Air Polution Essay, Research Paper

Problem

The first thing people see, in the morning, when they walk outside is the

sky or the colored sun. Is this world giving us the

privilege of seeing the natural colors of the sun through all the layers of

pollution within the air (Dinanike 31)? Not only are

beautiful sights such as this hidden behind the pollution this world

causes everyday, but an increase in diseases, infections and

death occurs. What causes pollution? What can we do to prevent it, and

get rid of it? Is it fair to the children of the future to

have to suffer the consequences that pollution causes? Why not take

care of the problem now? Factory and business owners

have the ability to prevent air pollution.

Air pollution is the presence in the atmosphere of harmful gases,

liquids, or solids. Air pollution, known as smoke pollution for

many years, resulted from coal combustion (Hodges 526). Smog has

been a problem in coal-burning areas for several

centuries. Smog finally decreased when coal combustion was replaced

by oil and gas combustion. Air pollution is caused by a

number of different types of pollutants.

The first type, particulate matter, consists of solid and liquid aerosols

suspended in the atmosphere. These arise from the

burning of coal and from industrial processes. Atmospheric particles

can scatter and absorb sunlight which reduces visibility.

Particles also reduce visibility by attenuating the light from objects and

illuminating the air causing the contrast between the

objects and their backgrounds to reduce. Not only does it effect

visibility, but it hastens the erosion of building materials and

the corrosion of metals, interferes with the human respiratory system,

and brings toxic materials into the body. The small

particles cause chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, emphysema and

lung cancer (Hodges 59).

The second type is sulfur oxides which come from the burning of coal

and industrial processes. Damage to materials, to

vegetation, and to the human respiratory system are caused by the acid

nature of oxides. Small quantities of sulfur oxides can

increase illness and mortality (Hodges 59).

The third type of pollutant is carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a

colorless, odorless, tasteless gas against which humans

have no protection. Carbon monoxide comes from the exhaust of

gasoline-powered vehicles and secondarily from industrial

processes (Hamer 45). Hemoglobin, which is in the blood, combines with

carbon monoxide and carries less oxygen to body

tissues causing health and heart effects. Some health problems come

from the exhaust fumes leaking into the interior of the

automobile. “Several hundred Americans die from CO poisoning each

year. Sodium oxide levels below .25 ppm have been

associated with increased morbidity in New York as measured by

hospital admissions. In all cases in which adverse health

effects have been noted the elderly patients have been affected severely”

(Hodges 60).

The fourth type is hydrocarbons which are chemical compounds

containing only carbon and hydrogen. Hydrocarbons also

arise from gasoline-powered vehicles and from industrial processes.

Hydrocarbons are an important part of the production of

photochemical smog (Hodges 61).

The last type is nitrogen oxides that come from high-temperature

combustion, such as that occurring in motor vehicle engines,

electric power plants and other fuel usage. Nitrogen oxide contributes to

acidity in precipitation and production of

photochemical smog. Nitrogen oxide is also dangerous it causes serious

illness and deaths even if the exposure to NO2 is

short. “The gas was responsible for 124 deaths in a fire at Cleveland’s

Crile Children Hospital on May 15, 1929, when x-ray

film containing nitrocellulose accidentally caught fire and produced

NO2″ (Hodges 63).

Solution

As one can surely see these types of air pollutants are harmful to our

atmosphere, environment and personal health. Factory

owners can help prevent all of these effects. Researchers have found

different ways to remove these pollutants from the air.

One device designed to remove hydrocarbons from the atmosphere “is

an improved low pollution invisible flare burner which

comprises a tall stack lined with ceramic. Primary air is introduced

under pressure in a tube below and coaxial with the stack.

The top of the tube contains a burner for the vented hydrocarbon

gases” (Sittig 227). Within this device different air mixtures

provide means for complete combustion of the vented gases with low

emission of smoke and light. Another method wherein

gases contaminate with vapors from volatile organic liquids are

recovered by containing the vapor- containing gas in an

absorbed tower with a sponge oil which absorbs the vapors. Both

methods can successfully remove hydrocarbon (Sittig 348).

A method has been discovered for removing nitrogen oxides from gases.

An ionizing radiation allows the noxious gas

pollutants to enable a collection of the particles or mist electrostatic

precipitators (Sittig 409).

In the book, How to Remove Pollutants and Toxic Materials from Air

and Water, it reports:

to remove sulfur oxides and particulate matter from waste gases

comprises crosscurrent contacting of the waste gas stream

with a moving bed or supported, copper-containing acceptor in a first

zone removing in subsequent separate zones the

particulate matter and the sulfur oxides from the acceptor in a

subsequent zone before introducing it back into the first zone

for further removal of sulfur oxides and particulate matter. Sittig 565

Another air pollutant which is able to be reduced is

carbon monoxide. Factories simply have to change their coal or oil

combustions to natural gas combustion. Afterburners can

cause the combustion of CO. This combustion is a source of heat as in

blast furnaces (Sittig 415).

Action

The government should take action passing a restriction on equipment

within factories and businesses. The inspection should

consist of requiring four different conditions or devices: a flare burner,

an ionizing radiation, crosscurrents contacting of the

waste gas stream with an acceptor, and change all combustions to

natural gas combustions. Like most laws, if one device or

condition is not present then the company should be fined a large sum

of money. In order for the company to continue staying

open the missing devices or conditions should be present within the

following two weeks. Many restrictions are made for

businesses and factories, but what is more important than the health of

our people. Action should be taken right away.

Important advantages to passing extra restrictions on factories and

businesses are involved within this action. Not only will

the factories realize how much pollution they have caused without these

conditions, but they will prevent hurting the health of

others. Each of these devices are exactly what we need in order to stop

air pollution. Save the children of tomorrow and the

environment of today by doing something to prevent air pollution.

Justification

Each method mentioned above can be used in factories all over the

world. The question is does it cost a lot of money? Yes, it

does. In order to apply all of the above methods it can cost the factory

and businesses millions. The estimated costs are

$800,000,000 alone from public sectors. For private sectors it can cost

up to $17,000,000,000. Reducing pollution might cut

salaries for many workers due to the cost of expenses which would rise

(Hodges 582).

The estimations of the cost of devices to reduce pollution are accurate,

but what about the money it takes to repair the

damages caused by air pollution? The annual total for air pollution is

$16 billion in the U.S. The amount spent dealing with air

pollution leaves less money for our government to give to researchers to

find cures for diseases, military expenses, or for

government debt. It is like throwing away money just because factory

and business owners do not want to take the time and

money and invest in new methods and devices to prevent air pollution.

$240 million goes to cleaning equipment dirtied by air

pollution each year. For livestock and agricultural crops 500 million is

used for damages. Millions are used a year for medical

costs, cost of fuels wasted in incomplete combustion, and maintenance of

cleanliness in production of foods and beverages.

$18.6 billion worth of damages are done due to motor vehicle pollution

(Hodges 568). It might seem to cost a lot of money to

0prevent air pollution, but as one can see it may cost more to repair the

damages from air pollution.

56a

Dinanike, George. “Sunset in the Comfort of a Laboratory.” New Scientist 19 October 1991: 31.

Hamer, Mick. “Pollution Leaves a Cloud over Life in the City.” New Scientist 13 May 1989: 45.

Hodges, Laurent. Environmental Pollution Second Edition. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1977.

Sittig, Marshall. How to Remove Pollutants and Toxic Materials from Air and Water. Parkridge, New Jersey: Noyes Data

Corporation, 1977.

World Wide Web Site.

URL: http://www.cyberstore.ca/greenpeace/ozone/ozonehome.html “Greenpeace.” November 2,1994.