Scribd
Upload
208 views12 pages

Photochemical Smog

Photochemical smog is formed through a series of free radical reactions involving sunlight, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds from vehicle exhaust. Nitrogen oxides and organic compounds react through oxidation and other reactions to form ozone, aldehydes, nitric acid, and peroxyacylnitrates (PANs), which are secondary pollutants that can cause health effects. The process begins with the production of nitrogen oxides from vehicle engines and their subsequent oxidation in the atmosphere.

Uploaded by

Gahbilan Devadas
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
208 views12 pages

Photochemical Smog

Photochemical smog is formed through a series of free radical reactions involving sunlight, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds from vehicle exhaust. Nitrogen oxides and organic compounds react through oxidation and other reactions to form ozone, aldehydes, nitric acid, and peroxyacylnitrates (PANs), which are secondary pollutants that can cause health effects. The process begins with the production of nitrogen oxides from vehicle engines and their subsequent oxidation in the atmosphere.

Uploaded by

Gahbilan Devadas
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 12

E.10.

2 Outline the formation of secondary pollutants in photochemical smog

PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG
Modern smog are caused by traffic exhaust fumes Produced by series of free radical reactions due to interaction between: sunlight nitrogen monoxide volatile organic compounds(VOC) produced from car exhausts

Production of Nitrogen Monoxide


Formed by direct combination of nitrogen and oxygen at high Temperature of the internal combustion engine:

Production of Nitrogen Dioxide


Secondary pollutant formed by direct oxidation of nitrogen monoxide by oxygen
+

The photochemical reactions begin with absorption of light by secondary nitrogen dioxide as primary pollutant nitrogen monoxide is oxidized Nitrogen dioxide is broken up by sunlight

+ .

PRODUCTION OF OZONE
Reactive oxygen atom reacts with molecular oxygen to produce ozone

+
Dangerous pollutant. Causes shortness of breath, irritation of throat, eyes and nose

Production of hydrocarbon radicals


VOC from unburnt petroleum products are also emitted as primary pollutants from car exhausts

When oxygen atoms remove a hydrogen atom from alkane, alkyl radicals and hydroxyl radicals are produced

+ +

The hydroxyl radicals react with alkane molecules to produce further alkyl radicals

+ +
Which reacts with oxygen molecule to produce peroxy radicals

Production of aldehydes
The peroxy radicals produced can react with nitrogen monoxide to produce nitrogen dioxide:
+ . . +

The radicals then react with oxygen to form aldehydes:

+ +

Production of nitric acid


Nitric acid is formed by combination of hydroxyl radicals with nitrogen dioxide

Production of peroxyacylnitrates (PANs)


Secondary pollutant which has serious effect on health Produced by series of further sequence of free radical reactions Hydroxyl free radicals remove a hydrogen atom from an aldehyde:

+ +

The resulting free radicals then react with an oxygen molecule to produce a peroxide

The resulting free radicals then react with nitrogen monoxide molecule in a termination step to produce relatively stable PAN

You might also like