UNIT 4: Air and Noise Pollution

Pollution
Environmental pollution or simply pollution refers to undesirable changes occurring in the
physical, chemical, and biological composition of the natural environment consisting of air,
water, and soil. Pollution also means the presence of harmful pollutants in an environment
that makes this environment unhealthy to live in.

According to National Academy of Science, USA (1966), Pollution is defined as,

“An undesirable change in physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of water, air, and
soil that may harmfully affect human, animal, and plant life, living conditions and cultural
assets is called Pollution.”

Classification of Pollution,
Different types of pollution are classified based on the part of the environment which they
affect or result from a particular pollution. Each type of pollution has its own distinctive cause
and consequences.

The major types of pollution are as follows,

●​ Air pollution
●​ Water pollution
●​ Noise pollution
●​ Soil or land pollution

Pollutants
A pollutant is defined as any form of energy, matter or action that causes imbalance or
disequilibrium in the required composition of natural objects such as air, water, soil, etc. A
pollutant creates damage by interfering directly or indirectly with the biogeochemical process of
an organism.

Pollutants may be −

●​ Natural Pollutants − Natural pollutants are caused by natural forces such as volcanic
eruption, dust storm, pollen and forest fire.
●​ Man-made Pollutants − These refer to the release of excess number of gases, mining or
matter by human activities. For instance, an increase in the number of automobiles adds
excess carbon monoxide to the atmosphere causing harmful effects on vegetation and
human health.
 Air Pollution
Air pollution is the resultant of direct or indirect change in physical, chemical and biological
characteristics of the atmosphere, which mainly results from gases emission from industry,
thermal power station, automobile and domestic combustions, etc.

Air Pollutants:
It can be defined as any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in the atmosphere in high
concentration more than prescribed limits that may be harmful to living creatures.

Classification of Air pollution Sources:

Causes of Air Pollution:
1.​ Burning of Fossil Fuels – not only CO2 but mercury, SO2 and dust particle emission due
to thermal power stations which degrade the quality of air
2.​ Industrial Emission – NO2, CO, SO2, CO2, O3, VCOs and other toxicants which cause
respiratory problems such as asthma
3.​ Indoor Air pollution - smoking tobacco or leaving mold-infected walls untreated, use of
wood stoves or space heaters. Carcinogens and toxins from indoor air pollution cause
17% of deaths from lung cancer.
4.​ Microbial Decaying Process - it releases carbon, methane, and nitrogen that can cause
irritation in eyes, throat and nose, skin irritation and asthma as well.
5.​ Transportation – Vehicles burn gasoline which emits CO, NO, Hydrocarbons and
particulate matter (PM2.5 & PM10) which creates holes in the ozone layer.
6.​ Open burning of Garbage Waste – It releases toxins such as black carbon, soot, and
carcinogens which contributes to climatic change and increases risk of cancer, liver issue,
immune system impairment, and reduces reproductive functions.
7.​ Construction and Demolition – These are a rich source of PM and other air pollutants
including VOCs, etc.
8.​ Agricultural Activities - Ammonia is one of the most hazardous gases emitted during
agricultural activities. The insecticides, pesticides and fertilizers emit harmful chemicals
in the atmosphere and contaminate it.
9.​ Chemical and Synthetic Product Usage - VOCs found in paints, cleaners and personal
care products such as perfume and deodorants are a reason for common health issues
like lung and heart disease in children and bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma in old
people.

Effects of Air Pollution:

1.​ Effect on Human /Diseases
Air pollution has resulted in several respiratory disorders such as asthma, pneumonia,
nasal irritation and runny nose.
It can also result in heart diseases, limited lung function and lung damage among
humans.
The cases of lung cancer have increased in the last few decades. Many people die every
year due to the direct or indirect effects of air pollution.
2.​ Effect on Plants
The effects of air pollution on plants are often disastrous.
 ozone is thought to cause oxidative damage to cell membranes of the plant. This results
in the loss of integrity and function of the plant cell membrane. This is thought to affect
the process of photosynthesis.
Sulphur dioxide immediate effects manifest themselves in the form of discoloration of
the leaves. Plants get exposed to Sulphur dioxide through acid rain. It can affect the
opening of the stomata, resulting in excessive loss of water.
Nitrogen dioxide can reduce the growth and development of plants.

3.​ Effect on Animals

The air pollutants suspend in the water bodies and affect aquatic life. Pollution also
compels the animals to leave their habitat and shift to a new place. This renders them
stray and has also led to the extinction of a large number of animal species.

4.​ Global Warming

Due to the emission of greenhouse gases, there is an imbalance in the gaseous
composition of the air. This has led to an increase in the temperature of the earth. This
increase in earth’s temperature is known as global warming. This has resulted in the
melting of glaciers and an increase in sea levels. Many areas are submerged underwater.

5.​ Acid Rain

The burning of fossil fuels releases harmful gases such as Nitrogen oxides and Sulphur
oxides in the air. The water droplets combine with these pollutants, become acidic and
fall as acid rain which damages human, animal and plant life.
6.​ Ozone Layer Depletion
The release of chlorofluorocarbons, halons, and hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the
atmosphere is the major cause of depletion of the ozone layer. The depleting ozone layer
does not prevent the harmful ultraviolet rays coming from the sun and causes skin
diseases and eye problems among individuals.

Control of air pollution:

1.​ Using Public Transports
2.​ Use of Clean energy resources
3.​ Energy Conservation
4.​ Turn of Lights when not in use
5.​ Reuse and Recycle
6.​ No to plastic bags
7.​ Reduction of forest fire and smoking
8.​ Use filters for Chimney
9.​ Avoid Crackers
 10.​Avoid Chemical Products
11.​Afforestation

Air Pollution Control devices:

Bag Filter
“A bag filter, also called a fabric filter, is a device that removes dust and particulate matter
from polluted air before it is released into the atmosphere. It works like a vacuum cleaner but
on a much larger scale.”

Principle of Operation:
The bag filter operates based on the mechanical filtration principle, meaning it physically traps
dust particles while allowing clean air to pass through.
The process can be broken down into four key steps:
Dirty Air Enters – The polluted air is directed into the bag filter system. This air comes from
industrial processes such as cement production, metal smelting, or coal combustion in power
plants.​
Filtration by Fabric Bags – Inside the filter housing, the air is forced to pass through a set of
long, cylindrical fabric bags. These bags act as filters, allowing clean air to pass through while
trapping dust and particulate matter.​
Formation of Dust Cake – As dust accumulates on the surface of the fabric bags, a layer of dust
(called a dust cake) forms. This dust cake helps improve the filtration efficiency by capturing
even finer particles.​
Cleaning the Bags – Over time, the collected dust must be removed so that the filter bags do
not get clogged. There are different ways to clean the bags, which we will discuss in the next
section.​

Types of Bag Filter Cleaning Mechanisms:

1.​ Shaker-Type Bag Filter
2.​ Reverse Air Bag Filter
3.​ Pulse-Jet Bag Filter (Most Common & Efficient)​

Advantages of Bag Filters:

●​ High Efficiency – Removes up to 99.9% of dust particles from industrial gases.
●​ Handles a Wide Range of Particles – Works well for fine and coarse dust.
●​ Cost-Effective – Long-lasting and requires minimal maintenance.
 ●​ Environmentally Friendly – Reduces air pollution and improves air quality.​

Applications of Bag Filters in Industries:

●​ Cement Industry – Removes dust from kilns and clinker coolers.
●​ Power Plants – Controls emissions from coal combustion.
●​ Steel Industry – Captures metal dust from furnaces.
●​ Food Processing Industry – Removes flour and powder particles.
●​ Chemical Industry – Filters out harmful dust from production processes.

Electrostatic precipitator
“An electrostatic precipitator is a type of filter (dry scrubber) that uses static electricity to
remove soot and ash from exhaust fumes before they exit the smokestacks.”

Most power stations burn fossil fuels such as coal or oil to generate electricity for use. When
these fuels undergo combustion, smoke is produced. Smoke consists of tiny particles of soot
that are suspended in hot, rising air. These unburned particles of carbon are pulled out of the
smoke by using static electricity in the precipitators, leaving clean, hot air to escape the
smokestacks. It is vital to remove this unreacted carbon from the smoke, as it can damage
buildings and harm human health - especially respiratory health.

Working:

(Model of Electrostatic Precipitator)

The operation of electrostatic precipitators is fairly simple,

●​ The dirty flue gas escaping through the smokestack is passed through two electrodes.
The shape these electrodes take depends on the type of electrostatic precipitator used,
but they can be metal wires, bars, or plates inside a pipe or the smokestack itself.
●​ One of the electrodes is charged with a high negative voltage, and this plate causes
particulates inside the smoke to obtain a negative charge as they pass by this electrode.
●​ Further along the pipe, the second electrode carries a similarly high positive voltage.
Based solely on the fact that opposite charges attract, the negatively charged soot
particles are pulled towards the positive electrode and stick to it.
●​ The soot and ash collected from coal burning power plants in this manner is referred to
as fly ash.

Even though most electrostatic precipitators work in a similar way, there are many variations
and different types that work better for different sized particles, different smoke compositions,
and different amounts of pollution.

Effectiveness:

Electrostatic precipitators are extremely effective, and are capable of removing more than 99%
of particulate matter. Since 1940, emissions of particulate matter smaller than 10 micrometers
have been reduced by a factor of 5. However, this high level of effectiveness comes at a high
cost - about 2-4% of a power plant's electrical energy output goes into operating electrostatic
precipitators and other systems used to remove particulate matter.

Gaseous Pollution Control Devices:

Absorber
An absorber is a pollution control device used to remove gaseous pollutants from industrial
exhaust gases by dissolving them into a liquid, usually water or a chemical solvent. This process
is known as gas absorption and is commonly used in industries to control emissions of acidic,
basic, or other hazardous gases.

Types of Absorbers:

1.​ Spray Tower (Spray Scrubber)

●​ Uses a liquid sprayed in fine droplets to capture gas pollutants.
 ●​ Suitable for absorbing highly soluble gases.​

2.​ Packed Bed Absorber​

●​ Contains a packed material (like ceramic, plastic, or metal) to increase the contact area
between gas and liquid.
●​ Used for removing acidic gases like SO₂, HCl, and NH₃.​

3.​ Plate Column Absorber​

●​ Consists of perforated plates or trays to enhance gas-liquid interaction.

●​ Used in chemical processing industries.​

4.​ Venturi Scrubber​

●​ High-speed gas is forced through a narrowing throat where liquid is injected, creating
turbulence for effective gas absorption.
●​ Ideal for removing both gases and fine particulate matter.​

Catalytic Converter
A catalytic converter is a pollution control device that reduces harmful emissions from internal
combustion engines by converting toxic gases into less harmful substances through catalytic
reactions. It is commonly used in automobiles, industrial exhaust systems, and generators.

Why is a Catalytic Converter Needed?

When fuel burns in an engine, it produces harmful gases such as:
●​ Carbon Monoxide (CO) – A poisonous gas.
●​ Hydrocarbons (HCs) – Causes smog and respiratory problems.
●​ Nitrogen Oxides (NOₓ) – Contributes to acid rain and global warming.
A catalytic converter helps in reducing these pollutants and making vehicle emissions cleaner.

How Does It Work?

A catalytic converter contains special metals like platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), and rhodium
(Rh), which help in speeding up chemical reactions without getting used up.

The process involves two main reactions:

1.​ Oxidation Reaction (Removes CO & Hydrocarbons)
2.​ Reduction Reaction (Removes NOₓ)
Advantages:
●​ Reduces harmful vehicle emissions.
●​ Helps in controlling air pollution.
●​ Improves air quality and human health.

Limitation:
●​ Needs high temperature to work effectively.
●​ Can be damaged by lead or sulfur in fuel.
●​ Requires regular maintenance.

Effects of air pollution due to refrigerant:

Refrigerants used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems can contribute to air pollution
and environmental damage in several ways. The effects of air pollution due to refrigerants
mainly stem from their leakage into the atmosphere.

●​ Ozone Layer Depletion - Older refrigerants like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and

hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) contain chlorine, which breaks down ozone
molecules in the stratosphere. This leads to Increased ultraviolet (UV) radiation, higher
risks of skin cancer and cataracts, adverse effects on plant and marine life.
●​ Global Warming & Climate Change - Many modern refrigerants, such as
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), do not harm the ozone layer but have high global warming
potential (GWP). When released into the air, they trap heat in the atmosphere,
contributing to rising global temperatures, melting glaciers and rising sea levels,
heatwaves, storms, and droughts.
●​ Air Quality Degradation - Formation of Ground-Level Ozone: Some refrigerants react
with other pollutants in sunlight to create smog, leading to respiratory problems.
●​ Toxicity & Health Hazards - Certain refrigerant gases (like ammonia and some
hydrocarbons) are toxic and can cause dizziness, nausea, and breathing difficulties if
inhaled in high concentrations.
●​ Contribution to Indoor Air Pollution - Some systems release volatile organic compounds
(VOCs), leading to headaches, eye irritation, and allergies.
●​ Environmental Contamination - If refrigerants leak into soil or water bodies, they can
harm ecosystems and aquatic life. Some refrigerants break down into acidic byproducts,
which can contribute to acid rain, affecting soil fertility and water quality.
Effects of air pollution due to Boiler:
Boilers, commonly used in industries, power plants, and buildings for heating and energy
production, contribute significantly to air pollution when they burn fuels like coal, oil, natural
gas, or biomass. The combustion process releases various pollutants that impact the
environment and human health.

●​ Release of Harmful Gases - CO₂, CO, SO₂, and NOₓ contributes to global warming and
climate change, reduces oxygen in the bloodstream, leads to acid rain, harming crops,
soil, and aquatic life and mog, respiratory problems, and ozone depletion respectively.
●​ Particulate Matter (PM) & Soot Formation - PM2.5 and PM10 can penetrate deep into
the lungs, causing respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis, and lung cancer. Black
carbon (soot) also contributes to global warming by absorbing heat in the atmosphere.
●​ Acid Rain Formation - SO₂ and NOₓ from boilers react with water vapor in the
atmosphere, forming sulfuric and nitric acid, which falls as acid rain. Acid rain damages
buildings, soil, crops, and water bodies, harming ecosystems.
●​ Smog & Ground-Level Ozone - NOₓ gases react with sunlight to create photochemical
smog, which reduces visibility and irritates the eyes and throat. Ground-level ozone
damages crops and weakens lung function.
●​ Global Warming & Climate Change - CO₂ and methane emissions from boilers
contribute to the greenhouse effect, leading to rising temperatures, melting glaciers,
heatwaves and extreme weather events
●​ Health Issues in Humans - Exposure to boiler emissions can cause Short-term effects
such as coughing, headaches, dizziness, throat irritation. Long-term effects such as
chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, reduced lung function.

Noise Pollution
The word noise is derived from the Latin word ‘Nausea’, which means sickness in which one
feels the need to vomit. Noise is the unpleasant and undesirable sound which leads to
discomfort in human beings.
The intensity of sound is measured in decibels (dB). The faintest sound that the human ear can
hear is 1 dB. Due to increasing noise around the civilizations, noise pollution has become a
matter of concern.
Some of its major causes are vehicles, aircraft, industrial machines, loudspeakers, crackers, etc.
When used at high volume, some other appliances also contribute to noise pollution, like
television, transistor, radio, etc.
Regular exposure to a higher sound level that impacts humans and other living organisms is
known as noise pollution.

Causes and Sources of Noise Pollution:

●​ Industrialization: Industrialization has led to an increase in noise pollution as the use of
heavy machinery such as generators, mills, huge exhaust fans are used, resulting in the
production of unwanted noise.
●​ Vehicles: Increased number of vehicles on the roads are the second reason for noise
pollution.
●​ Events: Weddings, public gatherings involve loudspeakers to play music resulting in the
production of unwanted noise in the neighborhood.
●​ Construction sites: Mining, construction of buildings, etc., add to the noise pollution.

Effects of Noise Pollution on Human Health:

●​ Hypertension: It is a direct result of noise pollution which is caused due to elevated
blood levels for a longer duration.
●​ Hearing loss: Constant exposure of human ears to loud noise that are beyond the range
of sound that human ears can withstand damages the eardrums, resulting in loss of
hearing.
●​ Sleeping disorders: Lack of sleep might result in fatigue and low energy level throughout
the day affecting everyday activities. Noise pollution hampers the sleep cycles leading to
irritation and an uncomfortable state of mind.
●​ Cardiovascular issues: Heart-related problems such as blood pressure level, stress and
cardiovascular diseases might come up in a normal person and a person suffering from
any of these diseases might feel a sudden shoot up in the level.

Control of Noise Pollution:

●​ Honking in public places like teaching institutes, hospitals, etc. should be banned.
●​ In commercial, hospital, and industrial buildings, adequate soundproof systems should
be installed.
●​ Musical instruments’ sound should be controlled to desirable limits.
●​ Dense tree cover is useful in noise pollution prevention.
●​ Explosives should not be used in forest, mountainous and mining areas.
Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000

The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 were introduced under the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate and control noise pollution in India. These rules
provide guidelines for permissible noise levels, restricted activities, and the responsibilities of
authorities in controlling noise pollution.

Key Provisions of the Rules:

1.​ Ambient Noise Standards​

Different noise limits have been set for different areas:
●​ Industrial areas: 75 dB (day) / 70 dB (night)
●​ Commercial areas: 65 dB (day) / 55 dB (night)
●​ Residential areas: 55 dB (day) / 45 dB (night)
●​ Silence zones (near hospitals, schools, courts, etc.): 50 dB (day) / 40 dB (night)
●​ "Day time" is defined as 6 AM – 10 PM, and "Night time" as 10 PM – 6 AM.​

2.​ Restrictions on Loudspeakers and Public Address Systems​

●​ The use of loudspeakers and public address systems is prohibited between 10 PM
and 6 AM.
●​ Permission from local authorities is required for using loudspeakers.​

3.​ Regulations on Firecrackers and Construction Activities

●​ Firecrackers producing noise beyond permissible limits are banned.
●​ Construction and industrial activities generating high noise levels are prohibited
at night.
​
4.​ Designation of Silence Zones​
●​ Areas within 100 meters of hospitals, educational institutions, and courts are
designated as silence zones.
●​ Loud noises and honking are strictly prohibited in these zones.​

5.​ Penalties for Violations

●​ Any violation of these rules is punishable under the Environment (Protection)
Act, 1986, which may include fines and imprisonment.
●​ Law enforcement officers, such as District Magistrates and Police Commissioners,
are responsible for enforcing these rules.​

6.​ Public Complaints and Enforcement

●​ Citizens can file complaints with local authorities for noise pollution violations.
●​ The Central and State Pollution Control Boards are responsible for monitoring
compliance.