What is Air?
TRANSPORT
The term "air" refers to gas.
General name for the mixture of gases that
makes up the Earth's atmosphere.
IMPORTANCE OF AIR
BREATHING
We all need oxygen for respiration.
ENERGY
All living beings including plants &
animals are dependent on air (oxygen) for
generation of valuable life energy.
COMBUSTION
Combustion takes place when fuel,
most commonly a fossil fuel, reacts with the
oxygen in air to produce heat.
SOUNDWAVES
We can hear the sound of speech or
cry, noise, etc. only in the presence of air.
POLLINATION
Pollination can happen within
flowers of the same plant or between
distant ones through air wind.
TEMPERATURE
The temperature of earth’s surface
rises rapidly but slowly on ocean or sea, so
air which gets heated on earth surface rises
and cold air from sea surface moves on to
the earth surface thus minimizing the rise in
temperature.
MONSOONS
Monsoons are the ones by which we
have rains in the rainy season. This is done
due to currents of wind (air) across the
earth surface.
Air transport by flights and
helicopters has come into widespread use.
Even for birds and insects air is the chief
mode of transport. Air transport is quicker
than land and water transport. There is less
friction, so the vehicles travel faster.
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
Vacuum or suction pressure is
created due to lack of air inside a cavity or
pipe. Due lack of air there is intense
negative pressure which lets water to move
up inside the vacuum space.
COMPONENTS OF AIR
Nitrogen
•To balance out oxygen, there is
Nitrogen
•Nitrogen is also one of the most
abundantly found gas on earth.
Oxygen
•Oxygen is an important gas,
essential to for most living things
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide is infused in the air
due to respiration.
Combined together with water and
the energy from the sunlight, to
make food or simple sugars where
oxygen produces.
Water Vapor
When the water present in the
water bodies evaporates due to heat, it
rises up and mixes into the atmosphere.
POLLUTANTS & THEIR SOURCES Ozone (O3)
Secondary pollutant formed by
Two Types of Pollutants
chemical reaction of volatile organic
PRIMARY
compounds (VOCs) and NOx in the presence
-Gases or particles that are pumped
of sunlight.
into the air to make it unclean.
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
SECONDARY
One of the oxides which can react to
-When pollutants in the air mix up in
produce Ozone. It is thick, brown, and
a chemical reaction, they form an even
choking and one of the more visibly harmful
more dangerous chemical.
pollutants.
Sources of Air Pollution
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Artificial (Man-Made)
Closely associated with the steam
•The manmade sources of air
age and locomotives. The biggest culprit in
pollution include overpopulation,
its
urbanization, industrial wastage,
Particulate Matter (PM)
deforestation and many more.
Generally consists of soot, dirt, and
• “Stationary Sources” chemical byproducts produced through
combustion or chemical mixing.
• “Mobile Sources”
Natural AIR QUALITY PARAMETERS
•The natural sources of air pollution
include dust storms, volcanoes, pollen Particulate Matter (PM)
grains, ash produced from smoking and PM is a common proxy indicator for air
decomposition of organic matters. pollution.
Common Pollutants
•Carbon Monoxide (CO) STANDARD AND GUIDELINES FOR AIR
QUALITY
•Lead (Pb) Department of Environment and Natural
Sources (DENR)
•Ozone (O3)
The DENR said that compared to
•Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) other particulates, PM2.5 pollutants are
finer particles usually emitted by vehicles
•Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) and burning plants. Their small size allows
them to stay in the air longer, travel farther,
•Particulate Matter (PM) and pass through the body smaller airways
deeper into the lungs, leading to respiratory
Carbon Monoxide (CO) and circulatory diseases, cancers and brain
Highly toxic and dangerous damage.
pollutant, infamous for its lack of identifying
color and smell.
Lead (Pb)
Long been known to be a dangerous
substance. Once common in nearly all gas
and aviation fuels.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS)
The Act calls for states and USEPA
(United States Environmental Protection
Agency) to solve multiple air pollution
problems through programs based on the
latest science and technology information.

STANDARD METHODS OF
SAMPLING AIR FOR AIR QUALITY ANALYSIS

Whole air sampling

Solid sorbent sampling (Active)

Solid sorbent sampling (Passive)

Impinger sampling

Filter sampling