Essay on Smog

SMOG

Classical Smog

• London is famous for its smoke fog of 1952 when 4000 people died from its effects over a four-day period.
• The principle source of classical smog is the combustion of industrial and household fuels (coal and petroleum). Because of the presence of SO2 and carbon (soot) particles, classical smog has a reducing character. It occurs in winter months particularly in early morning hours. It causes severe lung and throat irritation.
• A report by scientists at the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) said the Asian Brown haze is a three-kilometer deep blanket of pollution in the sky, which stretches across South Asia, and has been caused by the spectacular economic development experienced by this part of the world.
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Photochemical Smog

• Because sunlight is essential to photochemical smog, the concentration of ozone and other measurable chemicals, it is at its maximum around midday of summer months and falls of considerably at night.
• Photochemical smog causes eye irritation and coughs due to the presence of ozone and can lead to respiratory problems and reduced physical (athletic) ability.
• While ozone formed during photochemical reaction in the lowest region of the atmosphere is an air pollutant, in the upper atmosphere, the natural existence of the ozone layer helps protect living organisms from harmful U.V. rays from the sun.

Other Smog

• In Canada smog is a concern in most major urban centers but, because it travels with the wind, it can affect sparsely populated areas as well. Particularly vulnerable to smog are the elderly, those with existing heart or lung disease and small children. Even healthy adults can be adversely affected by high level of smog.
• The two key components of smog are particles and ground-level ozone.
• Toronto Public Health estimates that 1,700 Toronto residents die prematurely each year due to air pollution (ground-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide,...