ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF CHEMICALS IPC NOTES

Transcription

1 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF CHEMICALS IPC NOTES

2 POLLUTION POLLUTION - WHEN HARMFUL SUBSTANCES CONTAMINATE THE ENVIRONMENT POLLUTION REFERS TO THE VERY BAD CONDITION OF ENVIRONMENT IN TERMS OF BOTH QUANTITY AND QUALITY FOUR TYPES OF POLLUTION: AIR POLLUTION WATER POLLUTION LAND POLLUTION NOISE POLLUTION

3 ATMOSPHERE AS A RESOURCE ATMOSPHERE IS THE LIFE BLANKET OF EARTH. COMPOSITION: NITROGEN 78.08% OXYGEN 20.95% ARGON 0.93% CARBON DIOXIDE 0.04% WHAT IT DOES FOR US: BLOCKS UV RADIATION MODERATES THE CLIMATE REDISTRIBUTES WATER IN THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE

4 TYPES AND SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION AIR POLLUTION CHEMICALS ADDED TO THE ATMOSPHERE BY NATURAL EVENTS OR HUMAN ACTIVITIES IN HIGH ENOUGH CONCENTRATIONS TO BE HARMFUL TWO CATEGORIES: PRIMARY AIR POLLUTANT HARMFUL SUBSTANCE THAT IS EMITTED DIRECTLY INTO THE ATMOSPHERE SECONDARY AIR POLLUTANT HARMFUL SUBSTANCE FORMED IN THE ATMOSPHERE WHEN A PRIMARY AIR POLLUTANT REACTS WITH SUBSTANCES NORMALLY FOUND IN THE ATMOSPHERE OR WITH OTHER AIR POLLUTANTS

5 CAUSES OF AIR POLLUTION MAJOR SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION: INDUSTRY AUTOMOBILES & DOMESTIC FUELS UNDESIRABLE GASES, SUCH AS SULPHUR DIOXIDE AND CARBON MONOXIDE

6 MAJOR CLASSES OF AIR POLLUTANTS PARTICULATE MATERIAL NITROGEN OXIDES SULFUR OXIDES CARBON OXIDES HYDROCARBONS OZONE

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8 PARTICULATE MATERIAL PARTICULATE MATERIAL - THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT SOLID OR LIQUID PARTICLES SUSPENDED IN AIR INCLUDES: SOIL PARTICLES, SOOT, LEAD, ASBESTOS, SEA SALT, AND SULFURIC ACID DROPLETS DANGEROUS FOR 2 REASONS: MAY CONTAIN MATERIALS WITH TOXIC OR CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS EXTREMELY SMALL PARTICLES CAN BECOME LODGED IN LUNGS

9 NITROGEN AND SULFUR OXIDES NITROGEN OXIDES- GASES PRODUCED BY THE CHEMICAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ATMOSPHERIC NITROGEN AND OXYGEN AT HIGH TEMPERATURE PROBLEMS GREENHOUSE GASES CAUSE DIFFICULTY BREATHING SULFUR OXIDES- GASES PRODUCED BY THE CHEMICAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SULFUR AND OXYGEN CAUSES ACID DEPOSITION (ACID RAIN)

10 CARBON OXIDES AND HYDROCARBONS CARBON OXIDES GASES CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) AND CARBON DIOXIDE (CO 2 ) GREENHOUSE GASES HYDROCARBONS DIVERSE GROUP OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS THAT CONTAIN ONLY HYDROGEN AND CARBON (EX: CH 4 METHANE) SOME ARE RELATED TO PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG AND GREENHOUSE GASES

11 HEALTH EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION SULFUR DIOXIDE AND PARTICULATE MATERIAL IRRITATE RESPIRATORY TRACT AND IMPAIR ABILITY OF LUNGS TO EXCHANGE GASES NITROGEN DIOXIDES CAUSES AIRWAY RESTRICTION CARBON MONOXIDE BINDS WITH IRON IN BLOOD HEMOGLOBIN CAUSES HEADACHE, FATIGUE, DROWSINESS, DEATH OZONE CAUSES BURNING EYES, COUGHING, AND CHEST DISCOMFORT

12 TROPOSPHERIC OZONE OZONE MAN- MADE POLLUTANT IN THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE SECONDARY AIR POLLUTANT COMPONENT OF PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG STRATOSPHERIC OZONE ESSENTIAL COMPONENT THAT SCREENS OUT UV RADIATION IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE MAN- MADE POLLUTANTS (EX: CFC S) CAN DESTROY IT

13 OZONE DEPLETION IN STRATOSPHERE OZONE THINNING/HOLE FIRST IDENTIFIED IN 1985 OVER ANTARCTICA CAUSED BY HUMAN-PRODUCED BROMINE AND CHLORINE CONTAINING CHEMICALS EX: CFC S

14 EFFECTS OF OZONE DEPLETION HIGHER LEVELS OF UV- RADIATION HITTING THE EARTH EYE CATARACTS SKIN CANCER (RIGHT) WEAKENED IMMUNITY MAY DISRUPT ECOSYSTEMS MAY DAMAGE CROPS AND FORESTS

15 CFC s CFCs Non-poisonous, non-flammable gases used as refrigerants and aerosols during the 1970s & 80s At the surface, CFCs were harmless but when they accumulated in the upper atmosphere, scientists noticed CFCs destroy Ozone! Ozone Layer An area in the atmosphere where ozone blocks solar radiation that can harm life on Earth; Ex: Skin cancer What is the difference between ozone & oxygen? O 2, O 3

16 The Goldilocks Effect Scientists argue whether people can change climate or not but there s one thing cannot be debated The Earth was much colder 10,000 years ago. Now we have Global Warming An increase in the Earth s average temperature over the past 100+ years Could it be due to Greenhouse Gases Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane & other gases that trap the sun s heat

17 So What s A Little Global Warming? The effects of global warming include: Extreme temperatures causing droughts & a change in crop land Extreme weather causing more common & destructive storms Rise in ocean levels that will ruin coastal regions

18 ACID DEPOSITION (ACID RAIN) ACID PRECIPITATION RAIN OR SNOW WITH A PH BELOW 5 THAT HARMS ORGANISMS AND DETERIORATES STRUCTURES CREATED FROM BURNING FOSSIL FUELS THAT RELEASE NITROGEN & SULFUR OXIDES A PH OF 7 IS NEUTRAL. LIQUIDS WITH A PH LESS THAN 7 ARE ACIDIC. LIQUIDS WITH A PH GREATER THAN 7 ARE BASIC.

19 HOW ACID DEPOSITION DEVELOPS

20 EFFECTS OF ACID DEPOSITION DECLINING AQUATIC ANIMAL POPULATIONS THIN-SHELLED EGGS PREVENT BIRD REPRODUCTION BECAUSE CALCIUM IS UNAVAILABLE IN ACIDIC SOIL FOREST DECLINE EX: BLACK FOREST IN GERMANY (50% IS DESTROYED) OTHER

21 WATER POLLUTION WATER POLLUTION - THE CONTAMINATION OF WATER WITH UNDESIRABLE SUBSTANCES WHICH MAKE IT UNFIT FOR USAGE POINT SOURCES FACTORIES, MINES, OIL WELLS, SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS NON POINT SOURCES ACID RAIN (DEPOSITION), RUNOFF, SEEPAGE INTO GROUNDWATER EXAMPLES: GRASS CLIPPINGS, ANIMAL WASTE, FERTILIZERS, OIL FROM CARS, SEPTIC SYSTEMS, LITTER

22 CAUSES OF WATER POLLUTION ABOUT 40% OF DEATHS WORLDWIDE ARE CAUSED BY WATER POLLUTION. WATER POLLUTION IS CAUSED BY ORGANIC AND INORGANIC INDUSTRIAL AND RESIDENTIAL WASTES. AGRICULTURE IS THE LARGEST SOURCE OF WATER POLLUTION IN THE U.S.A. (64 % POLLUTANTS ENTERING STREAMS AND 47% POLLUTANTS ENTERING LAKES)

23 How Society Uses Water % Usage Purpose Pollution Industry (45%) Producing Electricity Cooling Machinery & Manufacturing Thermal Pollution, Metals, Acids & Other Chemicals Agriculture & Livestock (40%) Producing Food Fertilizers, Pesticides & Livestock Waste

24 How Society Uses Water % Usage Purpose Pollution Residential (10%) Municipal (5%) Bathing, Toilet, Tap, Lawns, & Cleaning Recreation, Fire Dept, & Water Treatment Biological Waste & Runoff Into Storm Drains

25 The Effects Of Industrial Pollution Thermal Pollution Warm water, used by industry for cooling machinery, is released into waterways Warm water, just like warm soda, doesn t hold much oxygen causing fish to suffocate & die.

26 Pollutants Found in Residential Areas Nutrients: Fertilizers and septic systems Pathogens: Pet waste and septic systems Sediment: Construction, road sand, soil erosion Toxic: Pesticides, household products Debris: Litter and illegal dumping Thermal: heated runoff, removal of streamside vegetation

27 Pollutants Found in Runoff Sediment Soil particles transported from their source Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Oxygen depleting material Leaves Organic material Toxics Pesticides Herbicides Fungicides Insecticides Metals (naturally occurring in soil, automotive emissions/ tires) Lead Zinc Mercury Petroleum Hydrocarbons (automotive exhaust and fuel/oil) Debris Litter and illegal dumping Nutrients Various types of materials that become dissolved and suspended in water (commonly found in fertilizer and plant material): Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P) Bacteria/ Pathogens Originating from: Pets Waterfowl Failing septic systems Thermal Stress Heated runoff, removal of streamside vegetation

28 POLLUTANTS FROM AGRICULTURE SEDIMENT NUTRIENTS PATHOGENS PESTICIDES

29 The Effects Of Agricultural Pollution Eutrophication Excessive nutrients, typically from fertilizers & other runoff, cause algae to bloom in lakes This leads to a loss of oxygen in the water and fish

30 Why are these pollutants important? Sediment reduces light penetration in stream, clogs gills of fish and aquatic invertebrates. Nutrients act as fertilizer for algae & aquatic plants which can cause highly varying dissolved oxygen levels. At low DO levels, the aquatic life has the potential to be harmed. Toxics can impact life and contaminate drinking water supplies. Bacteria/Pathogens are an indicator of possible viruses present in the system.

31 WHAT IS LAND POLLUTION? ONE FOURTH OF EARTH S SURFACE IS COVERED BY LAND. THE RESULT OF MAN S MISUSE OF THE SOIL THE DEGRADATION OF THE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF THE LAND SURFACE THE ADDITION OF UNDESIRABLE MATTER TO THE LAND, MATTER THAT DAMAGES TERRESTRIAL ORGANISMS THAT DEPEND ON THE LAND.

32 CAUSES OF LAND POLLUTION WE CAN CLASSIFY MAJOR SOURCES THAT LEAD TO LAND FOLLOWING CATEGORIES MINING AND QUARRYING SEWAGE WASTE HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE INDUSTRIAL WASTE

33 NOISELESS ATMOSPHERE NOISE CAN BE SIMPLY DEFINED AS UNWANTED SOUND. THE SOUND IS PLEASANT OR NOT DEPENDS UPON ITS LOUDNESS, DURATION, RHYTHM AND THE MOOD OF THE PERSON. NOISE POLLUTION RESULTS IN IRRITATION AND ANGER.

34 SOURCES OF NOISE POLLUTION TRAFFIC NOISE AIR CRAFT NOISE NOISE FROM CONSTRUCTION AND CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS. NOISE FROM THE INDUSTRIES. NOISE FROM OTHER SOURCES.

35 EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION HEARING LOSS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE STRESS SLEEP DISTURBANCE