What are the 10 causes of air pollution in environmental chemistry?

Air pollution arises due to presence of different gaseous substance such as, NO, NO2, SO2, CO2, H2S, NH3, CH4, chlorine, dust particle, smoke, hydrocarbons etc in the air.

There are different causes of air pollution. The entire causes of air pollution are divided into two categories. These two causes of air pollution are,

• Natural causes of air pollution and
• Man-made causes of air pollution

There are main 10 causes of air pollution that occur due natural and man-made causes are discussed below.

• The gaseous substances SO2, H2S, CO etc emit due to volcanic eruption and enter into the atmosphere that cause of air pollution.
• The various gaseous substances those are produced by the decomposition of the organism are entered into the air and cause air pollution.
• A huge extent of dust particle from forest fire and dust storm enter the atmosphere that causes of air pollution.
• Besides, virus, bacteria, yeast, flower pollen etc enter the atmosphere and pollute air.
• Combustion fuel, the reaction of atmospheric N2 and O2 naturally also produce NO2 gas at the time of lightning.

Besides these, a little amount of NO2 enters the atmosphere that formed by the dissociation of nitrogenous compounds of soil by soil bacteria.

• Various hydrocarbons from the combustion of fuels, refineries, anaerobic bacterial decay of organic matter, natural gas, etc. enter the atmosphere that causes of air pollution.
• Combustion of fossil fuels containing carbon, nitrogen and sulfur, large amounts of NO2, CO2 and SO2 gas enter into the air that cause of pollution.
• Besides, huge amount of CO2 from thermal power station, oil refineries, in the lifting of mineral oil, in the metal extraction industry and from the complete combustion of agricultural waste enter the atmosphere.
• A large amount of SO2 and SO3 gas from oil refineries, sulfuric acid production industry and also from various types of steel production industry enter into the air and pollutes it.
• Chemical fertilizer preparation and use, combustion of biomass, preparation of HNO3, preparations of various types of steel, at the time of atomic explosion etc process produces huge amount of NO2 and NO gas.

• Motor vehicle, factory etc emit large extent of SO2, NO2, CO2 etc gas and they enter into the air.
• Industrial units producing paper, plastics, chlorinated hydrocarbons, dyes, chloro chemical etc. that causes of air pollution.
• The other important causes of air pollution are particular matter. Particulate matter is also known as suspended particulate matter as they are micro solids or liquids that are suspended in the atmosphere

Particulate matter is the sum of all solid and liquid particles suspended in air such as, dust, pollen, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets.

Depending on their size, there are two types of particular matters are known. Particulates matter with diameter 2.5 micrometers and particulates matter with diameter from 2.5 micrometers to 10 micrometers.

The smaller the particles, the deeper they can enter the respiratory system and they are more dangerous to breathe. Particulate matter is a problem in winter.

• Industrial units manufacturing refrigerants, fire fighting agents, their uses as solvents produces chloro fluorocarbons that are also causes of air pollution.
• Application of pesticides and their volatilization from soil, water, treated surfaces and industrial units producing pesticides that causes of air pollution.
• Volcanic eruption, fly ash, smelting andmining operations, smoke from incomplete combustion, dust and grinders that causes of air pollution.