Air Pollution and Human Health AECC

AIR POLLUTION
AND
HUMAN HEALTH
Faculty Name –Dr. Debjani Sarkar Ghose
Head & Associate Professor,
Department of Geography,
Patna Women’s College, Patna University
Air Pollution
• Definition of Air
Pollution
• Pollutant
• Sources of Air Pollution
• Impact on Human Health
• Control Measures of Air
Pollution
Definition
• ‘Air pollution’ may be defined as
‘the disequilibrium condition of
the air caused due to introduction
of foreign elements from natural
as well as anthropogenic sources
to the air so that the air becomes
injurious to biological
communities in general and
human community in particular.
Pollutant
• A ‘pollutant’ may be defined as ‘any form of
energy or matter that causes degradation or
pollution in the existing natural balance of
ecosystem.’
• According to ‘The Environment Protection Act

1986, ‘ a pollutant has been defined as ‘any solid,
liquid or gaseous substance present in such
concentration as may be or may tend to be
injurious to environment’
• Air pollution is generally caused due
to pollutants of gases and solid and
liquid particles of both organic and
inorganic chemical compounds like
Sources of Air
Carbon Dioxide, Fluorocarbons,
Pollution
Nitrogen oxides, Sulphur compounds,
Methane, Suspended Particulate
Matter etc.
Air Pollution through Natural Sources
Air Pollution through natural sources

include volcanic dusts, wind blown dusts,
vapour from plant leaves, rotting materials
from natural environments.
Air Pollution from Man-Made Sources
Gases from kitchen and domestic heating.
Industries
Incineration of dead bodies, municipal and domestic garbage
Automobiles
Railways, mostly from coal and diesel engines
Solid or particulate matter from industries, mins and urban centres.
Radio-active substances from nuclear plants, nuclear explosions,

Carbon Monoxide Pollution
Carbon Monoxide(CO) is the major pollutant for human

community as it combines with haemoglobin molecules of
human blood is much faster than oxygen. (about 200 times
faster than oxygen does and thus causes suffocation inspite
of the presence of sufficient amount of oxygen in the air.
Depletion of Ozone
Depletion of ozone due to chlorofluorocarbons

(CFC)s can cause skin cancer among white people.
5 percent reduction in the amount of ozone in the

atmosphere could cause 20,000 to 60,000 additional
cases of skin cancer in USA.
Sulphur dioxide Pollution
Sulphur dioxide pollution also causes diseases of eyes, throat and lungs.
Sulphur dioxide causes irritation of nose and throat when its

concentration crosses the permissible limit of 10 ppm in the air for 8
hours of exposure.
Sulphur dioxide pollution also causes acid rain, which pollute the surface
and subsurface water storage sources and thus adversely affect the health
of those persons who are dependent on such polluted water.
Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM)
Suspended particulate matter

from factories, automobiles Lead poisoning, asbestosis,
during combustion of fossil
fuels(coal, petroleum and asthma, bronchitis, chronic
natural gas) and from other cough are among the deadly
industrial processes like lead,
asbestos, zinc, copper, dusts diseases caused by
etc. can cause several deadly
diseases. particulate air pollution.
Effects on Human Health
Pollutants Effects
Dust Cough, cold, Asthma, bronchitis, allergy, T.B.
SO₂ Respiratory irritant, effects lung function
NO₂ Inflammation of lungs
CO Reduces Oxygen carrying capacity of blood
H₂S Causes nausea, throat and eye irritation
CO₂ Asphyxiation
SPM Deadly diseases

Leakage of poisonous Gas and Human Health
Sudden leakage of poisonous gases from chemical and gas plants pollute the air to
such extent that hundreds of people die within no time.
Bhopal Gas Tragedy is December 1984 is a burning example of deadliest disasters

caused by human negligence.
METHYL ISO-CYNATE gas leakage from the Union Carbide Factory at Bhopal on the night of December,
1984 caused single biggest air pollution tragedy, which caused death of > 5000 persons.
The tragedy polluted drinking water, soils, tanks, pond water and adversely affected foetus,
newly born babies, pregnant women, children .
Restricting Deforestation
Increasing Afforestation
Regular Servicing of Vehicle

Measures
for Change or replacement of old Engines
Controlling Use of Leadfree petrol

Pollution Checking of use of fuelwood and coal
Location of industries at a distance from the cities
Immediate Check of Forest fires

Pollution Control of Industries
• Full arrangement of effluent treatment for setting up of industries

• Chemical treatment of harmful gases before releasing to air
• Some methods of controlling air pollution are filtering, setting,
dissolving, absorption etc. Cheap devices for these processes should
be available.
• Arresters and scrubbers can control aerosols.
• Arresters like separators, filters and electrostatic precipitator are
effective for preventing emission of dust from fuel gases.
• Careful Planning is required.

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AIR POLLUTION

• According to ‘The Environment Protection Act

Air Pollution through natural sources

Incineration of dead bodies, municipal and domestic garbage

Railways, mostly from coal and diesel engines

Solid or particulate matter from industries, mins and urban centres.

Radio-active substances from nuclear plants, nuclear explosions,

Carbon Monoxide(CO) is the major pollutant for human

Depletion of ozone due to chlorofluorocarbons

5 percent reduction in the amount of ozone in the

Sulphur dioxide causes irritation of nose and throat when its

Suspended particulate matter

Dust Cough, cold, Asthma, bronchitis, allergy, T.B.

SO₂ Respiratory irritant, effects lung function

NO₂ Inflammation of lungs

CO Reduces Oxygen carrying capacity of blood

H₂S Causes nausea, throat and eye irritation

SPM Deadly diseases

Bhopal Gas Tragedy is December 1984 is a burning example of deadliest disasters

Regular Servicing of Vehicle

Controlling Use of Leadfree petrol

Location of industries at a distance from the cities

Immediate Check of Forest fires

• Full arrangement of effluent treatment for setting up of industries

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