CE4810

Polluted Air
Air Pollution
Control and Solid
Waste Management
Dr. S.M. Shiva Nagendra
Associate Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
Environmental and Water Resources
Clean Air Engineering Division
I.I.T. Madras
Contact:
Email: snagendra@iitm.ac.in
shivanagendra@yahoo.com
Tele: 044-22574290
Fax: 044-22574252

TAs: Ms. SMARANIKA PANDA

MR. HRISHIKESH
Ms. JYOTHI S MENON
 DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MADRAS
B.Tech./DD Programmes
August - November 2016

Course: CE4810: Air Pollution Control and Solid Waste Management

Course Faculty: Dr. SM Shiva Nagendra
Lectures: 3 / week Credits:
3
Learning Objectives: To introduce the students to the basics of air pollution engineering, principles and
technologies used in air pollution control in industries and automobiles.
To provide background and deeper knowledge in the problems and possibilities
of solid waste management from Indian perspective.
Corse Contents
Air quality: Air pollution definition, sources and classification, dynamics of air pollution dispersion, effects of air
pollutants on human, plants and materials, scales of air pollution problems, air pollution meteorology,
atmospheric stability, pollution roses diagram, ambient air quality and emission standards.
Transport of air pollutants: Advection, dispersion, diffusion. Dispersion models
Engineering control of air pollution at sources, control principles and methods used to control gaseous and
particulate pollutants and design of air pollution control equipments. Control of vehicular pollution NOx, SOx,CO,
catalytic converters and Introduction to biofilters
Noise pollution: Decibels, Acoustics, Noise control techniques
Solid waste: Sources, quantification and characterization of municipal solid wastes, collection, transport and
disposal. Treatment and disposal: Composting, chemically secured landfill, pyrolysis and gasification and
incineration. Introduction to hazardous, radioactive and biomedical wastes.

Grading:
Quiz –I = 15 %; Quiz –II = 15 %; End Semester Exam = 40 %; Class Quizzes= 20%; Tutorials = 10 %.

References:
1. Peavy,H.S., Rowe,D.R., and Tchobanoglous,G., ”Environmental Engineering”, Mcgraw Hill, New York, 1985.
2. Wark,K., and Warmer, C.F., “Air Pollution: its origin and control”, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1981.
3. Tchobanoglous, G, Theisen,H., nad Vigil, S.A. “Integrated Solid Waste Management”, Mcgraw Hill, New York.
4. de. Nevers, N.,2000. Air Pollution Control Engineering. McGraw Hill, Boston.
5. Boubel, R.W., Fox, D.L., Turner, D.B. and Stern, A.C., 1994. Fundamentals of Air Pollution, 3rd Edition, Academic
Press, New York.
 Contents
• Air pollution definition
• Sources of air pollution
• Classification of air pollutants
• Properties of air pollutants
• Effects of air pollution
• Historical perspective
• Air pollution episodes
• Scales of air pollution problems
 AIR POLLUTION
Air pollution is an increasing public health
problem in many towns and most cities of the
world. Episodes of poor air quality in cities, of
both developed and developing countries, require
local air quality management actions to protect
humans and material from the adverse effects of
air pollution
In developed countries the trends of urbanization
and associated growth of cities have started to
reverse due to severe levels of congestion. On the
other hand in the developing world city’s growth
is from ‘periphery’ to ‘core’. This has led to wide
variations in land use (commercial and
residential) and densities (population and traffic).
Consequently, the existing predictive techniques
in forecasting air quality using ‘One Model’
approach is likely to give inaccurate predictions.
AIR POLLUTION DEFINITION BASED ON SYSTEM
APPROACH

Sources of Meteorology
Air Pollution & Topography

Air Quality

Effects on
Receptors
AIR POLLUTION DEFINITIONS
 Air pollution means the presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more
contaminants such as dust, fumes, gas, mist, odour, smoke or vapour in
quantities with characteristics, and of durations such as to be injurious to
human, plant or animal life or to property or which unreasonably interfere
with the comfortable enjoyment of life and property.
Engineers Joint Council, USA

 Air pollution is the presence in ambient atmosphere of substances generally

resulting from the activity of man, in sufficient concentration present for a
sufficient time and under circumstances which interfere significantly with the
comfort, health or welfare of persons or with the full use or enjoyment of
property.
Indian Standards Institution IS-4167 (1996)

 Air pollution is the excessive concentration of forigen matter in the air which
adversely affects the well being of the individual or causes damage property.
American Medical Association
COMPOSITIONS OF DRY ATMOSPHERIC AIR

Chemical compound Concentr ation Concentr ation

(ppm)a (µg/m 3)b
Nitrogen (N2) 780,000 8.95 x 108
Oxygen (O 2) 209,400 2.74 x 108
Ar gon (Ar ) 9,300 1.52 x107
Car bon dioxide (CO 2) 315 5.67 x105

Neon (Ne) 18 1.49 x104

Helium (He) 5.2 8.50 x102
Methane (CH 4) 1.2 7.87 x102
Kr ypton (Kr ) 1.0 3.43 x103
Hydrogen (H 2) 0.5 4.13 x101
Xenon (Xe) 0.08 4.29 x102
Nitrous oxide (N2O) 0.5 9.00 x102

Ozone (O 3) 0.01-0.04 1.96 x101 –7.84 x101

a parts per million; b micrograms per cubic meter

 1 litre pollutant
1 ppm pollutant = -----------------
10 6 litre of air

(1 litre/22.4) x MW x 106 µ g/ gm
= ---------------------------------------------------
106 litre x 298oK / 273oK x 10-3 m3/litre

= 40.9 x MW µ g/ m 3

Ex: convert 9 ppm of CO to µ g/ m 3

MW of CO = 12 + 16 = 28
CO in µ g/ m 3 = (9* 40.9 * 28) = 10,306.8 µ g/ m 3
= 10.3 mg/m 3
COMPARISON OF SEVEN CITIES
Annual Average Conc.

600
Year 2005
500
Concentration (ug/m3)

400

300

200

100

0
Delhi Mumbai Chennai Kolkata Bangalore Hyderabad Ahmedabad

City

SO2 NO2 SPM RSPM

SPM Standard (Industrial) RSPM Standard (Industrial)

SPM Standard (Residential) RSPM Standard (Residential)
 COMMON TRENDS

 Economic and population  High travel costs

growth  Decreased mobility and
 Expansion of city limits accessibility for poorest
 Increasing Motorization  Traffic congestion
 Increasing car ownership  Higher levels of
and use emissions and exposure
 Lack of coordination of  Increasing episodes of
urban planning and air pollution related
transport health problems
 PERCENTAGE CONTRIBUTION OF POLLUTANTS
IN TWO METROCITIES

Industries 20 % Domestic 9 %
Domestic 10 %

Industries 20 %
Traffic 70 % Traffic 71 %

Air pollution load in Delhi city Air pollution load in Chennai city

In India, 70 % of the urban air pollutants are contributed by road transport sector
Factors triggering Vehicular
Pollution
• High vehicle density
• Predominance of Old vehicles
• Inadequate maintenance
• Predominance two wheelers
• Adulteration of fuel
• Improper traffic management
• Traffic congestion
• High population
Growth of motor vehicles in Chennai
city20.00
Growth of vehicles in Chennai city 19.84
18.00

16.00 17.44
15.21
Numbers in millions

14.00

12.00 11.27 13.16

10.00
7.98 9.56
8.00

6.00 5.16
6.52
4.07
4.00 3.18
4.61
3.61
2.00 2.77

0.00
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Ref: Statistics of Tamilnadu, years 1996 to 2009 Year

MOTOR VEHICLE GROWTH IN INDIA,
1971–2001
DEVELOPMENT OF AIR POLLUTION PROBLEMS IN CITIES
ACCORDING TO DEVELOPMENT STATUS
ESTIMATED POLLUTION LOAD IN INDIAN CITIES
 TYPES OF AIR POLLUTION

 Personal air exposure

– It refers to exposure to dust, fumes and gases to which an
individual exposes himself when he indulge himself in smoking.

 Occupational air exposure

– It represents the type of exposure of individuals to potentially
harmful concentration of aerosols, vapors, and gases in their
working environment.

 Community air exposure

– This is most serious, complex, consists of varieties of assortment
of pollution sources, meteorological factors, and wide variety of
adverse social, economical, and health effects.
SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION
SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION
SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION
Natural :
 Volcanic eruptions
 Dust storms
 Forest fires

Anthropogenic/ Man made

 Stationary sources
- Point sources (Industries,
power plants fuels
combustion)
- Area sources (Residential
heating coal gas oil, on
site incineration, open
burning etc.)
 Mobile sources
- Line sources (Highway
vehicles, railroad
locomotives, channel
vessels etc.)
Sources of air pollution in
Chennai city
Combustion sources
Transportation Industrial
Vehicles Manufacturing
Trains Processing
Ships Packing
Flights
Cooking
Heating
Power generation
Insecticides
Herbicides
Everyday radioactive fallouts
Dust from fertilizers
Construction activities
Livestock feedlots
TYPES OF AIR POLLUTANTS

 Primary air pollutants - Materials that when released

pose health risks in their unmodified forms or those emitted
directly from identifiable sources.

 Secondary air pollutants - Primary pollutants interact

with one another, sunlight, or natural gases to produce new,
harmful compounds
 CRITERIA AIR POLLUTANTS

 Based on health effects with measured air quality levels that

violate the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

 (NAAQS)
– Carbon monoxide (CO)
– Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
– Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
– Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
– Particulate matter (Suspended particulate matter-PM10, Fine-
PM2.5 , Ultra Fine-PM1 & Nano-PM0.1)
– Lead (Pb)
 PRIMARY AIR POLLUTANTS

 Five major materials released directly into the

atmosphere in unmodified forms.
– Carbon monoxide
– Sulfur dioxide
– Nitrogen oxides
– Hydrocarbons
– Particulate matter (Respirable Fraction of
Particulate Matter and Suspended Particulate
Matter)
 CARBON MONOXIDE
 Produced by burning of organic
material (coal, gas, wood, trash,
etc.)
 Automobiles biggest source (80%)
 Cigarette smoke another major
source
 Toxic because binds to hemoglobin,
reduces oxygen in blood
 Not a persistent pollutant,
combines with oxygen to form CO2
 Most communities now meet EPA
standards, but rush hour traffic can
produce high CO levels
 SULFUR DIOXIDE

 Produced by burning
sulfur containing fossil
fuels (coal, oil)
 Coal-burning power
plants major source
 Reacts in atmosphere to
produce acids
 One of the major
components of acid rain
 When inhaled, can be
very corrosive to lung
tissue
 NITROGEN OXIDES

 Produced from burning of

fossil fuels
 Contributes to acid rain,
smog
 Automobile engine main
source
 New engine technology
has helped reduce, but
many more cars
 HYDROCARBONS

 Hydrocarbons - organic compounds

with hydrogen, carbon
 From incomplete burning or
evaporated from fuel supplies
 Major source is automobiles, but
some from industry
 Contribute to smog
 Improvements in engine design
have helped reduce
 CARBON DIOXIDE

 A colorless, odorless,
incombustible gas, CO2,
formed during respiration,
combustion, and organic
decomposition and used in
food refrigeration,
carbonated beverages,
inert atmospheres, fire
extinguishers, and
aerosols.
 PARTICULATES

 Particulates - small pieces of solid

materials and liquid droplets.
 Examples: ash from fires,
asbestos from brakes and
insulation, dust
 Can accumulate in lungs and
interfere with the ability of lungs
to exchange gases.
 Some particulates are known
carcinogens
 Those working in dusty conditions
at highest risk (e.g., miners)
 RESPIRABLE FRACTION…
 Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM)
– PM1 having size <= 1μm: effects in alveoli
– PM2.5 having size <= 2.5μm: effects trachea
– PM10 having size <= 10μm: effects in nasal part only
 SECONDARY POLLUTANTS

 Ozone
 PAN (peroxy acetyl nitrate)
 Photochemical smog
 Aerosols and mists (H2SO4)
 Acid Mist (HNO3)
 OZONE

 Ozone (O3) is a highly

reactive gas composed of
three oxygen atoms.
 It is both a natural and a
man-made product.
 Tropospheric ozone –
what we breathe is
formed primarily from
photochemical reactions
between volatile organic
compounds (VOC) and
nitrogen oxides (NOX).
ACID MIST

 Air pollution produced

when acid chemicals
are incorporated into
rain, snow, fog or mist.
The "acid" in acid rain
comes from sulfur
oxides and nitrogen
oxides, products of
burning coal and other
fuels and from certain
industrial processes.
 PAN (PEROXY ACETYL NITRATE)
Peroxyacetyl nitrate is a peroxyacyl
nitrate. It is a secondary pollutant
present in photochemical smog.

PAN is a phytotoxic air pollutant

generated by the reaction of
hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides
under the action of light. This pollutant
can be a restraint of plant growth in
closed ecosystems as well as in the
field.

A lettuce leaf has been injured by the

pollutant peroxyacetyl nitrate
 PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG

In bright sunlight nitrogen oxides

hydrocarbons and oxygen interact chemically
to produce powerful oxidants like ozone (O3)
and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN).

These secondary pollutants are damaging

to plant life and lead to the formation of
photochemical smog. PAN is primarily
responsible for the eye irritation so
characteristic of this type of smog.

The figure outlines representative reactions

leading to the formation of photochemical
smog. Radicals are atoms or molecules with
unpaired electrons. They are very reactive
chemically.
ACID MIST (HNO3)
Nitric acid is formed in the atmosphere from nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from
fossil fuel combustion. It contributes about 30% to the overall acidity of
deposition.

Reaction mechanism: NO2 + OH- -> HNO3

ACID RAIN
Acid deposition is a general name for a number of phenomena, namely acid
rain, acid fog and acid mist. It can imply both wet and dry (gaseous)
precipitation. Acid deposition is a rather well known environmental problem,
example acid fog killed several thousand people in London in 1952.
AIR POLLUTION PROBLEMS- HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
 AIR POLLUTION EPISODES?

 Air pollution episodes generally, occurs

during critical periods when meteorological
parameters- temperature, pressure, mixing
height, stability of the atmosphere, wind
speed and direction remain unchanged for
longer hours of the day and prevents the
dispersion of pollutants. In such conditions,
the air pollutant concentrations are much
higher than the limits specified by air
quality standards.
TYPES EPISODES
Total death in Greater London and air pollutants levels measured
during the fog of December 1952
 BHOPAL, INDIA DECEMBER. 3, 1984

 Union Carbide pesticide plant leak kills up to 2,000 with up to

350,000 injured and 100,000 with permanent disabilities
 Methyl isocyanate (MIC)—used as an intermediary in
manufacture of Sevin (Carbaryl)
 CO + Cl = phosgene
 Phosgene + methylamine = MIC
 MIC—irritant to the lungs---edema, fluid (cause of death,
bronchospasms, corneal opacity
 Hydrogen cyanide?
 Sabotage or industrial accident?
Air Pollution Effects
URBAN AIR POLLUTION EFFECTS ON HUMAN
HEALTH
 What are air pollution effects ?
– Exposure to elevated concentrations of ambient air pollutants causes adverse effects
on human health, on materials strength and on plant growth.
– The harmful effects of air pollutants on human beings are the main reason for control
of air pollution at their sources.

 On humans:
– Total body burden
 The concept of total body burden refers to the way a air pollutant accumulates in
the human system. The components of body that can store materials are blood,
soft tissue, teeth, hair and bone.


 Ex1: Lead
 Source: motor vehicles, incinerators
 Effects: impair hemoglobin synthesis, alter the nervous system.
 Tow routes for the entry of lead into our body: inhalation and ingestion
 Ex2: Carbon monoxide
 Source: motor vehicles
 Effect: increase the percentage of COHb.
Particle deposition as a function of particle diameter in different
regions of the lung
 Acute effects
 Immediate and often reversible when exposure to the
pollutant ends.

Ex: Eye irritation, Headaches, and Nausea.

 Chronic effects
Not immediate and tend not to be reversible when
exposure to the pollutant ends.

Ex: Decreased lung capacity and Lung cancer.

Table 1: Sources, Health and Welfare Effects for Criteria Pollutants.
Pollutant Description Sources Health Effects Welfare Effects
Carbon Colorless, odorless Motor vehicle exhaust, Headaches, reduced mental Contribute to the formation
Monoxide gas indoor sources include alertness, heart attack, of smog.
(CO) kerosene or wood burning cardiovascular diseases,
stoves. impaired fetal development,
death.
Sulfur Dioxide Colorless gas that Coal-fired power plants, Eye irritation, wheezing, Contribute to the formation
(SO2) dissolves in water petroleum refineries, chest tightness, shortness of of acid rain, visibility
vapor to form acid, manufacture of sulfuric breath, lung damage. impairment, plant and water
and interact with acid and smelting of ores damage, aesthetic damage.
other gases and containing sulfur.
particles in the air.
Nitrogen Reddish brown, Motor vehicles, electric Susceptibility to respiratory Contribute to the formation
Dioxide (NO2) highly reactive gas. utilities, and other infections, irritation of the of smog, acid rain, water
industrial, commercial, lung and respiratory quality deterioration, global
and residential sources symptoms (e.g., cough, chest warming, and visibility
that burn fuels. pain, difficulty breathing). impairment.
Ozone (O3) Gaseous pollutant Vehicle exhaust and Eye and throat irritation, Plant and ecosystem damage.
when it is formed in certain other coughing, respiratory tract
the troposphere. fumes. Formed from problems, asthma, lung
other air pollutants in the damage.
presence of sunlight.
Lead (Pb) Metallic element Metal refineries, lead Anemia, high blood Affects animals and plants,
smelters, battery pressure, brain and kidney affects aquatic ecosystems.
manufacturers, iron and damage, neurological
steel producers. disorders, cancer, lowered
IQ.
Particulate Very small particles Diesel engines, power Eye irritation, asthma, Visibility impairment,
Matter (PM) of soot, dust, or plants, industries, bronchitis, lung damage, atmospheric deposition,
other matter, windblown dust, wood cancer, heavy metal aesthetic damage.
including tiny stoves. poisoning, cardiovascular
droplets of liquids. effects.
 On plants:
– Plants reacts with air pollution over a wide range of pollutant
concentrations and environmental conditions.
– The influencing factor for plants injury are species type, age,
temperature, humidity and sun light.
– Injury is observable alteration in the plant when exposed to air
pollution.
– Damage is the economic or aesthetic loss due to interference
with the intended use of plant.

Figure 3. Injury versus damage

 On materials:
(1) M etals : corrosion of the surface
Influencing factors
* moisture
* type of pollutant
* temperature

(2) Stone : soiling and deterioration of limestone, which is

widely used as a building material and for marble
statuary.

SO2 + H2O + CaCO3 CaSO4 + CaSO4 2H2O

(3) Fabrics and dyes
– major effects of air pollution on fabrics are soiling and loss of
tensile strength.
– the dyes used to color fabrics have been subjected to fading
caused by exposure to air pollutants..

(4) Rubber
– Ozone cracks rubber products under tension
 Reading Assignment -1
 Chapter 1:Effects and Sources of air Pollution
(Reference 2)
 Chapter 7:Air Quality- Definitions,
Characteristics and Perspectives (Reference 1)
THANK YOU