Photochemical was a problem and generation of civilization. It does not never occur in the wild, but regularly appears over the largest cities on the planet. What he really is?
The concept of photochemical smog
Sow this is a fog consisting not of water drops, but of polluting substances. In the vast majority of cases, they become exhaust gases of cars and smoke from working enterprises. The photochemical was different from the usual one in that it is not a simple accumulation of pollutants, but the result of chemical reactions between them.
This phenomenon occurs in the presence of certain conditions. First of all, at a small height above the earth’s surface, a sufficient amount of nitric oxide and hydrocarbons should accumulate. The second mandatory factor is sunlight and calm weather. Due to the lack of wind, the concentration of substances involved in the creation of smog increases until a critical moment arrives.
Substances enter into a rather complex chemical reaction with each other, which is accompanied by the active formation of foggy haze. Most often, the conditions for its occurrence occur in the summer and early sunny autumn.
Why is photochemical smog dangerous??
This type of smog is dangerous due to the complex chemical composition that people have to inhale. The components that make up such a mist can cause shortness of breath, headache, sore throat and cough. Photochemical smog is especially dangerous for people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system and respiratory organs, such as asthma.
Photochemical smog has a risk of delayed effects. This means that a long and frequent stay in it can negatively affect health not immediately, but after a few years. Under the most unfavorable set of circumstances, strong carcinogens that cause cancer can be present in the composition of the fog.
Fight against smog
Globally, the conditions for the occurrence of photochemical smog can be taken into account even when planning a future settlement. On the territory of Eurasia and some neighboring countries there are cities located on a relief that limits wind and dispersion of harmful substances. A good example is Novokuznetsk, where there are serious industrial enterprises, but the city is surrounded by mountains on three sides and is not sufficiently “ventilated”. In calm weather, smog almost always forms here.
Under the existing conditions, it is important to strive to reduce emissions of toxic substances into the atmosphere. Practical steps to achieve this can be the development and installation of efficient filter systems in enterprises. In more global terms, it is possible to change the technology of production.
The introduction of public and personal transport on electric traction is one of the most important steps in the fight against photochemical smog. The absence of exhaust gases will seriously loosen the chemical “base” to form a harmful fog.
Another measure to improve the quality of life in smog-prone areas could be the creation of natural ventilation. This is due to serious work on relief and the creation of excavations in mountain massifs.
In practice, from the above methods, only filter structures at industrial enterprises are widely introduced. More largescale steps, like the construction of infrastructure for electric public transport, and, moreover, the creation of “ventilation tracts” in the terrain requires serious financing. And this is almost always a big problem.
