International Day For the Preservation of the Ozone Layer

The ozone layer can be defined as the region on the earth’s stratosphere.The main purpose of this ozone layer is to absorb the harmful ultraviolet rays that are getting released from the sun.The ozone layer contains large amounts of ozone gas(o3) and also contains other gasses in small quantity.The ozone layer was discovered by the physicist of france named Charles Fabry and Henri Bussoin in the year of 1913. It was found that the ozone layer absorbs 97-99 percent of the sun’s uv rays from wavelengths 200 nm to 315 nm. A scientist named Dobson invented a new machine known as spectrophotometer for measuring the ozone in the stratosphere from the ground.Then in 1976 it was found that ozone layer was depleting due to the chemical substances like chlorofluorocarbons(cfc’s). Due to this depletion of the ozone layer the number of skin cancer cases and other ecological problems are also increased .Then the restrictions are also released for the usage of ozone layer threatening chemical substances.The September 16 was declared as the international day for preserving the ozone layer.

Formation Of Ozone:

Sydney Chapman found the photochemical mechanisms of the formation of the ozone layer in the year 1930.The ozone molecules in the earth are generated by the reaction of molecules of the oxygen with light which lead to the splitting of the oxygen molecules into a single oxygen.This oxygen then reacts with non-splitted oxygen molecule and produces ozone(o3).The o3 (ozone)molecule is non-stable and when ozone reacts with the ultraviolet rays it gets split into an oxygen molecule and a oxygen atom.This process occurs continuously and hence known as the oxygen-ozone cycle.

Montreal Protocol:

The Montreal protocol is mainly designed for the protection of the ozone layer. This protocol got agreed on 16th september of 1987 and this protocol came into force on 1 st january 1989.Themain motto of the Montreal Protocol is to reduce the amount of the ozone depleting gases (mainly the gases containing halogens).

Success Of Montreal Protocol:

•     The Montreal protocol has been successful in reversing the damage of the ozone layer by minimising the usage of the ozone affecting gases.
•     The Montreal protocol has been considered as one of the successful events in the world.
•     The Montreal protocol has also succeeded in reducing the usage of most dangerous gases like chlorofluorocarbons and chlorinated,brominated hydrocarbons.
•     It is expected that the Montreal protocol will help in avoiding 280 million skin cancer incidents, 1.6 million deaths due to cancers and millions of cataracts.
•     If the Montreal protocol continues to succeed then the ozone layer can be recovered within 2050.
•     The Montreal protocol has also helped in fighting against the climatic changes and also reduces the effect of greenhouse gases.

Hydrocarbons-Ozone Layer:

The chlorofluorocarbons are mainly used as refrigerants,propellants,solvents,cleaners etc.These chlorofluorocarbons gets emitted and moves upwards to the troposphere.From the troposphere they move to the stratosphere.In the stratosphere the chlorofluorocarbons gets splitted on reaction with uv rays.Then there will be a chlorine on the stratosphere which cause the depletion of ozone or ozone hole.Some other ozone depleting gases are as follows.

•     hydro-chlorofluorocarbons(HCFC).
•     Methylbromide (ch3br).
•     Carbon tetrachloride (ccl4).

Though the halocarbons are less in number when compared to carbon-di-oxide (co2) their effect of warming is 3000 to 13000 times more than carbon-dioxide.The main negative effect of cfc is they can stay in the atmosphere for many years and destroy the entire atmosphere.

Conclusion:

The ozone layer is a layer that is gifted for us to save us from the harmful radiation of the uv rays produced by the sun.But we human beings destroy them for our selfish needs.Due to this many of them get affected by the cancers even the babies are getting birth with disease of cancer.So we not only destroys the earth but at the same time we are also destroying the future generation of the earth.So it is in our hands to protect the ozone and minimise the usage of the gases that causes harm to the earth’s atmosphere.