Air pollution

The problem of atmospheric pollution is one of the actual and intractable problems of our time. Mankind is trying to find a way out - environmentally friendly fuels are being invented, new ways of recycling waste are being developed, harmless materials for production and construction are being created.

The main sources of pollution of the atmosphere are anthropogenic and natural. A natural source is what happens in nature with more or less regularity. From this we can not escape - we are unlikely to ever be able to prevent the eruption of the volcano, to guarantee protection from forest fires or dust storms. The process of decomposition of animals or plants also contributes to the gradual pollution of the atmosphere.

Anthropogenic impact on the atmosphere comes from a person. Here one can single out rapidly developing and expanding industrial enterprises, the fuel and energy complex, machine building enterprises and, of course, transportation.

A lot of gaseous substances enter the atmosphere, which harm it, but do not forget about the solid particles - dust, soot, soot. In areas where industrial enterprises are concentrated, such dangerous heavy metals as nickel, copper, cadmium, mercury, lead, vanadium and chromium have become permanent components of the air. The problem of getting a lot of lead into the air becomes especially threatening.

In general, in the 20 th century, the content of ozone and carbon dioxide in the air significantly changed. The daily burning of fossil fuels increases the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air. This is exacerbated by the narrowing of the area of tropical forests, which transform the gas composition of the atmosphere.

The consequences of air pollution are of a multilateral nature. Dirty air adversely affects the quality of natural ecosystems. How polluted the atmosphere in this or that region can be judged by the state of the green cover of the planet - forests.

Biocenoses of forests suffer from acid rain. Such rains are caused by nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide. Scientists have found that coniferous trees are more susceptible to the negative impact of acid rain than broadleaf. Needless to say, plantations in large industrial centers are most affected.

No less important is the problem of depletion and thinning of the ozone layer, the formation of ozone holes. This is caused by the excessive use of freons in everyday life and production.

In addition to Freons, pollution of the atmosphere is also caused by such gases that were never present in its composition before. Yes, the volumes of these gases are incomparably less than the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but still they can be much more dangerous.

In the 20th century, atmospheric pollution also occurs through radioactive elements. The source of such contamination is a trial explosion when testing a new type of weapon - hydrogen or atomic bombs. In addition, the production of nuclear weapons, nuclear power plants and nuclear reactors. Even minor damages and accidents at nuclear reactors lead to air pollution, and such a global catastrophe as the Chernobyl accident sharply and significantly worsened the state of the atmosphere.

The natural processes occurring in the biosphere are exposed to the negative effects of the consequences of human economic activity more and more. Fortunately, at this stage the biosphere still retains the capacity for self-regulation, it can so far neutralize or at least minimize the harm caused by mankind. However, there is a limit, beyond which - the inability of the biosphere to maintain the necessary equilibrium. When this happens, there are environmental disasters that people have already encountered in some regions of the world.