Environmental Pollution Flashcards
What are water quality parameters?
Pre-determined standards indicating maximum and minimum thresholds for dissolved and undissolved substances in water.
What are greenhouse gases?
Gases capable of absorbing IR radiation and can exist stably in the atm for long periods of time.
Greenhouse gases examples
H2O, CO2, CH4, N2O, CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs
Does H2O contribute to global warming?
No, since the amount of water vapor in the air remains unchanged.
Why are SO2, NO2, NO and CO not considered greenhouse gases?
They have a short lifespan in the atm.
Methods of releasing CO2 to the environment
Fuel combustion, burning of trees felled during deforestation
Methods of CH4 release
Cattle farming, anaerobic digestion of organic waste like garbage by microbes, paddy cultivation, during crude oil mining.
Methods of N2O release
By action of bacteria on nitrogenous compounds. LIKE DENITRIFICATION.
Methods of release of gaseous halogenated hydrocarbons
- As cooling gases in ACs and fridges
- In aerosols
- As a blowing agent to produce perforated plastics.
Causes for O3 layer depletion
CFCs and bromoflourocarbons
NO emitted by aircrafts flying close to the stratosphere
Use of bromofluorocarbons
In fumigation and fire extinguishers
Adverse effects of O3 layer depletion
- Skin cancers
- Eye cataracts ( denaturation of lens protein , making it less transparent )
- Mutations
- Bleaching of clothes.
