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Negative effects of ozone depletion
Ozone depletion
Effects of ozone depletion essay
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Ozone in the Atmosphere
Kaitlyn Osipczuk
Keiser University Ozone in the Atmosphere Ozone is a gas in our atmosphere that is naturally present. Ozone has the chemical formula of O3 because an ozone molecule is triatomic, meaning that the molecule contains three oxygen atoms. The oxygen that organisms use to breathe is made up of two oxygen atoms, commonly called diatomic and represented by O2. As a single atom, oxygen is very unstable since it is a highly reactive, nonmetal element. According to Weingroff (n.d.), this is why oxygen is almost always found in its diatomic form, where it is a lot more stable. Since ozone can be found in different locations of the atmosphere, it depends on its location if ozone is considered to be harmful for
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Some of these effects include coughing, chest pain, irritation of the respiratory system, reduced lung function, aggravated asthma symptoms, and inflammation of the lining of the lungs. For example, if the respiratory system was irritated due to ozone, one might feel that it is more difficult for them to breathe as deeply and as vigorously as they normally are used to. Additionally, scientists have compared the damage of lung lining similar to that of the damage that sunburn has on skin; by damaging the cells. Since these effects typically resolve themselves once the affected person is no longer exposed to higher levels of ozone, most of these effects are known to be short-term. However, some concern arises when these short-term damages are repeated, as this may result in permanent damage to the lungs (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2014). For instance, if children are already experiencing issues due to repeated ozone exposure, this can lead to reduced lung function in their adulthood. Also, ozone may accelerate the natural decline in lung functionality that comes with aging. The United States government saw these effects and passed an act to help resolve this …show more content…
The United States Environmental Protection Agency set protective, health-based standards for ozone in the air. Throughout the United States, many programs have been initiated and aimed at reducing NOx and VOC emissions from motor vehicles and industrial and electrical facilities. Some programs have set goals to reduce pollution by encouraging communities to use cleaner alternatives such as carpooling to reduce dangerous pollutants (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2014). While this has helped reduce “bad” ozone in the troposphere, there were still depletions in the stratospheric “good” ozone layer. Various combinations of chemical elements such as carbon, chlorine, fluorine, bromine, and hydrogen are typically characterized as halocarbons. As reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “the compounds that contain only chlorine, fluorine, and carbon are called chlorofluorocarbons, usually abbreviated as CFCs,” (2008). CFCs, carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform are ozone-depleting gases that have been produced by humans. These gases are commonly used in everyday life. For example, CFCs are found in air conditioning, foam blowing such as fire extinguishers, refrigeration, coolants, and in the cleaning of electronics components. Once these particles are released into the air, these substances degrade extremely slowly; some surviving for years as they reach
Residents living closest to manufacturing plants and factories reap the most adverse health affect, however, hazardous air pollutants effect the ozone layer which effects everyone.
When we think of air pollution we think of the refineries in our cities and the exhaust coming from our cars mostly. In reality there are many more pollutants that we don't think about every day. The six most common air pollutants are; “Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen oxides, Sulphur oxides, Particulate matter, Volatile organic compounds, and Ground-level ozone (nitrogen oxide and Volatile organic compounds reaction)”(David Suzuki Foundation). The fact is people are dying from air pollution and we are doing nothing to make it better, in fact air pollution is getting worse.
People who work or exercise outside for a lengthy period are also vulnerable. Exposure to air pollution increases sensitivity to allergens, impairs lungs, causes asthma attacks and death (Climate change, 2007). Air pollution can cause short-term respiratory symptoms such as coughing, throat irritation, and shortness of breath (California’s drought, 2015). The most harmful pollutants in the air are ozone, fine particles, and air toxics. Since the drought causes warmer weather, levels of ozone or smog increase in the air. Ozone is the principal component of smog and it is dangerous on ground level, which affects human health, crops, and buildings. Ozone smog is formed when vehicle and factory pollution react with sunlight and heat (Climate change, 2007). The lack of storms due to the drought eliminates the natural cleansing effect of precipitation. The low levels of precipitation trap fine particles on ground level. Fine particles in the air are harmful when inhaled and can heighten respiratory illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis. Air toxics are the chemicals in the air that can cause cancer or serious health problems. Mercury, asbestos, and benzene are dangerous air toxics and diesel exhaust particulate is the number one airborne carcinogen in California (California’s drought, 2015). Allergens in the air also affect pollution as
Oil is a non- renewable fuel because it takes a very long time to form
Hairspray. Refrigerators. Air conditioners. These everyday luxuries, while making human life more comfortable, are taxing our health seriously. Clorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, are anthropogenic chemicals used in refrigerants and as propellants in aerosols. CFCs, also known as freons, are also the primary culprit behind the depletion of stratospheric ozone, which allows harmful ultraviolet rays to reach the Earth and its inhabitants.
Pollution is a massive problem, due to burning excessive amounts of fossil fuels and produces global warming. The rising in temperature of earth has resulted huge melting of polar ice caps, flooding of low-lying areas, and also rise in sea levels. If these conditions conquer the surface of earth it will face radical changes. Hence, the ozone holes are also being created trough this process, that creates a harmful UV rays that enters the earth surface. Apparently it affect human life trough causing diseases like cancer. Melanin that present in the skin reacts trough these high wave radiations. Skin cancer is one of the major forms of disease that known to be caused due to these reactions of the pigment present in the skin and infra-red rays. Besides that, when burnt sulphur, dioxide gas will also be produced. This factor forms acid rain. Acid rain could leads to destructions of most of monuments that were made up of brickwork or marbles. Even a lot of crops are affected due to the acidification of loams.
Air Pollution has had a very damaging effect on our nation most visited National Park, The Great Smokey Mountains. Two areas is has effected dramatically are visibility and vegetation. According to Nps, over the past 50 years “visibility in the southern Appalachians has decreased 40% in winter and 80% in summer.”(1) On an average day once can see up to 25 miles, however, this is quite bad considering normal conditions allow visibility up to 95 miles. When air pollution is at its worst, and the airborne sulfate particles from the burning of fossil fuels are at its peak, visibly can shirk as much as 1 mile. Vegetation on the other hand has also been the victim of air pollution. These ozone pollutants, taking a ride from the prevailing winds, are threatening multiple species of plants and trees. “Thirty species of plants showed leaf damage after being exposed to controlled ozone levels identical to those that occur in the park.” (1). Along with plants, these toxins can affect human health as well.” Not only does this unsightly pollution continue to reduce visibility at national parks, it also poses serious health problems to communities around the country, including asthma, bronchitis, and other serious respiratory ailments.”(2).
The depletion of the ozone layer has been a trending topic after it was first discovered in 1970. The ozone layer is a portion of the earth’s stratosphere which absorbs most of the sun’s UV rays hence preventing cancer and other fatal illness to the skin. It contains high concentrations of O3 and at a constant rate is being broken down and. Since 1970, it has been discovered that about 4% of the ozone layer wears off every decade and is as a result of day-to-day human activity.
Ozone can cause part of your lungs to close off and make it harder to breathe.
The basic set of reactions that involve this process are: Cl + O3 -->ClO + O2 and ClO + O -->Cl + O2 The net result: O3 + O -->2O2 Chlorine is initially removed in the first equation by the reaction with ozone to form chlorine monoxide. Then it is regenerated through the reaction with monatomic oxygen in the second equation. The net result of the two reactions is the depletion of ozone and atomic oxygen.6 Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, and methyl bromide are a few of the ozone depletion substances (ODS) that break down ozone under intense ultraviolet light.
Contamination of Water and Air. Urbanization enhances the proliferation of industries, automobiles, and agricultural practices. Most toxic air contaminants are produced as we endeavor to fuel our homes, automobiles, factories, energy production facilities, and might also be discovered in indoor cleansing mixtures, and construction supplies. Furthermore, pollutants found in gasoline, dry cleaning services, and paint thinners and strippers; some concentrations are presumed to cause cancers, or elevate other serious health risks. As a consequence these noxious air contaminants can be deposited in soils and water sources allowing them to be taken in by plants or swallowed by animals....
In conclusion, air pollution affects the immune system, making it weak and vulnerable to certain bacteria, illnesses, viruses and foreign invaders. Common diseases that are affected the most include asthma and allergies. Air pollution in general has been seen to modify the immune system's handling of particular allergens. The exposure to toxins like dioxin can cause serious health problems for people. Having long-term exposure to this toxin is connected to weakening of the immune system, as well as the nervous system, endocrine system and certain reproductive functions. Hence, everyone has a particular level and exposure of dioxins in the body. Improving air quality is the key answer to avoiding any type of development of disease, but it is a long term goal that will require the help and commitment at the national and global level.
they create many breathing and heart conditions like cancer and other threats in the body, that is why children who are exposed through air pollutants are most likely to have pneumonia and asthma.
Factories and transportation depend on huge amounts of fuel--billions of tons of coal and oil are consumed around the world every year. When these fuels burn they introduce smoke and other, less visible, by-products into the atmosphere.
...rbon dioxide, hazardous chemicals, and other pollutants, which can put a hole in the ozone. Also, the usage of some mineral resources can also pollute the air; burning any kind of fuel fossils releases dangerous elements into the air, such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. All of these kinds of pollution which are caused by the increase of technology, can lead to global environmental problems.