Air Pollution and Air Pollution Management

The presence of
organic and inorganic

materials whose
concentration, quality
duration affect the
usefulness of the air
resources
MAJOR COMPONENTS OF AIR –
BY VOLUME
Nitrogen (N2) 78.03 %
Oxygen (O2) 20.99 %
Argon (Ar) 0.94 %
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 0.031 %
Neon (Ne) and other 0.009 %
trace elements
a. Ambient Air: gives
minimum concentration
of the material in the
surrounding
atmosphere.
b. Emission Standards –
gives the minimum
allowable concentration
and duration of the
material in discharge
stream from a stack
 Troposphere – roughly 12 km in depth
◦ contains 95% of the total air mass
◦ Oxygen dependent life sustained
◦ clouds are formed
◦ Weather patterns developed
◦ Air pollution problem occur
 Stratosphere – extends upward from earth’s

surface to an altitude of about 50 km
◦ contains much more naturally occurring ozone
 Mesosphere – not affected by air
pollution
 Ionosphere – not affected by air

pollution
 Thermosphere – not affected by air

pollution
a. Horizontal Dispersion of Pollutant – It
means spreading of air pollutants
dependent on wind speed and direction
 concentration of air pollutant decreases with

increasing wind speed.
 Wind rose – a graph that represents the

speed and direction from which the wind
tends to come.
b. Vertical Dispersion of Air – vertical mixing of
air and dispersion of pollutants depends on
the kind of atmospheric stability.
 Temperature Inversion – It effectively

prevents the upward mixing and dispersion
of contaminants
1. Particulate Matter – any material except
water that exists as solid or liquid in the
atmosphere
◦ characteristics based on concentration, particle

size and /or chemical composition.
◦ Individual aggregates that are larger than single

small molecules (about 0.0002 µm in diameter)
but smaller than about 500 µm.
 aerosol : A suspension of
small particles in a gas. The
particles may be solid or
liquid or a mixture of both.
 A substance, such as paint,

detergent, or insecticide,
packaged under pressure
with a gaseous propellant
for release as a spray of
fine particles
Dust :
 solid aerosol in the 1-
300 micron size
range;
 term usually applied
to solid particles
larger than colloidal
and capable of
temporary suspension
in air;
Fumes –
 solid aerosol in the submicron size
range;
 term applied to solid particles
generated by condensation from the
gaseous state, generally after
volatilization from melted substance
and often accompanied by a
chemical reaction such as oxidation.
Mist –
 liquid aerosol in the
0.01 to 10 micron size
range;
 term applied to
dispersions of liquid
particles, the
dispersions being of
low concentration
 Fog – high concentration
of mists sufficient to
reduce visibility
Soot – finely divide
carbon in an
agglomerated state,
results from unburned
hydrocarbons
 Smoke – combination of carbon particles
and liquid droplets from combustion.
 Smog – combination of smoke and fog.

◦ Classic smog results from large amounts of coal
burning in an area caused by a mixture of smoke
and sulfur dioxide.
◦ Modern smog does not usually come from coal
but from vehicular and industrial emissions
 Anthropogenic sulfur oxide emissions – are the result
of fossil fuel combustion in stationary sources.
 The only significant noncombustible sources of sulfur

emission are associated with petroleum refining,
copper smelting and cement manufacture.
SO2 + OH  HOSO2
HOSO2 + O2  SO3 + HO2
SO3 + H2O  H2SO4

 prolonged exposure to sulfate causes serious
damage to building marble, limestone and
mortar, as the carbonates in these materials
are replaced by sulfates.
CaCO3 + H2SO4  CaSO4 + CO2 + H2O

Lead - is emitted to the atmosphere primarily in
the form of inorganic particulates
Effects:
 An increase in airborne lead concentration of

1µg/deciliter in blood lead levels.
 Lead poisoning can cause aggressive , hostile,

and destructive behavioral changes, as well as
learning disabilities , seizure, severe and
permanent brain damage and even death,
Sources:
◦ air emissions
◦ ingestion of lead in food
◦ drinking water (lead can be leached out of solder
used in copper piping systems)
◦ leaded paint
 Personal Air Pollution – exposure of individual s
to dust, fumes, smoke, gases from cigarette or
pipe smoking.
 Occupational Air Pollution – exposure of

individuals to potentially harmful concentrations
of aerosols, vapors and gases in their working
environment
 Community Air Pollution – exposure of a

community to air pollutants with adverse social,
economic and health effects.

Based on type of Source
 Viable (natural) source – examples are pollens

from the flowers of plants or trees,
microorganism like algae, mold, bacteria,
yeast, fungi, dust from soils, rocks
 Non-viable (man made) source – may be

classified as primary (from combustion) or
secondary (from products of synergism)
Based on Movement
Stationary Sources
 Examples are power plants, food
and food industries, pulp and
paper, acid and fertilizer, plants,
petroleum refineries, mining and
metal, nuclear plants.
 Mobile Source
From the combustion product of
the engines or motor vehicles.
1. Carbon Monoxide (CO) - usually coming from
automobile exhausts due to low temperature
combustion.
CO is an asphyxiant because it combines with the

blood hemoglobin forming carboxy-hemoglobin.
Since hemoglobin is the oxygen carrier of the blood

with carboxy-hemoglobin increasing in
concentration the individual will experience
headache, fatigue, drowsiness, fainting, coma,
respiratory failure and finally death.

2. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) – the major product of
combustion. It has been considered to cause the
Greenhouse Effect.
 Due to the accumulation of CO2 in the

atmosphere, the gas while allowing the passage
of sunlight from space to the earth, blocks the
return of reflected sunlight from earth to space.
 This result in an increase in temperature of the

earth’s surface, which environment might melt in
the future the polar regions of the earth.
3. Oxides of Sulfur (SOx) – It comes from sulfur
based industries and power plants.
The oxides of sulfur leads to the formation

of secondary pollutants which are acidic when
allowed to stay in atmosphere for long
periods.
This causes what is now popularly called Acid

Rain.
4. Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) – source of foul odor,
also causes darkening of light painted
surfaces.
It produced from power plant
5. Hydrogen Fluoride and Chloride (HF and

HCl) – also contributes to acid rain when
combined with water vapor, produces from
chemical based industries.
6. Chloro-fluorocarbons – (CClxFx) –
It reacts with the ozone layer of the
atmosphere, ozone layer filters ultraviolet
and harmful rays from the sun.
CFC’s are used as proppelants from cosmetic

products.
7. Ethylene (C2H4) – interferes
with normal action of plant
hormones or growth
regulators producing leaf
epinasty (downward
curvature), or ascission
(dropping off) ;
 irritating also to the mucous
membrane of humans,
released from hydrocarbon
based industries.
8. Peroxyacyl Nitrate (PAN) – It is major
component of smog , produces silver leaf
conditions characterized by development of
silver or bronze glazing on the lower surface
of leaves.
9.Soot – formed due to incomplete combustion
of solid fuels, accelerates corrosion because
of adsorptive property; stains clothes and
walls leading to increased cleaning costs.
10. Antimony (Sb) – solid aerosol which can

cause blocking of kidney tubes and increased
electrolyte concentration in the blood
11. Asbestos – from insulation ; can cause
shortness of breathing; asthma; coughing
and chest pains; may lead to lung cancer if
accumulated.
12. Cadmium (Cd) – from metal industries; can

affect nervous system
13. Mercury (Hg) – toxic; can also cause

blindness and hearing difficulties; from
electroplating industries.
14. Lead (Pb) – from gasoline with TEL which is
anti-knock additive ; may cause loss of bodily
coordination as it attack the central nervous
system.
15. Photochemical Smog – a secondary pollutant ;

reduces visibility ; toxic and deadly at high
concentration; formed from oxides of nitrogen,
HC particulates, oxides of sulfur; composition
includes ozone, PAN, aldehydes, sulfuric acid.
RA 8749 “ The Philippine Clean Air Act”
DAO 81 Series of 2000: Implementing Rules

and Regulations of RA 8749

Air Pollution and Air Pollution Management

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Air Pollution and Air Pollution Management

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The presence of

organic and inorganic

 Stratosphere – extends upward from earth’s

 Ionosphere – not affected by air

 Thermosphere – not affected by air

 concentration of air pollutant decreases with

 Wind rose – a graph that represents the

 Temperature Inversion – It effectively

◦ characteristics based on concentration, particle

◦ Individual aggregates that are larger than single

 A substance, such as paint,

 Smog – combination of smoke and fog.

 The only significant noncombustible sources of sulfur

HOSO2 + O2  SO3 + HO2

SO3 + H2O  H2SO4

CaCO3 + H2SO4  CaSO4 + CO2 + H2O

 An increase in airborne lead concentration of

 Lead poisoning can cause aggressive , hostile,

 Occupational Air Pollution – exposure of

 Community Air Pollution – exposure of a

 Viable (natural) source – examples are pollens

 Non-viable (man made) source – may be

CO is an asphyxiant because it combines with the

Since hemoglobin is the oxygen carrier of the blood

 Due to the accumulation of CO2 in the

 This result in an increase in temperature of the

The oxides of sulfur leads to the formation

This causes what is now popularly called Acid

5. Hydrogen Fluoride and Chloride (HF and

CFC’s are used as proppelants from cosmetic

10. Antimony (Sb) – solid aerosol which can

12. Cadmium (Cd) – from metal industries; can

13. Mercury (Hg) – toxic; can also cause

15. Photochemical Smog – a secondary pollutant ;

DAO 81 Series of 2000: Implementing Rules

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