Environmental Chemistry – Notes

Air Pollution: Gaseous Pollutants
Pollution is the harmful effect on the environment that can prove fatal to all living organisms.
Pollutants can be solid, liquid or gaseous, and originate from human actions and natural sources.
Air pollution takes place in two different layers of the earth’s atmosphere – the troposphere and the stratosphere.
The major pollutants of the troposphere are harmful gaseous oxides and oxidants, and particulate pollutants such as dust, mist and smoke.
An increase in the level of the oxides of sulphur and nitrogen makes the pH value of rain water drop below 5.6, causing acid rain.
An increase in the level of carbon dioxide leads to an increase in the average global temperature, and this is known as global warming.