CE1019AIRPOLLUTIONMANAGEMENT

SHORTQUESTIONSANDANSWERS

1. DefineAirpollution
Airpollutionistheexcessiveconcentrationofforeignmattersintheairwhich
adverselyaffectsthehumanbeingsoftheindividualorcausesdamagetotheroperty(Or)
Anysubstanceintheairthatcausesdamagestohealthandroperties.(Or)
Thepresenceinambientatmosphereofsubstances,generallyresultingfromtheactivityofman,
in sufficient concentration, present for a sufficient time and under circumstances to interfere
significantlywithcomport,healthorwelfareofpersonsorwithfulluseorenjoymentofproperty.
2.
3.

Whatarenaturalcontaminants?
Naturalfog,pollengrains,bacteriaandproductofvolcaniceruption
Howinhalationofcarbonmonoxideaffectshumanhealth?

Itreducestheabilityofthehemoglobintocarryoxygentothebodytissues.
Neurologicaldisasterstakeplace
4. Whatisadiabaticlapserate?
Thedecreaseofatmospheretemperaturewithheight
5. ExpressGaussiandispersionequation.

C(x,y,z)={Q/( yz_)}x[exp{(h2/2z2)+(y2/2y2)}]C
Concentration(g/m3)
QPollutantreleaserate(g/s)
y,zCrosswindandverticalplume_
Meanwindspeed
hEffectivestackheight
x,ydownwindandcrosswinddistances
6. Explaintheprinciplebehindsettlingchambers.
Particlesintheairorgasstreamsettleduetogravity
7. DiscussaboutAirAct,1981
Agendaoftheactispreventionandcontrolofpollution,establishedbygovernment
ofIndiaonMay16,1981
8. Listoutanyfoursamplingmethods.
Sedimentation,filtration,Impingement,ESP
9. HowdoanycalculatetheefficiencyoftheseparatingDevice?
={Quantityofparticulatescollectedfromthegas/Quantitypresentinthegas}

10. WritedownthevarioustypesofInertialSeparation
Baffletype,Louvretype,Dusttrap
11. Namethecommonmethodoffiltercleaning
Rapping,Shaking,Reverseairlow,Pulsejet
12. StatethePrincipleofcyclonefilter.
Controlofgasbornepollution,particulatesusingcentrifugalandinertialmethods
13. Whatisadsorption?
Removalofimpuritiesfromagasstreambyconcentrationonthesurfaceofsolidor
liquid
14. Whatisnoise?
Insimpleterms,noiseisunwantedsound.Soundisaformofenergywhichis
emittedbyavibratingbodyandonreachingtheearcausesthesensationofhearingthroughnerves.
15. Howcannoiseaffectus?
TemporaryDeafness:ThisPersistsforabout24hoursafterexposuretoloudnoise.
PermanentDeafness:Repeatedorcontinuousexposuretonoiseofaround100dBresultsinpermanent
hearingloss.
16. HowcanwecontroltheNoisesource?
Reducingthenoiselevelsfromdomesticsectors,Maintenanceofautomobiles,
Controlovervibrations,Lowvoicespeaking,ProhibitiononusageofloudspeakersandSelectionof
machinery
17.Whatisthedifferencebetweensoundandnoise?
Noiseisunwantedsound.
Soundisaformofenergyemittedbyavibratingbodyandonreachingtheearitcausesthe
sensationofhearingthroughnerves.
18. Whatisthepurposeoffrequencyanalysis?
Thefrequencyanalysisallowtoseparatethemaincomponentsofthesignalsby
dividingthefrequencyrangeofinterestintosmallerfrequencybandsusingasetoffilters
20. Whataretheimpactsofnoise?
Physiologicaleffects,Lossofhearing,humanperformance,Nervoussystem:Annoyance,
Sleeplessness,Damagetomaterial.
21. Whatarethemethodstocontrolnoisepollution?
O Identifythenoisesourcesfromeachzone O Findoutthe
noiselevelsofeachzone
O ComputeLdnvalues
O Identifythelikelycausesofnoisefromnoisesources. O Develop
methodologiestosolvetheproblem
O Attempttosolve

22. Whatarethenoiseexposurelimitsinaworkspaceenvironment?
Regulationsprescribethat,noiselevelof90dB(A)formorethan8hrcontinuousexposureis
prohibited. Persons whoareworkingundersuchconditions will beexposedto occupational health
hazards.
23. Whataretheambientnoiselimits?
Soundsproducedbyallvibratingbodiesarenotaudible.Thefrequencylimitsofaudibilityarefrom
20HZto20,000HZ.Noisegenerationisassociatedwithmostofourdailyactivities.Ahealthy
human ear responds to a very wide range of SPL from the threshold of hearing at zero
dB,uncomfortableat100120dBandpainfulat130140Db.Duetothevariousadverseimpactsof
noiseonhumansandenvironmentnoiseshouldbecontrolled.
24. Howtodocumentthenoiselevels?
EquipmentusedinthemeasurementofnoiselevelsS.No.Equipment
Specification/Areaofusage
SoundlevelmeterType0:Laboratoryreferencestandard
Type1:LabuseandfielduseinspecifiedcontrolledenvironmentType2:General
fielduse(Commonlyused)
Type3:Noisesurvey
2.ImpulsemetersFormeasurementofimpulsenoiselevelse.g.hammerblows,punchpressstrokesetc.
3.FrequencyanalyzersFordetaileddesignandengineeringpurposeusingasetoffilters.4.Graphic
recordersAttachedtosoundlevelmeter.PlotstheSPLasafunction
oftimeonamovingpaperchart.

25. WriteshortnotesonInfrasonicandUltrasonic
INFRASONIC:THEsoundoffrequencylessthan20HZ.
ULTRASONIC:THEsoundoffrequencymorethan20,000HZ.

26.Writeshortnoteson

Decibel,dBandLdn

DECIBELismeasurementunitofsound,representedbydB.

ThedaynightequivalentnoiselevelsofacommunitycanbeexpressedasLdn,dB(A)=10x
log10[15/24(10Ld/10)+9/24(10(Ln+10)/10)]
where,Ld=dayequivalentnoiselevels(from6AM9PM),dB(A)Ln=night
equivalentnoiselevels(from9PM6AM),dB(A)
Thedayhoursinrespecttoassessmentofnoiselevels,isfixedfrom6AM9PM(i.e.,15hrs)and
nighthoursfrom9PM6AM(i.e.,9hrs).Asoundlevelof10dBisaddedtoLnduetothelow
ambientsoundlevelsduringnightforassessingtheLdnvalues.
27. WhatisthewordMINASstandsfor?
MinimumNationalAirQualityStandards
28. ClassificationofsamplingMethods
Insitusamplingandremotesensing
29. Whataretheeffectsofphotochemicalsmog?

Eyeirritation,VegetationDamage,VisibilityReduction,CrackingofRubbers
30. WhataretheAdvantagesofESP
Highcollectionefficiency
Particleassmallas0.1mmcanberemovedLowmaintained
andoperatingcost
Lowpressuredrop(0.251.25cmofwaterTreatmenttime
isnegligible(0.110.s)
31. WhataretheDisadvantagesofEsp
Highinitialcost
Spacerequirementismore
Possibleexplosionhazardsduringcollectionofcombustiblegasesorparticles
Poisonous gas , ozone , is produce by the negatively charged electrodes during gas
ionization
32. WhatdoyoumeanbyEmissionstandards
Levelforspecificgroupofemitterandrequirethatallmemberofthesegroupsemitnomorethan
thesepermittedemissionlevel
33. DefineParticleReentrainment
Itisassociatedwithparticlecharging,Itisoccursduetoinadequateprecipitatorarea,orinadequate
dustremovalfromhopper
34.BrieflyexplainBagfilter
Themostcommontypeofcollectoristubulartype,consistingoftubularbags.Abaghouseorbag
filterconsistsofnumerousverticalbags.Theyaresuspendedwithopenendsattachedtoamanifolds
35.ListoutthetypeofScrubbers

Spraytowers
Venturiscrubbers
Cyclonescrubbers
Packedscrubbers
Mechanicalscrubbers

36. DefineImpinger
Asamplinginstrumentadoptingtheprincipleofimpingementforthecollectionof
particulatematters.
37. WhatisMixingHeight
Heightabovetheearthssurfacetowhichrelatedpollutantswillextend,primarilythroughtheaction
ofatmosphericturbulence
38. DefineFumigation

Thephenomenoninwhichpollutantsthatarealoftintheairarebroughtrapidlyto
groundlevelwhentheairdestabilizes

39.DefineDispersion

Themixingofgasescontainthehighconcentrationofpollutant

40.DefineAcidrain

Acidrain(oraciddeposition,asit'scalledintechnicalcircles)isproducedby theburningof
fossil fuels. It is formed when emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react in the
atmospherewithwater,oxygenandoxidantstoformvariousacidiccompounds.Thesecompounds
thenfalltothegroundineitherwetordryform.
Refertoallprecipitationrain,snow,anddewwhichismoreacidicthannormal
41.WriteshortnoteonAirmonitoring.
Theprocessofdetentionandmeasurementofpollutantsinair
42. WhatisBaghouse
Anairpollutioncontroldevicethattrapsgasborneparticulatebyforcingthegas
throughfilterbags

43.DefinethetermContaminant
Unwantedmaterialusuallyharmfulorofanuisancevalueareboth

44.DefineCyclonefilter

Atypeofparticulatecollectorwhichdependsuponcentrifugalforceforitsaction

45.WhatismeantbyDrybulbtemperature
Theactualtemperatureofthegas.Measuredwithaconventionalthermometer
46.DefineFumigation
ThephenomenoninwhichpollutantsthatarealoftintheairarebroughtrapidlytoGLwhen
theairdestabilizes.

47.WhatisIncineration

Combustionofsolid,liquid,orgaseswastesundercontrolledcondition.

48.WhatismeantbyInertialseparators
Airpollutioncontrolequipmentthatutilizestheprinciplesofinertialtoremoveparticulate
matterfromastreamofairorgas.

49.WhatisLofting
Atypeofplumewhichoccurswhenaninversionexitsonlybelowtheplumeandtheplume

isinhibitedfrommixingdownward.

50.WhatisLooping
Atypeofplumewhichhasawavycharacter.Itoccursinahighlyunstableatmosphere
becauseofrapidmixing.

51.DefineMassconcentration
Concentrationexpressedintermsofmassofasubstanceperunitvolumeofgasor
liquid.
52.WhatdoyoumeantbyPressuredrop
points.

Thedifferentialpressureb/wtwopointsinasystem.Theresistancetoflowb/winthetwo

53.Relativehumidity

Theratiooftheactualvaporspressureoftheairtothesaturationvaporpressure.

54.Airpollutionindex
Anarbitrarilyderivedmathematicalcombinationofairpollutionswitchgiveasingle
numbertryingtodescribetheambientairquality.
55.DefinePollutionStandardIndex(PSI)
Anumericalscaleof0500correspondingtovariouspollutionconcentrations.
56. DefineAirqualitycriteria
Scientificinformationaboutthelevelsofairpollutionandthedurationsofexposure
whichresultinadverseeffectsonhealthandwelfare.
57.AirQualityIndex(AQIimplementedsinceJuly23,1999byEPA)
AQIiscalculatedforthe6criteriapollutantsaccordingtotheEPAformulas.ThehighestAQIvalue
isadoptedasthedailyAQI.Foeexample,iftheAQIforozoneis90and88forSO 2Thereported
AQIis90
58.NationalAmbientAirQualityStandardforozone(NAAQS)
Primarystandardtoprotectpublichealth.Onehouraverageozone>0.12ppmforfederal
standard.Onehouraverageozone>0.09ppmforstatestandard.
59.PollutionPotential
Holzworth'sdefinition:
C/Q=L/UH
C:pollutionconcentration.
Q:emissionrate.
L:citysizealongwinddimension(10kmor100km).
U:windspeed.
H:mixingheight(heighttowhichanairparcelcanrise)

.
60. DefineAmbientairquality
Aphysicalandchemicalmeasureoftheconcentrationofcontaminantsintheambient
atmosphere.Thequalityisusuallymonitoredoveraspecificperiod.
61. WhatisChimney
A structure with an opening or outlet from or through which any air pollutant may be
emitted.
62. DefineConing
Atypeofplumewhichislikeacone.Thistakeplaceinanearneutralatmospherewhen
thewindvelocityisgreaterthen32km/h.
63.BrieflyexplaintheControlequipmentinairpollution
Any apparatus, devices, equipment or system to control the quality and manner of
emissionofanyairpollutionandincludesanydevicesusedforsecuringtheefficientoperation
ofanyindustrialplant.
64.DefineDuepoint
Foraircontainingwatervapor,itisthetemperatureatwhichliquidwaterbegins to
condenseforagivenstateofhumidityandpressure,asthetemperatureisreduced.
65.WhatisDustfall
Theweightofparticulatematterdepositedduetogravitationalactionperunittimeper
unitareaofthesurface.
66.WhatisFog
Visibleaerosolsinwhichthedispersedphaseinliquid.
67.DefineFallout
Aradioactivepollutantintheaircausedaftertheexplosionofanucleardevice,itsdegreeof
contaminationdependingonseveralfactors,suchasdistance,wind,andpowerofthedevice.
68.DefinethetermGrain
Aunitofweightequivalentto64.8milligramsor1/7000ofapound.
69.WhatisInversion
Conditionintheatmosphereinwhichairtemperatureincreaseswithelevation.underthis
conditions,theatmosphereissaidtobeinstableequilibrium.
70.DefinePhotochemicalreaction
Anychemicalreactionthatisinitiatedasaresultofabsorptionoflight.
71. WhatIsPlume

Thepathandextentintheatmosphereofthegaseouseffluentreleasedfromthe
source,usuallyastack
72.BrieflyexplainChimneyeffect:
TheverticalpenetrationofsmogthroughtheinversionlayeronthesouthslopeoftheSanGabriel
andSanBernardinoMountainscausedbythestrongsolarheatingintheafternoon.
73. Correlationsbetweenweathervariablesandozoneconcentrations
Bettercorrelationinsummerandatinlandstations.
Mostimportantvariablesforozoneprediction:850mb(about5,000feethigh)temperature.
950mbtemperature,inversionbaseheight,inversionmagnitude,andmaximummixingheightalso
showsignificantcorrelationswithozoneconcentration.
74.BrieflyexplaintheformationofOzone
Photochemical(summersmog)formswhenpollutantssuchasnitrogenoxidesandorganic
compoundsreacttogetherinthepresenceofsunlight.Agascalledozoneis
formedNitrogenDioxide+Sunlight+Hydrocarbons=Ozone
Thisisaverygeneralrepresentationoftheformationofozoneintheloweratmosphere.Inactual
fact,manydifferentchemicalreactionsproduceOzone.
75.HowdoyouMeasureAirQuality
Therearemanywaystomeasureairpollution,withbothsimplechemicalandphysicalmethods
andwithmoresophisticatedelectronictechniques.Therearefourmainmethodsofmeasuringair
pollution.

Passivesamplingmethods
Activesamplingmethods
Automaticmethods

Remote optical / long pathanalyzers use spectroscopic techniques, make realtime

measurementsoftheconcentrationsofarangeofpollutantsincludingnitrogendioxideand
sulphurdioxide.

76. ListoutanyfoursourcesofAirPollution.
i. Combustionprocess
ii. Chemicalprocesses
iii. Petroleumoperations
iv. Metallurgicalprocesses
77. WhatisSmog?Givethetypes.
Smogisasynchronismoftwowardssmokeandfog.Smokecanbeoftwotypesphotochemical

orcoalinduced.
78.BrieflyExplainParticulatematters:
Particulatematter,"alsoknownasparticlepollutionorPM,isacomplexmixtureofextremelysmall
particlesandliquiddroplets.Particlepollutionismadeupofanumberofcomponents,includingacids
(suchasnitratesandsulfates),organicchemicals,metals,andsoilordustparticles.
78. ListouttheAirpollutionemissionsource
Pointsource,Linesources,Areasource,Volumesource
79. DefinitionoftheTermPortable
ThewordportabletypicallyconveysanobjectthatisCarriedormovedwithease,suchasa
lightorsmallbox
80. DefinitionoftheTermMobile
Thedefinitionofmobileisessentiallycapableofmovingorofbeingmovedreadilyfrom
placetoplace:amobileorganism;amobilemissilesystem.
81. DefinitionoftheTermInstrumented
Instrumentedmeanstobeadeviceforrecording,measuring,orcontrolling,especiallysuch
adevicefunctioningaspartofacontrolsystem.[5]
82. Brieflyexplaingreenhouseeffect
Thegreenhouseeffectistheheatingofthesurfaceofaplanetormoonduetothepresenceofan
atmospherecontaininggasesthatabsorbandemitinfraredradiation.Thus,greenhousegasestrap
heatwithinthesurfacetropospheresystem.Thismechanismisfundamentallydifferentfromthatof
anactualgreenhouse,whichworksbyisolatingwarmairinsidethestructuresothatheatisnotlost
byconvection.
ThegreenhouseeffectwasdiscoveredbyJosephFourierin1824,firstreliablyexperimentedonby
JohnTyndallin1858,andfirstreportedquantitativelybySvanteArrhenius
83. Explainthetermglobalwarming
GlobalwarmingistheincreaseintheaveragetemperatureoftheEarth'snearsurfaceairand
oceans since the mid20th century and its projected continuation. Global surface temperature
increased0.740.18C(1.330.32F)duringthelastcentury.TheIntergovernmentalPanelon
ClimateChange(IPCC)concludesthatmostoftheobservedtemperatureincreasesincethemiddle
ofthe20thcenturyiscausedbyincreasingconcentrationsofgreenhousegasesresultingfromhuman
activitysuchasfossilfuelburninganddeforestation
84. NamesomeNOxcontrolunits
a. LowNOxburners
b. Selectivecatalyticreduction(SCR)

c. Selectivenoncatalyticreduction(SNCR),NOxscrubbers
d. ExhaustgasrecirculationandCatalyticconverter(alsoforVOCcontrol)
85. WhatareEffectsofAirPollutants:
Air pollution effects may also be divided into several categories, with such effects
encompassingthosethatarehealthrelatedaswellasthoseassociatedwithdamagetomaterialsor
which cause decreases in atmospheric aesthetic features. Examples of effects on human health
includeeyeirritation,headachesandaggravationofrespiratorydifficulties.Plantsandcropshave
beensubjectedtoundesirableconsequencesofairpollution,includingabnormalgrowthpatterns,
leafdiscolorationorspottinganddeath.Propertydamageincludepropertydevaluationbecauseof
odors,deteriorationofmaterialssuchasconcretestatutory,discolorationofpaintedsurfaces.The
aestheticeffectsincludereductionsinvisibility,discolorationofair,photochemicalsmogrelated
trafficdisruptionsatairportsandthegeneralnuisanceaspectsofodorsandduct.
86. DEFINE AEROSOLS.
An aerosol can be defined as a dispersion of solid and liquid particles suspended in gas.
Atmosphericaerosols,unsurprisingly,refertosolidandliquidparticlessuspendedinair.Aerosols
areproducedbydozensofdifferentprocessesthatoccuronlandandwatersurfaces,andinthe
atmosphere itself. Aerosols occur in both the troposphere and the stratosphere, but there are
considerabledifferencesinthesizeranges,chemicalnatureandsourcesoftheaerosolsthatoccurin
thesetwoatmosphericlayers.
87.

EffectonCO,
Themainandimmediatebenefitsofusingreformulatedgasolineinthecarishereduction
intheCOexhaustemissionslevels.Theadditionofanoxygenatesuch asTBEtothegasoline
providesextraoxygentothefuelcombustionprocessanditworksinthesamewayasthe
oxygencontainedintheexternalcombustionairsuppliedtotheengine.Asaresult,more
completecombustionofthehydrocarbonsoccurandmoreCOisoxidizedtoCO2.Thenet
resultsisadecreaseintheconcentrationsofCOexhaustemissions.

96.EffectonOzoneFormation
The reformulated gasoline containing MTBE decreases the ozone formation in the
atmosphere.TheoxygenpresentintheMTBEaddedtothegasolineensuresmorecomplete
combustionoffuelhydrocarbonsandthusUBHCreleasedtotheatmospherearereduced.As
statedearlier,areductioninNOxlevelisalsoachievedusingMTBEgasolineblends.Both
hydrocarbons as well as NOx are precursors of ozone formation. Thus a reduction in the
concentrationsofprecursorsdecreasesthe
ozoneformationintheatmosphere.
PartB
1. Describetheeffectsofairpollutantonvegetationandanimals.
2. Whatarethecausesforphotochemicalsmog.andAcidrain?
3. HowpollutantdispersioniseffectedbyTopography?

4. Howthelocationofsiteandsamplingperiodaredecided
5. Describeanyoneinstrumentusedforsampling.
6. Describetheplumebehavior.
7. Howelectrostaticprecipitatorswork?Describebydrawingthediagramofit.
8. Whatarethefunctionsofscrubbersinairpollutionstudy?
9. Describethefunctionofcyclonesinairpollutionstudy.
10. DrawthediagramofsettlingchamberinarrestingPManddescribethefunction
11. Whataretheproblemsassociatedwithodourforhuman.andotheractivities
12. Describetheprinciplebehindadsorption,absorption,combustionandcondensation
13. Giveexamplesofpollutantsremovedbythesemethods.Describethedifferent
sourcesofairpollutantsintheatmosphere
14. Explainthemethodofclassifyingemissioninventorysources
15. Distinguishbetweenprimaryandsecondaryairpollution
16. Explainthemethodsforthemeasurementofmeteorologicalvariables
17. Describewithneatsketches,howdifferentatmosphericconditionsgiverisetodifferentplumes
18. Classifyairpollutionindifferentcategories,indicatingtheirsources.
19. Whatarethetypesandsourcesofparticulatemattercausingairpollution?
20. Explaintheimportanceofwindrosesinairpollutionstudies
21. DescribetheMeteorologicalparametersinfluenceofairpollution
22. Explaintheairpollutionimpactassessment
23. Whatareprimarypollutantsandsecondarypollutants?Giveexamplesandexplainthem
24. HowareasarecategorisedforenforcingAirQualitystandards?Explain.
25. Listthedifferentformsofdamagescausedbyairpollutantsonplants.Explainindetail.
26. WhatarethepermissiblelimitsofRSPMandNOxforresidentialareasinIndia?
27. Describeanyfourinstrumentusedforsampling.
28.Whatarethecommonunitsofnoisemeasurement?Explainitseffects