Environmental

chemistry

Dr. SURENDRAN PARAMBADATH

(M.Sc, M.Phil, M.Tech)

Formerly: Post Doctoral Research Associate,

Nano-Information Materials Research Laboratory,
Pusan National University, Busan-South Korea
Currently: Assistant Professor
Govt. Polytechnic College, Perinthalmanna

Air Pollution
Water
Pollution

Environmental
Pollution

Soil Pollution
Voice or
Sound
Pollution
Thermal
Pollution
Radioactive
Pollution

Pollution:
It
is
defined
as
the
consequence of excessive discharge or
addition of unwanted constituents to
the air, water or land, which adversely
change the quality of environment.

Pollutant: The substances which will

cause pollution is called pollutant.

Categorization of Pollution

The subject of pollution is

broadly classified in to,
1.Air Pollution
2.Water Pollution
3.Land or soil Pollution
4.Noise pollution
5.Thermal Pollution
6.Radioactive pollution

Air Pollution
It is the excessive discharge of undesired foreign
substances into the atmospheric air.
1) Primary Pollutants: Theses are harmful chemical substances
that directly enter the air as a result of natural events and
human activities.
Carbon Monoxide, Carbon dioxide, Nitrogen oxide, Sulphur
oxide, Hydrogen sulphide, Ammonia
2) Secondary Pollutants: Theses are harmful chemicals formed
in the air due to a chemical reaction between two or more
components or primary pollutants and one or more air
components.
SO2, NO2, O3, Aldehydes, Ketones etc

Sources of air Pollutants

1) Chemical industries and
thermal power stations
2) Automobiles
3) Domestic and other sources.

Control of air pollution

A. Reduction of contaminates from the

source
1 Use appropriate materials or suitably change the raw materials
2 Select proper site for industrial units, far away from residential
area,

3 Prevent or lessen, as far as possible, the smoke emitted during

combustion of fuel by, correct method, admitting correct

quantities of air, maintaining high temperature for complete
combustion and feeding the fuel continuously.

4 Use catalytic converters to eliminate pollutants from exhaust

gases before discharging in to the atmosphere.

5 Pass gases or vapors through towers packed with coke to

remove chemicals and acid fumes, while applying a counter

current of water from the top.

6 Grow more trees to increase photosynthesis rate and for better

deposition of particulates.

B. Reduction of contaminants by modification

1 Modifications of internal combustion engines to
reduce the amount of pollutants, with better design,
suitable catalysts in the fuel, mixing and burning
exhaust gases with more air and improving the
quality of gasoline.
2 Developing substitute fuel to lower concentration of
pollutants
3 Using alternative power sources, such as electricity,
nuclear power geothermal power and solar power for
domestic and industrial purposes.

Green House Effect

The heating of the earth due to trapped radiations

is called Green House Effect or Global Warming.
Green house gases: CO2, CFC, Water vapor, Methane, Ozone,
Nitrogen Oxide etc.

Heat re-emitted
by earth and
absorbed by gases

Heat
radiated
back to
earth

mplication of Green House Effec

1 Summer will be longer and hotter. Winter will be shorter

and warmer.

2 Total amount of global rainfall will increase but some region

will receive less rainfall.

3 The number of days having intense shower and high

temperature both will increase.

4 The problem of desertification, drought and soil erosion will

become more worse.

5 Ocean will get warm up, sea level would rise flooding low
lying regions.

6 Increase in green house effect will cause cooling of the

stratosphere.

7 Tropical storms, hurricanes will be stronger and more frequent

and cause devastation

8 Tropics may become wetter, and dry subtropics drier.

Photochemical Smog
Smoke + Fog = Smog
There are two types of smog:
1) Chemical Smog: It is formed by condensation of smoke dust
particles and fog containing SO2 from polluted air.
2) Photochemical smog: It is formed by the combustion of smoke
dust particles and fog containing the secondary air pollutants
resulting from a series of photochemical reactions between
NO, O2, H2O with hydrocarbons from exhaust, under the
influence of sunlight.

Harmful effect of photochemical

Smog
It causes irritation to eyes, nose and throat, leading
to several chronic diseases of eyes.
The O3 and PAN composites are toxic and affect
the respiratory tract and result in coughing,
sneezing and bronchial constrictions.
It affects human comfort and health.
It damages vegetation, affect plant growth, and
reduce crop production. PAN attacks younger
leaves and causes bronzing and glazing of their
surfaces.
Ozone attacks rubber, cracks it and makes it aged.

Acid Rain
Acid rain means the presence of excessive
acid in rain water.
Acid rain is a mixture of the acids HNO 3 and
H 2SO 4 dissolved in water.
The oxides (SO 2 and NO 2 are highly water
soluble and under humid conditions of air
react with water vapour to form H 2SO 4 and
HNO 3.
These
acids
combine
with
HCl
generates
acid
precipitation
which
is
commonly known as acid rain.

Harmful effect of Acid Rain

1. Causes irritation to the eyes and mucus
membrane dangerous ti living organisms as it
can destroy life.
2. Causes damage of fresh water life.
3. In mist form, it causes direct damage to plant
leaves, leaf bleaching. Collapse of leaves and
narcosis.
4. Animals consuming vegetation affected by
acid rains, lose their hunger.
5. Presence of acid accelerates the rate of
corrosion of metals, causes damage to
buildings, statues, lime stone, marbles etc.

Ozone Layer
Depletion of ozone and consequences
Ozone is formed by the decomposition of atmospheric
oxygen by UV radiation from the sun.

1.This may be due to natural process. The N2O

in the stratosphere can remove excited
oxygen atoms required for formation of O3.
2.Freons, ie Chlorofluoro compounds CFCl3,
CFCl2 and CFCl etc. have certain special
properties and are used as industrial
solvents, refrigerants, fast food packing
materials, plastic foams etc. At stratosphere
theses undergo photolysis into chlorine

Consequences of Ozone depletion

1.Most important consequence is the serious

threat to mankind resulting in skin cancer,
due to exposure to suns UV rays which
freely reach the earth.
2.UV rays may damage immune system which
may lead to increased viral infection.
3.UV radiations will damage marine plants,
marine animals and fish which form an
important part of human food.
4.These may damage the lands plants and
crops.
5.Excess unused freons trap the warmth of the
sun, disturb green house effect, leading to

REMEDY

1.Control the production and

use of freons which are proved
to be harmful to ozone.
2.Replace freons by compounds
having their advantageous
properties, but with a lesser
destructive effect.

Water Pollution

Water pollution may be defined as any

change in the physical, chemical and
biological properties of water as well as
contamination
with
any
foreign
substance.

Sources of Water Pollution

1. Faulty sewage system:

2. Agriculture wastes:

3. Oil Pollution:

4. Industrial effluents:

Effect of Impurities in Water

1. Presence of disease causing bacteria result in

several water borne diseases. Typhoid fever,
cholera, viral fever, bacterial fever etc.
2. Industrial waste lead to damage of property
through corrosive attack.
3. Pollution of natural water due to organic waste,
under the influenec of bacterial action, reduce
the dissolved oxygen content in water.
4. Presence of agricultural waste such as
pesticides, weedicides,
herbicides as well
detergents and disinfectants
and other toxic
substances kill animals and micro organisms.
5. Polluted water affects soil fertility by killing soil
microorganisms.
6. Presence of heavy metals, like Hg, Cr, Pb, Cu, Zn
etc. are toxic to animals and plants and micro
organisms.

Control of Water Pollution

1.Control over unhygienic practices.

Educate peoples, Dispose waste water
properly, control usage of insecticides.
2. Industrial Waste
Dispose waste safely.
3. Heavy metal removal
Dialysis, ion exchange, reverse osmosis,
chemical precipitation, adsorption.
4. Sewage treatment
Purify properly.

Sewage Water Treatment

It aims the transfer of harmful compounds in the

sewage to harmless compounds, before its
ultimate disposal either on land or dilution in
water.
Three stages of this process are,
1. Primary or mechanical treatment
2. Secondary or biological treatment
3. Tertiary or advanced biological, physical and
chemical treatment.

1. Primary Treatment
A. Preliminary Process: It involves the
removal of large, coarse, inorganic,
suspended or floating materials. The
sewage is passed through bar
screens and mesh screens.
B. Settling Process: It removes greater
proportions of the suspended inorganic
and organic solids from the liquid
sewage.

2. Secondary Treatment
The
sewage
water
from
the
sedimentation tank is further oxidized
by
aerobic
chemical
oxidation
or
aeration.
Carbon-CO2
N-NH3 initially and finally nitrites and
nitrates.

3.Tertiary Treatment
This treatment is for further purification of
waste water as well its recycling.
The main function of this treatment is to
decrease the load of nitrogen and phosphorous
compounds in the effluents by,
1.Precipitation:
Effluent
from
secondary
treatment is mixed with lime CaO. With
phosphorus compounds the lime turns to
insoluble calcium phosphate, which settle
down at the bottom and is filtered off.
2.Nitrogen stripping: The waste water is sent
into a metal tower, in which water trickles
downwards over a series of small plastic baffle
plates.
Air is forced upwards through the
effluent and NH3 gas gets removed.
3. After removing the P, N and Organic matter,

Soil or Land
Pollution

It is the addition of certain

chemical substances in an
indefinite proportion to the
soil system as a result of
which the fertility of the
soil change.

Impact of soil pollution

1. Improper disposal of human and animal excreta.
2. Domestic and industrial waste dumped on land.
3. Chemicals like fertilizers, pesticides applied to
plants and soil.
4. Dumping of waste from mineral and coal mining
and metal smelting on land.
5. Soil erosion due to deforestation, over grazing,
unplanned irrigation and defective agriculture
practice.
6. Removal of upper fertile layer of soil.
7. Pollution from air and fall-out from smoke stacks
of chemical works.
8. Radioactive waste discharged from hospitals,
industrial and research centers.

Control of Soil Pollution

1.Unwanted waste to be dumped using
sanitary land filling
2.Industrial and sewage waste to be
properly treated before disposal on land.
3.Natural soil micro-organisms to be used
to increase crop fertility rather than
using fertilizers and insecticides.
4.Forestation.
5.People should be trained regarding the
sanitation habit.
6.Avoid negligent disposal of solid waste.
7.Ban toxic chemicals and pesticides.

Noise Pollution
It is a kind of pollution caused by unwanted noise at a
wrong time and a wrong place naturally or artificially,
which will be uncomfortable for health.

Impact of Noise Pollution

1.It affects human health, comfort and
efficiency, contract blood vessels and
increase blood pressure.
2.Cause muscles to contract, leading to
nervous break down, tension and
even insanity.
3.The most immediate and acute effect
is impact of hearing or even loss of
hearing.
4.It affect efficiency and behavior, can
cause damage to heart, brain etc.

Prevention of Noise pollution

1. Industrial Noise: Industries

should be situated far away from
cities or towns. Cover noise
producing
machineries
with
insulators.
Properly
maintain
machineries
2. Community noise control: Use
cotton plugs or ear muffles.

Thermal
Pollution

Thermal pollution may

be defined as addition
of undesirable heat to
water, that makes it
harmful to man, animal
or aquatic life.

Radioactive Pollution

Hazards of Nuclear Radiators

1.Pathological damage: Living organisms are
damaged
by
the
highly
penetrating
radioactive radiations.
2.Genetic Effects: Transmitted to future
generations producing abnormalities in the
offsprings which may be mild or deadly.
3.Nuclear radiations: It may reduce the
effectiveness of enzymes and cause
accumulation of certain dangerous elements
in certain specific organs or tissue.

GREEN CHEMISTRY
The chemistry aims the use of environmentally
friendly materials for chemical or biological
transformation.

Green Chemistry is in Action

1.Using CO2 and a detergent for

dry
cleaning
instead
of
carcinogenic tetrachloroethane
2.Using H2O2 for bleaching of
cloths in laundry instead of toxic
chlorine.
3.Using H2O2 for bleaching paper
in the place of toxic chlorine.

Keep Our Nature

Love our

Observe Our Nature More

and More

Get the Speech

Between Sky and
Land

Find the Wild Beauty

From Your Vicinity..

Get The Magic & Wonder

Creation of Nature

Find Beauty By Becoming

Enjoy the painting of god

Thanks for
Everything..
...!