What is Air Pollution?

Pollution is now a common place term, that our ears are attuned to. We hear about the various
forms of pollution and read about it through the mass media. Air pollution is one such form
that refers to the contamination of the air, irrespective of indoors or outside. A physical,
biological or chemical alteration to the air in the atmosphere can be termed as pollution. It
occurs when any harmful gases, dust, smoke enters into the atmosphere and makes it difficult
for plants, animals and humans to survive as the air becomes dirty.

Air pollution can further be classified into two sections- Visible air pollution and invisible air
pollution. Another way of looking at Air pollution could be any substance that holds the
potential to hinder the atmosphere or the well being of the living beings surviving in it. The
sustainment of all things living is due to a combination of gases that collectively form the
atmosphere; the imbalance caused by the increase or decrease of the percentage of these
gases can be harmful for survival.

Read here more about 40 facts of air pollution.

The Ozone layer considered crucial for the existence of the ecosystems on the planet is
depleting due to increased pollution. Global warming, a direct result of the increased
imbalance of gases in the atmosphere has come to be known as the biggest threat and
challenge that the contemporary world has to overcome in a bid for survival.

Types of Pollutants
In order to understand the causes of Air pollution, several divisions can be made. Primarily
air pollutants can be caused by primary sources or secondary sources. The pollutants that are
a direct result of the process can be called primary pollutants. A classic example of a primary
pollutant would be the sulfur-dioxide emitted from factories

Secondary pollutants are the ones that are caused by the inter mingling and reactions of
primary pollutants. Smog created by the interactions of several primary pollutants is known
to be as secondary pollutant.

Causes of Air pollution

1. Burning of Fossil Fuels: Sulfur dioxide emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels like
coal, petroleum and other factory combustibles is one the major cause of air pollution.
Pollution emitting from vehicles including trucks, jeeps, cars, trains, airplanes cause immense
amount of pollution. We rely on them to fulfill our daily basic needs of transportation. But,
there overuse is killing our environment as dangerous gases are polluting the environment.
Carbon Monooxide caused by improper or incomplete combustion and generally emitted
from vehicles is another major pollutant along with Nitrogen Oxides, that is produced from
both natural and man made processes.
2. Agricultural activities: Ammonia is a very common by product from agriculture related
activities and is one of the most hazardous gases in the atmosphere. Use of insecticides,
pesticides and fertilizers in agricultural activities has grown quite a lot. They emit harmful
chemicals into the air and can also cause water pollution.

3. Exhaust from factories and industries: Manufacturing industries release large amount of
carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air thereby
depleting the quality of air. Manufacturing industries can be found at every corner of the
earth and there is no area that has not been affected by it. Petroleum refineries also release
hydrocarbons and various other chemicals that pollute the air and also cause land pollution.

4. Mining operations: Mining is a process wherein minerals below the earth are extracted
using large equipments. During the process dust and chemicals are released in the air causing
massive air pollution. This is one of the reason which is responsible for the deteriorating
health conditions of workers and nearby residents.

5. Indoor air pollution: Household cleaning products, painting supplies emit toxic chemicals
in the air and cause air pollution. Have you ever noticed that once you paint walls of your
house, it creates some sort of smell which makes it literally impossible for you to breathe.

Suspended particulate matter popular by its acronym SPM, is another cause of pollution.
Referring to the particles afloat in the air, SPM is usually caused by dust, combustion etc.

Effects of Air pollution

1. Respiratory and heart problems: The effects of Air pollution are alarming. They are
known to create several respiratory and heart conditions along with Cancer, among other
threats to the body. Several millions are known to have died due to direct or indirect effects
of Air pollution. Children in areas exposed to air pollutants are said to commonly suffer from
pneumonia and asthma.

2. Global warming: Another direct effect is the immediate alterations that the world is
witnessing due to Global warming. With increased temperatures world wide, increase in sea
levels and melting of ice from colder regions and icebergs, displacement and loss of habitat
have already signaled an impending disaster if actions for preservation and normalization
aren’t undertaken soon.

3. Acid Rain: Harmful gases like nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides are released into the
atmosphere during the burning of fossil fuels. When it rains, the water droplets combines
with these air pollutants, becomes acidic and then falls on the ground in the form of acid rain.
Acid rain can cause great damage to human, animals and crops.

4. Eutrophication: Eutrophication is a condition where high amount of nitrogen present in

some pollutants gets developed on sea’s surface and turns itself into algae and and adversely
affect fish, plants and animal species. The green colored algae that is present on lakes and
ponds is due to presence of this chemical only.

5. Effect on Wildlife: Just like humans, animals also face some devastating affects of air
pollution. Toxic chemicals present in the air can force wildlife species to move to new place
and change their habitat. The toxic pollutants deposit over the surface of the water and can
also affect sea animals.

6. Depletion of Ozone layer: Ozone exists in earth’s stratosphere and is responsible for
protecting humans from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Earth’s ozone layer is depleting due to
the presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydro chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. As ozone
layer will go thin, it will emit harmful rays back on earth and can cause skin and eye related
problems. UV rays also have the capability to affect crops.

When you try to study the sources of Air pollution, you enlist a series of activities and
interactions that create these pollutants. There are two types of sources that we will take a
look at: Natural sources and Man-made sources.

Natural sources of pollution include dust carried by the wind from locations with very little or
no green cover, gases released from the body processes of living beings (Carbon dioxide
from humans during respiration, Methane from cattle during digestion, Oxygen from plants
during Photosynthesis). Smoke from the combustion of various inflammable objects, volcanic
eruptions etc along with the emission of polluted gases also make it to the list of Natural
sources of Pollution.

While looking at the man-made contributions towards air pollution, smoke again features as a
prominent component. The smoke emitted from various forms of combustion like in bio
mass, factories, vehicles, furnaces etc. Waste used to create landfills generate methane, that is
harmful in several ways. The reactions of certain gases and chemicals also form harmful
fumes that can be dangerous to the well being of living creatures.

Solutions for Air Pollution

1. Use public mode of transportation: Encourage people to use more and more public
modes of transportation to reduce pollution. Also, try to make use of car pooling. If you and
your colleagues come from the same locality and have same timings you can explore this
option to save energy and money.

2. Conserve energy: Switch off fans and lights when you are going out. Large amount of
fossil fuels are burnt to produce electricity. You can save the environment from degradation
by reducing the amount of fossil fuels to be burned.

3. Understand the concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: Do not throw away items that
are of no use to you. In-fact reuse them for some other purpose. For e.g. you can use old jars
to store cereals or pulses.

4. Emphasis on clean energy resources: Clean energy technologies like solar, wind and
geothermal are on high these days. Governments of various countries have been providing
grants to consumers who are interested in installing solar panels for their home. This will go a
long way to curb air pollution.
5. Use energy efficient devices: CFL lights consume less electricity as against their
counterparts. They live longer, consume less electricity, lower electricity bills and also help
you to reduce pollution by consuming less energy.

Several attempts are being made world wide on a personal, industrial and governmental
levels to curb the intensity at which Air Pollution is rising and regain a balance as far as the
proportions of the foundation gases are concerned. This is a direct attempt at slacking Global
warming. We are seeing a series of innovations and experiments aimed at alternate and
unconventional options to reduce pollutants. Air Pollution is one of the larger mirrors of
man’s follies, and a challenge we need to overcome to see a tomorrow.