SOME OF THE MAIN AIR POLLUTANTS AND THEIR HARMFUL EFFECTS
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Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas. It is produced by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Exposure to carbon monoxide can cause headache,dizziness and can even lead to coma and death.
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Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have increased due to the widespread combustion of fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide is a green house gas which can lead to an increase in the global average temperature, which, in turn, can cause the melting of polar ice caps and glaciers, resulting in a rise in sea level and submerging of coastal areas.
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Sulphur dioxide is released when coal is burned. Use of fossil fuels such as petrol, diesel, and coal also releases oxides of nitrogen. These gases react with oxygen and water vapour present in the air to produce dilute solutions of sulphuric acid and nitric acid, which fall on earth as acid rain and damage plants, aquatic life, soil, and buildings.
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Soot particles are introduced in the air due to the incomplete combustion of wood and fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum. These particles can enter our bodies when we breathe and trigger asthma attacks and cause wheezing, coughing, and respiratory irritation.
