ASSESSING AIR POLLUTION :

A STUDY IN BERHAMPUR CITY

INTRODUCTION
Air pollution is the modification of the natural characteristics of the atmosphere by a
chemical, particulate matter, or biological agent. The atmosphere is a complex, dynamic
natural gaseous system that is essential to support life on planet Earth. Stratospheric ozone
depletion due to air pollution has long been recognized as a threat to human health as well as
to the Earth's ecosystems.
Worldwide air pollution is responsible for large numbers of deaths

[1]

and cases of

respiratory disease.[2] While major stationary sources are often identified with air pollution,
the greatest source of emissions is actually mobile sources, mainly automobiles.[3] Gases such
as carbon dioxide, which contribute to global warming, have recently gained recognition as
pollutants by climate scientists, while they also recognize that carbon dioxide is essential for
plant life through photosynthesis.

Objectives of the Study

Analyze the complexity of environmental health issues.

Identify environmental health issues and explain how they have been addressed

at the local level.

Describe the impact of occupational exposures as they relate to environmental

health issues.

Identify invisible pollutants and explain their effects on human health.

Explain the different disposal methods used for toxic and hazardous waste.

Analyze the local, regional and national impacts of environmental health.

Describe the impacts of point and non-point source pollution in the community.

Identify and evaluate the costs and benefits of laws regulating air and water

quality and waste disposal.

Analyze the need for a healthy

environment.
Find the relationship of some chronic

diseases to an environmental pollutant.

Explain how man-made systems may

affect the environment.

The Phenomena
There are many substances in the air which may impair the health of plants and animals
(including humans), or reduce visibility. These arise both from natural processes and human
activity. Substances not naturally found in the air or at greater concentrations or in different
locations from usual are referred to as pollutants.

Pollutants can be classified as either primary or secondary. Primary pollutants are substances
directly emitted from a process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption or the carbon monoxide
gas from a motor vehicle exhaust.
Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary
pollutants react or interact. An important example of a secondary pollutant is ground level
ozone - one of the many secondary pollutants that make up photochemical smog.
Note that some pollutants may be both primary and secondary: that is, they are both emitted
directly and formed from other primary pollutants.
Major primary pollutants produced by human activity include:

Sulfur oxides (SOx) especially sulfur dioxide are emitted from burning of coal and oil.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) especially nitrogen dioxide are emitted from high temperature
combustion. Can be seen as the brown haze dome above or plume downwind of cities.

Carbon monoxide is colourless, odourless, non-irritating but very poisonous gas. It is a

product by incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, coal or wood. Vehicular
exhaust is a major source of carbon monoxide.

Carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas emitted from combustion.

Volatile organic compounds (VOC), such as hydrocarbon fuel vapors and solvents.

Particulate matter (PM), measured as smoke and dust. PM10 is the fraction of
suspended particles 10 micrometers in diameter and smaller that will enter the nasal

cavity. PM2.5 has a maximum particle size of 2.5 m and will enter the bronchies and
lungs.

Toxic metals, such as lead, cadmium and copper.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), harmful to the ozone layer emitted from products

currently banned from use.

Ammonia (NH3) emitted from agricultural processes.

Odors, such as from garbage, sewage, and industrial processes

Radioactive pollutants produced by nuclear explosions and war explosives, and natural
processes such as radon.

Secondary pollutants include:

Particulate matter formed from gaseous primary pollutants and compounds in

photochemical smog, such as nitrogen dioxide.

Ground level ozone (O3) formed from NOx and VOCs.

Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) similarly formed from NOx and VOCs.

Minor air pollutants include:

A large number of minor hazardous air pollutants. Some of these are regulated in USA
under the Clean Air Act and in Europe under the Air Framework Directive.

A variety of persistent organic pollutants, which can attach to particulate matter.

Sources of air pollution

Dust storm approaching Stratford, Texas Using a controlled burn on a field in South Georgia
in preparation for spring planting.
Sources of air pollution refer to the various
locations, activities or factors which are
responsible for the releasing of pollutants in the
atmosphere. These sources can be classified
into two major categories which are:
Anthropogenic sources (human activity) mostly related to burning different kinds of fuel

"Stationary Sources" as smoke stacks of power plants, manufacturing facilities,

municipal waste incinerators.

"Mobile Sources" as motor vehicles, aircraft etc.

Marine vessels, such as container ships or cruise ships, and related port air pollution.

Burning wood, fireplaces, stoves, furnaces and incinerators .

Oil refining, and industrial activity in general.

Chemicals, dust and controlled burn practices in agriculture and forestry management,
(see Dust Bowl).

Fumes from paint, hair spray, varnish, aerosol sprays and other solvents.

Waste deposition in landfills, which generate methane.

Military, such as nuclear weapons, toxic gases, germ warfare and rocketry.

Natural sources

Dust from natural sources, usually large areas of land with little or no vegetation.

Methane, emitted by the digestion of food by animals, for example cattle.

Radon gas from radioactive decay within the Earth's crust.

Smoke and carbon monoxide from wildfires.

Volcanic activity, which produce sulfur, chlorine, and ash particulates.

Air pollutant emission factors

Air pollutant emission factors are representative values that attempt to relate the quantity of a
pollutant released to the ambient air with an activity associated with the release of that
pollutant. These factors are usually expressed as the weight of pollutant divided by a unit
weight, volume, distance, or duration of
the activity emitting the pollutant (e.g.,
kilograms of particulate emitted per
megagram of coal burned). Such factors
facilitate estimation of emissions from
various sources of air pollution. In most cases, these factors are simply averages of all

available data of acceptable quality, and are generally assumed to be representative of longterm averages.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has published a compilation of air
pollutant emission factors for a multitude of industrial sources. [4] The United Kingdom,
Australia, Canada and other countries have published similar compilations, as has the
European Environment Agency.[5][6] [7][8] [9]

Indoor air quality (IAQ)

A lack of ventilation indoors concentrates air pollution where people often spend the majority
of their time. Radon (Rn) gas, a carcinogen, is exuded from the Earth in certain locations and
trapped inside houses. Building materials including carpeting and plywood emit formaldehyde
(H2CO) gas. Paint and solvents give off volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as they dry. Lead
paint can degenerate into dust and be inhaled. Intentional air pollution is introduced with the
use of air fresheners, incense, and other scented items. Controlled wood fires in stoves and
fireplaces can add significant amounts of smoke particulates into the air, inside and out.
Indoor pollution fatalities may be caused by using pesticides and other chemical sprays
indoors without proper ventilation.
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and fatalities are often caused by faulty vents and
chimneys, or by the burning of charcoal indoors. Chronic carbon monoxide poisoning can
result even from poorly adjusted pilot lights. Traps are built into all domestic plumbing to

keep sewer gas, hydrogen sulfide, out of interiors. Clothing emits tetrachloroethylene, or other
dry cleaning fluids, for days after dry cleaning.
Though its use has now been banned in many countries, the extensive use of asbestos in
industrial and domestic environments in the past has left a potentially very dangerous material
in many localities. Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory medical condition affecting the tissue
of the lungs. It occurs after long-term, heavy exposure to asbestos from asbestos-containing
materials in structures. Sufferers have severe dyspnea (shortness of breath) and are at an
increased risk regarding several different types of lung cancer. As clear explanations are not
always stressed in non-technical literature, care should be taken to distinguish between several
forms of relevant diseases. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), these may
defined as; asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma (generally a very rare form of cancer,
when more widespread it is almost always associated with prolonged exposure to asbestos).
Biological sources of air pollution are also found indoors, as gases and airborne particulates.
Pets produce dander, people produce dust from minute skin flakes and decomposed hair, dust
mites in bedding, carpeting and furniture produce enzymes and micron-sized fecal droppings,
inhabitants emit methane, mold forms in walls and generates mycotoxins and spores, air
conditioning systems can incubate Legionnaires' disease and mold, and houseplants, soil and
surrounding gardens can produce pollen, dust, and mold. Indoors, the lack of air circulation
allows these airborne pollutants to accumulate more than they would otherwise occur in
nature.

Health effects
The World Health Organization states that 2.4 million people die each year from causes
directly attributable to air pollution. [2] Many of these mortalities are attributable to indoor air
pollution. Worldwide more deaths per year are linked to air pollution than to automobile
accidents. Published in 2005 suggests that 310,000 Europeans die from air pollution annually.
[citation needed]

Direct causes of air pollution related deaths include aggravated asthma, bronchitis,

emphysema, lung and heart diseases, and respiratory allergies. The US EPA estimates that a
proposed set of changes in diesel engine technology (Tier 2) could result in 12,000 fewer
premature mortalities, 15,000 fewer heart attacks, 6,000 fewer emergency room visits by
children with asthma, and 8,900 fewer respiratory-related hospital admissions each year in the
United States.
The worst short term civilian pollution crisis in India was the 1984 Bhopal Disaster.[10] Leaked
industrial vapors from the Union Carbide factory, belonging to Union Carbide, Inc., U.S.A.,
killed more than 2,000 people outright and injured anywhere from 150,000 to 600,000 others,
some 6,000 of whom would later die from their injuries. The United Kingdom suffered its
worst air pollution event when the December 4th Great Smog of 1952 formed over London.
In six days more than 4,000 died, and 8,000 more died within the following months. [citation needed]
An accidental leak of anthrax spores from a biological warfare laboratory in the former USSR
in 1979 near Sverdlovsk is believed to have been the cause of hundreds of civilian deaths. The
worst single incident of air pollution to occur in the United States of America occurred in

Donora, Pennsylvania in late October, 1948, when 20 people died and over 7,000 were
injured.[11]
The health effects caused by air pollutants may range from subtle biochemical and
physiological changes to difficulty in breathing, wheezing, coughing and aggravation of
existing respiratory and cardiac conditions. These effects can result in increased medication
use, increased doctor or emergency room visits, more hospital admissions and premature
death. The human health effects of poor air quality are far reaching, but principally affect the
body's respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. Individual reactions to air pollutants
depend on the type of pollutant a person is exposed to, the degree of exposure, the individual's
health status and genetics.

Reduction efforts
There are various air pollution control technologies and urban planning strategies available to
reduce air pollution.
Efforts to reduce pollution from mobile sources includes primary regulation (many
developing countries have permissive regulations), expanding regulation to new sources (such
as cruise and transport ships, farm equipment, and small gas-powered equipment such as lawn
trimmers, chainsaws, and snowmobiles), increased fuel efficiency (such as through the use of
hybrid vehicles), conversion to cleaner fuels (such as bioethanol, biodiesel, or conversion to
electric vehicles).

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CONCLUSION
The quality of the air we breathe can have a significant impact on our quality of life.
Many communities across the nation have a serious air pollution problem. This
designation results mainly from ground-level ozone, the main component of what is
commonly referred to as smog. However, the prudent way of preventing air
pollution is within the capacity of every individual. Here are a few tips offered for
preventing air pollution
Preventing Air Pollution :
Drive Less, Drive Smart
About half of the air pollution comes from cars and trucks. Two important ways to
reduce air pollution are to drive less -- even a little less -- and to drive smart. Taking
fewer trips in your car or truck helps cut air pollution. And adopting smart driving
habits reduces your car's emissions.
Driving less doesn't mean you have to stay home. Try combining driving with
alternative modes of transportation:
1. Carpool.
2. Walk or ride a bicycle.
3. Shop by phone or mail.

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4. Ride public transit.

5. Telecommute.
Driving smart keeps pollution at a minimum. *
6. Accelerate gradually.
7. Use cruise control on the highway.
8. Obey the speed limit.
9. Combine your errands into one trip.
10. Keep your car tuned and support the smog check program.
11. Don't top off at the gas pumps.
12. Replace your car's air filter.
13. Keep your tires properly inflated.
14. What about smoking vehicles?
Contact the EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards.
* What you do when you are stuck in traffic and not "driving" can be very important as
well. Consider turning your engine off if you will be idling for long periods of time.
That's not all. When shopping for your next car...
15. Look for the most efficient, lowest polluting model--or even use either a nonpolluting car or zero emission vehicle. Visit these web sites for information that will
help you identify clean and fuel efficient vehicles in any part of the country:
Choose Air-Friendly Products

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Many products you use in your home, in the yard, or at the office are made with smogforming chemicals that escape into the air. Here are a few ways to put a lid on products
that pollute:
16. Select products that are water-based or have low amounts of volatile organic
compounds (VOCs).
17. Use water-based paints. Look for paints labeled "zero-VOC."
18. Paint with a brush, not a sprayer
19. Store solvents in air-tight containers.
20. Use a push or electric lawn mower.
21. Start your barbecue briquettes with an electric probe, or use a propane or natural
gas barbecue.
Save Energy
Saving energy helps reduce air pollution. Whenever you burn fossil fuel, you pollute
the air. Use less gasoline, natural gas, and electricity (power plants burn fossil fuels to
generate electricity):
22. Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
23. Replace energy hungry incandescent lights with fluorescent lighting.
24. Check with your utility company for energy conservation tips, like purchasing
energy saving appliances.

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25. Use a thermostat that automatically turns off the air conditioner or heater when you
don't need them.
26. Add insulation to your home.
27. Use a fan instead of air conditioning.
28. Use an EPA-approved wood burning stove or fireplace insert.
29. Heat small meals in a microwave oven.
30. Insulate your water heater.
31. Install low flow showerheads.
32. Dry your clothes on a clothesline.
Waste Not
It takes energy to make and sell the products we use. Here are ways to cut energy use,
reduce air pollution, and save money.
33. Choose recycled products.
34. Choose products with recyclable packaging.
35. Reuse paper bags.
36. Recycle paper, plastics, and metals.
37. Print and photocopy on both sides of the paper.
Watch Out For The Small Stuff
When you breathe, very small particles -- such as dust, soot, and acid droplets -- can
slip past your lung's natural defense system. These particles get stuck deep in your

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lungs and may cause problems -- more asthma attacks, bronchitis and other lung
diseases, decreased resistance to infections, and even premature death for the elderly
or sick. Here are a few things you can do to reduce particulate matter pollution and
protect yourself:
38. Don't use your wood stove or fireplace on days with unhealthy air.
39. Avoid using leaf blowers and other types of equipment that raise a lot of dust.
Use a rake or broom instead.
40. Drive slowly on unpaved roads
41. Drive less, particularly on days with unhealthy air.
42. Avoid vigorous physical activity on days with unhealthy air.
Know The Inside Story
Air pollution is a problem indoors and out. Most people spend at least 80 percent of
their lives indoors. Here are some ways you can reduce pollution in your home, office
or school:
43. Don't smoke. Send smokers outside.
44. Products such as cleaning agents, paints, and glues often contain harmful
chemicals. Use them outdoors or with plenty of ventilation indoors.
45. Use safer products, such as baking soda instead of harsher chemical cleaners.
46. Don't heat your home with a gas cooking stove.
47. Have your gas appliances and heater regularly inspected and maintained.

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48. Clean frequently to remove dust and molds.

Speak Up For Clean Air
Do what you can to reduce air pollution. It will make a difference. Use your civic
influence to improve regional and national air pollution standards:
49. Write to your local newspaper. Support action for healthy air.
50. Let your elected representative know you support action for clean air.

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CONTENTS

Topic
Introduction
Description of the Surveyed Area
Infrastructure
Health Concerns of the Area
Lead Health Effects
Potential Cotaminants
Anthropogenic and Natural Emissions
Conclusion

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