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The depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer in the upper atmosphere as a result of the discharge of chemical compounds containing gaseous chlorine or bromine from industry and other human activities is referred to as ozone depletion.
Increased UV radiation levels at the Earth’s surface come from ozone depletion, which is harmful to human health. An increase in certain types of skin malignancies, ocular cataracts, and immune deficiency illnesses is one of the negative consequences.
Ozone Layer
The ozone layer is a gaseous layer in the upper atmosphere that shields humans and other living things from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Although ozone is found in minor amounts throughout the atmosphere, the majority of it (about 90%) is found in the stratosphere, a layer 10 to 50 kilometres greater than the Earth’s surface. Because it filters off the bulk of the sun’s harmful UV radiation, the ozone layer is vital to life on Earth.
Ozone Formation
The creation of O3 is the result of UV radiation reacting with O2 or dioxygen molecules. UV radiation breaks the oxygen molecule into free oxygen or O atoms.
When these O atoms combine with the molecular form of oxygen, ozone is generated (O3). It’s a thermodynamically unstable molecule that decomposes easily into molecular oxygen .
As a result, the synthesis and destruction of O3 molecules are in a continual dynamic equilibrium.
O(g) + O2(g) →O3(g)
The Importance Of Ozone Layer
Ozone layers shield the earth from UV rays are harmful to biological processes, which are required for life to exist. If the ozone layer is not present to screen ultraviolet light, it can cause cataracts, skin cancer, and other detrimental impacts in people.
When that same gaseous ozone is discovered in our lower layer known as the troposphere, it is classified as an air pollution and is extremely detrimental to human health.
We need it in the stratosphere, too, since even at a low concentration of 12 parts per million, ozone is so effective at absorbing the sun’s UV radiation that even a small amount is adequate to protect us on Earth.
Ozone Layer Depletion Causes
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have recently been widely utilised in industry and elsewhere to keep things cool, as well as to generate foam and soaps. CFCs are carried into the stratosphere by strong winds, where UV radiation breaks them apart, releasing chlorine atoms. During its duration in the stratosphere, each chlorine atom can assault and destroy as many as 100,000 ozone molecules.
CFCs degrade the amount of ozone in the stratosphere by releasing chlorine into it. Pesticides like methyl bromide, halons used in fire extinguishers, and methyl chloroform used in companies are all ozone-depleting compounds.
CFCs are organic molecules that are non-flammable, non-toxic, and non-reactive. As a result, it’s found in air conditioners, freezers, plastic foam manufacturing, and cleaning computer equipment, among other things.
These compounds, on the other hand, mix with ordinary air gases and eventually reach the stratosphere. In the presence of intense UV radiation in the stratosphere, these molecules decompose producing free chlorine radicals.
CF2Cl2 (g) → Cl(g) + CF2Cl(g)
When chlorine radicals combine with stratospheric O3, molecular oxygen and chlorine monoxide radicals are formed.
Cl(g) + O3(g) → ClO(g) + O2(g)
More chlorine radicals are formed when chlorine monoxide radicals combine with atomic oxygen.
ClO(g) + O(g) → Cl(g) + O2(g)
This process will continue to regenerate chlorine radicals indefinitely. This, in turn, will lead to ozone depletion. As a result, CFCs are carrying agents that cause damage to the ozone layer.
Conclusion
In this article we learned that, Increased UV radiation levels at the Earth’s surface result from ozone layer depletion, which is harmful to human health. One of the bad outcomes is a rise in some types of skin cancers, ocular cataracts, and immune deficiency disorders.
The usefulness of ozone is characterised by the fact that it shields the earth from the sun’s harmful UV rays. The ozone layer is found in the stratosphere’s higher reaches, where it shields the earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. In humans, these rays can cause skin cancer.
