3

OZONE DEPLETION

Ozone layer depletion, is simply the wearing out (reduction) of the

amount of ozone in the stratosphere unlike pollution, which has many types and

causes. Ozone depletion has been pinned down to one major human activity.

Industries that manufacture things like insulating foams, solvents,

soaps, cooling things like Air Conditioner, Refrigerators and ‘Take – away’

containers use something called Chloro fluro carbons (CFCs). These substance

heavier than air, but overtime, they are carried high in to the Stratosphere by

wind action.

Depletion begins when CFCs act in to the Stratosphere. Ultraviolet

radiation from the Sun breaks up these CFCs. The breaking up action releases

chlorine atom, chlorine atom react with ozone, starting a chemical cycles that

destroys the good ozone in that area. One chlorine atom can break apart more

than 100,000 ozone molecules.

There are other ozone depleting substance(ODS) such as methyl

bromide used in pesticides, balons used in fire extinguishers and methyl

chloroform used in making industrial solvents.

Other chemicals that naturally destroy ozone are NOY, HOM,

CLX, which belong to the Nitrogen, Hydrogen and Chlorine families.

Measurements of CFCs in the Stratosphere are made from gas

balloons, aircraft and Satellites.

1. CFCs released in to

environment by industries,

rises up to Stratosphere

Sunlight breaks CFCs

up releasing chlorine

Chlorine react with ozone

and destroys ozone

More reactions causes more

depletion

2

[

3

4