chapter 1 pollution

• Climate change


  Long-term changes in Earth's atmospheric conditions, leading to rising temperatures and extreme weather events
• CO2


  A greenhouse gas that traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere
• High level of CO2


  Intensifies the greenhouse effect and leads to global temperature rise
• Rising temperatures


  Cause extreme weather events
• Extreme weather events


  • Heatwaves, flooding and wildfires
• Global warming


  Human activities releasing greenhouse gases cause Earth's surface temperature to increase
• Climate change


  Earth's climate system is undergoing long-term alterations in temperature, sea level rise, and extreme weather events
• Differences between global warming and climate change


  • Definition
  • Scope
  • Causes
  • Impact
• DALY (Disability-Adjusted Life Year)


  A measure that calculates the impact of a disease or injury in terms of the number of healthy years lost due to disability or early death
• JHA (Job Hazard Analysis)


  A systematic process used to identify and evaluate workplace hazards associated with specific job tasks or activities
• Functions of environmental engineers


  • Conducting environmental assessment
  • Developing and implementing environmental remediation plans
  • Designing and managing waste management system
  • Conducting research
  • Developing and implementing sustainability strategies
• Carbon footprint


  The total amount of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), emitted directly or indirectly by an individual, organization, event, or product
• Gas treatment in a coal-fired power plant


  1. Flue gas produced when coal is burned

  2. Electrostatic precipitators or baghouses eliminate particles such as ash and dust

  3. Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) processes remove sulfur dioxide (SO2)

  4. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are reduced through SCR or SNCR methods

  5. Mercury is captured using activated carbon injection or other sorbent technology

  6. Continuous monitoring ensures compliance with environmental regulations
• Working principle of electrostatic precipitators


  1. Flue gas enters the ESP

  2. Metal electrodes with high voltage, creating corona discharge and ionizing the gas molecules

  3. Gas molecules ionize, releasing electrons

  4. The negatively charged particles are attracted to positively charged plates or electrodes inside the precipitator

  5. Particles stick to positively charged plates through electrostatic forces

  6. Clean gas exits the precipitator and released into the atmosphere

  7. The particles are removed from the plates and collected for disposal or recycling
• Fabric filtration operation


  • High efficiency
  • Versatility
  • Cost effectiveness
  • Minimal environment impact
  • Flexible design options
• Fabric filtration operation


  1. Gas stream enters the fabric filter

  2. Particulate matters is trapped

  3. Clean gas exits the fabric filter

  4. Cleaning the filter. Over time, the filter becomes clogged with particulate matter and will increase the pressure drop across the fabric filter
• Ecosystem


  A community of lifeforms in concurrence with non-living components, interacting with each other
• Terrestrial Ecosystems


  • Forest Ecosystem
  • Grassland Ecosystem
  • Tundra Ecosystem
  • Desert Ecosystem
• Aquatic Ecosystems


  • Freshwater Ecosystem
  • Marine Ecosystem
• Ecosystem components


  • Climatic factors (rain, temperature, wind etc)
  • Edaphic factors (soil, pH, minerals etc)
  • Autotrophs (self-feeders, plants)
  • Heterotrophs (consumers)
  • Saprotrophs (decomposers, bacteria, fungi)
  • Phagotrophs (macro consumers)
• Anthropogenic impacts on the environment


  • Agriculture (deforestation, land degradation, water usage)
  • Aquaculture (native species destruction, eutrophication, disease, chemical usage)
  • Irrigation (biodiversity loss, water scarcity, erosion)
  • Meat production (deforestation, greenhouse gas, water scarcity, land degradation)
  • Oil industry (hazardous gas, resource depletion, acid rain)
  • Mining (habitat destruction, deforestation, air & water pollution)
  • Transportation (noise pollution, air pollution, soot)
• Climate change


  Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns
• In about 1750, human activities such as burning fossil fuels have increased greenhouse gas concentrations in our atmosphere
• Actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
  • Carbon capture and storage
  • Increase use of sustainable transportation
  • Promote sustainable agriculture
  • Increase awareness and education
  • Support international agreements (Kyoto Protocol, Clean Development Mechanism)
• Stakeholders for actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions


  • Industry
  • Community
  • Government
• Kyoto Protocol


  Operationalizes the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by committing industrialized countries and economies in transition to limit and reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions in accordance with agreed individual targets
• Overall the Kyoto Protocol targets have not been fully respected and global emissions of greenhouse gases have continued to rise since the Protocol was adopted
• Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)


  Allows a country with an emission-reduction or emission-limitation commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to implement an emission-reduction project in developing countries and earn saleable certified emission reduction (CER) credits
• Ozone depletion


  Gradual thinning of Earth's ozone layer in the upper atmosphere caused by the release of chemical compounds containing gaseous chlorine or bromine from industry and other human activities
• Environmental impacts (outdoor and indoor)


  • Air (toxic gas, cancer, birth defects, shortened life)
  • Water
  • Land
  • Noise
  • Light
  • Thermal
• Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs)


  Quantify the impact of diseases and medical conditions on both the length and quality of life for a population, combining years of life lost due to premature mortality and years lived with disability
• Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)


  A systematic process to identify and assess potential hazards associated with specific job tasks, focusing on the relationship between the worker, the task, the tools, and the work environment
• JHA and DALYs


  JHA focuses on preventing workplace injuries and illnesses, while DALYs assess the overall impact of diseases and disabilities on a population. Reducing workplace hazards through JHA can contribute to fewer years lived with disability and potentially reduce DALYs.
• Roles of environmental engineers


  • Conducting environmental assessments
  • Developing and implementing environmental remediation plans
  • Designing and managing waste management systems
  • Developing and implementing sustainability strategies
• Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns
• Climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth's local, regional and global climates
• Global warming and climate change are related but distinct concepts
• Carbon footprint refers to the total greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, event, organization, or product, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent
• suggest functions of environmental engineers