AIR PROTECTION

PROBLEMS of
PROTECTION of
ATMOSPHERIC AIR
Among the problems: within
the sphere protecting of our
environment, the problem
of protection of
atmospheric air is very
important for several
reasons.
First, atmospheric air is
of paramount importance of
for all life on Earth.
Secondly, the high
sensitivity of the
atmosphere to
anthropogenic(man-made)
influences.
Thirdly, high mobility of
air masses with which
harmful impurities (manmade influences) can be
transferred.

SOURCES OF POLLUTION OF
THE ATMOSPHERE
Natural (natural)
- Cosmic dust
- Dust storms
- Volcanic Eruptions
and
Ejections
- Forest fires
- Aeration
- Decomposition of

terrestrial organisms

Artificial
(anthropogenic)

Industry
Transport
Power system
Heating of dwellings
Agriculture

In past decades man-made factors of air pollution began to exceed on scales

natural pollution. Nowadays anthropogenic pollution got a global character.
The basic (man-made) sources of pollution of atmosphere in the modern world are:
1.Power engineering
2.Motor and Air transport.
3.Industry (especially black and nonferrous metallurgy, and petrochemicals).
The importance of those or other sources of air pollution in different territories varies
depending on level of scientific and technical progress, level of an accomplishment of the
occupied places and many other socio-economic factors


Motor
Because Transport
of technical imperfections and Cars internal-combustion

engines inefficiency inherent in burning fossil fuels, their

constructive imperfections, and maintenance defects, all combine
to cause the release of more than 200 chemical compounds
contained in the exhaust which enters the atmosphere.
Each car annually excretes in air 800kg of carbon monoxide, 220
kg of hydrocarbons and 40 kg of nitrogen-oxides on the average.
Besides exhaust gases contains lead dioxins and soot (carbon
black). Now in our country and all over the world they
(government & industry) try to pass to a new kind of automobile
fuel with higher octave number that promotes decrease carbon
monoxides content in exhaust gases. However nitrogen oxides
and lead remain active
components of emissions

Motor transport, as a source of air

pollution has number of distinctive
features (peculiarities):
1. First of all, the number of cars quickly increases

so the general emission of harmful substances

into atmosphere continuously (constantly) grows.
2. Secondly, unlike the industrial sources of
pollution the car is a moving source.
3. Thirdly, automobile emissions spread at the
level of man breathing, so in the conditions of
city buildings its dispersion are complicated.

Air transport
Air transport considerably pollutes the atmosphere. At launch

a 4-motor jet plane excrete the same volume of poisonous

gases, as 6800 cars.
At flight at the distance 1000km one plane uses as much
oxygen, as one person consumes within a year, and as a result
emits corresponding quantity of carbon dioxide. At flight for 8
hours from America to Europe a jet liner consumes 35 tons of
oxygen. The same quantity of oxygen during the same period
of time (8 hours) is produced by 25 thousand hectares of
trees. Planes flying very high emit nitrogen oxides directly in
the bottom layers of the stratosphere where as a result of
some reactions destruction of the ozone layer of atmosphere
occurs. It is known that ozone layer like screen protects the
earth from ultra-violet radiation of the sun. Not surprisingly
that pollution of the atmosphere near airports is especially
great.

Thermal power stations

Thermal power stations are one of the most powerful

sources of pollution of atmospheric air.

During burning of oil, coal and black oil various firm
particles containing carbon dioxide, oxides of sulfur,
nitrogen, calcium and iron, sulfurous gas, arsenic, selenium,
radioactive elements are emitted into the air.
Large thermal power stations throw out a considerable
quantity of ashes. Such emissions reach 1000-3000 tons a
day.
By some estimations, coal burning results in 1000-3000 tons
of carcinogenic arsenic are annually thrown out.

The Industrial Enterprises

Considerable pollution of atmospheric air occurs owing to

industrial enterprises. The powerful centers of pollution are

created by metallurgy, especially nonferrous metallurgy. The
enterprises of nonferrous metallurgy emit arsenic, lead,
dust, sulphuric gas, fluoric compounds, oxides of heavy
metals and a number of other impurities. Sometimes
pollutants are found far way from source of pollution (45km).
Oil refining factories, the enterprises of chemical industry
are sources of emissions especially harmful substances
(hydrocarbons, for example). It is known that some of them
(especially polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) posses
cancerogenic effect


Sources of emissions of the industrial enterprises:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Losses of initial raw materials;

Losses of intermediate products;
Losses of end-products;
Emissions of collateral impurity to raw materials;
Losses of the various reagents applied to processing of
the basic raw materials.

The ways of pollutants emissions

1. Emission of tail gases (the gases formed in the final

stage of manufacturing);
2. mission of exhausts (vent lines serve for moving away
the excess quantities of gas and pressure leveling in
hermetic capacities)
3. Emissions of aspiration systems.
4. Emissions of ventilating systems
5. Emissions with air (through aero-efficient lanterns,
windows, doorways)
6. Unorganized emissions (at evaporations of technical
liquids)


Hygienic
value of atmosphere pollution
Air pollution causes not only ecologic damage but
economic damage too. It can be a considerable loss
of fuel, production and other valuable components
during emissions. Emissions often contain valuable
products which are wasted when they exhausted into
the atmosphere. In particular, it is known that money
expenses from recycling and cleaning air pollutants
often exceed the aggregate profit of the enterprise
got from basic production.

Emissions of pollutants are often aggressive

and promote fast destruction of building designs, and
also negatively impact flora and fauna. The dust
clogs up pores of leaves, and complicates
photosynthesis processes. Leaves turn yellow, are
covered by stains so, growth of trees is slow, and
they easily perish from diseases of plants. The green
trees function as a filter is damaged by polluting
particles and gaseous impurities attacking the leaves
and trunks. The role of trees as a source of oxygen
and photosynthesis is decreased and their windshelter action is weakened. Productivity of
agricultural crops and efficiency of animal industries
are lowered especially in suburban economy of large
industrial centers.
Some mosses and lichens, some fruit and coniferous
trees are especially sensitive to harmful influences.
The decrease in degree of the natural light exposure,
caused by dust pollution also increases an economic
damage as it is necessary to use artificial light
sources more intensively.

Economic
damage

 Just particles of air are kernels of

condensation. Therefore the

moisture
more quantities of dust pollutants in air
the more sizeon
and a
scale of fogs. The
Influence
frequency and duration of fogs in large
microclimate
of the
industrial cities increases
from year to
year. Fogs with
long duration
occupied
places

(evaporation time), promote deterioration

of health and working capacity of the
population, increase in number of street
accidences, and generally oppress
peoples state of health. Especially in
elderly people or people with respiratory
problems.
Besides fogs lead to reduce of natural
illumination (40-50%), causing extra
expenses for street lights.
Fogs can be light, intermediate, or heavy.
Heavy fogs are most damaging.
Furthermore, climatologists notice that in
connection with increase in quantity of
the weighed particles in air of cities skies
overcast increases 5-10%.

Influence on a sanitary-andhygienic condition of the

population

Pollution of atmosphere decreases its

transparency and reduces natural light

which in own turn worsen sanitary living
conditions of the population.
Atmospheric pollution increases pollution
of windows, dwellings, clothes, and linen,
which finally affects peoples state of
health. At dust pollution solar radiation
losses reach 15 to 20 %. In particular
ultra-violet radiation losses in summer
reach 5%, in winter 39%, and in
conditions of fog these losses reach 90 %.

Negative influence upon a populations state of

health
According to the data of many researches it is established that atmosphere pollution

has a direct impact on health of people. The increased level of malignant tumors in
lungs, increase in number of skin diseases, diseases of mucous membranes of eyes
and of respiratory ways are observed. Besides various chronic diseases is sharply
aggravated.
The adverse influence of some atmospheric pollutant substances like lead, cadmium,
etc. is manifested at their accumulation in bones and tissues, that can lead to
development of chronic poisonings in population living near to sources of emissions.
Influence of an even small concentrations of toxic substances can provoke
aggravation of chronic diseases of respiratory system, shorten remissions, and raise
frequency of complications if they affect the human body for a long time. More and
more cases of specific diseases connected with atmospheric pollution are observed
in populations which do not have professional contact with such toxic substances like
fluorine, beryllium, cadmium, manganese, asbestos.
Pollution of atmospheric air promotes the decrease of immuno-biological resistance of
an organism, deterioration of indexes of physical development of children and
teenagers, and increase of the general mortality.

Sanitary
protection of
Polluted atmospheric air possesses an ability
to self-purification by variousair
natural ways: by
atmospheric
dilution, by sedimentation, by chemical
reactions, washing away by an atmospheric
precipitation (rain, snow) and absorption by
green plantings.
Decrease in concentration of air contaminants
by dilution can occur by windy weather in
direct ratio to a distance square. Heavy firm
particles of water and a dust settle from air
faster. An atmospheric precipitations in form
of rain and snow remove (move away) from air
both firm, and gaseous pollutants. Green
plantings not only mechanically detain dust,
but also are capable to absorb some gaseous
impurities.

Processes of self-purification proceed very

slowly and can not cope with the modern rates
of pollution; therefore natural processes alone
can not provide sufficient purification
(cleansing) of air.
For this reason, special measures of sanitary
protection of cleanliness of atmospheric air are
required

These measures are

divided on:
legislative,
planning,
technological
and sanitaryengineering.


Legislative enactments:
Article 20 of the Federal law: "About sanitary-and-epidemiologic well-being of the

population" (1999) says:

"Atmospheric air in city and rural settlements, in territories of the industrial
organizations, and also air in working zones of industrial premises, inhabited and other
premises should not have harmful influence on the person".
The further regulations of this law are specifically developed in such documents, as
Sanitary Rules and Norms.
For general orientation and carrying out of hygienic actions for decrease in
impurities of atmospheric air, maximum permissible concentration (MPC) of air polluting
contaminants are developed, and legislatively established.
MPC is such concentration which does not render on the person neither direct, nor
indirect harmful and unpleasant influence, does not reduce its work capacity, does not
influence negatively its state of health and mood. There are two categories of MPC:
Daily (once-only) Maximum, and Daily Average. The Once-only Maximum concentration
is defined in a torch of emission of the enterprise to prevent sharp, reflex, irritating
action of harmful substances on a human body. The Daily Average concentration is
defined in any point to prevent general action of harmful substances on a human body.
Now in a considerable quantity of cases these concentrations in the occupied places
with the developed industry and motor transport are considerably exceeded

1) Zoning of territory of
settlements taking into account
wind direction (wind-rose);
2) An accomplishment of
settlements for struggle against
a dust
(gardening, watering, paving
and asphalting of streets);
3) The organization of sanitaryprotective zones,
4) Integration of heating systems
owing to liquidation of small
home boilers.

When choosing the place of an

industrial zone seasonal windroses are used instead of the
mid-annual wind-rose. The warm
season should be taken into
consideration at choice of
location for chemical
enterprises, and on the contrary,
cold season should be taken into
consideration at choice of
location for thermal power
stations.

Planning actions
include:

Sanitary-protective zone (SPZ)

SPZ is the territory between borders of an industrial zone, warehouses, the agriculture

enterprises (taking into account prospect of their expansion) from one hand and
dwellings (inhabited zone) & building (business) from the other hand.

SPZ is intended for:

reduction of negative influence of the enterprises, transport, etc. on surrounding

population;
creation of an architecturally-aesthetic barrier between industrial and inhabited zones
at their corresponding accomplishment;
organization of additional planted areas intended for strengthening of natural
cleansing of atmospheric air.

The sizes of SPZ depend on the class of harmfulness of the enterprises (5 classes):

1st -2000 m;

2nd -1000 m;

3rd - 500 m;

4th - 300 m;

5th - 100 m.
An example of the industrial enterprises of the 1 st class is manufacture of fertilizers,
chlorine, fluorine, soot, rubber, cellulose etc. An example 5 th class is paper from paper
for recycling (spoilt sheet), factories of dry cleaning of clothes, etc.

Technological
measures:

electrification)
2) Replacement of harmful
manufacturing substances with the
harmless ones;
3) Preliminary clearing of raw materials
from harmful impurities;
4) Using wet ways of processing of dusty
materials rather than dry ways.
5) Introduction of continuous
technologies
6) Increase in efficiency of processes of
burning;
7) Capture and recycle of valuable
emissions with a view of their further
uses.

Sanitary-Engineering measures:
Sanitary-Engineering measures includes using of

some modern devices such as: varies dust-, gasand ashes-catchers.

There are the list of cleansing devices:

- Cyclones - catch to 50 % of a dust,
- Multi-cyclones catch up to 65- 70 % of a dust,
- Wet scrubbers catch up to 90 % of a dust and to
30 % of gases,
- Fabric filters,
- Electric filters - catch up to 96-98 % of a dust.


For reduction of air pollution by motor transport emissions the following method
can be used:

1. Accomplishment of the roads;

2. Building of underground (or elevated) pedestrian crossings;
3. Building of efficient traffic intersections.

All above-mentioned arrangements promote increase of speed of movement of cars so

they dont need to stop. That in it's turn leads to a reduction of quantity of exhaust
gases, as the greatest quantity of gases is emitted into atmosphere when cars have the
greatest load on the engine, (when a car starts from a stop). For more than 20 years
there has been mandatory installation of catalytic neutralizers located between the
muffler and engine which traps some of the toxic components in automobiles
emissions. In particular, such neutralizers convert post-combustion carbon monoxide of
exhaust gases into carbon dioxide, which is less toxic (hence in USA they are called
catalytic converters). The greatest ecological effect will be received, naturally, while
internal combustion engine cars are replaced with electric motor cars (I mean creation
of hydrogen, or electric cars). In this respect there are certain successes: pre-production
models of electric cars are already created and have passed road tests. However, their
mass commercialization has not been realized.

The protection of atmospheric air from pollution is a great challenge. However the
persisted problem is that realization of these actions demands considerable money
investments. In particular, electric filters are the most effective of treatment facilities,
but there building and their service are very expensive.

national, & international laws. According to these laws, both

building and operation of the manufactures negatively
influencing a condition of atmosphere are forbidden.
In this way the government agencies attempt to control the
hygiene of the atmosphere by enacting of laws which authorize
everything from car fuel efficiency (liter/km) and efficiency of
appliances, to zoning & planning of cities, or regulation of work
of the large enterprises.
The atmosphere knows no time zones or international
boundaries, its a global problem so we all must work together,
to protect our Earth from air pollution!

THANK YOU