.png)
Ozone Depletion
SciFed Journal of Environmental Studies is an
international, online, peer – reviewed, multidisciplinary open access journal
that aims in publishing enormous esteemed manuscripts in various forms in the
fields of Environmental sciences Including interdisciplinary field of knowledge
that combines physical and chemical sciences with biology and information
technology to achieve the best solutions to the emerging environmental
challenges in the modern time.
When chlorine and bromine atoms meet ozone in
the stratosphere, they destroy ozone molecules. One chlorine atom can destroy
over 100,000 ozone molecules before it is removed from the stratosphere. Ozone
can be destroyed more quickly than it is naturally created.
Some compounds release chlorine or bromine when
they are exposed to intense UV light in the stratosphere. These compounds
contribute to ozone depletion, and are called ozone-depleting substances (ODS).
ODS that release chlorine include chlorofluorocarbons, hydro chlorofluorocarbons
(HCFCs), carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform. ODS that release bromine
include halons and methyl bromide, Although ODS are emitted at the Earth’s
surface, they are eventually carried into the stratosphere in a process that
can take as long as two to five years.
Some natural processes, such as large volcanic
eruptions, can have an indirect effect on ozone levels. For example, Mt.
Pinatubo's 1991 eruption did not increase stratospheric chlorine
concentrations, but it did produce large amounts of tiny particles called
aerosols (different from consumer products also known as aerosols). These
aerosols increase chlorine's effectiveness at destroying ozone. The aerosols in
the stratosphere create a surface on which CFC-based chlorine can destroy
ozone. However, the effect from volcanoes is short-lived.
The above Article originally
got published at SciFed Journal of Environmental Studies in 2017, To have a
glance please visit: Click Here
0 comments: