Air pollution

The problem of air pollution is one oftopical 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.

Major sources of pollutionatmosphere, it is anthropogenic and natural. A natural source is what happens in nature with more or less regularity. From this 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 fromrights. Here you can identify rapidly developing and expanding industrial enterprises, fuel and energy complex, engineering enterprises and, of course, transport.

A lot of gaseoussubstances that 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 the permanent components of the air. The problem of getting a lot of lead into the air becomes especially threatening.

In general, in the 20th century thethe content of ozone and carbon dioxide in the air. 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 aremultilateral character. 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 - the forests.

Biocenoses of forests suffer from acidthe rains. Such rains are caused by nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide. Scientists have established 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, air pollution causessuch gases, which had never before been included in its composition. 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, pollution of the atmosphere occursby 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 subject to negative impact 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.