Air Pollution Control – Definition, Types, Causes and Effects

Air Pollution Control means using methods to lessen or stop the release of pollutants into the atmosphere that could endanger human or environmental health. One of the main areas of pollution control, along with wastewater treatment, solid waste management, and hazardous waste management, is the control of air pollution. Air pollution is the degradation of the atmosphere’s environment by compounds that are dangerous to the health of mankind and other creatures that live, or that interfere with the climate or materials.

What is Air Pollution?

The release of compounds into the natural environment that is hazardous to both human health and the health of the planet as a whole is referred to as air pollution. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes close to seven million deaths worldwide each year. Currently, nine out of ten people breathe air that contains more contaminants than the WHO’s recommended levels, with those in low- and middle-income nations suffering the most.

Numerous pollution-related disorders, such as respiratory infections, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stroke, and lung cancer, are at significantly increased risk due to air pollution. An increasing number of studies demonstrate that exposure to air pollution may be connected with cognitive impairment, lower intelligence levels, a greater likelihood of developing psychiatric illnesses such as depression, and poor birth outcomes. Though the adverse effects of poor air quality on human health are comprehensive, the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of the body are primarily affected.

Air Pollutants

Any substance in the air that could be harmful to people or the ecology is referred to as an air pollutant. The substance may take the form of an aerosol (solid particles or liquid droplets dispersed and carried by a gas), liquid droplets, gases, or solid particles. A pollutant may be created by humans or by nature. Pollutants are divided into primary and secondary categories.

Primary Pollutants

Primary pollutants are typically created by processes like the eruption of volcanic ash. Other instances are sulfur dioxide emitted from factories or carbon monoxide gas from automobile exhausts.

Major primary pollutants that are released into the atmosphere by human activity:

• Ammonia: Ammonia is primarily released by agricultural waste. Ammonia is a corrosive and dangerous substance that is widely used. Ammonia combines with sulfur and nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere to produce secondary particles.
• Carbon dioxide: CO2 has been referred to as “the worst climate pollutant” due to its function as a greenhouse gas. When compared to pre-industrial periods, CO2 now makes up around 410 parts per million (ppm) of the earth’s atmosphere, and burning fossil fuels releases billions of metric tons of CO2 every year.  The amount of CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere has been rising quickly.
• Carbon Monoxide: The combustion of fuel, such as natural gas, coal, or wood, produces carbon monoxide. The majority of carbon monoxide released into the atmosphere comes from vehicle exhaust. It causes an airborne smog-like formation that has been connected to numerous respiratory conditions as well as disruptions to the environment and to animals.
• Chlorofluorocarbons: Emitted by-products that are currently off-limits; damaging to the ozone layer. These are the gases produced by appliances like air conditioners, freezers, aerosol sprays, and others.
• Nitrogen Oxides: Nitrogen oxides, in particular nitrogen dioxide, are released during high-temperature combustion and are also created by electric discharge during thunderstorms. They may appear as a dome-shaped brown haze overhead or as a plume downwind of cities.

Secondary Pollutants

Secondary pollutants are not immediately released into the environment. Instead, they develop in the air as a result of interactions between basic pollutants. A well-known example of a secondary pollutant is ground-level ozone.

Included in secondary pollutants are:

• Ground level Ozone: Nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds combine to form ozone. It is a large-scale contaminant and part of the smog that is created by human activity, primarily the burning of fossil fuels.
• Peroxyacetyl nitrate: Peroxyacetyl nitrate (C2H3NO5) is produced from Nitrogen oxides and Volatile Organic Compounds in a similar manner.
• Photochemical smog: When a lot of coal is burned in one area, it produces a lot of smoke and sulfur dioxide, which is what causes smog. Modern smog is mostly created by industrial and automotive emissions, which are then combined with primary emissions to form photochemical smog when they are exposed to the sun’s UV rays in the atmosphere.

Control of Air Pollution 

The following actions can be taken to reduce air pollution:

Reducing the Use of Vehicles

Vehicles should not be used for shorter distances. Instead, people should use public transportation to get from one location to another. Not only does this reduce pollutants, but it also saves energy.

Conservation of Energy

To create power, a lot of fossil fuels are used. As a result, we must remember to turn off electrical equipment when not in use. As a result, each of us may do our part to protect the environment. Utilizing energy-saving technology, such as CFLs, also significantly reduces pollutants.

Using Renewable Energy Sources

Utilizing geothermal, solar, and wind energy helps to reduce air pollution more significantly. As a move toward a cleaner environment, many nations, including India, have implemented the usage of these resources.

Additional measures to lower Air Pollution include

• By decreasing and minimizing the usage of fire and fire-related items. Because industrial emissions are a major source of causing pollution, so this would be limited by controlling or treating them at the source. If the reactions of a given raw material produce a pollutant, for example, the raw materials can be replaced with less harmful ones.
• Another method of reducing pollution is to use alternative fuels. CNG can be used for powered vehicles that are replacing petrol and diesel in many parts of India. These are commonly used by automobiles that do not have completely functional emissions.
• Modifications can be done for already present equipment to reduce pollutant emissions is another technique to control air pollution generated by industries.
• Controlling pollution at the source isn’t always possible. In that instance, process control equipment can be used to reduce pollution.
• Diluting air pollutants is a very effective means of mitigating air pollution.
• The final and most effective method of minimizing the negative impacts of air pollution is tree planting. A vast amount of contaminants in the air are reduced by plants and trees. Planting trees in places with high pollution levels will be quite effective.

FAQs on Air Pollution Control

Q: What is air pollution control? 

Answer:

Air Pollution Control means using methods to lessen or stop the release of pollutants into the atmosphere that could endanger human or environmental health.

Q: What is the best way to preserve air quality?

Answer:

The greatest strategy to preserve air quality is to lower pollution emissions by switching to cleaner fuels and manufacturing methods. When pollutants are formed and before they can escape into the environment, they must be captured or contained by the proper air-cleaning equipment.

Q: How can be CO2 levels reduced in the air?

Answer:

Utilizing energy more effectively and reducing the combustion of fossil fuels by employing alternative energy sources such as nuclear, wind, tidal, and solar power are the greatest ways to lower the amounts of carbon dioxide in the air.

Q: How does renewable energy reduce air pollution?

Answer:

By providing power or heat without combustion, for example, renewable energy sources contribute to improving the environment and human health. Therefore, the most efficient technologies for reducing air pollutant emissions include wind power, solar PV electricity, geothermal energy, heat pumps, and solar thermal energy.