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Environmental Chemistry

Question
CBSEENCH11007979

What are the reactions involved for ozone layer depletion in the stratosphere?

Solution

The ozonosphere region i.e. presence of ozone layer in the upper atmosphere prevents the harmful U.V. radiations from reaching our earth. But ozone depleting substances (ODS) are being released in the atmosphere by high-flying jets and rockets. These are converting ozone into oxygen. Actually, two types of compounds like nitric oxide and chlorofluorocarbons are responsible for depleting the ozone layer and creating a hole in it.
(i) Nitric oxide as ozone depleting substance: It is produced:
(a) at the ground level due to human activity or natural sources
or
(b) in large amounts in the exhaust gases by the engine of supersonic transport planes.
This NO is introduced directly into the stratosphere. NO reacts with ozone thereby decreasing the concentration of ozone and forms NO2.
NO space plus space straight O subscript 3 space rightwards arrow space space NO subscript 2 space plus space straight O subscript 2
NO2 then reacts with oxygen atoms available in the stratosphere (due to the decomposition of ozone and oxygen) producing back NO.
NO subscript 2 space plus space straight O space rightwards arrow space NO space plus space straight O subscript 2
Thus no NO is consumed but O3 gets depleted.
(ii) chlorofluorocarbons (Freons) as ozone depleting substance: These are produced from:
(a) aerosol sprays in which they function as propellants and
(b) refrigerating equipment in which they act as coolants.
These are introduced in the stratosphere where they first undergo photochemical decomposition to give chlorine atoms.
            CF subscript 2 Cl subscript 2 space rightwards arrow with hv on top space CF subscript 2 Cl space plus space Cl
CFCl subscript 3 space rightwards arrow with hv on top space CFCl subscript 2 space plus space Cl
The reactive chlorine atoms then destroy the ozone layer through the following sequence of reactions:
Cl space plus space straight O subscript 3 space rightwards arrow space ClO space plus space straight O subscript 2
ClO space plus space straight O space rightwards arrow space Cl space plus space straight O subscript 2
It has been found that one molecule of CFC can destroy one lakh O3 molecules in the stratosphere. Due to depletion of ozone, a large hole has been created in the ozone layer.