Chemistry

Pro
jec
File
Topic
1) Environmental Chemistry
2) Atmospheric Pollution

Submitted By

Submitted to

Aditya Kumar

Mrs. Sangeeta Mam

Class- 11B
Roll Number- 03

Acknowledgement
Primarily I would thank God for being to
complete this project with success. Then I
would like to thank my chemistry teacher Mrs.
Sangeeta mam, whose valuable guidance has
been the once that helped me patch this
project and make it full proof success his
suggestions and his instructions has served as
the major contributor towards the completion
of the project.
Then I would like to thank my parents and
friends who have helped me their valuable
suggestions and guidance has been helpful in
various phrases of the completion of the
project.

Last but not the least I would like to thank my

classmates who have helped me a lot.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
ROCKWOOD SENIOR SECONDARY
SCHOOL

NOIDA 201301

Certificate
This is to certify that Aditya of Class 11th, B has
prepared the report on the project entitled
Environmental Chemistry and Atmospheric
Pollution. The report is the result of his efforts and
endeavors. The report is found worthy of
acceptance as final project report for the subject

Chemistry of Class 11. He has prepared under my

guidance.

(Mrs. Sangeeta)
Chemistry
Department of Chemistry
Rockwood Senior Secondary School

Noida - 201301

Introduction

Environmental chemistry is the scientific study of the chemical and biochemical phenomena
that occur in natural places. It should not be confused with green chemistry, which seeks to
reduce potential pollution at its source. It can be defined as the study of the sources, reactions,
transport, effects, and fates of chemical species in the air, soil, and water environments; and the
effect of human activity and biological activity on these. Environmental chemistry is an
interdisciplinary science that includes atmospheric, aquatic and soil chemistry, as well as heavily
relying on analytical chemistry and being related to environmental and other areas of science.

Environmental chemistry is the study of chemical processes occurring in the environment which
are impacted by humankind's activities. These impacts may be felt on a local scale, through the
presence of urban air pollutants or toxic substances arising from a chemical waste site, or on a
global scale, through depletion of stratospheric ozone or global warming. The focus in our
courses and research activities is upon developing a fundamental understanding of the nature of
these chemical processes, so that humankind's activities can be accurately evaluated.
Environmental chemistry involves first understanding how the uncontaminated environment
works, which chemicals in what concentrations are present naturally, and with what effects.
Without this it would be impossible to accurately study the effects humans have on the
environment through the release of chemicals.
Environmental chemists draw on a range of concepts from chemistry and various environmental
sciences to assist in their study of what is happening to a chemical species in the environment.
Important general concepts from chemistry include understanding chemical reactions and
equations, solutions, units, sampling, and analytical techniques.

Different Types of Pollution and Its Causes

The main types of pollution are:Water Pollution - As the name suggests, Water Pollution is the type of pollution that
involves the contamination of various water bodies. Various aquatic creatures depend on these
water bodies and its natural nutritious features to support its life.

Causes of Water Pollution

Industrial waste gets dumped into these water bodies. This causes a chemical imbalance
in the water leading to death of the aquatic beings.

Insecticides, pesticides and ripening chemicals that are used on plants run into the ground
water system or nearby streams.

Washing clothes near lakes and rivers causes detergents also causes a condition called
Eutrophication which blocks sunlight from entering inside and reduces oxygen values
in the water causing an inhabitable environment.

Oil Spills are caused when giant oil tankers and oil rigs which are present in the oceans
are damaged by either natural or human errors cause a long-time damage to the ocean as
oil is lighter than water and floats on water forming a layer blocking sunlight.

Certain natural disasters like flash floods and hurricanes cause the intermixing of water
with harmful substances on the land.

People can take certain preventable measures to stop water pollution like being more cautious of
dumping contaminants onto the water. For the repair of the damage that has already been done,
water treatment plants are being constructed with innovative techniques to clean the polluted
water. But as always a certain part of the damage can be resolved therefore, it is better to prevent
water pollution as water is basic need for the survival of man.

Air Pollution - The contamination of the air present in the atmosphere is known as Air
pollution. Respiration is an important life process of all living things. We breathe in the air
present in the atmosphere. Therefore if the air around us is contaminated with poisonous gases, it
would have a fatal effect on us. The air naturally comprises of 78% of nitrogen,
21% of oxygen, 0.9% of oxide gases and 0.1% of inert gases. When this
balance is disturbed, it causes disruptions of severe proportions.

Causes of Air Pollution

Partially combusted exhaust gases released from internal combustion engines add
poisonous gases into the atmosphere.

Certain industries release some gases like Sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide which
mix with the air and clouds and cause acid rains.

Burning of discarded plastic, wood and rubber also release carcinogenic gases into the
atmosphere.

Air pollution is very much fatal to living things as almost all living beings respire directly from
the atmosphere without undergoing any treatment like water. Hence use of catalytic converters in
vehicles, preventing the burning of used products, leaving vehicles running for lengthy periods
of time during halts and such environment friendly actions.

Soil Pollution - Stripping soil of its natural fertility by using artificial chemicals like pesticides,
insecticides, ripening agents etc. is known as Soil Pollution. Plants depend on the nitrogenous
compounds present in the soil for their nutrition. Use of insecticides, pesticides and other
artificial chemicals absorbs the nitrogen from the soil making it unfit for the growth for plants.
Plants are responsible for holding the soil together firmly so, when the plants cant grow the soil
splits, leading to soil erosion.

Thermal Pollution - Rise in the temperature in the ecosystem due the release of excessive heat
energy into the environment by artificial methods or natural disasters is called Thermal

Pollution. Generally, manufacturing industries release a lot of heat energy which gets
transferred to the air and water bodies. Even vehicles which have combustion engines release a
lot of heat energy as they require high temperatures to function. Carbon dioxide has a property of
blocking heat from exiting the atmosphere and so the heat coming in from the sun is trapped in
the atmosphere. Thermal pollution results in a temperature rise which is the main
cause for the melting of the polar ice caps, which is in turn leading to a rise in
the water levels. Thermal pollution has increased significantly since the eighteen
hundreds resulting in a hotter earth.

Radioactive Pollution - Radioactive pollution occurs when Radioactive metals disintegrate

releasing dangerous beta rays which can cause cancer and other mutative diseases. These types
of pollution can occur by either the dumping of radioactive waste from nuclear power plants into
water bodies, damage of nuclear reactors leading to radioactive contamination that would last for
many years and many more. In the Second World War, when the U.S.A attacked Hiroshima and
Nagasaki of Japan, the atomic bomb left a radioactive footprint leading to highly mutative
diseases. So, most of the people who survived the atomic bombing died eventually from cancers
and mutations.

Noise Pollution - There are different qualities of sounds. The sounds which are not pleasant to
hear are called Noises. So an excess of noise in the outdoors leads to Noise Pollution. This
can be experienced by too many vehicles honking at the roads, heavy machinery being operated
in the open (for ex, a jackhammer), trains, clubs, over populated crowds and many more. Noise
pollution is known to cause mental stress and depression. It can also cause damage to the ear
drum which can cause deafness. Noise pollution has more of a psychological effect rather than a
physical one.

Light Pollution - Bright lighting in functions, big cities, etc. causes Light Pollution.
Excessive light on the retina causes extreme discomfort in the eyes, especially in dim conditions
like during night time. Bright lights strain the eyes and also give headaches and migraines. If we
observe, light pollution, thermal pollution and noise pollution all are types of pollution that are
caused by the different forms of energy.

Conclusion Pollution in all its various forms causes immense damage covering all possible
aspects that can be damaged. Therefore it is important to prevent all these forms to look forward
to a greener cleaner and much more pleasant living experience.

Atmospheric Pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of particulates, biological molecules, or other harmful materials
into Earth's atmosphere, causing disease, death to humans, damage to other living organisms
such as food crops, or the natural or built environment. Air pollution may come from
anthropogenic or natural sources. The atmosphere is a complex natural gaseous system that is
essential to support life on planet Earth. Stratospheric ozone depletion due to air pollution has
been recognized as a threat to human health as well as to the Earth's ecosystems. Indoor air
pollution and urban air quality are listed as two of the worlds worst toxic pollution problems in

the 2008 Blacksmith Institute World's Worst Polluted Places report. According to the 2014 WHO
report, air pollution in 2012 caused the deaths of around 7 million people worldwide.

Pollutants - An air pollutant is a substance in the air that can have adverse effects on humans
and the ecosystem. The substance can be solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. A pollutant can
be of natural origin or man-made.

Types of Pollutants
In order to understand the causes of Air pollution, several divisions can be made. Primarily air
pollutants can be caused by primary sources or secondary sources. The pollutants that are a
direct result of the process can be called primary pollutants. A classic example of a primary
pollutant would be the sulfur-dioxide emitted from factories
Secondary pollutants are the ones that are caused by the inter mingling and reactions of primary
pollutants. Smog created by the interactions of several primary pollutants is known to be as
secondary pollutant.

Major Primary Pollutants

Sulfur oxides (SOx) - particularly sulfur dioxide, a chemical compound with the formula
SO2. SO2 is produced by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Coal and
petroleum often contain sulfur compounds, and their combustion generates sulfur
dioxide. Further oxidation of SO2, usually in the presence of a catalyst such as NO2,
forms H2SO4, and thus acid rain. This is one of the causes for concern over the
environmental impact of the use of these fuels as power sources.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) - Nitrogen oxides, particularly nitrogen dioxide, are expelled from
high temperature combustion, and are also produced during thunderstorms by electric
discharge. They can be seen as a brown haze dome above or a plume downwind of cities.
Nitrogen dioxide is a chemical compound with the formula NO2. It is one of several
nitrogen oxides. One of the most prominent air pollutants, this reddish-brown toxic gas
has a characteristic sharp, biting odor.

Secondary Pollutants

Particulates created from gaseous primary pollutants and compounds in photochemical

smog. Smog is a kind of air pollution. 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 that are acted on
in the atmosphere by ultraviolet light from the sun to form secondary pollutants that also
combine with the primary emissions to form photochemical smog.

Ground level ozone (O3) formed from NOx and VOCs. Ozone (O3) is a key constituent of
the troposphere. It is also an important constituent of certain regions of the stratosphere

commonly known as the Ozone layer. Photochemical and chemical reactions involving it
drive many of the chemical processes that occur in the atmosphere by day and by night.
At abnormally high concentrations brought about by human activities (largely the
combustion of fossil fuel), it is a pollutant, and a constituent of smog.

Causes of Air pollution

1. Burning of Fossil Fuels: Sulfur dioxide emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels like coal,
petroleum and other factory combustibles is one the major cause of air pollution. Pollution
emitting from vehicles including trucks, jeeps, cars, trains, airplanes cause immense amount of
pollution. We rely on them to fulfill our daily basic needs of transportation. But, there overuse is
killing our environment as dangerous gases are polluting the environment. Carbon Monoxide
caused by improper or incomplete combustion and generally emitted from vehicles is another
major pollutant along with Nitrogen Oxides that is produced from both natural and man-made
processes.
2. Agricultural activities: Ammonia is a very common by product from agriculture related
activities and is one of the most hazardous gases in the atmosphere. Use of insecticides,
pesticides and fertilizers in agricultural activities has grown quite a lot. They emit harmful
chemicals into the air and can also cause water pollution.
3. Exhaust from factories and industries: Manufacturing industries release large amount of
carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air thereby
depleting the quality of air. Manufacturing industries can be found at every corner of the earth
and there is no area that has not been affected by it. Petroleum refineries also release
hydrocarbons and various other chemicals that pollute the air and also cause land pollution.
4. Mining operations: Mining is a process wherein minerals below the earth are extracted using
large equipments. During the process dust and chemicals are released in the air causing massive
air pollution. This is one of the reason which is responsible for the deteriorating health conditions
of workers and nearby residents.
5. Indoor air pollution: Household cleaning products, painting supplies emit toxic chemicals in
the air and cause air pollution. Have you ever noticed that once you paint walls of your house, it
creates some sort of smell which makes it literally impossible for you to breathe?
Suspended particulate matter popular by its acronym SPM, is another cause of pollution.
Referring to the particles afloat in the air, SPM is usually caused by dust, combustion etc.

Effects of Air pollution

1. Respiratory and heart problems: The effects of Air pollution are alarming. They are known
to create several respiratory and heart conditions along with Cancer, among other threats to the
body. Several millions are known to have died due to direct or indirect effects of Air pollution.
Children in areas exposed to air pollutants are said to commonly suffer from pneumonia and
asthma.

2. Global warming: Another direct effect is the immediate alterations that the world is
witnessing due to Global warming. With increased temperatures worldwide, increase in sea
levels and melting of ice from colder regions and icebergs, displacement and loss of habitat have
already signaled an impending disaster if actions for preservation and normalization arent
undertaken soon.
3. Acid Rain: Harmful gases like nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides are released into the
atmosphere during the burning of fossil fuels. When it rains, the water droplets combines with
these air pollutants, becomes acidic and then falls on the ground in the form of acid rain. Acid
rain can cause great damage to human, animals and crops.
4. Eutrophication: Eutrophication is a condition where high amount of nitrogen present in some
pollutants gets developed on seas surface and turns itself into algae and adversely affect fish,
plants and animal species. The green colored algae that is present on lakes and ponds is due to
presence of this chemical only.
5. Effect on Wildlife: Just like humans, animals also face some devastating effects of air
pollution. Toxic chemicals present in the air can force wildlife species to move to new place and
change their habitat. The toxic pollutants deposit over the surface of the water and can also affect
sea animals.
6. Depletion of Ozone layer: Ozone exists in earths stratosphere and is responsible for
protecting humans from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Earths ozone layer is depleting due to the
presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydro chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. As ozone layer
will go thin, it will emit harmful rays back on earth and can cause skin and eye related problems.
UV rays also have the capability to affect crops.
When you try to study the sources of Air pollution, you enlist a series of activities and
interactions that create these pollutants. There are two types of sources that we will take a look
at: Natural sources and Man-made sources.
Natural sources of pollution include dust carried by the wind from locations with very little or no
green cover, gases released from the body processes of living beings (Carbon dioxide from
humans during respiration, Methane from cattle during digestion, Oxygen from plants during
Photosynthesis). Smoke from the combustion of various inflammable objects, volcanic eruptions
etc. along with the emission of polluted gases also make it to the list of Natural sources of
Pollution.
While looking at the man-made contributions towards air pollution, smoke again features as a
prominent component. The smoke emitted from various forms of combustion like in bio mass,
factories, vehicles, furnaces etc. Waste used to create landfills generate methane that is harmful
in several ways. The reactions of certain gases and chemicals also form harmful fumes that can
be dangerous to the well-being of living creatures.

Solutions for Air Pollution

1. Use public mode of transportation: Encourage people to use more and more public modes of
transportation to reduce pollution. Also, try to make use of carpooling. If you and your
colleagues come from the same locality and have same timings you can explore this option to
save energy and money.
2. Conserve energy: Switch off fans and lights when you are going out. Large amount of fossil
fuels are burnt to produce electricity. You can save the environment from degradation by
reducing the amount of fossil fuels to be burned.
3. Understand the concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: Do not throw away items that are
of no use to you. In-fact reuse them for some other purpose. For e.g. you can use old jars to store
cereals or pulses.
4. Emphasis on clean energy resources: Clean energy technologies like solar, wind and
geothermal are on high these days. Governments of various countries have been providing grants
to consumers who are interested in installing solar panels for their home. This will go a long way
to curb air pollution.
5. Use energy efficient devices: CFL lights consume less electricity as against their
counterparts. They live longer, consume less electricity, lower electricity bills and also help you
to reduce pollution by consuming less energy.
Several attempts are being made worldwide on a personal, industrial and governmental levels to
curb the intensity at which Air Pollution is rising and regain a balance as far as the proportions of
the foundation gases are concerned. This is a direct attempt at slacking Global warming. We are
seeing a series of innovations and experiments aimed at alternate and unconventional options to
reduce pollutants. Air Pollution is one of the larger mirrors of mans follies, and a challenge we
need to overcome to see a tomorrow.