Chemical Substances

Tar

Source
-Cigarette smoke

Carbon Monoxide

-Cigarette smoke
-Smoke from vehicles

Sulphur Dioxide

-Smoke from factories

Oxides of Nitrogen

-Smoke from factories

-Smoke from vehicles

Haze

Irritants and chemicals

-Smoke from factories

-Smoke from vehicles
- Smoke from open
burning
-Cigarette smoke

Carcinogens

- Cigarette smoke

Nicotine

- Cigarette smoke

Damaging effects
-Causes lung cancer
-Kills cells in trachea,
bronchi and lungs
-Causes an increase in
the production of mucus
in phlegm in the lungs
-Prevents red blood cells
from combining with
and transporting oxygen
to the body cells
-Damage lung tissues
-Causes bronchitis
-Causes pneumonia
-Damages the lungs

-Causes breathing
difficulties
-Worsen asthma and
pneumonia
-Kill cells in the air
passage
-Causes smokers cough
-Causes lung cancer
-Causes emphysema
-Causes the growth of
cancerous cells in the
body
-Causes bronchitis
-Causes addiction
-Damages brain tissues
-Hardens the wall of
arteries
-Causes blood to clot
easily

Toxin:
Carcinogen: Carcinogens may increase the risk of cancer by altering cellular metabolism or
damaging DNA directly in cells, which interferes with biological processes, and induces the uncontrolled,
malignant division, ultimately leading to the formation of tumours. Usually, severe DNA damage leads
to apoptosis, but if the programmed cell death pathway is damaged, then the cell cannot prevent itself from
becoming a cancer cell.

Diseases related to respiratory system:

(a) Bronchitis

-Bronchi becomes red and swollen

-The air passages are clogged with mucus and dust
-Caused by virus,bacteria, dust, allergens or tabacco smoke
-Causes difficulty in breathing
(b) Asthma

-A respiratory condition in which breathing is obstructed due to the narrowing

of air passage
-Caused by allergic reactions to substance in the air, food or medicines
-Can cause suffocation and death

(c) Pneumonia

-Alveoli filled with fluid

-Caused by virus, bacteria or chemicals of polluted air
-Affected person who has fever and prolonged cough
(d) Emphysema

-Chronic lung condition in which alveoli may be strached,over

inflated,collapsed or destroyed
-Alveolar walls break down
-Exchange of gases is inhibited

-Caused by smoking or exposure to pollutants and fumes

-Affects smokers

(e) Tuberculosis

-A lung infection caused by bacteria

-Lung tissue is destroyed and replaced by scar tissue inhibiting gas exchange
-Affected person experiences prolonged cough with phlegm containing blood
(f) Lung Cancer

-Caused by carcinogens present in tabacco smoke

- Carcinogens cause the production of cancerous cells in the lungs
-Affected person developes shortness of breath
-Patients cough up mucus and blood

(g) Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

-COPD-term that refers to a large group of lung diseases which interfere with
the normal breathing
-Two most common condition of COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema

Sources of Air Pollution

There are various locations, activities or factors which are responsible for releasing pollutants into the
atmosphere. These sources can be classified into two major categories.
Anthropogenic (man-made) sources:
These are mostly related to the burning of multiple types of fuel.

Stationary Sources include smoke stacks of power plants, manufacturing facilities (factories) and
waste incinerators, as well as furnaces and other types of fuel-burning heating devices. In developing
and poor countries, traditional biomass burning is the major source of air pollutants; traditional biomass
includes wood, crop waste and dung.

Mobile Sources include motor vehicles, marine vessels, and aircraft.

Chemicals', dust and controlled burn practices in agriculture and forest management'. Controlled or
prescribed burning is a technique sometimes used in forest management, farming, prairie restoration or
greenhouse gas abatement. Fire is a natural part of both forest and grassland ecology and controlled
fire can be a tool for foresters. Controlled burning stimulates the germination of some desirable forest
trees, thus renewing the forest.

Fumes from paint, hair spray, varnish, aerosol sprays and other solvents
Waste deposition in landfills, which generate methane. Methane is highly flammable and may form
explosive mixtures with air. Methane is also anasphyxiant and may displace oxygen in an enclosed
space. Asphyxia or suffocation may result if the oxygen concentration is reduced to below 19.5% by
displacement.

Military resources, such as nuclear weapons, toxic gases, germ warfare and rocketry

Natural sources:

Dust from natural sources, usually large areas of land with few or no vegetation

Methane, emitted by the digestion of food by animals, for example cattle

Radon gas from radioactive decay within the Earth's crust. Radon is a colourless, odourless,
naturally occurring, radioactive noble gas that is formed from the decay of radium. It is considered to be
a health hazard. Radon gas from natural sources can accumulate in buildings, especially in confined
areas such as the basement and it is the second most frequent cause of lung cancer,
after cigarette smoking.

Smoke and carbon monoxide from wildfires

Vegetation, in some regions, emits environmentally significant amounts of VOCs on warmer days.
These VOCs react with primary anthropogenic pollutantsspecifically, NO x, SO2, and anthropogenic
organic carbon compoundsto produce a seasonal haze of secondary pollutants. [7]

Volcanic activity, which produces sulphur, chlorine, and ash particulates

Ways to improve the quality of air

Governmen
t

Individual
Socie
ty

Family

Education to
inculcate
good
practices

Publicity
through
the
mass
media

Campaign
s and
contests
to
increase

Forums and
seminars to
inform the
public, and
exchange
ideas and
information

Law and
enforceme
nts to
catch the
culprits