20% of fertilizers and pesticides applied to the soil enters watercourses. This, in turn, can lead to eutrophication of water bodies, which further degrades water quality.

Every year in large cities (including Moscow) there is a seasonal, during the spring flood, deterioration in the quality of drinking water associated with the ingress of pollutants into water sources with surface and storm runoff from the territories of sanitary unimproved places, agricultural facilities and lands. In this regard, water is hyperchlorinated, which, however, is unsafe for public health due to the formation of organochlorine compounds.

Pollution of the water basin within the city

Therefore, cities need powerful treatment facilities.

A particular problem is the penetration of contaminated surface runoff into groundwater. Surface runoff from cities is always highly acidic. If Cretaceous sediments and limestones are located under the city, the penetration of enrolled waters into them inevitably leads to the emergence of anthropogenic karst. Voids formed as a result of anthropogenic karst directly under the city can pose a serious threat to buildings and structures, therefore, in cities where there is a real risk of its occurrence, a special geological service is needed to predict and prevent its consequences.

In modern conditions, human needs for water for household needs are greatly increasing. Cities consume 10 or more times more water per person than rural areas. At the same time, water resources are used irrationally - more than 20% of the water goes unused. Pollution of water bodies reaches catastrophic proportions, therefore, almost all large cities experience a shortage of water resources and many of them receive water from remote sources. For example, Los Angeles receives water from the Colorado River, which is located 970 kilometers from the city. And Beijing plans to deliver water to the homes of its citizens from the Yangtze River, 1,500 kilometers distant.

That is why an extremely important task at the moment is the protection of water sources from pollution. Along with the improvement and expansion of treatment facilities, the transfer of enterprises to recycling water supply and waste-free technology, the demineralization of brackish and saline waters, the introduction of fees for wastewater discharges, the creation of integrated regional schemes for water consumption, water disposal and wastewater treatment, as well as automation of control are of great importance. for the quality of water in water sources and the development of water quality management methods.

Air pollution assessment

The atmosphere is one of the elements of the environment that is constantly affected by human activity. The consequences of this impact depend on various factors and are manifested in climate change and the chemical composition of the atmosphere. These changes significantly affect the biotic components of the environment, including humans.

The air environment can be assessed in two aspects:

1. Climate and its changes under the influence of natural causes and anthropogenic impacts in general (macroclimate) and this project in particular (microclimate). These estimates imply a forecast of the potential impact of climate change on the implementation of the projected type of anthropogenic activity.
2. Atmospheric pollution. To begin with, the possibility of atmospheric pollution is assessed using one of the complex indicators, such as: atmospheric pollution potential (AP), atmospheric scattering power (RSA) and others. After that, an assessment of the existing level of atmospheric air pollution in the required region is carried out.

Conclusions about climatic and meteorological characteristics, and about the source of pollution are made, first of all, on the basis of data from the regional Roshydromet, then - on the basis of data from the sanitary and epidemiological service and special analytical inspections of the State Committee for Ecology, and are also based on various literary sources.

As a result, based on the estimates obtained and data on specific emissions into the atmosphere of the projected facility, calculations are made of the forecast of air pollution, while using special computer programs ("ecologist", "guarantor", "ether", etc.), which allow not only to evaluate possible levels of air pollution, but also to obtain a map of concentration fields and data on the deposition of pollutants (Pollutants) on the underlying surface.

The criterion for assessing the degree of air pollution is the maximum allowable concentration (MPC) of pollutants. Measured and calculated concentrations of pollutants in the atmosphere can be compared with MPCs and, therefore, air pollution is measured in MPC values.

At the same time, it is worth paying attention to the fact that one should not confuse the concentration of pollutants in the air with their emissions. The concentration is the mass of a substance per unit volume (or mass), and the release is the weight of the substance that has arrived in a unit of time (i.e. "dose"). Emission cannot be a criterion for air pollution, but since air pollution depends not only on the mass of emissions, but also on other factors (meteorological parameters, height of the emission source, etc.).

Air pollution forecasts are used in other sections of the EIA to predict the impact of other factors from the impact of a polluted environment (pollution of the underlying surface, vegetation vegetation, morbidity, etc.).

When carrying out an environmental assessment, the assessment of the state of the air basin is based on a comprehensive assessment of atmospheric air pollution in the study area, while using a system of direct, indirect and indicator criteria. Air quality assessment (primarily the degree of pollution) is quite well developed and is based on a huge number of legislative and policy documents that use direct control methods to measure environmental parameters, as well as indirect calculation methods and evaluation criteria.

Direct evaluation criteria. The main criteria for the state of atmospheric air pollution include the maximum allowable concentrations (MAC). It should be noted that the atmosphere is also a medium for the transfer of technogenic pollutants, and it is also the most variable and dynamic of all its abiotic components. Based on this, to assess the degree of air pollution, time-differentiated assessment indicators are used, such as: maximum one-time MPCmr (short-term effects), average daily MPCs and average annual PDKg (for longer-term effects).

The degree of air pollution can be assessed by the repetition and frequency of exceeding the MPC, taking into account the hazard class, as well as by summing up the biological effects of pollution (BI). The level of atmospheric pollution by substances of various hazard classes is determined by "reducing" their concentration, normalized according to MPC, to the concentrations of substances of the 3rd hazard class.

There is a division of air pollutants according to the likelihood of their adverse effects on human health, which includes 4 classes:

1) first class - extremely dangerous.
2) the second class - highly dangerous;
3) the third class - moderately dangerous;
4) the fourth class - little dangerous.

Basically, the actual maximum one-time, average daily and average annual MPCs are used in comparison with the actual concentrations of pollutants in the air over the past few years, but not less than 2 years.

Also important criteria for assessing the total atmospheric pollution include the value of the complex indicator (P), equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the concentration of substances of various hazard classes, normalized according to MPC, reduced to the concentration of a substance of the third hazard class.

The most common and informative indicator of air pollution is the CIPA (Complex Index of Average Annual Air Pollution).

The distribution by classes of the state of the atmosphere occurs in accordance with the classification of pollution levels on a four-point scale:

Class "normal" - means that the level of air pollution is below the average for the cities of the country;
- "risk" class - equal to the average level;
- class "crisis" - above average;
- Disaster class - well above average.

Basically, QISA is used for comparative analysis of air pollution in different parts of the study area (cities, districts, etc.), as well as for assessing the temporal trend regarding the state of air pollution.

The resource potential of the air basin of a certain territory is calculated based on its ability to disperse and remove impurities and the ratio of the actual level of pollution and the MPC value. The assessment of air dissipation capacity is determined on the basis of the following indicators: air pollution potential (PAP) and air consumption parameter (AC). These characteristics reveal the features of the formation of pollution levels depending on weather conditions, which contribute to the accumulation and removal of impurities from the air.

Atmospheric pollution potential (PAP) is a complex characteristic of meteorological conditions that are unfavorable for the dispersion of impurities in the air. Currently in Russia there are 5 PZA classes that are typical for urban conditions, based on the frequency of surface inversions, low wind stagnation and fog duration.

The air consumption parameter (AC) is understood as the volume of clean air that is necessary to dilute the emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere to the level of the average permissible concentration. This parameter is of particular importance in air quality management, if the user of natural resources has established a collective responsibility regime (the “bubble” principle) in the conditions of market relations. Based on this parameter, the volume of emissions is set for the entire region, and only after that, the enterprises located on its territory, jointly identify the best option for providing the necessary volume, including through trading in pollution rights.

It is accepted that air can be considered as the initial link in the chain of pollution of the environment and objects. Often, soils and surface waters are indirect indicators of its pollution, and in some cases, on the contrary, they can be sources of secondary pollution of the air basin. Hence, it becomes necessary not only to assess air pollution, but also to control the possible consequences of the mutual influence of the atmosphere and adjacent media, as well as to obtain an integral (mixed) assessment of the state of the air basin.

Indirect indicators for assessing air pollution include the intensity of atmospheric impurity inflow as a result of dry deposition on soil cover and water bodies, as well as as a result of its washing out by atmospheric precipitation. The criterion for this assessment is the value of allowable and critical loads, which are expressed in units of fallout density, taking into account the time interval (duration) of their arrival.

The result of a comprehensive assessment of the state of air pollution is an analysis of the development of technogenic processes and an assessment of possible negative consequences in the short and long term at the local and regional levels. Analyzing the spatial characteristics and temporal dynamics of the results of the impact of air pollution on human health and the state of the ecosystem, it is necessary to rely on the mapping method, using sets of cartographic materials that characterize the natural conditions of the region, including protected areas.

The optimal system of components of the integral (complex) assessment includes:

Assessment of the level of pollution from sanitary and hygienic positions (MAC);
- assessment of the resource potential of the atmosphere (APA and PV);
- assessment of the degree of influence on certain environments (soil, vegetation and snow cover, water);
- the trend and intensity of the processes of anthropogenic development of a given natural and technical system to identify short-term and long-term effects of the impact;
- determination of the spatial and temporal scales of possible negative consequences of anthropogenic impact.

Chemical air pollution

Atmospheric pollution should be understood as a change in its composition when impurities of natural or anthropogenic origin enter. There are three types of pollutants: gases, dust and aerosols. The latter include dispersed solid particles emitted into the atmosphere and suspended in it for a long time.

The main atmospheric pollutants include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur and nitrogen dioxide, as well as small gas components that can affect the temperature regime of the troposphere: nitrogen dioxide, halocarbons (freons), methane and tropospheric ozone.

Sources of pollution - thermal power plants, which, together with smoke, emit sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide into the air, metallurgical enterprises, especially non-ferrous metallurgy, which emit nitrogen oxides, hydrogen sulfide, chlorine, fluorine, ammonia, phosphorus compounds, particles and compounds of mercury and arsenic into the air; chemical and cement plants. Harmful gases enter the air as a result of fuel combustion for industrial needs, home heating, transport, combustion and processing of household and industrial waste.

Atmospheric pollutants are divided into primary, entering directly into the atmosphere, and secondary, resulting from the transformation of the latter. So, sulfur dioxide entering the atmosphere is oxidized to sulfuric anhydride, which interacts with water vapor and forms droplets of sulfuric acid. When sulfuric anhydride reacts with ammonia, ammonium sulfate crystals are formed. Similarly, as a result of chemical, photochemical, physico-chemical reactions between pollutants and atmospheric components, other secondary signs are formed. The main source of pyrogenic pollution on the planet are thermal power plants, metallurgical and chemical enterprises, boiler plants that consume more than 170% of the annually produced solid and liquid fuels.

The main harmful impurities of pyrogenic origin are the following:

A) carbon monoxide. It is obtained by incomplete combustion of carbonaceous substances. It enters the air as a result of burning solid waste, with exhaust gases and emissions from industrial enterprises. At least 250 million tons of this gas enters the atmosphere every year. Carbon monoxide is a compound that actively reacts with the constituent parts of the atmosphere and contributes to an increase in the temperature on the planet and the creation of a greenhouse effect.

B) Sulfur dioxide. It is emitted during the combustion of sulfur-containing fuel or the processing of sulfurous ores (up to 70 million tons per year). Part of the sulfur compounds is released during the combustion of organic residues in mining dumps. In the United States alone, the total amount of sulfur dioxide emitted into the atmosphere amounted to 85 percent of the global emissions.
c) Sulfuric anhydride. It is formed during the oxidation of sulfur dioxide. The end product of the reaction is an aerosol or solution of sulfuric acid in rainwater, which acidifies the soil and exacerbates human respiratory diseases. The precipitation of sulfuric acid aerosol from smoke flares of chemical enterprises is observed at low cloudiness and high air humidity. Pyrometallurgical enterprises of non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy, as well as thermal power plants, annually emit tens of millions of tons of sulfuric anhydride into the atmosphere.
d) Hydrogen sulfide and carbon disulfide. They enter the atmosphere separately or together with other sulfur compounds. The main sources of emissions are enterprises for the manufacture of artificial fiber, sugar, coke, oil refineries, and oil fields. In the atmosphere, when interacting with other pollutants, they undergo slow oxidation to sulfuric anhydride.
e) Nitrogen oxides. The main sources of emissions are enterprises producing; nitrogen fertilizers, nitric acid and nitrates, aniline dyes, nitro compounds, viscose silk, celluloid. The amount of nitrogen oxides entering the atmosphere is 20 million tons per year.
f) Fluorine compounds. Sources of pollution are enterprises producing aluminum, enamels, glass, ceramics, steel, and phosphate fertilizers. Fluorine-containing substances enter the atmosphere in the form of gaseous compounds - hydrogen fluoride or dust of sodium and calcium fluoride. The compounds are characterized by a toxic effect. Fluorine derivatives are strong insecticides.
g) Chlorine compounds. They enter the atmosphere from chemical enterprises producing hydrochloric acid, chlorine-containing pesticides, organic dyes, hydrolytic alcohol, bleach, soda. In the atmosphere, they are found as an admixture of chlorine molecules and hydrochloric acid vapors. The toxicity of chlorine is determined by the type of compounds and their concentration.

In the metallurgical industry, during the smelting of pig iron and its processing into steel, various heavy metals and toxic gases are released into the atmosphere. So, in terms of I tons of saturated cast iron, in addition to 2.7 kg of sulfur dioxide and 4.5 kg of dust particles, which determine the amount of compounds of arsenic, phosphorus, antimony, lead, mercury vapor and rare metals, tar substances and hydrogen cyanide, are released.

The volume of emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere from stationary sources in Russia is about 22 - 25 million tons per year.

Industrial air pollution

Pollution in ecology is understood as an unfavorable change in the environment, which is wholly or partly the result of human activity, directly or indirectly changes the distribution of incoming energy, radiation levels, physical and chemical properties of the environment and the conditions for the existence of living organisms. These changes can affect a person directly or through water and food. They can also affect a person, worsening the properties of the things he uses, the conditions of rest and work.

Intensive air pollution began in the 19th century due to the rapid development of industry, which began to use coal as the main fuel, and the rapid growth of cities. The role of coal in air pollution in Europe has long been known. However, in the 19th century, it was the cheapest and most affordable type of fuel in Western Europe, including Great Britain.

But coal is not the only source of air pollution. Now a huge amount of harmful substances is emitted into the atmosphere every year, and, despite the significant efforts made in the world to reduce the degree of atmospheric pollution, it is located in the developed capitalist countries. At the same time, the researchers note that if there are now 10 times more harmful impurities in the atmosphere over the countryside than over the ocean, then over the city there are 150 times more of them.

Impact on the atmosphere of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises. The enterprises of the metallurgical industry saturate the atmosphere with dust, sulfur dioxide and other harmful gases released during various technological production processes.

Ferrous metallurgy, the production of cast iron and its processing into steel, naturally occurs with the accompanying emissions of various harmful gases into the atmosphere.

Air pollution with gases during the formation of coals is accompanied by the preparation of the charge and its loading into coke ovens. Wet quenching is also accompanied by the release into the atmosphere of substances that are part of the water used.

During the production of metallic aluminum by electrolysis, a huge amount of gaseous and dusty compounds containing fluorine and other elements are released into the environment. When smelting one ton of steel, 0.04 tons of solid particles, 0.03 tons of sulfur oxides and up to 0.05 tons of carbon monoxide enter the atmosphere. Non-ferrous metallurgy plants discharge into the atmosphere compounds of manganese, lead, phosphorus, arsenic, mercury vapor, vapor-gas mixtures consisting of phenol, formaldehyde, benzene, ammonia and other toxic substances.

Impact on the atmosphere of petrochemical industry enterprises. Enterprises of the oil refining and petrochemical industries have a noticeable negative impact on the state of the environment and, above all, on the atmospheric air, which is due to their activities and the combustion of oil refining products (motor, boiler fuels, and other products).

In terms of air pollution, oil refining and petrochemistry rank fourth among other industries. The composition of fuel combustion products includes such pollutants as oxides of nitrogen, sulfur and carbon, carbon black, hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulfide.

During the processing of hydrocarbon systems, more than 1500 tons/year of harmful substances are emitted into the atmosphere. Of these, hydrocarbons - 78.8%; sulfur oxides - 15.5%; nitrogen oxides - 1.8%; carbon oxides - 17.46%; solids - 9.3%. Emissions of solid substances, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides account for up to 98% of total emissions from industrial enterprises. As analysis of the state of the atmosphere shows, it is the emissions of these substances in most industrial cities that create an increased background of pollution.

The most environmentally hazardous are the industries associated with the distillation of hydrocarbon systems - oil and heavy oil residues, the purification of oils using aromatic substances, the production of elemental sulfur, and the facilities of treatment facilities.

Impact on the atmosphere of agricultural enterprises. Atmospheric air pollution by agricultural enterprises is carried out mainly through emissions of polluting gaseous and suspended substances from ventilation installations that ensure normal living conditions for animals and humans in production facilities for keeping livestock and poultry. Additional pollution comes from boilers as a result of the processing and release into the atmosphere of combustion products of fuel, from exhaust gases from automotive and tractor equipment, from evaporation from manure storage tanks, as well as from spreading manure, fertilizers and other chemicals. It is impossible not to take into account the dust generated during the harvesting of field crops, loading, unloading, drying and finalizing bulk agricultural products.

The fuel and energy complex (thermal power plants, combined heat and power plants, boiler plants) emits smoke into the atmospheric air, which is formed during the combustion of solid and liquid fuels. Air emissions from fuel-burning installations contain products of complete combustion - sulfur oxides and ash, products of incomplete combustion - mainly carbon monoxide, soot and hydrocarbons. The total volume of all emissions is very significant. For example, a thermal power plant that consumes 50 thousand tons of coal containing approximately 1% sulfur every month emits 33 tons of sulfuric anhydride into the atmosphere every day, which can turn (under certain meteorological conditions) into 50 tons of sulfuric acid. In one day, such a power plant produces up to 230 tons of ash, which is partially (about 40-50 tons per day) released into the environment within a radius of up to 5 km. Emissions from thermal power plants that burn oil contain almost no ash, but emit three times more sulfuric anhydride.

Air pollution from the oil-producing, oil-refining and petrochemical industries contains a large amount of hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulfide and foul-smelling gases. The emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere at oil refineries occurs mainly due to insufficient sealing of equipment. For example, atmospheric air pollution with hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide is observed from metal tanks of raw stock parks for unstable oil, intermediate and trade parks for light oil products.

Causes of Air Pollution

Consider the causes and consequences of air pollution. Air pollution can be natural or man-made. Natural air pollution occurs during volcanic eruptions, dust storms, forest fires caused by lightning. Various bacteria are constantly present in the atmospheric air, in particular those that cause diseases, as well as fungal spores. But they can disappear over time and do not have a big impact on the composition of atmospheric air.

At the present stage of human development, artificial pollution of the atmosphere brings irreparable damage. The person himself is to blame for this, therefore he must stop the negative processes. Otherwise, humanity may disappear along with plants and animals, the planet will become uninhabitable.

Man-made sources of pollution include:

1. The activities of industrial enterprises that pollute the atmosphere with gases, mostly poisonous. For example, sulfuric gas from coal combustion; carbon disulfide and hydrogen sulfide during the production of artificial fibers. Dust sources are thermal power plants. When burning 2000 tons of coal (power plant of small capacity), 400 tons of ash and 120 tons of sulfuric gas are released into the air per day, etc.
2. The intensive development of motor transport in the world leads to the fact that millions of tons of harmful gases enter the atmosphere, including 50 million tons of rubber dust annually from the abrasion of car tires. And emissions of toxic heavy metals from cars in the world are over 300 thousand tons.
3. Radioactive pollution of the atmosphere. It is worth remembering the radiation pollution due to the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which still affects the health of people in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.

Air purification methods are divided into three main groups:

1. Rational use of fuel and creation of purification facilities.
2. Improvement of production technologies and vehicles. Created cars running on gas, solar energy.
3. Improving the planning of settlements - from the city to the village, increasing the area of green spaces.

Of course, this will require the combined efforts of countries around the world. Many states have adopted laws on the protection of atmospheric air. In order to reduce the amount of emissions of toxic gases, ash, dust into the atmosphere at the UN conference, the Kyoto Protocol "On Climate Change" was drawn up. In this protocol, for each state, the amount of emissions into the atmosphere is determined with its gradual reduction. The document was supported by 119 countries, except for the USA and Japan.

The atmosphere is not only the basis of life on the planet, but also a kind of "screen" that protects the Earth from the deadly rays of the Sun and outer space. Weather and climate are formed in the atmosphere. Protecting the atmosphere is an urgent task for all mankind.

For me, as for a resident of an industrial region, this is obvious - smoking chimneys are visible from my window. In addition, you constantly have to wipe the window sills on which a layer of black dust forms every day ... In general, the picture is quite unpleasant, but where to go?

Why air is polluted

It can be said that since the time of the conquest of fire, mankind has already begun to pollute the air. But millennia of using fire had practically no effect on the state of the atmosphere. Of course, the smoke made it difficult to breathe, and the soot covered the walls of the dwellings, but people then lived in small groups on large territories. This was the state of affairs until the beginning of the 19th century, until the moment when industry began to actively develop. At that time, few people imagined what complex industrial processes would “give” to mankind. Among the pollutants, it is customary to distinguish between primary - the result of emissions and secondary, which are formed in the atmosphere as a result of the transformation of primary ones.

Main air pollutants

Science identifies several main sources. So:

transport;
industry;
boiler rooms.

At the same time, each of the sources may either prevail or be completely absent depending on the locality, however, there is no doubt that industry is the main source. Non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises alone "endow" the atmosphere with a mass of harmful substances. In addition, a number of substances of the aerosol group - suspended particles in the air - enter the atmosphere. These substances pose the greatest danger to humans. Such emissions seem to be ordinary fog or light haze, but are formed as a result of the interaction of liquid or solid particles with water or with each other. A constant source of this type of pollution are artificial mounds of industrial waste - dumps.

Smog is often observed in large cities - aerosol particles with gases. As a rule, it includes: nitrogen oxide, ozone and sulfur oxides. This phenomenon is usually observed in summer, when the weather is calm and the sun shines brightly. Its radiation triggers a series of chemical processes that produce harmful substances.

Hello my dear students! I welcome you to the pages of the ShkolaLa blog.

Today in the section "Projects" there is an important topic dedicated to the problem of modernity. Air pollution is a global issue that humanity has had to face. Who is to blame for the fact that over the past 200 years the level of concentration of harmful substances has increased by 30 percent, and environmental pollution has led to environmental damage and climate change on the planet? Is it possible to stop this process and how to protect our Earth?

We'll figure out.

Lesson plan:

Why and from what does the atmosphere get polluted?

Atmospheric air pollution is the ingress of chemical, physical and biological substances into it that affect the quality of the atmosphere. This is the main reason for changing the natural state of the environment. Air pollution occurs due to natural processes, but most of all as a result of human activities. Therefore, the sources of harmful emissions are divided into:

natural, coming from nature itself, and
artificial, man-made.

Natural springs are of mineral or vegetable origin.

Volcanoes

When they erupt, a huge amount of gases, solid particles and ash, water vapor and dust are released into the air, which are kept in the atmospheric layers for several years.

Data. In 1883, during the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano, a black cloud 27 kilometers high rose into the air, 80 kilometers up, 150 billion dust and ash were thrown up. Gases, sand and dust dispersed over a distance of 827,000 kilometers.

Forest and peat fires

Smoke from burning forests pollutes the air and spreads over large areas. The cinders from peat bogs fill the air with fine suspended particles.

Data. In 2010, due to peat fires in the capital of Russia, an emergency environmental situation developed. The maximum allowable standards of pollutants were exceeded dozens of times. Due to the smog, residents of Moscow could not breathe freely and used respirators and gas masks. Many were forced to leave the city.

dust storms

They happen with a strong wind, which lifts rock fragments from the ground and carries them over long distances. Tornadoes and hurricanes pollute the atmospheric air with tons of dust.

Data. In 1928, in Ukraine, a powerful wind lifted up 15 million tons of black soil and carried it to the west at an altitude of 750 meters. A layer of earth settled in the Carpathians, Romania and Polshuna with an area of 6 million square kilometers.

Artificial air pollutants are the most dangerous. They can be solid, liquid and gaseous.

Household waste

They appear when fuel is burned indoors, for example, when cooking, smoke from stove heating, as well as what is left of human consumption, in other words, household waste.

Production

They are obtained as a result of the work of industry and represent emissions from technological processes. The most dangerous of them are radioactive substances, the sources of which are explosions of atomic bombs, the work of enterprises that use radioactive components, nuclear power plants and reactors.

Transport

Sources of such pollutants are cars, aircraft and ships, trains.

Data. In 1900, there were only 11 thousand cars in the world, in 1950 there were 48 million, by 1980 the number increased to 330 million, and today there are about 500 million. The gases exhausted by machines contain approximately 280 components harmful to atmospheric air.

What pollutes the air?

Scientists have identified the main air pollutants that most adversely affect human health.

carbon monoxide

A colorless and odorless gas, which is also called carbon monoxide. It is formed during incomplete combustion of fuel with a lack of oxygen and low ambient temperature. When it enters the human body, it blocks the flow of oxygen into the blood. This is one of the causes of frequent human poisoning, leading to loss of consciousness and death.

Carbon dioxide

The gas we breathe out is colorless, but it has a sour smell. Its excess content in the air we breathe leads to headaches, depression and weakness.

sulphur dioxide

A colorless gas with a pungent odor, produced by the combustion of sulfur-containing fuels such as coal. Long-term exposure to it on a person leads to loss of taste, difficulty breathing, disruption of the heart and pulmonary edema.

nitrogen oxides

They are formed during combustion, for example, during the operation of cars and heating plants, and are also obtained during the activities of enterprises that produce nitrogen fertilizers, acid and dyes. Exceeding the permissible norms of this gas can lead to diseases of the respiratory tract and organs of vision.

Ozone

Considered the most toxic of all gaseous pollutants. It is formed from photochemical processes and is found in emissions from industry, transport, and chemical solvents. Prolonged exposure to ozone in humans leads to lung diseases.

Lead

The toxic silvery metal is used in the manufacture of paints, in printing houses and in the manufacture of ammunition. Exhaust gases are the main source of lead. The accumulation of lead in the body leads to impaired mental activity, affects the liver, kidneys and skeletal system.

Data. Russia occupies a strong position among countries with poor ecology. Only in 15 cities the atmospheric air complies with the established norms. 125 Russian cities record an excess of the level of concentration of harmful substances by 5-10 times. Among the most polluted cities are Magnitogorsk, Cherepovets, Chelyabinsk, there are both Moscow and St. Petersburg, but Norilsk is on a par with the world's dirtiest Mexico City, Cairo and Los Angeles. The main source of pollution in Russia is industry.

How to help nature?

Human activity leads to irreparable consequences for the life of the planet. Up to 20 billion tons of carbon dioxide enters the air every year. And he belongs to the greenhouse. An increase in the amount of greenhouse gases and aerosols heats the lower layer of the atmosphere and entails a change in temperature in the oceans, disrupts circulation.

Rising temperatures could lead to ice melting, which would raise water levels and gradually cover small areas of land. Due to the shift in climatic zones, floods, droughts and dust storms are possible. Environmental impacts include acid rain, which results from emissions of acid oxides.

Data. The cleanest air today is in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. The list of favorable areas includes Antarctica, Chilean Patagonia, the Brazilian city of Natal. But in China it is more and more difficult to breathe atmospheric air every year. Big cities are covered in smog. Among the dirty countries are Pakistan, Iran, India and Qatar. Once upon a time, clean air was bad in Japan, and in the 70s, oxygen bars appeared there, where you could breathe pure oxygen. But in the dirty cities of China they carry clean Canadian mountain air in cylinders of 7.7 liters. A piece of freshness costs $15 and is enough for 15 breaths.

Environmental protection includes measures to protect nature.

Use of ecological types of energy - solar, wind and geothermal.
Landscaping. All plants actively absorb carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen back. Some indoor flowers, such as geranium, ficus and asparagus, are biological filters, absorbing heavy metal particles and toxins.
Emission regulation. To do this, they install special equipment in the mechanisms of machines and develop environmentally friendly fuel. In addition, mechanical engineering is gradually moving to electric vehicles.
Protective filters. To clean the waste released into the air from the activities of industry, enterprises install modern treatment systems.
Juristic documents. Documents adopted by international organizations regulate harmful emissions in the course of enterprises' activities. The money paid by organizations goes to measures to overcome the effects of global warming.

If we can only have a small impact on natural phenomena, then reducing the human impact on environmental pollution is our direct responsibility. Let's take care of nature and try to prevent what you see in the video below.

I hope the information was useful to you. And also I recommend to look also to find out when the World Environment Day is celebrated.

On this I say goodbye to you. See you soon on interesting projects.

Evgenia Klimkovich.

According to the World Health Organization, about two million people die from exposure to polluted air each year. Air pollution is not only a huge problem for people living in the smog of overcrowded cities: through factors such as global warming and ozone depletion, it has the potential to affect us all.

Air allows our living planet to breathe. Air is a mixture of gases that fills the atmosphere, giving life to plants and animals. Air is composed almost entirely of two gases (78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen), with some other gases (such as carbon dioxide and argon) present in quite minute amounts. We can breathe normal air throughout the day without any negative effects, so we can use this fact to determine air pollution.

Air pollution is a gas (or a liquid or solid dispersed in ordinary air) in sufficient quantity that it can harm or kill the health of humans, animals, plants, stop them from growing, cause damage or disrupt other aspects of the environment (e.g. , destruction of buildings), or cause some other unfavorable phenomena (limited visibility, unpleasant smell).

Like water and soil pollution, it is the amount (or concentration) of chemicals in the air that makes the difference between "harmless air" and "polluted". Carbon dioxide (CO2), for example, is present in the air around you at a typical concentration of less than 0.05%, and inhaling it usually causes no harm (you breathe it all day), but air with extremely high concentrations of carbon dioxide (for example, 5-10%) is toxic and can kill you in minutes.

Because the earth's atmosphere is very turbulent, many of us live in windy countries where air pollution dissipates fairly quickly. In less enlightened times, it was believed that if they built tall chimneys, the wind would disperse their smoke and air pollution would not be a problem. However, the problem is that there is much less space on Earth than we think and environmental pollution does not always disappear.

Natural air pollution

When we think about air pollution, we tend to think that it is a problem that people cause out of ignorance or stupidity. This is certainly true, but only occasionally. However, it is important to remember that some types of air pollution occur naturally. Forest fires, volcanic eruptions, and gases released from the radioactive decay of rocks inside the Earth are just three examples of natural air pollution that has extremely devastating effects on people and the planet.

Wildfires (which often start naturally) can produce huge patches of smoke that spread for miles over neighboring cities, countries, and continents. Giant volcanic eruptions can throw so much dust into the atmosphere that they block out a significant amount of sunlight and cause the planet to cool for a year or more. Radioactive rocks, when they decay, can be a source of radon gas, which can accumulate in the basements of buildings and have serious negative consequences for human health.

All these are examples of serious air pollution that occurs without human intervention, although we can adapt to natural air pollution, and we cannot try to reduce or stop it. For the rest of this article, we will consider only the "unnatural" types of pollution: the problems that people cause and those that we can solve.

Top ten gases in air pollution

Any gas can qualify as an environmental pollutant if its concentration has reached high harm values. Theoretically, this means that there are dozens of different pollutant gases. In practice, about a dozen different substances cause the most concern:

What are the causes of air pollution?

All processes that involve burning things, using household and industrial chemicals (substances that cause chemical reactions and can release toxic gases in the process), or produce large amounts of dust, have the potential to form air pollution. A few centuries ago, the cause of most air pollution was easy to determine: it was dirty factories, as well as the industrial revolution. Today, with more stringent air pollution laws in place and increased public environmental awareness, this is much more difficult, though not impossible.

Where, then, do modern air pollution come from? By far the biggest culprit is transportation, although plant and factory capacity continues to make a significant contribution. Now let's take a closer look at the three main sources of air pollution.

Motor transport

Today, there are about half a billion cars on the road, an average of one for every two people. Almost all of them run on gasoline and diesel engines that burn oil to release energy. Oil is made up of hydrocarbons (large molecules are made up of hydrogen and carbon), and in theory, burning them with enough oxygen should produce harmless substances such as carbon dioxide and water. But in practice, fuels are not pure hydrocarbons. As a result, engine emissions contain a large number of pollutants, in particular particulate matter (soot of various sizes), carbon monoxide (CO, a poisonous gas), nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as well as lead and indirectly produce ozone. Mix this noxious mixture and activate it with sunlight, and you get a sometimes brownish, sometimes bluish fog (smog) that can exist over cities for days on end.

Smog

Smog (a combination of the words smoke and fog) is formed when sunlight acts on a mixture of pollutant gases such as oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, which is why it is sometimes called photochemical smog (because the chemical reactions are caused by the energy of light). One of the most harmful components of smog is ozone, which can cause severe breathing difficulties and even death. When smog is rich in ozone, it tends to be bluish in color. Otherwise it will be brown.

While smog can form in any city, this problem is especially relevant in places like Los Angeles, where the local climate (influenced by the ocean and nearby mountains) regularly causes temperature inversions. As a general rule, air gets colder the higher it rises, and with a temperature inversion, the opposite happens: warm air is at the top, and cold air is closer to the ground. Largely due to heavy traffic, many of the world's busiest cities, including Athens, Beijing, Mexico City, Milan and Tokyo, suffer from smog.

power plants

Renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines help us get some of our energy each year, but the vast majority of electricity (about 70 percent in the United States, for example) is still produced by burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and oil, mainly in conventional power plants. Just like car engines, power plants should theoretically produce carbon dioxide and water, but in practice, power plants produce a range of pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. They also release huge amounts of carbon dioxide, which is the main cause of global warming and climate change, as it rises and accumulates in the atmosphere.

Industrial plants and factories

Industrial plants that produce metals such as aluminum and steel, refine oil, manufacture cement, synthesize plastics, or release other chemicals are among those that are sources of air pollution. Most factories pollute the air with small amounts of harmful substances continuously over a long period of time, and the effects of pollution are cumulative. Sometimes industrial plants emit huge amounts of pollutants in a very short period of time.

Other Causes of Air Pollution

Despite transport emissions, power plants, industrial and chemical plants produce the majority of man-made air pollution. Many other factors also contribute to this problem. In some parts of the world, people still rely on burning wood fuel for cooking and heating, which causes indoor air pollution that can seriously harm the health of its inhabitants (solar stoves are one way to solve this problem). In some areas, garbage is incinerated rather than recycled or landfilled, which can also produce significant air pollution.

What are the consequences of air pollution?

Air pollution can harm human and animal health, damage or stop crops from growing, and make our world unpleasant and unattractive in many other ways.

Human health

Sometimes the link between air pollution and human health is clear, as in London in 1952, when smog caused by burning coal in domestic stoves and coal-fired power plants killed about 4,000 people. In other cases, this relationship is much more difficult to determine. By some estimates, 10-20% of cancers are caused by air pollution, but cancer can take a long time to develop, and it is very difficult to prove a direct link to a particular type of air pollution and this disease.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), outdoor air pollution is one of the leading causes of death in the world: about two million people die prematurely every year from this cause. Many of these deaths occur in developing countries (more than half a million in India alone), but wealthy industrialized countries also suffer: in the United States, for example, about 41,000 people a year die early due to air pollution.

Agricultural effects

The 20th century was characterized by a huge growth in industrial agriculture, the use of fertilizers, pesticides, etc., which were used to increase crops and feed an ever-growing world population. It is known that air pollution (together with water pollution) can seriously affect plant growth. Plants that grow near highways can easily find chemical residues (everything from toxic heavy metals like lead and other chemicals). At the same time, the huge increase in carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere now, global warming and climate change are expected to have a decisive impact on the world's agriculture (declining yields in some places, but potentially increasing yields elsewhere).

Air pollution is a serious environmental problem. Why you shouldn't pollute the air

Industry that kills

When the charms of civilization harm?

Wind, sun and water are our best friends?

Eco farms are the future

Dust storm pollution

Volcanism and forest fires

Other sources of pollution

Outdoor air pollution

Sources of air pollution

Air pollution level

city ​​air pollution

Air pollution problem

Protection of air from pollution

Human air pollution

Air pollution protection

Air Pollution Convention

indoor air pollution

Water and air pollution

Air pollution assessment

Chemical air pollution

Industrial air pollution

Causes of Air Pollution

Why air is polluted

Main air pollutants

Why and from what does the atmosphere get polluted?

Volcanoes

Forest and peat fires

dust storms

Household waste

Production

Transport

What pollutes the air?

carbon monoxide

Carbon dioxide

sulphur dioxide

nitrogen oxides

Ozone

Lead

How to help nature?

Natural air pollution

Top ten gases in air pollution

What are the causes of air pollution?

Motor transport

Smog

power plants

Industrial plants and factories

Other Causes of Air Pollution

What are the consequences of air pollution?

Human health

Agricultural effects

city air pollution