RANI LAXMI BAI MEMORIAL SCHOOL

Biology
Investigatory Project

Topic: S mog.

Submitted to: Mrs. Gauri Mishra

Submitted by: Shivansh Singh
Class: XII – B
Roll No: 21
Smog
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The success and outcome of this
project required a lot of guidance and
assistance from many people and I am
extremely fortunate to have gotten this
all along the completion of my project
work. The work I have done is due to
such guidance and assistance and I
would not forget to thank them. I
respect and thank Mrs. Gauri Mishra
for allowing me to do this project work
and providing us all support and guidance
which made me complete the project on
time. I would like to express my gratitude
to my parents for encouraging me
throughout the completion of this project.
 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Mr.
Tejash Singh , a student of
class XII-B (Science) has
successfully completed his
project work under the
guidance of subject teacher
Mrs. Gauri Mishra during the
year 2024-25 from Rani Laxmi Bai
Memorial School in partial fulfillment
of physics practical examination
conducted by CBSE

Principal sign School stamp External Examiner Subject Teacher

PREFACE
Investigatory project is a very effective
method of learning by doing. It differs
from routine lab experiment where
procedures, experiments and results are
fixed. during the execution of project, I
had used research method to collect
material from different sources to present
it in a interesting manner.

Making an investigatory project helps the

student to develop a scientific look and
make them think analytically and
logically. It make them more creative and
curious about different things.

At last I would like to convey my heartfelt

thanks to my subject teacher Mrs. Gauri
Mishra who inspired me and guided me to
make this project successful.
SMOG
INTRODUCTION
Smog is a type of air pollution. This kind of visible
air pollution is composed of nitrogen oxides,
sulphur oxides, ozone, smoke or dirt particles and
also less visible particles such as CFC's. Human-
made smog is derived from coal emissions,
vehicular emissions, industrial emissions, forest
and agricultural fires and photochemical reactions
of these emissions.

Smog is a new threat to world. It is dangerous

consequence of human deeds. It is not only
harming the environment but also to its creators i.e.
human beings . Delhi NCR and some other big
cities of India are badly affected by smog. Not only
Indian many major countries get covered by smog.
Starting from new York London ,California,los
angeles , Beijing , mexico city Santiago Tehran
ulaanbatar Lahore all get covered by a thick blanket
of smog . many people all over the world lose their
lives due to smog . it is estimated that in delhi
alone 10500 people die every year due to air
pollution.
A scientific look
towards smog-
There are two types of smog summer
smog and winter smog but we will
mainly discuss winter smog.

Coinage of the term "smog" is generally

attributed to Dr. Henry Antoine Des Voeux in
his 1905 paper, "Fog and Smoke”. Smog is a
yellowish or blackish fog formed mainly by a
mixture of pollutants in the atmosphere which
consists of fine particles and ground level
ozone. Smog which occurs mainly because of
air pollution, can also be defined as a mixture
of various gases with dust and water vapor.
Smog also refers to hazy air that makes
breathing difficult. Ground level ozone and fine
particles are released in the air due to complex
photochemical reactions between volatile
organic compounds (VOC), sulphur dioxide
(SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). These VOC,
SO2 and NOx are called precursors.
Causes of smog
(I)Coal :- Coal fires, used to heat individual
buildings or in a power-producing plant, can emit
significant clouds of smoke that contributes to
smog. Air pollution from this source has been
reported in England since the Middle Ages.

(II)Transportation emissions: - Traffic

emissions – such as from trucks, buses, and
automobiles – also contribute. Airborne by-
products from vehicle exhaust systems
cause air pollution and are a major ingredient
in the creation of smog in some large cities.

The major culprits from transportation

sources are carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen
oxides (NO and NOx), volatile organic
compounds, sulphur dioxide, and
hydrocarbons. (Hydrocarbons are the main
components of petroleum fuels such as
gasoline and diesel fuel.) These molecules react
with sunlight, heat, ammonia, moisture, and other
compounds to form the noxious vapours, ground
level ozone, and particles that comprise smog.

(III)Photochemical smog: - Photochemical smog

is the chemical reaction of sunlight, nitrogen
oxides and volatile organic compounds in the
atmosphere, which leaves airborne particles
and ground-level ozone. This noxious mixture
of air pollutants may include the following:

# Aldehydes

# Nitrogen oxides, particularly nitric oxide

and nitrogen dioxide
# Pyrexical nitrates

# Tropospheric ozone

# Volatile organic compounds

(IV) Natural causes: - An erupting volcano can also

emit high levels of sulphur dioxide along with a
large quantity of particulate matter; two key
components to the creation of smog. However, the
smog created as a result of a volcanic eruption is often
known as vog to distinguish it as a natural occurrence
Effects of smog on
health:-
Ground-level ozone, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen
dioxide and carbon monoxide are especially
harmful for senior citizens, children, and
people with heart and lung conditions such as
emphysema, bronchitis, and asthma.
It can inflame breathing passages, decrease the
lungs' working capacity, cause shortness of
breath, pain when inhaling deeply, wheezing, and
coughing.

It can cause eye and nose irritation and it dries out

the protective membranes of the nose and throat
and interferes with the body's ability to fight
infection, increasing susceptibility to illness.

(iv) In 2016, the Ontario Medical Association

announced that smog is responsible for
an estimated 9,500 premature deaths in
the province each year.

(v) Tiny magnetic particles from air pollution

have for the first time been discovered to
 be lodged in human brains– and
researchers think they could be a
possible cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

(vi) Birth defect: - two types of neural tube

defects: spina bifida (a condition
involving, among other manifestations,
certain malformations of the spinal
column), and anencephaly (the
underdevelopment or absence of part or
all of the brain, which if not fatal usually
results in profound impairment).

(vii) The highly affected people include

old people, kids and those with
cardiac and respiratory
complications as they have easy
tendency to be at disadvantage of
asthma.

(viii) Illnesses such as cold and pneumonia

are also related to smog
A CASE STUDY 0F DELHI

Delhi, the national capital of India is among the top

five most air polluted cities in the world. Delhi is
nowadays at the top leaving behind Beijing (China),
Cairo (Egypt), Santiago (Chile), Mexico City
(Mexico). The threat of smog is increasing day by
day.
 According to the World Health
Organization (WHO) Delhi was the most polluted
city in the world in 2014. In 2016 WHO
downgraded Delhi to eleventh-worst in the urban
air quality database. According to one estimate,
air pollution causes the death of about 10,500
people in Delhi every year. During 2013–14, peak
levels of fine particulate matter (PM) in Delhi
increased by about 44%, primarily due to high
vehicular and industrial emissions, construction
work and crop burning in adjoining states. It has
the highest level of the airborne particulate
matter, PM2.5 considered most harmful to health,
with 153 micrograms. Rising air pollution level
has significantly increased lung-related ailments
(especially asthma and lung cancer) among
Delhi's children and women. The dense smog in
Delhi during winter season results in major air
and rail traffic disruptions every year. According
to Indian meteorologists, the average maximum
temperature in Delhi during winters has declined
notably since 1998 due to rising air pollution.

Delhi is the most densely

populated region with an area of 1484 sq. km
and population of 18.98 million. So, the
population level is always found high.
Causes of smog in
delhi: -
(i) National capital shares its border with
the states of Haryana and Uttar
Pradesh. One of the main reasons of
increasing air pollution levels in Delhi
is crop burning by the farmers in these
states. Farmers burn rice stubbles in
Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. It
is estimated that approximately 35
million tonnes of crop are set afire by
these states. The wind carries all the
pollutants and dust particles, which
have got locked in the air.

(ii) Pollution caused by the traffic menace

in Delhi is another reason contributing
to this air pollution and smog. The air
quality index has reached 'severe'
levels. Vehicular emission is
increasing the hazardous effects of air
pollution and smog. The Central
 Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and
the National Environmental Engineering
Research Institute (NEERI) have declared
vehicular

Emission as a major contributor to Delhi's

increasing air pollution.

(iii) As the winter season sets in, dust

particles and pollutants in the air
become unable to move. Due to
stagnant winds, these pollutants get
locked in the air and affect weather
conditions, resulting in smog.
(iv) Another reason of air-pollution is over-
population in the capital. Over-
population only adds up to the various
types of pollution, whether it is air
pollution or noise pollution.
(v) Investing less on public infrastructure is
another reason of air pollution. In India,
investment in public transport and
infrastructure is low which leads to
congested roads, and hence air pollution.
 (vi) Large scale construction in Delhi-NCR
is another culprit that is increasing dust
and pollution in the air. Considering the
dipping air quality, a number of
construction sites have stalled work, as
directed by the Delhi Government.

(vii) (vii) Industrial pollution and garbage dumps

As the winter sets in dust particles
and pollutants in the air become
unable to move. due to stagnant
winds these pollutants get locked in
the air and affect weather conditions
resulting in smog.

The three regions most prone to

smog in Delhi are:-

(i) Anand Vihar

(ii) RK Puram

(iii) Punjabi Bagh

In Anand Vihar the pm10 and pm2.5

levels are generally higher.
 (iii)

Despite the ban on cracker

sales, firecrackers were a common sight this Diwali.
It may not be the top reason for this smog, but it
definitely contributed to its build up.
The concentration of gases like
NO also remains very high. The
2

main reasons behind

the pollution in Anand Vihar is

(i) 1 lakh vehicles use the main

stretch every day.
(ii) 2000 buses operate from
Anand Vihar to ISBT every
day .

(iii) Heavy trans-border traffic

between Delhi and Uttar
Pradesh .

(iv) Industrial cluster in the

vicinity.

Things have been changing

after railway station for east
bound trains and a metro
station came up in Anand
Vihar . A data of PM 2.5 levels
in Delhi in 0ct 2016.
DATE LEVELS OF 2.5 REMARKS
01/10/2016 95 Moderate
02/10/2016 68 Moderate
03/10/2016 104 Unhealthy
04/10/2016 76 Moderate
05/10/2016 99 Moderate
06/10/2016 74 Moderate
07/10/2016 122 Unhealthy
08/10/2016 89 Moderate
09/10/2016 123 Unhealthy
10/10/2016 97 Moderate
11/10/2016 72 Moderate
12/10/2016 67 Moderate
13/10/2016 56 Moderate
14/10/2016 114 Unhealthy
15/10/2016 121 Unhealthy
16/10/2016 101 Unhealthy
17/10/2016 141 Unhealthy
18/10/2016 111 Unhealthy
19/10/2016 124 Unhealthy
20/10/2016 98 Moderate
21/10/2016 116 Unhealthy
22/10/2016 108 Unhealthy
23/10/2016 121 Unhealthy
24/10/2016 107 Unhealthy
25/10/2016 73 Moderate
26/10/2016 108 Unhealthy
27/10/2016 143 Unhealthy
28/10/2016 129 Unhealthy
29/10/2016 174 Very unhealthy
30/10/2016 758 Hazardous
31/10/2016 480 Hazardous

This table shows that with onset of winter

the levels of pm2.5 increases tremendously.

The following graph shows levels of pm 2.5

on 07 November 2017.
Measures taken by Delhi
government to control smog: -
The Chief Minister of Delhi at that time, Arvind
Kejriwal, came out with the following
proposed action items to attempt to reduce
the air pollution.

(i) Odd Even scheme

(ii) All Delhi schools will remain shut for

the next three days.

(iii) For the next five days, no construction

and demolition work will take place in
Delhi.
(iii) All diesel generator sets have been
banned for the next ten days, except at
hospitals and in emergencies.
(iv) The Delhi government will supply power
to unauthorized colonies which use diesel
generators.
(v) The coal-based Badarpur power plant will
be shut down for ten days. There will be no
fly ash transportation from the power plant.
(vi) The Environment Department will launch
an app to monitor the burning of leaves.
(vii)Vacuum cleaning of roads will start
on November 10.

(viii) Water sprinkling will start on all roads

from the next following days.
(ix) People should stay at home as much as they
can and they should try working from home.

It has been under public debate how much, if

any, of the above steps actually help curtail
pollution. Various bodies blamed various
sources for the smog.
Longer term
measures

(i) On November 25, 2017, the Supreme

Court of India banned the sale of
firecrackers in Delhi to alleviate
pollution.
(ii) In another measure, the Badarpur
power plant will remain shut until at least
January 31,
2018.This power plant is very old and
polluting, and even before the Great
Smog, environmentalists had advocated
for its permanent shutdown
National Disaster Management
Authority (NDMA) has issued some
guidelines to protect yourself against
the hazardous impacts of smog and
pollution:

(i) Don't step out or indulge in

outdoor activities during early
morning and evening hours due to
"severe" levels of air pollution in the
city.
(ii) Try to stay indoors. Go out when
it's bright and sunny.
(iii) Avoid stepping out if you have
breathing difficulty.

Keep children indoors as much as

possible.
References
1. www.bcps.org

2. http://www.csun.edu

3. www.nextgurukul.in
4. http://archive.jsonline.com/news/
crime

5. https:/ /en.wikipedia.org
BIBLIOGRAPH
Y • WWW.google.com
• WWW.documents.mx
• WWW.docfoc.com
• WWW.slideshare.net