Air-, water- and soil pollution

Csaba Berta

Dr. Magdolna Kiss K.

Air pollution

The concept of air pollution

Air quality changes caused by gases, solid particulars and aerosols

• Changes in the natural composition

• Contaminants above the limit

• Adverse effects on humans and on the environment

Grouping of air pollutants

1. Based on their origin

Natural

• Volcanic eruption

• Lightning

• dust (cosmic, desert, from ground)

• Aerosols of marine origin

• Forest fires

Artifical • Industry • Agriculture • Transport • population

2. Based on formation mechanism

Primer air pollutants

Directly get to the air, no chemical change (ash, smoke, SO2, etc.)

Secunder air pollutants

Forming from the the primary pollutants and the normal components of the atmosphere ( oxidation, reduction, ionization, photo-chemical reaction, dissolution)

Sources of air pollution

• Point source o the amount of pollutants entering the environment is

clearly defined (eg. chimneys)

• Surface source o The emitting surface area is determined, but the

amount of material released into the environment can be inferred by indirect measurements and calculations only (eg. open technologies)

• Line source o The release is ordered to a line (eg. highway, railway)

Process of the air pollution

• Emission: emitted pollutant of time per unit from different sources

unit of measure: mass flow rate – kg/h concentration: mg/m3 specific value: mg/pcs, mg/kg (eg.: car: g CO2/100 km) • Transmission: the spread of pollutants, changes

(thinning, conversion) in the atmosphere – atmospheric physical and chemical, meteorological and topographical effects

• Imission: contamination status of air or ambient air quality

Unit: mg/m3, ppm, ppb

Self purification of air

• The concentration of pollutants are reducing by dilution

• The contaminants removed from the atmosphere

• The pollutant converting into other, possibly inert materials

Avoidance of air pollutants

• From the atmosphere to the ground, transport to the surface water

• Types:

A. Dry: adhering to aerosols, dust

B. Wet: rain, sleet, snow, fog etc.

Smog formation

Smoke + fog – smog

Conditions of its formation:

• high levels of air pollutant emissions

• unfavorable meteorological conditions (no wind and inversion)

• unfavorable topography (narrow valleys)

London-type smog • Occurs in winter as a result of inversion,

usually at dawn-evening

• Air temp.: -3 - +50 °C

• Reducing nature

• Humidity > 80%

• Main components: SO2, CO, soot

The London smog disaster

• 5-9. December 1952.

• ~ 100% relative humidity

• SO2 concentration: 4mg/m3

• Tens of thousands of sickness, ~4000 peolpe died

• In 1956 a law was passed to protect the air quality

Los Angeles-type smog

• Foming in summer, generally at noon (strong UV, 24-32 °C)

• Inversion

• <70% humidity

• Oxidative nature

• Main components: ozone, NOx, PAH compounds (eg.: Pyrene, Benzopyrene)

Acid rain

• Altered pH precipitation

• CO2 – not harmful (pH 5,6)

• SO2 – NOx

• Resulting pH below 5 (harmful)

Effects of acid rain To the soil: • Minerals leaching (Ca, Mg), fertility decreasing • Release of toxic materials (Al)

To surface waters: • Decreasing pH, below 5,5 very dangerous • Mortality of plankton and fish • Leaching of heavy metals

On the vegetation • destruction of leaf way layer, strong evaporation • mycorrhizae disappearance

Effects on the built environment

• Corrosion of metals

• Faster weathering of materials

• Works of art damaging faster

Water pollution

• Any human activity or material, which harmfully changes the physical, chemical and biological properties of water

„Results” of water pollution:

• Water for drinking use is partly or fully unsuitable

• Natural process of aquatic life suffering harm

Worldwide emerging water quality issues

• Eutrophication

• Nitrification

• Enrichment in micro-pollutants

• Emergency events (eg. Oil spill)

Eutrophication

Biological response for enrichmening in nutrients (N, P)

Natural – Artificial

Planktonic – Benthonic

Reasons for artificial eutrophication:

• Industrial and municipal wastewater

• Agriculture (fertilizer, manure)

Planktonic eutrophication

Benthonic eutrophication

Direct effects of eutrophication

• Anoxia (dawn !, after mass algal destruction – huge fish mortality

• Appearance of algal toxins:

Inhibition of different water uses (taste- and odor problems,

influance in water purification technology,

deterioration of aesthetic value)

Nitrification

Nitrification is the biological oxidation of ammonia or ammonium to nitrite followed by the oxidation of the nitrite to nitrate.

In Hungary the limit of nitrate in the drinking water is 40 mg/L

The detrimental effect of nitrate on the human body

• Methemoglobinemia (blue disease, blue baby)

Micropollutants

• Inorganic micro-contaminants (eg. toxic heavy metals)

Itai-itai disease: Cd contamination caused osteomalacia, renal damage (loss of protein and minerals)

Minamata disease: Hg contaminated fishes, damage of the central nervous system, teratogenetic effects

• Organic micro-contaminants (eg. pesticides)

xenobiotics

DDT=dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane

Effects: teratogenic, carcinogenic, damaging of the immune system

Oil pollution

• Form a film on the water surface

• Inhibiting the gas exchange

• Oil components are toxic, persistent and accumulating

• Damaging and destructing the aquatic organisms

Soil pollution

Soil pollution

Result of human activities, which are significantly and adversely changing the soil physical, chemical and biological properties

Result: the ecological functions of the soil are damaging

Land degradation

Any process which reducing the fertility of the soil, worsen the quality or reducing the function of it

Forms: – Erosion, deflation

– Salinization, soil acidification

– Deteriorating soil structure

– Turn to boggy, desertification

– Biological degradation

Industrial pollutants • Minerals • BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, xylenes) • Dioxins • Surfactant materials

Agricultural pollution • Ferilization

• Organic ferilization

• Soil conditioners

• Pesticides

• Transport – exhaust gases, salting

Thank you for your attention!