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Main Sources 4.2.1 the Atmosphere Consists of a Mixture of Gases That Completely Surround the Eart

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Main Sources 4.2.1 the Atmosphere Consists of a Mixture of Gases That Completely Surround the Eart 4.1 Introduction 4.1.1 The atmosphere of Earth is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention (greenhouse effect), and reducing temperature extremes between day and night. Table 4.1.1 : Average gaseous composition of dry air in the troposphere Sl. Gas Percent by Volume Parts Per Million (ppm) No. 1 2 3 4 1 Nitrogen 78.080000 780840.00 2 Oxygen 20.946000 209460.00 3 Argon 0.934000 9340.00 4 Carbon dioxide 0.039000 390.00 5 Neon 0.001818 18.18 6 Helium 0.000524 5.24 7 Methane 0.000179 1.79 8 Kryton 0.000114 1.14 9 Hydrogen 0.000055 0.55 10 Xenon 0.000009 0.09 11 Ozone Variable ~0.001- 0.3 (variable) Source : Envis centre of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune. 4.2 Atmospheric Pollution – Main Sources 4.2.1 The atmosphere consists of a mixture of gases that completely surround the earth. It extends to an altitude of 800 to 1000 kms above the earth‟s surface, but is deeper at the equator and shallow at the poles. About 99.9% of the mass occurs below 50 Km and 0.0997% between 50 and 100 km altitude. Major polluting gases/ particles are confined to the lowermost layer of atmosphere known as Troposphere that extends between 8 and 16 Kms above the earth surface. 4.2.2 The main sources of atmospheric pollution may be summarized as follows: a) The combustion of fuels to produce energy for heating and power generation both in the domestic sector as well as in the industrial sector. b) The exhaust emissions from the transport vehicles that use petrol, diesel oil, etc. c) Waste gases, dust and heat from many industrial sites including chemical manufacturers, electrical power generating stations, etc. 4.2.3 National Air Quality Monitoring Programme: Central Pollution Control Board has laid down national air quality monitoring network with the help of State Pollution Control Boards. The network is consisting of 346 stations covering 130 Cities, 26 States and 4 Union Territories. The parameters are Sulpher Dioxide, Oxides of Nitrogen and Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter. It is expected that there will be 104 observations in a year taken twice a week, 24 hourly at uniform level. 4.2.4 The primary aim of the ambient air quality standards is to provide a basis for protecting public health from adverse effects of air pollution and for eliminating or reducing to a minimum, those contaminants of air that are known or likely to be hazardous to human being, animals, vegetation and historical monuments. The national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) is available in table 4.2.1 4.2.5 The details of State level air quality monitored under National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) during 2008 in residential areas is presented in table 4.2.2. A Summary of the Observations are as follows: a. With respect to Sulpher dioxide it is observed that annual average is well within the limit in all States. There are some occasional pulses in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. b. With respect to NO2 Values, the annual average are well with in limit except in some Cases. The maximum value indicates that of Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are higher. c. In case of RSPM average value indicates that except few States such as Goa, Kerala, Mizoram, and Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu all are exceeding the limit. The maximum value indicates that except Mizoram all are high. States like Rajasthan also is high as 829 micro gram per metre cube. d. With respect to industrial area sulpher dioxide are again within the limit and so is the with Nitrogen Oxide. e. With respect to RSPM the trend shows that 13 States are exceeding the limits. The details of State level air quality monitored under National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) during 2008 in residential areas is presented in table 4.2.2. Table 4.2.1 : National ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) Sl. Pollutant Sulphur Oxides of Suspended Respirable Lead Carbon Monoxide Ammonia # No. Dioxide (SO2) Nitrogen (NO2) Particulate Particulate Matter (CO) Matter (SPM) (RPM) (size less than 10 µm) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1 Time Weighted Annual * 24 hours** Annual * 24 hours** Annual * 24 hours** Annual * 24 hours** Annual * 24 hours** 8 hours** 1 hours Annual * 24 hours** Average Average Average Average Average Average Average Average Average Average Average Average Average Average Average (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (mg/m3) (mg/m3) 2 Industrial Area 80 120 80 120 360 500 120 150 1.00 1.50 5.00 10.00 0.10 0.40 3 Residential, Rural 60 80 60 80 140 200 60 100 0.75 1.00 2.00 4.00 0.10 0.40 and Other Area 4 Sensitive Area 15 30 15 30 70 100 50 75 0.50 0.75 1.00 2.00 0.10 0.40 5 Methods of 1. Improved West & 1. Jacob & High volume Respirable AAS Method after Non- Dispresive Measurement Gaeke Method Hochheiser Modified sampling (Average particulate matter sampling using EPM infra-red (Na- arsenic) flow rate not less sampier 2000 or equivalent Spectroscopy 3 Method than 1.1 m /minute) filter paper ------- 2. Ultraviolet 2. Gas phase Fluorescence Chemiluminiscence Source : Central Pollution Control Board * : Annual Arithmatic Mean of minimum 104 measurements in a year taken twice a week 24-hourly at uniform interval. ** : 24-hourly /8 -hourly values should be met 98% of the time in a year. However 2% of time, it may exceed but not on two consecutive days. µm : Micometer µg : Microgram Note : 1. National Ambient Air Quality Standards : The level of air quality necessary with an adequate margin of safety necessary to protect the public health, vegetation and property 2. Whenever and wherever two consecutive values exceed the limits specified above for the respective category, it would be considered adequate reason to institute regular/continuous monitoring and further investigations. 3. The standards for H2s and CS2 have been notified seqerately vide GSR No. 7, dated December 22, 1998 under Rayon Industry. continuous monitoring and further investigations. Table 4.2.2 : State wise level of SO2, NO2 and RSPM in residential areas under national ambient air quality monitoring programme (NAMP) during 2008. 3 3 3 Sl Name of the State SO2 µg/m NO2 µg/m RSPM µg/m (Annual ) (Annual ) (Annual ) Max Min Avg. Max Min Avg. Max Min Avg. 1 Andhra Pradesh 74 2 8 108 7 26 425 12 85 2 Assam 21 2 6 33 5 13 450 16 89 3 Bihar 14 2 7 93 8 39 402 25 120 4 Chandigarh 2 2 2 49 5 14 217 21 89 5 Chhattisgarh 28 3 16 63 13 28 261 68 126 6 Delhi 31 2 5 138 23 55 630 18 209 7 Goa 11 2 2 30 4.5 13 197 14 57 8 Gujarat 45 4 12 40 4.5 18 293 33 83 9 Haryana 24 4 9 36 5 13 293 45 121 10 Himachal Pradesh 20 2 2 25 5 12 218 15 71 11 Jharkhand 30 11 19 66 20 38 454 31 152 12 Karnataka 49 2 10.5 66 8 27 381 28 77 13 Kerala 31 2 5 72 5 20 280 11 48 14 Madhya Pradesh 38 2 9 47 5 19 609 7 110 15 Maharashtra 90 2 16 159 5 31 579 3 101 16 Meghalaya 22 2 2 37 5 34 113 29 73 17 Mizoram 2 2 2 10 5 15 61 15 37 18 Manipur 6 2 3 38 14 19 125 34 84 19 Nagaland 5 2 2 62 7 14 133 16 72 20 Odisha 13 2 4 41 6 16 203 14 80 21 Punjab 64 5 10 158 57 30 387 62 193 22 Puducherry 10 2 4 21 5 10 182 25 45 23 Rajasthan 18 2 7 74 5 28 829 10 122 24 Tamil Nadu 80 2 12 106 5 20 302 11 58 25 Uttar Pradesh 68 4 12 64 5 30 442 50 170 26 Uttarakhand 61 21 27 31 23 28 159 73 126 27 West Bengal 70 2 9 137 5 66 514 6 101 Source : Central Pollution Control Board Note : Data available as on date 15.04.09 µg/m3 : Micrograms per metre cube 4.3 Industrial Emissions 4.3.1 Air borne emissions emitted from various industries are a cause of major concern. These emissions are of two forms, viz. solid particles (SPM) and gaseous emissions (SO2, NOx, CO, etc.). Liquid effluents, generated from certain industries, containing organic and toxic pollutants are also a cause of concern. Heavily polluting industries were identified which are included under the 17 categories of highly polluting industries for the purpose of monitoring and regulating pollution from them. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has, developed standards for regulating emissions from various industries and emission standards for all the polluting industries including thermal power stations, iron and steel plants, cement plants, fertilizer plants, oil refineries, pulp and paper, petrochemicals, sugar, distilleries and tanneries have been prescribed. The industrial units in India are largely located in the States of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.
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