EOH 3101 INTRODUCTION TO AIR POLLUTION

2. EOH 3101INTRODUCTION TO AIR POLLUTION

3. WHY IS AIR IMPORTANT? • DAILY INTAKE H2O : 1-3 kg FOOD : 1-2 kg AIR : 10-25 kg

4. AIR POLLUTION AIR POLLUTION IS THE EXISTENCE OF SUBSTANCES IN THE EXTERNAL ATMOSPHERE, WHICH DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ORIGINATE FROM HUMAN ACTIVITIES, IN AMOUNTS WHICH WILLL AFFECT HUMAN HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE, OR INTERFERE WITH THE ENJOYMENT OF HIS PROPERTIES.

5. Definition of Air Pollutant • The release of contaminants into the atmosphere in the concentrations which can adversely affect humans, plants, animals and materials.

6. Definition of pollution by EQA 1974 “Pollution” means any direct or indirect alteration of the physical, thermal, chemical, biological, or radioactive properties of any part of the environment by discharging, emitting, or depositing wastes so as to affect any beneficial use adversely, to cause a condition which is hazardous or potentially hazardous to public health, safety, or welfare, or to animals, birds, wildlife, fish or aquatic life, or to plants or to cause a concentration of any condition, limitation, or restriction to which a license under this Act is subject.

7. HISTORY OF AIR POLLUTION 1273 : Coal burning mainly from homes, metallurgy and ceramics Industries was first prohibited in London. 1700-1800s : Steam engine and industrial revolution. pollution from burning of coal and oil from boiler furnaces 1900-1925 : Advent of electric motor pollution mainly from electric power plants which burn coal, oil and gas. introduction of automobiles

8. 1930, Meuse valley, Belgium: 3 days of fog containing sulfuric acid mists from coal burning; 65 Deaths 1948, Donora Pennsylvania : Similar to Meuse Valley; 20 Deaths 1952, London: 4 Days of Fog -4.5 mg/m3 Smoke -1.34 ppm SO2 ; 4000 Deaths. Common Features of Above Acute Episodes: • Increased fuel consumption (Cold Weather) atmospheric inversions; and morbidity and mortality mainly among the elderly and those with cardiac and respiratory disease.

9. The London Smog Disaster of 1952. Days of toxic darkness.

10. London1952, Source: National Archives

12. Haze over Kuala Lumpur

13. What is in the air? • The composition of "unpolluted" air is unknown to us. • Humans have lived on the planet thousands of years and influenced the composition of the air through their many activities before it was possible to measure the constituents of the air. • Air is a complex mixture made up of many chemical components. • What is the primary components of air? • About 99 percent of air is nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%). • The remaining percent includes trace quantities of substances such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), hydrogen (H2), argon (Ar) and Helium (He).

14. Almost all weather occurs within this layer. Air is warmest at the bottom of the troposphere near ground level. Higher up it gets colder

15. Sources of Air Pollutant There are two types of air pollutant sources: • Natural - such as??? • Anthropogenic / man-made – example??? • Are greater concern due to their: • Localised nature • High emission rate

16. Type of Pollutant • Classified as primary (directly produced) or secondary (formed when primary pollutants react or interact) • Primary pollutants • Oxides of sulfur, nitrogen, carbon • organic compounds (hydrocarbons like fuel vapour, solvents) • particulate matters (smoke, dust, diesel exhaust) • metal oxides (lead, cadmium, copper, iron) • chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) • persistent organic pollutants (POPs) • Secondary pollutants • formed by primary gaseous pollutants/compounds in photochemical smog ( (ground level ozone, ...)

17. General effects of air pollutant • Eye irritation • Respiratory irritation / damage – asthma • Weakened health – heart attacks – increased susceptibility to infections, e.g. influenza – stunted growth – premature death • Cancer – Carcinogen = cancer causing

18. Local Effects • City smoke (caused by oxidizing pollutants, e.g. NOx); • Dust and odour nuisances; • Toxic effects (e.g. elevated lead levels in humans); • Carcinogenic effects (several known or suspected carcinogens can be identified in the “air pollution cocktail”); and, • Other adverse health effects (e.g. eye irritation, pulmonary disease).

19. Formation of photochemical oxidants noxious mixture of air pollutants. • All of these chemicals are usually highly reactive and oxidizing. Due to this fact, photochemical smog is considered to be a problem of modern industrialization.

20. Motor vehicles are primary aggravators of air quality (DOE, 2010) • CO (98% from transport sector) • NOx (59% from transport) • Particulate Matter (31% from transport) • SO2 (7% from transport) • Hydrocarbons (major contributor) • Rapid growth in automotive fleet Source: Road Transport Department Malaysia, 2008

21. The 4 main local sources of air polutants in Malaysia..were • Vehicular emission (89%) • Power plants (9.2%) • Industrial process (1.5%) • Open burning at solid waste dumpsites (0.3%)

22. Regional and Global Effects • Acidification caused by acid rain (acidic compounds formed in the atmosphere from emitted sulphur and nitrogen oxides);

23. ACID RAIN

24. The Greenhouse Effects

25. Major air pollutants: a) suspended particulate matter (SPM) b) sulphur oxides e.g. sulphur dioxide (SO2) c) carbon monoxide (CO) d) nitrogen oxides e.g. nitrogen dioxide (NO2) e) hydrocarbons (HC) f) photochemical oxidants (Ox)

26. CO2 levels in the atmosphere have risen substantially

27. 50 CONTINUOS AIR QUALITY MONITORING (CAQM) STATIONS http://www.enviromalaysia.com.my

28. Forms of air pollutants DUST :Solid particle which are generated by mechanical processes (e.g. Windblown Dusts) SMOKE: Carbon and hydrocarbon particles which are the products of inclomplete combustion(e.g particulates from Diesel combustion) GAS : A Formless fluid which evenly fill the space in a container ( e.g: CO from Forest Fires)

29. MIST: Liquid particles which are formed from the condensation of gases or the breaking up of liquid (EG. H2SO4) mists from coal combustion) FUME : Solid particles which are formed from the condensation of vapors that are normally from the volatilization of metals, through chemical oxidation (E.g. PbO from Gasoline Combustion) VAPOR : The gas form of a substances that is normally a solid or liquid (eg. VOC from motor vehicles)

30. PARTICULATE SIZE • very wide range • 0.0002 to 5000 mm

31. SUSPENDED PARTICULATE Particulate matter is not a single pollutants, but is made up of particle of many different sizes and chemical composition, from a wide range of natural and anthropogenic sources • TOTAL SUSPENDED PARTICULATE(TSP):  50 µm • RESPIRABLE PARTICULATE (PM10):  10 µm • Fine Particulates :  2.5 µm. Mainly From Anthropogenic Sources( E.G : Combustion) • Coarse Particulate > 2.5 µm. Mainly from Natural Sources (E.G Wind blown Dusts)

32. PARTICULATE SOURCES A – Anthropogenic secondary emissions B – Anthropogenic primary emissions C – Natural secondary emissions D – Natural primary emissions

34. Abbreviations TSP total suspended particulate PM10 particles with diameters less than 10 micrometers in aerodynamic diameter PM2.5 particles with a diameter less than 2.5 micrometres in aerodynamic diameter

35. The diagram below compares the size of these particles (PM10 and PM2.5) to a strand of hair and some beach sand. They are tiny – too small for the human eye to see. The amount of exposure to pollutants is often measured in units of micrograms of substance per cubic meter of (µg/m3).

36. The PM10 fraction comprises both coarse particles (PM10-2.5) and fine particles (PM2.5), while fine particles (PM2.5) include the ultrafine particles (PM0.1). Sources: Donaldson et al., (2004)

37. Inhalable Dust • InhalableDustThe EPA describes inhalabledust as that size fraction of dust which enters the body, but is trapped in the nose, throat, and upper respiratory tract. The median aerodynamic diameter of this dust is about 10 µm.

38. Respirable Dust • Respirabledust refers to those dust particles that are small enough to penetrate the nose and upper respiratory system and deep into the lungs. Particles that penetrate deep into the respiratory system are generally beyond the body's natural clearance mechanisms of cilia and mucous and are more likely to be retained.

39. WHY PARTICULATE ARE OF CONCERN IN AIR POLLUTION • CAN PENETRATE DEEPER INTO RESPIRATORY SYSTEM THAN GASES • SYNERGISTIC EFFECT • INCREASED ATMOSPHERIC TURBIDITY & REDUCED VISIBILITY • CAN BE FORMED FROM GASEOUS REACTIONS IN ATMOSPHERE

40. Particulates Composition is Variable, and health effects are both dependent on concentration as well as chemical content. Increase Risk of Respiratory Infection and Aggravation of Bronchitis & Asthma Patients Lead Interferes in Heme Production, Neurological Disruption, and affects IQ Development in Children

41. The greatest health hazard from particles comes from the smallest ones – less than 10 microns (10 µm or 10 micrometres) across – because we easily inhale these small particles into our lungs. Sources TSP comes from sources like dusty roads, soil tiling, quarries and fuel combustion. Natural sources of particles include sea salt, dust, pollens and volcanic activity PM10 and PM2.5 come from sources such as burning coal, oil, wood and light fuel oil in domestic fires, transportation and industrial processes. PM2.5 is also formed through chemical reactions in the atmosphere.

42. There are 2 types of particulate matter • Primary particle-these particle are emitted directly from air pollution sources such as power plants, factories, automobile exhaust, construction sites, unpaved roads wood burning. • Secondary Particles-formed in the atmosphere indirectly when gases from burning fuels react with sunlight and water vapor and are chemically transformed into particle

43. Deposition site of particle in lung

45. Particulate Matter • Larger particles are generally filtered in the nose and throat and do not cause problems, but particulate matter smaller than about 10 micrometres, referred to as PM10, can settle in the bronchi and lungs and cause health problems

46. Fine Particle PM2.5 • Particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres, PM2.5, tend to penetrate into the gas-exchange regions of the lung, and very small particles (< 100 nanometers) may pass through the lungs to affect other organs. • PM2.5 leads to high plaque deposits in arteries, causing vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis a hardening of the arteries that reduces elasticity, which can lead to heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems. • Researchers suggest that even short-term exposure at elevated concentrations could significantly contribute to heart disease

47. FRepresentation of the hypothetical events after exposure to ultrafine particles (right) compared with fine particles (left) (Donaldson et al., 2001).

48. Particulate Matter • - Particulate matteror PM is the term for particles found in the air including dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets.  • These small particles can be suspended in the air for long periods of time. • Minutes-Hours (Coarse particle) • Days-Week (Fine particle) • Travel Distance- <1-10s of kilometres (Coarse particle) • -100s to1000s kilometres (Fine particles)

49. SPECIFIC AIR POLLUTANTS AND ASSOCIATED HEALTH EFFECTS Health Effects Types of Pollutants -Increased respiratory disease risk (55g/m3) -Increased respiratory disease system 90 g/m3) Aggravation of Bronchitis 350g/m3) PM10 Source : (Stern et al., 1984)

50. Table 2 : RECOMMENDED MALAYSIAN AMBIENT AIR QUALITY GUIDELINES (AT 25o C / 298o K and 101.13 kPa/760 mmHg) POLLUTANT AVERAGING TIME MALAYSIAN GUIDELINES ppm (µg/m3) 1 Hours 8 Hours 0.10 0.06 200 120 Ozone 35 10 30 9 Carbon monoxide 1 Hours 8 Hours 0.17 0.06 320 113 1 Hours 24 Hours 1 Hours 24 Hours Nitrogen Dioxide 0.13 0.04 350 105 Sulfur Dioxide 150 50 24 Hours 1 Year Respirable Particulate