global environmental problem.doc

8/17/2019 GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM.doc

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GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM

Elective submitted to

University of Rajasthan, Jaip r

For Partial Fulfllment and Award o

the Degree o M.Sc. Biotechnology

(2011 12!

Submitted by

Sangeeta yadav

Under the Supervision of

MS. Madhuri Sharma

Assistant. Professor

Department of Biotechnology

Biyani Girls College, Jaipur


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M.Sc. Final

Department of Biotechnology

Biyani Girls College, Jaipur

"ertifcate

# hi$ i$ to certi y that M$. Sangeeta %ada& a $tudent o Biyani'irl$ "ollege )ai*ur ha$ carried out re*ort$ o +lecti&e wor,

entitled “GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT PROBLEMS” under my$u*er&i$ion.

She ha$ $u-mitted the +lecti&e re*ort$ or *artial ulfllment o degree o M.Sc Biotechnology.

#o the -e$t o my ,nowledge thi$ i$ an original *iece o wor,.

Ms! Ma"h ri #har$a

Assistant Professor

De*artment o Biotechnology

Biyani 'irl$ "ollege )ai*ur


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Date M$. MadhuriSharma

(Signature!

A%&no'(e")e$ent

#hi$ *iece o wor, will ne&er -e accom*li$hed without our 'od

Almighty with hi$ -le$$ing$ and /i$ *ower that wor, within me and

al$o without the *eo*le -ehind my li e or in$*iring guiding and

accom*anying me through thic, and thin.

am dee*ly grate ul and owe my mo$t $incere gratitude to $s

Ma"h ri or her a-le guidance detailed and con$tructi&e comment$

and u$e ul $ugge$tion$ and $u**ort to me throughout thi$ wor,. /i$

wide ,nowledge and her logical way o thin,ing ha&e -een o great

&alue or me. /i$ under$tanding encouraging and *er$onal guidanceha&e *ro&ided a good -a$i$ or the *re$ent wor,.

cannot end without than,ing my amily on who$e con$tant

encouragement and lo&e ha&e relied through*ut my time at the

in$titute. am grate ul to my *arent$ or their $ilent $u**ort

o**ortunitie$ they *ro&ided me and -le$$ing$ which encouraged me

during the wor,.

am al$o than, ul to tho$e *eo*le who ha&e rendered me with direct

or indirect hel* in com*leting thi$ *ro ect.

*san)eeta ya"av+


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Index

1. Introduction

2. Global environmental issues

• Green house effect

•

Climate change

3. Global arming

!. "#one depletion

$. %cid rain

&. Case study on impact of climate change

'. (uture health impacts of global change

). Biotechnological approach for managment

*. +ummary

-. (uture prospects

. Bibliography


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INTRODUCTION

eavy consumption of natural resources and economic gro th is responsible for global

environmental problems. /nvironmental pollution is one of the most serious problems facing

humanity and all other living things today. +ome air pollutants have reduced the capacity of the atmosphere to filter out the sun harmful ultraviolet radiation. % variety of environmental

problems affecting entire orld are global arming, acid rain, and the destruction of o#one

layer. 0he global environmental problem is a gro ing concern, and needs to be attended to

immediately. +preading a areness of environmental problems and responding to them

ithout delay is absolutely necessary to deal ith the global problem effectively.

% po erful and comple1 eb of interactions is contributing to unprecedented global trends inenvironmental degradation. 0hese forces include rapid globali#ation and urbani#ation,

pervasive poverty, unsustainable consumption patterns and population gro th. "ften serving

to compound the effects and intensity of the environmental problems described in the

previous section, global environmental challenges re uire concerted responses on the part of

the international community. Global climate change, the depletion of the o#one layer,

desertification, deforestation, the loss of the planet s biological diversity and the

transboundary movements of ha#ardous astes and chemicals are all environmental problems

that touch every nation and adversely affect the lives and health of their populations. %s ith

other environment4related challenges, children are disproportionately vulnerable to and suffer

most from the effects of these global trends.

5oreover, all of these global environmental trends have longterm effects on people and

societies and are either difficult or impossible to reverse over the period of one generation.

/nvironmental issues are negative aspects of human activity on the biophysical environment.

/nvironmentalism, a social and environmental movement that started in the *&-s, addresses

environmental issues through advocacy, education and activism.

% variety of environmental problems no affect our entire orld. %s globali#ation continues

and the earth6s natural processes transform local problems into international issues, fe

societies are being left untouched by ma7or environmental problems.


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Interrelationship of glo al environment issues

!"O#$" %N&IRONM%NT$" ISSU%S

8 Green house effect

8 Global 9arming

8 "#one :ayer Depletion

8 %cid ;ain

8 Deforestation

8 :oss of Biodiversity

8 9ater


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and is re4radiated in all directions. 0he Greenhouse /ffect is a natural process that arms the

/arth, and, in fact, is uite necessary for our survival.

• 9ater vapour 3&>'-?

• carbon dio1ide *>2&?

• methane !>*?

• o#one 3>'?

• nitrous o1ide $?

•

chlorofluorocarbons $?

!lo al (arming

8 Greenhouse gases help to maintain the earth s temperature at a level suitable to

support life

8 uman activities are increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,

hich cause more heat to be trapped8


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Increased ris=s of s=in cancer and eye diseases

Damage to agricultural crops

Disruption to marine food chains

$'id Rain

8 0he burning of fossil fuels leads to atmospheric emissions of " 1 and +" 2

8 0hese gases react ith ater and o1ygen to ma=e sulfuric and nitric acids. +unlight

increases the rate of these reactions

8 ;ain, sno and fog can be polluted ith these acidic compounds, hich is then

deposited at the earth s surface

8 0he deposition of acids can@Damage forests and soils

Causes acidification of la=es and other ater bodies

Disturb ildlife

Cause the decay of building and other structures

Impact on human health

Deforestation*

8 0he deforestation of tropical rainforests is a ma7or global problem4each year millions

of hectares are lost

8 Deforestation rates in some countries continue to increase despite orld ide

pressures

8 ;ainforests are destroyed for ood products, and to ma=e ay for agricultural

activities, mining and dams

8 0he impacts of deforestation include@:oss of livelihood for local inhabitants

Aariable environmental conditions susceptability to flood, aggravated droughts,

soil erosion etc

:oss of biodiversity and disturbance to ecosystems

:oss of carbon sin=

"oss of #iodiversity*8 Biodiversity has three =ey components@


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Genetic diversity

+pecies diversity

/cological diversity

8 %ppro1imately 2. million species are =no n to e1ist, but up to $- million still to be

discovered

8 Biodiversity is important for food, drugs, maintaining ecological stability, aesthetic

and cultural benefits

8 atural causes and human activity can threaten biodiversity

8 0he loss of biodiversity means ecosystems are destabilised, vital resources are lost

and genetic variation is reduced.

(ater +ollution

8 % change in ater uality that impacts on living organisms

8 0ypes and effects of ater pollution include@

Infectious agents, such as typhoid, cholera

utrients and eutrophication

0o1ic materials, through mining

"rganic chemicals

+ediments can disrupt a uatic ecosystems

(aste Disposal*

8 9aste disposal methods include@

"pen dumping and landfill

"cean dumping

/1porting aste

9aste to energy plants

8 5inimi#ing the aste stream@

3; s@ reduce, reuse, recycle

Composting

9aste to energy


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!R%%N ,OUS% %--%CT

INTRODUCTION

0he greenhouse effect refers to circumstances here the short avelengths of visible light

from the sun pass through a transparent medium and are absorbed, but the longer

avelengths of the infrared re4radiation from the heated ob7ects are unable to pass through

that medium. 0he trapping of the long avelength radiation leads to more heating and a

higher resultant temperature. Besides the heating of an automobile by sunlight through the

indshield and the namesa=e e1ample of heating the greenhouse by sunlight passing through

sealed, transparent indo s, the greenhouse effect has been idely used to describe the

trapping of e1cess heat by the rising concentration of carbon dio1ide in the atmosphere. 0he

carbon dio1ide strongly absorbs infrared and does not allo as much of it to escape into

space.

0here are t o meanings of the term H greenhouse effe't H.

0here is a HnaturalH greenhouse effect that =eeps the /arth6s climate arm and habitable.

0here is also the Hman4madeH greenhouse effect, hich is the enhancement of /arth6s natural

greenhouse effect by the addition of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels

mainly petroleum, coal, and natural gas .0he term greenhouse is used in con7unction ith the phenomenon =no n as the greenhouse

effect .

• /nergy from the sun drives the earth s eather and climate, and heats the earth s

surface

• In turn, the earth radiates energy bac= into space

• +ome atmospheric gases ater vapor, carbon dio1ide, and other gases trap some of

the outgoing energy, retaining heat some hat li=e the glass panels of a greenhouse• 0hese gases are therefore =no n as greenhouse gases

• 0he greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature on /arth as certain gases in the

atmosphere trap energy.


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+i1 main greenhouse gases are carbon dio1ide C" 2 , methane C ! hich is 2- times as

potent a greenhouse gas as carbon dio1ide and nitrous o1ide 2" , plus three fluorinated

industrial gases@ hydrofluorocarbons (Cs , perfluorocarbons


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the atmosphere. 0his absorbed energy helps to arm the planet s surface and atmosphere 7ust

li=e a greenhouse.

!R%%N ,OUS% !$S%S

0hose gas molecules in the /arth6s atmosphere ith three or more atoms are called

Hgreenhouse gasesH because they can capture outgoing infrared energy from the /arth,

thereby arming the planet. 0he greenhouse gases include ater vapor ith three atoms

2" , o#one " 3 , carbon dio1ide C" 2 , and methane C ! . %lso, trace uantities of chloro4

fluoro4carbons C(C6s can have a disproportionately large effect.

0here are t o common meanings of the term Hgreenhouse effectH. 0here is a HnaturalH

greenhouse effect that =eeps the /arth6s climate arm and habitable. 0here is also the Hman4

madeH greenhouse effect, hich is the enhancement of /arth6s natural greenhouse effect by

the addition of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels mainly petroleum, coal, and

natural gas .

In order to understand ho the greenhouse effect operates, e need to first

understand Hinfrared radiationH. Greenhouse gases reduce the rate at hich the /arth6s surface

loses infrared radiation to outer space. Because one ay to increase the temperature of

anything is to reduce its rate of energy loss to its surroundings, this ma=es the /arth6s surface

and lo er atmosphere armer than they ould other ise be.


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Fou can thin= of greenhouse gases as sort of a Hblan=etH for infrared radiation 44 they =eep

the /arth6s surface and lo er layers of the atmosphere armer, and the upper layers colder,

than if the greenhouse gases ere not there.

%bout )-4*-? of the /arth6s natural greenhouse effect is due to ater vapor and clouds. 5ost

of the rest is due to carbon dio1ide, methane, and a fe other minor gases. 9hile the

remaining gases in the atmosphere e.g. nitrogen, o1ygen also absorb and emit a small

amount of infrared radiation, their radiative effect on temperature is so ea= that they can be

neglected. 9hile methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dio1ide, there is

far less of it in the atmosphere.

It is the carbon dio1ide concentration that is increasing, due to the burning of fossil fuels as

ell as from some rainforest burning . Compared to a pre4industrial atmospheric

concentration of around 2'- parts per million ppm , the average concentration has increased

to close to !-- ppm in 2- 2. 0his causes the man4made portion of the greenhouse effect, and

it is believed by many scientists to be responsible for the global arming of the last $- years

or more.

%lso, the concentration of methane, although e1tremely small measured in parts per billion ,

has also increased in recent decades contributing some hat to the strengthening of the

greenhouse effect. 0he reasons for this increase, though, remain uncertain.:ife on earth

depends on energy from the sun. %bout 3- percent of the sunlight that beams to ard /arth is

deflected by the outer atmosphere and scattered bac= into space. 0he rest reaches the planet6s

surface and is reflected up ard again as a type of slo 4moving energy called infrared

radiation.

0he heat caused by infrared radiation is absorbed by Hgreenhouse gasesH

%lthough greenhouse gases ma=e up only about percent of the /arth6s atmosphere, they

regulate our climate by trapping heat and holding it in a =ind of arm4air blan=et that

surrounds the planet.

By their percentage contribution to the greenhouse effect on /arth the four ma7or gases are

•

9ater vapour 3&>'-?


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• carbon dio1ide *>2&?

• methane !>*?

• o#one 3>'?

• nitrous o1ide $?

• chlorofluorocarbons $?

Car on Dioxide /CO 01

+ource@ (ossil fuel burning, deforestation

%nthropogenic increase@ 234

%verage atmospheric residence time@ 533 years

Methane /C, 61

+ource@ ;ice cultivation, cattle sheep ranching, decay from landfills, mining


%verage atmospheric residence time@ 8973 years

Nitrous oxide /N 0O1

+ource@ Industry and agriculture fertili#ers


%verage atmospheric residence time@ 76397:3 years


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C"IM$T% C,$N!%*

Climate change is a problem that is affecting people and the environment. Greater energy

efficiency and ne technologies hold promise for reducing greenhouse gases and solving this

global challenge.

Climate change refers to the variation at a global or regional level over time. It describes the

variability or average state of the atmosphere or average eather over time scales ranging


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from decades to millions of years. 0hese variations may come from processes internal to the

/arth, be driven by e1ternal forces e.g. variations in sunlight intensity or, most recently, be

caused by human activities.

Just as eather patterns change from day to day, the climate changes too. 0his occurs

naturally, driven by internal and e1ternal factors. o ever not all changes are due to natural

processes, as e humans have also e1erted our influence, hich is called anthropogenic

climate change .

Climatic changes over recent decades have already affected some health outcomes. 0he

9orld ealth "rganisation estimated, in its H9orld ealth ;eport 2--2H, that climate change

as estimated to be responsible in 2--- for appro1imately 2.!? of orld ide diarrhoea, and

&? of malaria in some middle4income countries. /pidemics of eather and climate4sensitive

infectious diseases such as malaria and meningitis ill have a devastating effect on human

health and socio4economic development and severely overburden health systems in many

parts of the orld.

Impa'ts on environment

• I'e and sno;

Changes in ice covered areas

5elting of parmafrost

• O'ean and 'oasts

Chances in inds and currents

9orse tropical storms

Damaged coastal eco system

• The ,ydrologi'al System

Changes in precipitation and soil moisture

• %'osystem and vegetation

Changes in vegetation #ones and species mi1

;eduction in biodiversity

Impa'ts on so'iety

• (ater resour'es

9inter floods and summer droughts


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• -ood and agri'ulture

Changes to gro ing seasons, yields, pest distribution and cultivable lend forestry and

fisheries

•

Coastal d;ellersCoastal flooding

0he need for coastal defences

Damage to tourism

• %'onomi' a'tivity

Changes in energy re uirements

/ffects on transport and industry

• ,uman settlements and health/ffects on infrastructure

Increase in environmental refugees

Changes in disease pattern


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M%C,$NISM O- !R%%N ,OUS% %--%CT

0he /arth receives energy from the +un in the form A, visible, and near I; radiation, most

of hich passes through the atmosphere ithout being absorbed. "f the total amount of energy available at the top of the atmosphere 0"% , about $-? is absorbed at the /arth6s

surface. Because it is arm, the surface radiates far I; thermal radiation that consists of

avelengths that are predominantly much longer than the avelengths that ere absorbed.

5ost of this thermal radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere and re4radiated both up ards

and do n ards that radiated do n ards is absorbed by the /arth6s surface. 0his trapping of

long4 avelength thermal radiation leads to a higher e uilibrium temperature than if the

atmosphere ere absent.0his highly simplified picture of the basic mechanism needs to be ualified in a number of

ays, none of hich affect the fundamental process.

0he incoming radiation from the +un is mostly in the form of visible light and nearby

avelengths, largely in the range -.2>! Km, corresponding to the +un6s radiative

temperature of &,--- L. %lmost half the radiation is in the form of HvisibleH light, hich

our eyes are adapted to use.

%bout $-? of the +un6s energy is absorbed at the /arth6s surface and the rest is

reflected or absorbed by the atmosphere. 0he reflection of light bac= into spaceMlargely

by cloudsMdoes not much affect the basic mechanism this light, effectively, is lost to the

system.

0he absorbed energy arms the surface. +imple presentations of the greenhouse

effect, such as the ideali#ed greenhouse model, sho this heat being lost as thermal

radiation. 0he reality is more comple1@ the atmosphere near the surface is largely opa ue

to thermal radiation ith important e1ceptions for H indo H bands , and most heat loss

from the surface is by sensible heat and latent heat transport. ;adiative energy losses

become increasingly important higher in the atmosphere largely because of the decreasing

concentration of ater vapour, an important greenhouse gas. It is more realistic to thin=

of the greenhouse effect as applying to a HsurfaceH in the mid4troposphere, hich is

effectively coupled to the surface by a lapse rate.

9ithin the region here radiative effects are important the description given by the

ideali#ed greenhouse model becomes realistic@ 0he surface of the /arth, armed to a

temperature around 2$$ L, radiates long4 avelength, infrared heat in the range !>


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-- Km. %t these avelengths, greenhouse gases that ere largely transparent to

incoming solar radiation are more absorbent. /ach layer of atmosphere ith greenhouses

gases absorbs some of the heat being radiated up ards from lo er layers. 0o maintain its

o n e uilibrium, it re4radiates the absorbed heat in all directions, both up ards and

do n ards. 0his results in more armth belo , hile still radiating enough heat bac= out

into deep space from the upper layers to maintain overall thermal e uilibrium. Increasing

the concentration of the gases increases the amount of absorption and re4radiation, and

thereby further arms the layers and ultimately the surface belo .

Greenhouse gasesMincluding most diatomic gases ith t o different atoms such as

carbon mono1ide, C" and all gases ith three or more atomsMare able to absorb and

emit infrared radiation. 0hough more than **? of the dry atmosphere is I; transparent

because the main constituentsM 2, " 2, and %rMare not able to directly absorb or emit

infrared radiation , intermolecular collisions cause the energy absorbed and emitted by

the greenhouse gases to be shared ith the other, non4I;4active, gases.

0he simple picture assumes e uilibrium. In the real orld there is the diurnal cycle as

ell as seasonal cycles and eather. +olar heating only applies during daytime. During

the night, the atmosphere cools some hat, but not greatly, because its emissivity is lo ,

and during the day the atmosphere arms. Diurnal temperature changes decrease ith

height in the atmosphere.


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!"O#$" ($RMIN!

!lo al ;arming and climate change refer to an increase in average global temperatures.

atural events and human activities are believed to be contributing to an increase in average

global temperatures. 0his is caused primarily by increases in NgreenhouseO gases such as

Carbon Dio1ide C" 2 .

% arming planet thus leads to a change in climate hich can affect eather in various ays,

as discussed further belo .

hat Are The Main In"i%ators Of -(i$ate -han)e.

Global arming is hen the earth heats up the temperature rise . It happens hen greenhouse gases carbon dio1ide, ater vapour, nitrous o1ide and methane trap heat and light

from the sun in the earth s atmosphere, hich increases the temperature. 0his hurts many

people, animals and plants. 5any cannot ta=e the changes, so they die.

Global arming refers to the rising average temperature of /arth6s atmosphere and oceans

and its pro7ected continuation. In the last -- years, /arth6s average surface temperature

increased by about -.) PC .! P( ith about t o thirds of the increase occurring over 7ust

the last three decades. 9arming of the climate system is une uivocal, and scientists are more


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than *-? certain most of it is caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse

gases produced by human activities such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels. 0hese

findings are recogni#ed by the national science academies of all the ma7or industriali#ed

countries.

9arming is e1pected to be strongest in the %rctic and ould be associated ith

continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. "ther li=ely effects of the arming

include more fre uent occurrence of e1treme eather events including heat aves, droughts

and heavy rainfall events, species e1tinctions due to shifting temperature regimes, and

changes in agricultural yields. 9arming and related changes ill vary from region to region

around the globe, ith pro7ections being more robust in some areas than others.

Cause of glo al ;arming* 9

Global arming is caused by several things, hich include man4made or anthropogenic

causes, and global arming is also caused by natural causes.

• Natural 'auses

"ne natural cause is a release of methane gas from arctic tundra and etlands. 5ethane is a

greenhouse gas and a very dangerous gas to our environment. % greenhouse gas is a gas that

traps heat in the earth6s atmosphere. %nother natural cause is that the earth goes through a

cycle of climate change. 0his climate change usually lasts about !-,--- years.

• Man9made Causes

Man9made 'auses pro a ly do the most damage to our planet. There are many man9

made 'auses of glo al ;arming. +ollution is one of the iggest man9made pro lems.

+ollution 'omes in many shapes and si)es. #urning fossil fuels is one thing that

'auses pollution. $nother ma


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!lo al (arming Impa'ts and %ffe'ts*

(or decades, greenhouse gases, such as carbon dio1ide have been increasing in the

atmosphere. But hy does that matterQ 9on t armer eather be nicer for everyoneQ

Rapid Changes In !lo al Temperature

Increased greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect has contributed to an overall arming

of the /arth s climate, leading to a global arming even though some regions may

e1perience cooling, or etter eather, hile the temperature of the planet on average ould

rise .

Extreme Weather Patterns5ost scientists believe that the ;arming of the 'limate ;ill lead to more extreme ;eather

patterns such as@

• 5ore hurricanes and drought

• :onger spells of dry heat or intense rain depending on here you are in the orld

• +cientists have pointed out that orthern /urope could be severely

affected ith colder eather if climate change continues, as the arctic begins to melt

and send fresher aters further south. It ould effectively cut off the Gulf +tream that


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brings armth from the Gulf of 5e1ico, =eeping countries such as Britain armer than

e1pected

• In +outh %sia, the imalayan glaciers could retreat causing ater scarcity in the long

run.

9hile many environmental groups have been arning about e1treme eather conditions for a

fe years, the 9orld 5eteorological "rgani#ation announced in July 2--3 that N;ecent

scientific assessments indicate that, as the global temperatures continue to arm due to

climate change, the number and intensity of e1treme events might increase.O

0he 95" also notes that N e record e1treme events occur every year some here in the

globe, but in recent years the number of such e1tremes have been increasing.O 0he 95"

limits the definition of e1treme events to high temperatures, lo temperatures and high

rainfall amounts and droughts. 0he .L s Independent ne spaper described the 95" s

announcement as NunprecedentedO and NastonishingO because it came from a respected

nited ations organi#ation not an environmental group.

Ecosystem Impacts

9ith global arming on the increase and species habitats on the decrease, the chances for

various ecosystems to adapt naturally are diminishing.

5any studies have pointed out that the rates of e1tinction of animal and plant species, and the

temperature changes around the orld since the industrial revolution, have been significantly

different to normal e1pectations.

%n analysis of population trends, climate change, increasing pollution and emerging diseases

found that !- percent of deaths in the orld could be attributed to environmental factors.

http://ens-newswire.com/ens/oct98/1998-10-01-03.htmlhttp://ens-newswire.com/ens/oct98/1998-10-01-03.htmlhttp://ens-newswire.com/ens/oct98/1998-10-01-03.html


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0he Common 5urre has advanced breeding by 2! days per decade over the past $-years in response to higher temperatures.

0he Baltimore oriole is shifting north ard and may soon disappear entirely from theBaltimore area.


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%ffe'ts of glo al ;arming already eing felt on plants and animals ;orld;ide

Global arming is having a significant impact on hundreds of plant and animal species

around the orld 44 although the most dramatic effects may not be felt for decades,

according to a ne study in the 7ournal ature.

HBirds are laying eggs earlier than usual, plants are flo ering earlier and mammals are

brea=ing hibernation sooner,H

HClearly, if such ecological changes are no being detected hen the globe has armed by

an estimated average of only degree ( -.& C over the past -- years, then many more

far4reaching effects on species and ecosystems ill probably occur by 2 --, hen

temperatures could increase as much as ( & C .H


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!lo al (arming %ffe'ts that ;ill happen in the future *

Global arming ill have serious impacts on the environment and on society. igher

temperatures ill cause a melting of ice in Greenland and %ntarctica. 0his ill accelerate

the rise of sea level. 0he speed at hich global arming is e1pected to occur in the 2 stcentury is faster than most plant and animal species ill be able to cope ith. +ome ill

adapt but others ill suffer and may become e1tinct.

Global arming ill affect agriculture. e crops ill be able to be gro n in areas that

are currently too cold to support them. o ever, more pests and diseases may offset any

benefits higher temperatures may have. 9ater resources ill also be affected. +ome

reservoirs may dry up if temperature increases, especially if rainfall also decreases. ;ising

sea levels may pollute fresh ground ater supplies ith salt ater.

Global arming ill also affect human health. 0here may be more heat4related illnesses in

hotter summers, and increased breathing problems as higher temperatures increase air

pollution in cities, reducing air uality. 0he malaria mos uito may also be able to spread to

other regions of the orld here it is currently too cold to survive and breed.

5ore e1treme eather, for e1ample storms, floods and droughts ill have severe impacts

on the environment and on society. 0he poorest people in society ill unfortunately bethose least able to cope ith the impacts of global arming.


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O@ON% D%+"%TION

INTRODUCTION

The o)one layer is a layer in %arthAs atmosphere ;hi'h 'ontains relatively high

'on'entrations of o)one /O 21. This layer a sor s :8B::4 of the SunAs high

fre?uen'y ultraviolet light ;hi'h is potentially damaging to the life forms on

%arth. It is mainly lo'ated in the lo;er portion of the stratosphere from

approximately 03 to 23 >ilometres /70 to 7: mi1 a ove %arth.

"#one "3 is a highly4reactive from of o1ygen.

nli=e o1ygen "2 , o#one has a strong scent and is blue in color.

"#one e1ists ithin both the tropospheric and stratospheric #ones of the /arth s atmosphere

In the troposphere, ground level o#one is a ma7or air pollutant and primary constituent of

photochemical smog

In the stratosphere, the o#one layer is an essential protector of life on earth as it absorbs

harmful A radiation before it reaches the earth.

0he details of polar o#one hole formation differ from that of mid4latitude thinning, but the

most important process in both is catalytic destruction of o#one by atomic halogens. 0he

main source of these halogen atoms in the stratosphere is photo dissociation of man4

made halocarbon refrigerants C(Cs, freons, halons . 0hese compounds are transported intothe stratosphere after being emitted at the surface. Both types of o#one depletion ere

observed to increase as emissions of halo4carbons increased.

C(Cs and other contributory substances are referred to as o)one9depleting

su stan'es ODS . +ince the o#one layer prevents most harmful AB avelengths 2)->

3 $ nm of ultraviolet light A light from passing through the /arth6s atmosphere, observed

and pro7ected decreases in o#one have generated orld ide concern leading to adoption of

the 5ontreal


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• 0he o#one layer, situated in the stratosphere about $ to 3- =m above the earth6s

surface.

• "#one protects living organisms by absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation AB

from the sun.• 0he o#one layer is being destroyed by C(Cs and other substances.

• "#one depletion progressing globally e1cept in the tropical #one.

• "#one is an unstable gas

• It rapidly brea=s do n

• 0he o#one layer is only a fe cm thic=

• If the rate of brea=do n is faster than the rate of formation the o#one layer thins

• 0his could develop into hole.

,ISTOR

%n o#one hole as first observed over the %ntarctic in *)$. It as in *$& at alley Bay,

%ntarctica that the concern of o#one measurements began. o ever, it asn t until the early

*'- s that accurate satellite measurements of o#one could be ta=en.

In *'! 5.J.5olina and (.+.;o land published a laboratory study demonstrating the ability

of C(C6s to brea=do n "#one ith the help of high fre uency A light.

+ince the issue of o#one depletion as relatively ne , the cause as ell as the e1istence of

the %ntarctic o#one hole as still indefinite. o ever, on +eptember *)', the 5ontreal


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T,% -ORM$TION O- T,% O@ON% "$ %R

"#one is created in a section of the atmosphere, =no n as the stratosphere, hen highly

energetic solar rays stri=e molecules of o1ygen " 2 and cause the t o o1ygen atoms to splitapart. If a freed o1ygen atom bumps into another " 2, it 7oins up, forming o#one " 3 . "#one

is also naturally bro=en do n in the stratosphere by sunlight and by a chemical reaction ith

various compounds containing nitrogen, hydrogen and chlorine. 0hese chemicals all occur

naturally in the atmosphere in very small amounts. In an unpolluted atmosphere there is a

balance bet een the amount of o#one being produced and the amount of o#one being

destroyed. %s a result, the total concentration of o#one in the atmosphere remains relatively

constant

T,% O@ON% D%+"%TION +ROC%SS

"#one depletion is mainly caused by ".D.+s "#one Depleting +ubstances that climb up

and destroy the o#one. 0he most popular one is C.".Cs Cloro "#one Carbons that can befound in perfumes, sprays, refrigerators, foams in installation etc.. . etcR 0heir effects and

durability is very long lasting .


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+RINCI+"% ST%+S IN O@ON% D%+%"%TION IN STR$TOS+,%RIC O@ON%"$ %R


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C$US%S O- O@ON% D%+"%TION

• Chlorofluoro'ar ons /C-Cs1

0he most idely used "D+, accounting for over )-? of total stratospheric o#onedepletion.

sed as coolants in refrigerators, free#ers and air conditioners in buildings and cars

manufactured before **$.(ound in industrial solvents, dry4cleaning agents and hospital sterilants.%lso used in foam products M such as soft4foam padding e.g. cushions and mattresses

and rigid foam e.g. home insulation .

• ,alons

sed in some fire e1tinguishers, in cases here materials and e uipment ould be

destroyed by ater or other fire e1tinguisher chemicals. In B.C., halons cause greater

damage to the o#one layer than do C(Cs from automobile air conditioners.

• Methyl Chloroform

sed mainly in industry M for vapour degreasing, some aerosols, cold cleaning,

adhesives and chemical processing.

• Car on Tetra'hloride

sed in solvents and some fire e1tinguishers.

• ,ydro fluoro'ar ons /,C-Cs1

C(Cs have become ma7or, NtransitionalO substitutes for C(Cs. 0hey are much less

harmful to stratospheric o#one than C(Cs are. But C(Cs they still cause some o#one

destruction and are potent greenhouse gases.

M%C,$NISM O- O@ON% D%+"%TION

8 Meteorologi'al me'hanism

> 5ovement of air from one place to another in the upper stratosphere


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> Cold temperature in the upper atmosphere causes nitric acid to free#e into

crystals forming ispy pin= clouds

> (orms a vorte1 of tightly t isted inds thus forming a hole in the upper

atmosphere

• Chemi'al Me'hanism

Different chemicals are responsible for the destruction of the o#one layer

0opping the list @

• Chlorofluorocarbons C(C s

• 5an4made, non4to1ic and inert in the troposphere

• In the stratosphere are photolysis, releasing reactive chlorine atoms that

catalytically destroy o#one

C-Cl2 U& "ight EEF C-Cl0 Cl

Cl O2 EEF ClO O0

ClO O EEF Cl O0

• 0he free chlorine atom is then free to attac= another o#one molecule

Cl O2 EEF ClO O0

ClO O EEF Cl O0

and again ...

Cl O2 EEF ClO O0

ClO O EEF Cl O0

• and again... for thousands of times.


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%--%CTS O- O@ON% D%+"%TION

%ffe'ts on ,uman ,ealth

:aboratory and epidemiological studies demonstrate that AB causes non melanoma s=in

cancer and plays a ma7or role in malignant melanoma development. In addition, AB has

been lin=ed to cataracts. %ll sunlight contains some AB, even ith normal o#one levels. It

is al ays important to limit e1posure to the sun. o ever, o#one depletion ill increase the

amount of AB and the ris= of health effects.


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%ffe'ts on +lants


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Interactions bet een o#one depletion and climate change not yet fully understood

• Continued monitoring of o)one and o)one9depleting su stan'es is essential

"#one layer recovery e1pected by 2-$-

inges on the complete elimination of atmospheric o#one4depleting substances

;eplacements for C(Cs, methyl bromide, and halons are still being sought, and studies

of the ne compounds must continue.

T,% CURR%NT SITU$TION

• 0he holes developing over the pole suggest that they may be sho an

improvement

• B 0 C(C molecules ta=e 3- years to rise up to the stratosphere

• 0he chlorine radicals last a long time

• 0he pea= o#one damage as supposed to be in 2---

• Damage could go on another $- years

0he o#one hole is the region over %ntarctica ith total o#one of 22- Dobson nits or

lo er. 0his map sho s the o#one hole on "ctober !, 2--!. 0he data ere ac uired by

the "#one 5onitoring Instrument on %+% s %ura satellite.


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ULTRAVIOLET RA/IATION

Intro" %tionUltraviolet U& light is electromagnetic radiation ith a avelength shorter than that

of visible light, but longer than T4rays, in the range - nm to !-- nm, and energies from

3 eA to 2! eA. It is named because the spectrum consists of electromagnetic aves ith

fre uencies higher than those that humans identify as the colour violet.

%lthough ultraviolet radiation is invisible to the human eye, most people are a are of the

effects of A through sunburn, and in tanning beds. 0he A spectrum has many other

effects, both beneficial and damaging, to human health.

A light is found in sunlight and is emitted by electric arcs and speciali#ed lights such

as blac= lights. It can cause chemical reactions, and causes many substances to glo

or fluoresce. 5ost ultraviolet is classified as non4ioni#ing radiation. 0he higher energies of

the ultraviolet spectrum from about $- nm 6vacuum6 ultraviolet are ioni#ing, but this type

of ultraviolet is not very penetrating and is bloc=ed by air.

,istory

0he discovery of A radiation as associated ith the observation that silver salts dar=en

hen e1posed to sunlight. In )- , the German physicist Johann 9ilhelm ;itter made the

hallmar= observation that invisible rays 7ust beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum

ere especially effective at lightening silver chloride4soa=ed paper. e called them

Ho1idi#ing raysH to emphasi#e chemical reactivity and to distinguish them from Hheat raysH at

the other end of the visible spectrum. 0he simpler term Hchemical raysH as adopted shortly

thereafter, and it remained popular throughout the *th century. 0he terms chemical and heat

rays ere eventually dropped in favour of ultraviolet and infrared radiation, respectively.

0he discovery of the ultraviolet radiation belo 2-- nm, named vacuum ultraviolet because it

is strongly absorbed by air, as made in )*3 by the German physicist Aictor +chumann.

-a'tors affe'ting U& exposure

• Clouds 'over 4 partly cloudy days do little to reduce A e1posure but rainy or

substantially overcast days reduce A e1posures

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_volthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_volt


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• The time of day > pea= e1posure time is 2@-- noon 4 @-- p.m. A intensity is

reduced by about half at three hours before and three hours after the pea= e1posure

time.

•

The time of year 4 more A is received in the late spring and early summer andmuch less is received in the late fall and early inter.

• "ife style > determines a person s ris= to A e1posure. +=iing, sunbathing, or

s imming can lead to e1tremely high e1posures. se of tanning parlors also increases

ris=.

U& light and life

•

A light is high energy light• 9hen it stri=es molecules it can cause them to brea= into ions or free radicals

• 0he free radicals in turn damage large molecules such as proteins and D %

• Damage to D % causes mutations

• It is a mutagen

• 5utations can lead to cancer

• A light can have beneficial effects too

• It stimulates the transformation dietary steroids into Ait D calciferol

• A light is used to sterilise foods and medical e uipment

• +ome animals can see A light

• Insects use it to guide them to nectar sources in flo ers

• A4B has a direct effect on D %

• D % absorbs A light of 2&-nm

• 0he action of A forms thymine dimmers

• 0his can cause a gene mutation hen the D % replicates

%--%CTS O- U& R$ S

On $?uati' %'osystems

Decreasing the abundance of phytoplan=ton > affects the food stoc= for fishes and the

absorption of C"2

Decreasing the diversity of a uatic organisms > reduces food stoc= and also destroys

several fish and amphibians.


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-igure* %ffe'ts of enhan'ed solar U&9# on phytoplan>ton

On Terrestrial %'osystems

• Damage to plant cell D % molecules 4 ma=es plants more susceptible to

pathogens and pests

•

;eductions in photosynthetic capacity in the plant 4 results in slo er gro th andsmaller leaves

• Causes mutations in mammalian cells and destroys membranes.


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0i) re1 e2e%ts of UV3B ra"iation on p(ant

pro%esses

,armful effe'ts of U& rays on people

%ffe'ts on the s>in*A radiations A; bet een 2*- and 32- nm are called B AB . AB radiations are the

responsible of the most important biological effects on human beings. %s for the s=in, they

cause it harmful effects in the short and in the long term. 0he reddening of the s=in, from

slight to large burning, is the main harmful effect in the short term. 0he effects in the long

term are usually forgotten due to the e1tensive period time, hich ta=es to sho s=in

abnormalities. 5oreover, there are no signs that arn people about their inade uate e1posure

to the sunlight. 0he most common conse uences are s=in cancers and premature ageing of thes=in.

o ever, A radiation is only a ris= for the health hen human beings =eep on e1posing

themselves for years, ignoring their type of s=in.

0he ris= caused by A radiation goes do n in proportion to the grade of natural

pigmentation on human beings s=in, hich is ma1imum on very hite s=ins and minimum on

people of blac= s=in.


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%ffe'ts on the eyes*%bout the effects of the A radiation on the eyes, e can say that although nothing has been

proved about the effects that AB radiation can cause in the eye, there are many scientific

evidences about the damage that AB radiation can cause on the delicate ocular structure.

0he most common disease in the developed orld is cataract. 0his disease is able to cause

blindness. 5oreover, there is no doubt about the influence of this type of radiation in its

development.

0ogether ith this, -? of the population older than &$ in our same environment suffer an

in7ury in the area of ma1imum vision denominated 5aculate Degeneration, hich is alsolin=ed to age. (urthermore, the ultraviolet radiation also intervenes in the degeneration.

0o conclude, one of the most common ocular cancers, the so4called uvea melanoma, is

dramatically increasing. 5oreover, it is supposed that this fact is directly related to solar

light.


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$CID R$IN

INTRODUCTION

$'id rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it

possesses elevated levels of hydrogen ions lo p . It can have harmful effects on plants,

a uatic animals, and infrastructure. %cid rain is caused by emissions of carbon

dio1ide, sulphur dio1ide and nitrogen o1ides hich react ith the ater molecules in the

atmosphere to produce acids. Governments have made efforts since the *'-s to reduce the

release of sulfur dio1ide into the atmosphere ith positive results. itrogen o1ides can also

be produced naturally by lightning stri=es and sulfur dio1ide is produced

by volcanic eruptions. 0he chemicals in acid rain can cause paint to peel, corrosion of steel

structures such as bridges, and erosion of stone statues.

H%cid rainH is a popular term referring to the deposition of et rain, sno , sleet, fog, cloud

ater, and de and dry acidifying particles and gases acidic components. Distilled ater,

once carbon dio1ide is removed, has a neutral p of '. :i uids ith a p less than ' are

acidic, and those ith a p greater than ' are al=aline. NCleanO or unpolluted rain has a

slightly acidic p of over $.', because carbon dio1ide and ater in the air react together to

form carbonic acid, but unpolluted rain also contains other chemicals. % common e1ample

is nitric acid produced by electric discharge in the atmosphere such as lightning. Carbonic

acid is formed by the reaction2" l U C" 2 g 2C" 3 a

Carbonic acid then can ioni#e in ater forming lo concentrations

of hydronium and carbonate ions@

2" l U 2C" 3 a C" 3V a U 3" U a

%cid deposition as an environmental issue ould include additional acids to 2C" 3.


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$CID D%+OSITION

(et deposition9et deposition of acids occurs hen any form of precipitation rain, sno , and so on.

removes acids from the atmosphere and delivers it to the /arth6s surface. 0his can result from

the deposition of acids produced in the raindrops see a ueous phase chemistry above or by

the precipitation removing the acids either in clouds or belo clouds. 9et removal of both

gases and aerosols are both of importance for et deposition.

Dry deposition%cid deposition also occurs via dry deposition in the absence of precipitation. 0his can be

responsible for as much as 2- to &-? of total acid deposition. 0his occurs hen particles and

gases stic= to the ground, plants or other surfaces.


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-igure* $'id Deposition

C,%MIC$" +ROC%SS

Combustion of fuels produces sulfur dio1ide and nitric o1ides. 0hey are converted into

sulphuric acid and nitric acid.

!as phase 'hemistry

In the gas phase sulphur dio1ide is o1idi#ed by reaction ith the hydro1yl radical via

an intermolecular reaction@

+" 2 U " W X "+" 2W

hich is follo ed by@

"+" 2W U "2 X " 2W U +"3

In the presence of ater, sulfur trio1ide +" 3 is converted rapidly to sulfuric acid@

+" 3 g U 2" l X 2+" ! l

itrogen dio1ide reacts ith " to form nitric acid@

" 2 U " W X " 3


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Chemistry in 'loud droplets

9hen clouds are present, the loss rate of +" 2 is faster than can be e1plained by gas phase

chemistry alone. 0his is due to reactions in the li uid ater droplets.

,ydrolysis

+ulphur dio1ide dissolves in ater and then, li=e carbon dio1ide, hydrolyses in a series

of e uilibrium reactions@

+" 2 g U 2" +" 2W 2"

+" 2W 2" U U +" 3V

+" 3V U U +" 32V

Oxidation

0here are a large number of a ueous reactions that o1idi#e sulphur from + IA to + AI ,leading to the formation of sulphuric acid. 0he most important o1idation reactions are

ith o#one, hydrogen pero1ide and o1ygen reactions ith o1ygen are cataly#ed

by iron and manganese in the cloud droplets .

C$US% O- $CID R$IN

%cid rain is caused by a chemical reaction that begins hen compounds li=e sulfur dio1ide

and nitrogen o1ides are released into the air. 0hese substances can rise very high into the

atmosphere, here they mi1 and react ith ater, o1ygen, and other chemicals to form more

acidic pollutants, =no n as acid rain. +ulfur dio1ide and nitrogen o1ides dissolve very easily

in ater and can be carried very far by the ind. %s a result, the t o compounds can travel

long distances here they become part of the rain, sno , and fog. uman activities are the

main cause of acid rain. "ver the past fe decades, humans have released so many different

chemicals into the air that they have changed the mi1 of gases in the atmosphere.


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$'id toleran'e ranges of 'ommon fresh;ater organisms

% uatic species have varying levels of tolerance for acidification, but fe survive belo p

values of about $.-.


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SOURC%S G %--%CTS O- $CID R$IN

%cid rain can affect the earth in many different ays. Belo you can see ho soil, trees,la=es, buildings and people are affected hen acid rain falls on the earth.

%cid rain has the follo ing harmful effects@

It damages the nutrition level of leaves of the plants.

%cid rain promotes corrosion.

It damages the structures made of marble, cement and S or lime vi#., historical monuments, buildings, statues, cars. 0he chemicals found in acid rain can cause paint to peel and stonestatues to begin to appear old and orn do n, hich reduces their value and beauty.

%cid rain harms the a uatic life vi#., it =ills fish etc.

%cid rain leads to the loss of soil fertility.

Causes respiratory diseases li=e asthma or chronic bronchitis. 0he pollution that causes acidrain can also create tiny particles. 9hen these particles get into people s lungs, they can causehealth problems.

Soil


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%cid rain can damage soil by destroying many vital substances and ashing a ay the

nutrients. +oils naturally contain small amounts of poisonous minerals such as mercury and

aluminium. ormally these minerals do not cause serious problems, but hen acid rain falls

on the ground and the acidity of the soil increases, chemical reactions occur allo ing the

poisonous minerals to be ta=en up by the plant roots. 0he trees and plants are then damaged

and any animals eating them ill absorb the poisons, hich ill stay in their bodies.

Trees

0he acid ta=es important minerals a ay from the leaves and the soil. 9ithout these minerals,

trees and plants cannot gro properly. Damaged trees lose their leaves, have stunted gro th

and damaged bar=. 0his ma=es it easier for fungi and insects to attac= the tree, and as a resultthe tree may die.

%cid rain not only damages soil but can also affect the trees directly.


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#UI"DIN!

9hen sulphur pollutants fall on to buildings made from limestone and sandstone they react

ith minerals in the stone to form a po dery substance that can be ashed a ay by rain.

(amous buildings li=e the +tatue of :iberty in e For=, the 0a7 5ahal in India and +t.


52/68

On Ro'>s

%cid rain leads to deterioration of roc=s such as the limestone and marble. It can eventually

destroy the value of the buildings and various other things made up of roc=s. ;ain ater is

=no n to have carbonic acid hich reacts ith these roc=s especially the carbonates and

dissolves them slo ly. 0hus acid rain may destroy these roc=s after a certain time period.

%cid rain is =no n to affect the roc=s but in case it is in small amounts that can be controlled

or maintained up to an e1tent but if it is continued for a longer period of time, then these

roc=s or building made out of them cannot be saved at any cost.

On statues*

%cid rain is as harmful to non living things as it is to the living beings. It is uite shoc=ing to

=no that it can damage statues as ell. %cid rain can bring about a lot of destruction to all

species that e1ist in this environment but is rather hard to believe that it can damage the non

living things such as statues as ell but it is a fact. 0his fact has also been proven as acid rain

has affected several statues throughout the orld till no .

http://www.globalwarmingandu.com/pollution/acid-rain/Effects-Of-Acid-Rain-On-Rocks.htmlhttp://www.globalwarmingandu.com/pollution/acid-rain/Effects-Of-Acid-Rain-On-Rocks.html


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$--%CTS ON $ U$TIC S ST%MS

Mollus>s B

Snails and 'lams.

0hese invertebrates are highly sensitive to acidification because of their shells hich are

either calcite or aragonite both forms a CaC" 3 hich they must ta=e from the ater.

In or ay, no snails are found in la=es ith a p of less than $.

"f 2- species of fingernail clams, only & ere found in la=es ith p of less than $.

$rthropods

• Crustaceans are not found in ater ith a p less than $.

• Crayfish are also uncommon in ater here the p is less than $. 0his is an important

consideration because crayfish are an important food source for many species of fish.

• 5any insects also become rare in aters ith a p less than $.

$mphi ians

%s you may =no , many species of amphibians are declining. 0o hat e1tent acid rain is

contributing to this decline is not e1actly =no n. o ever, one problem is that in places li=e

north4eastern orth %merica amphibians breed in temporary pools hich are fed by acidified

spring melt ater. In general, eggs and 7uveniles are more sensitive to the affects of acidity.

@ooplan>ton in la>es

Changes in diversity among #ooplan=ton have been noted in studies carried out in la=es in

"ntario, Canada. 0hese studies found that in la=es here the p as greater than $ the


54/68

#ooplan=ton communities e1hibited diversities of * 4 & species ith 3 4 ! being dominant. In

la=es here the p as less than $, diversity had dropped to 4 ' species, ith only or 2

dominants.

+eriphyti' algae

5any acidified la=es e1hibit a large increase in the abundance of periphytic algae those that

coat roc=s, plants and other submerged ob7ects . 0his increase has been attributed to the loss

of heterotrophic activity in the la=e i.e., the loss of both microbial and invertebrate

herbivores in the la=e .

-ish

%s a result of acidification, fish communities have suffered significant changes in community

composition attributed to high mortality, reproductive failure, reduced gro th rate, s=eletal

deformities, and increased upta=e of heavy metals.

Mortality

%ffe'ts on em ryos and


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during mating season. 9hen e1amined, the fish ere found to have abnormally lo serum

calcium levels hich appear to have disrupted their normal reproductive physiology.

!ro;th

Gro th may increase or decrease depending on resistance of a species to acidity. (or resistant

species, gro th can increase due to the loss of competing non4resistant species. "n the other

hand, gro th can decrease due to increase in metabolic rate caused by sub lethal acid stress.

In this case the organism6s rate of o1ygen consumption goes up because the e1cess C" 2 in the

ater increases the blood C" 2 level hich decreases the o1ygen carrying capacity of the

haemoglobin.

S>eletal Deformity

0his occurs in some fish as a response to the lo ered blood p caused by increase in

C" 2 described above. Bones decalcify in response to a build4up of 2C" 3 in the blood as the

body attempts to maintain its normal serum osmotic concentration i.e., the body attempts to

return to a normal blood p level .

$'id rain affe'ts a food ;e

%cid rain can cause serious problems for many different animals and plants. %s a result, the

entire food eb is affected. (or e1ample, acid rain can cause phytoplan=ton in la=es to die.

Insects, hich rely on phytoplan=ton for food, no have less food to eat, and they begin to

die as a result. 0hese insects are a source of food for many other animals, such as fish, birds,

frogs, and salamanders. %s the insects die, there is no less food for these animals. 0his

process continues up the entire food eb. +o, although acid rain may not directly affect a

certain species of plant or animal, it can affect the entire food eb by limiting the amount of

food available.


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$'id Rain* $n International pro lem0he pollutants that cause acid rain are carried by ind travelling ---42---=m ithin the

atmosphere in 34$days . 0hey are therefore easily transported across international boundaries.

0his means that a country suffering the effects of acid rain is not necessarily responsible for

its creation. 5any forests and la=es in +candinavia for e1ample have been damaged by

pollution hich has travelled from Britain. 0herefore international 'o9operation is essential

to solve the problems caused by acid rain. /1amples of these from (linders, 2-- include@4

*)-s 4 7oint study bet een L electricity generators Scoal producers and or ay and

+ eden to research the processes resulting in acid rain.

proposal signed S agreed by a fe countries not the L achieved a 3-? reduction in

sulphur dio1ide emissions.

+revention is obviously the ideal solution, ho ever to achieve this sulphur dio1ide and

nitrogen o1ide emissions must be reduced, e1amples of ho this can be achieved include@

Burning non9fossil fuels i.e. nuclear or rene able fuelsBurning lo;9sulphur 'oal can reduce sulphur emissions by up to $?


57/68

C$S% STUD ON IM+$CT O- C"IM$T% C,$N!%Impa't on $gri'ulture

%ffe't on apple 'ultivation

8 Lullu Aalley, imachal


58/68

8 imalayan source of the Ganga is drying up at a rate of !- yards a year, nearly t iceas fast as t o decades ago, and that some of these glaciers might disappear by 2-3-.

8 In the dry summer months, the Gangotri glacier provides up to '- percent of the ater of the Ganga.

8 %ccording to a climate report, the shrin=ing glaciers also threaten %sia s supply of fresh ater.

Impa't on Coastal Orissa*

8 0he +atavaya region, once a cluster of seven villages.

8 "nly t o out of the seven villages e1ists the other five villages have been submerged.

8 0he Coastal villages have been affected by cyclone and floods =illing more than

3-,--- people.

8 0he sea has ingressed to about .$ =m into +atavaya and 2.$ =m into Lana=pur.+atavaya has also lost $&? of its mangrove vegetation.

IndiaLs Initiatives

8 +igned (CC nited ations (rame or= Convention on Climate Change on - th

June **2

8 India ratified the Lyoto protocol

8 India has a ational %ction ational +olar 5ission

> ational 5ission for /nhanced /nergy /fficiency

> ational 5ission on +ustainable abitat

> ational 9ater 5ission

> ational 5ission for +ustaining the imalayan /cosystem

> ational 5ission for a NGreen IndiaO

> ational 5ission for +ustainable %griculture

> ational 5ission on +trategic 5ission on Climate Change

8 India has a ell developed policy, legislative regulatory programmatic regime

8 (or promotion of /nergy efficiency, rene able energy, nuclear po er, fuel s itching,

energy pricing reform addressing G G emission


59/68

$SS%SSM%NT O- +OT%NTI$" -UTUR% ,%$"T, IM+$CTS O- !"O#$"C,$N!%

0here are three main approaches to scenario4based health ris= assessment*@

i /1trapolation, based on specific historical analogue situations for some aspects of global

change

ii (ormal integrated mathematical modeling and

iii Generali#ed assessments that dra on e1pert 7udgment.

$nalogues of glo al 'hange*

%nalogue situations are most li=ely to come from current or recent times. (or e1ample, there

have been several recent studies of the regional health conse uences of unusual climatic

episodes and trends.

0he /l ino +outhern "scillation / +" allo s analogue studies of the li=ely health

impacts of anticipated future increases in climate variability. / +" 4 hich comprises uasi4

periodic reversals in the massive flo of arm surface ater and air across the


60/68

Aarious mathematical models have been used to assess the impact of climate change

scenarios on transmission potential of vector4borne diseases 4 especially malaria,

dengue and schistosomiasis. "ther such models have been used to forecast future

ater or food supplies under conditions of global change.

&ulnera ility of populations*


61/68

#IOT%C,NO"O!IC$" $++RO$C, -OR M$N$!M%NT O- !"O#$"%N&IRONM%NT$" +RO#"%M

%n organi#ational evolution perspective to analy#e the case of the German biotech sector asapplied and its response to the hostile financing environment in the years 2--242--!, hich

follo ed the burst of the high4tech bubble at the stoc= mar=ets.


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In nature, /. coli bacteria do not carry the ;uBisC" en#yme and they do not effectuate

photosynthesis nor do they contribute to the carbon se uestration from the atmosphere. 0he

researchers thus isolated genes encoding ;uBisC" and a helper en#yme from photosynthetic

bacteria and added them to /. coli. +uch genetically modified /. coli ere able to fi1 and

convert C"2 into consumable energy hen the other nutrients ere ithhold and the bacteria

relied on ;uBisC" and carbon dio1ide to survive under these stringent conditions.

+ubse uently the ;uBisC" gene as randomly mutated, and these mutant genes ere

inserted to /. coli. 0he fastest gro ing strains carried mutated ;uBisC" genes that produced

a larger uantity of the en#yme, leading to faster assimilation of carbon dio1ide gas. 0he

;uBisC" variants that evolved during three rounds of such random mutagenesis and

selection ere over4e1pressed and e1hibited $4fold improvement in specific activity relative

to the ild4type en#yme.

%ccording to the scientists, such large changes in ;uBisC" efficiency could potentially lead

to a faster plant gro th, uic=er se uestration of the C"2 from the air and more efficient

plant removal of greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere.

SUMM$R


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0he global environmental problem is a gro ing concern, and needs to be attended to

immediately. +preading a areness of environmental problems and responding to them

ithout delay is absolutely necessary to deal ith the global problem effectively.

!"O#$" %N&IRONM%NT$" ISSU%S

!reen house effe't

0he greenhouse effe't is a process by hich thermal radiation from a planetary surface is

absorbed by atmospheric greenhouse gases , and is re4radiated in all directions.

!lo al ;arming

Global arming refers to the rising average temperature of /arth6s atmosphere and oceans

and its pro7ected continuation.O)one "ayer Depletion

0he use of chlorofluorocarbons C(Cs and other o#one depleating substances as refrigerants,

solvents and insulation is destroying the o#one layer.

$'id Rain

%cid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses elevated levels of hydrogen ions lo p . It can have harmful effects on plants,

a uatic animals, and infrastructure.

C$S% STUD ON IM+$CT O- C"IM$T% C,$N!%

Impa't on $gri'ulture

Effect on apple cultivation

8 Lullu Aalley, imachal


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8 0he Coastal villages have been affected by cyclone and floods =illing more than3-,--- people.

-UTUR% ,%$"T, IM+$CTS O- !"O#$" C,$N!%

0here are three main approaches to scenario4based health ris= assessment*@

i /1trapolation, based on specific historical analogue situations for some aspects of global

change

ii (ormal integrated mathematical modeling and

iii Generali#ed assessments that dra on e1pert 7udgment.


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-UTUR% +ROS+%CTS

(orecasts by most international agencies foresee future food production matching increased

population and rising demand at the global level over the ne1t 243 decades!2. %t the regional

level, ho ever, they foresee orsening food security in sub4+aharan %frica and only marginal

improvement in +outh %sia. 0he rate of recruitment of ne land has slo ed there is little

good land not already in use ith some e1ceptions in +outh %merica . Irrigation continues,

to be e1tended 4 despite the ecological and social costs and the li=elihood of ater logging

and salination.

(uture gains in yield ill need to leave the natural resource base intact, hile also

5a=ing access to food more e uitable. igher priority must be given to sustainable methods,

including biological methods of pest and eed control, ade uate crop rotation, and mi1ing of

crops ith forestry and livestoc=. 5ean hile, perhaps genetic engineering ill deliver plant

varieties that are higher4yielding and more resistant to drought, salinity, diseases, and pests.

By 2-$- over half the global population, in rich as ell as poor countries, is e1pected to face

serious fresh ater shortages.

If the focus is directed on China s economic gro th only, there are ample grounds for

optimism regarding the country s future image. 0he GD< gro th, though on a gradual

decline from -? or less during the **-s, is still estimated at &^*? from 2--- to 2- -,

$^'? from 2- - to 2-2- and !^&? from 2-2- to 2-3-.

0he amount and speed of future climate change ill ultimately depend on@

• 9hether greenhouse gases and aerosol concentrations increase, stay the same or

decrease.

• o strongly features of the climate e.g. temperature, precipitation and sea level

respond to changes in greenhouse gas and aerosol concentrations.• o much the climate varies as a result of natural influences e.g. from volcanic

activity and changes in the sun s intensity and its internal variability referring to

random changes in the circulation of the atmosphere and oceans .


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#I#"IO!R$+,

;obine J5 et al. Death toll e1ceeded '-,--- in /urope during the summer of 2--3. :es

Comptes ;endusS+_rie Biologies, 2--), 33 @ ' >').

Climate change 2--'. Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Geneva, Intergovernmental

')$.


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Brune, 9. ., %nderson, J.G., 0oohey, D.9., (ahey, D.9., La a, +.;., Jones, ;.:.,

5cLenna, D.+. and


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H+tratospheric "#one Depletion by Chlorofluorocarbons obel :ecture M/ncyclopedia

of /arthH. /oearth.org. ;etrieved 2- 4-342).

global environmental problem.doc

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