Skip to main content

The Role of Particulate Matter in Air Pollution

 

Particulate matter causes the frequent painting of houses, cleaning of clothes and washing of cars. Particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide are all contributing factors to decreased visibility. 

This however, presents a hazard to operators of aircraft, automobiles and boats. A study revealed that levels of harmful microscopic particulate matter known as PM 2.5 and the pollutant which is smaller than PM 2.5 micrometers in diameter is considered particularly dangerous as it can lodge deep into the lungs and pass onto other organs and the blood stream, causing serious health risks. 

The effects of air pollution on weathers and climate aren’t far fetched. Scientists have definitely established a relationship between air pollution and weather. Each can affect the other in numerous ways. Wind and temperatures for instance affect the quantities and extent of pollutants in the air. Strong winds are air currents which may scatter pollutants in both vertical and horizontal directions. The two pollutants, however, that have major effects on climate are Carbon(IV)Oxide And particulate matter. Carbon IV Oxide tends trap heat in the lower atmosphere. Particulate matter however has the opposite effect in that it tends to reflect solar heat back into space. A marked increase in one of the following could cause a global warming as is the current global climate crisis, or a cooling trend. 

So, in other words, an increased level of particulate matter causes a deflection of heat back into space and this causes a cooling trend. Therefore, areas or regions on the earth’s surface not experiencing enough heat or radiant energy could be plagued with particulate matter in the atmosphere. 

Furthermore, another perfect example of the local effects on weather is the increase in precipitation. Like the amount of rainfall  experienced in cities and regions where large paper mills are adjacent to them. Particles from these mills act as nuclei around in which rain drops form. 

Climate change in the Niger Delta areas and regions of Nigeria where gas flaring as a result of oil drilling activities have taken its toll, the weather pattern changes have all been to glaring and are evidently displayed all year round. In the past few years, from 2015 till date, the region has experienced heavy rainfall beginning sometimes as early as January, instead of the usual time in April, and during the The dry season which is the African summer, there’s been an acute rise in temperatures making atmospheric conditions unbearably hot. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HYDROPOWER!

Can there be a green approach to this age old phenomenon which has powered our homes and businesses, and solved our energy quests and problems for decades?  Hydropower has encouraged the significant expansion of dams which has damaged and divided ecosystems according to a report from the ' Green New Deal' proposition for Europe by Diem 25(Democracy for Europe Movement 2025).                                                                                                       Another report shows that in the Balkans, some of the wildest rivers in Europe, and also a hot spot for fresh water biodiversity are under threat from around 2800 already planned hydropower plants projected to be constructed over the next few years. So bac...
Post a Comment
Read more

Oceans: Our Natural Carbon Sinks

  June 8 is World Oceans Day. This is the day that the United Nations has set aside every year to convey the importance of our oceans. It is important that we observe these days with utmost precision and care, and not just think that these are just days that the organization chooses to use, so they can  keep up with the ceremony of things or just keep busy. No! They are there,  as a reminder of our duty and responsibility towards our environment,  and the earth in general.  It is vital that we follow and do our own little bit to proffer solutions to our dying planet. And if everyone contributes their own quota to the sustainability of the environment, then we would have gone a long way in ameliorating the problems we have created by our own actions and leave at least a better place for posterity. Oceans are natural carbon sinks that grab carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to use in photosynthesis by plants under the sea. These are plankton, corals, algae and oth...
Post a Comment
Read more

#Climate Action

  Climate can be defined as the atmospheric conditions of a place over a particular period of time. If conditions are altered even in the slightest bit, there is climate change. Most recently, in different parts of the world, climate change has become an increasingly growing problem, stemming largely from man’s quest to solve his energy problem and answering that quest by employing the use of three primary fossil fuel resources namely: coal, petroleum crude oil and gas.  Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel resource in the United States, China and major parts of Africa. As oil prices have   plummeted and the availability of oil is slowly declining, the use of coal again is most likely going to increase if the United Nations Decade On Ecosystem Restoration strategy isn’t strictly adhered to especially in oil producing nations of the world. And this has tremendous environmental problems and consequences caused by the sulfur content of coal and not to mention the release of...
Post a Comment
Read more