Sources of CO2 in the atmosphere. Carefully! Carbon dioxide! Sources of release into the atmosphere
> Carbon dioxide concentration
Scientists have long suspected that elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are directly related to global warming, but as it turns out, carbon dioxide may have a direct bearing on our health as well. Human beings are the main source of indoor carbon dioxide production, as we breathe out 18 to 25 liters of this gas per hour. A high amount of carbon dioxide can be observed in all rooms where people are: in school classes and institute auditoriums, in meeting rooms and office spaces, in bedrooms and children's rooms.
The fact that we do not have enough oxygen in a stuffy room is a myth. Calculations show that, contrary to the existing stereotype, headache, weakness, and other symptoms occur in a person in a room not from a lack of oxygen, but from high concentration carbon dioxide.
Until recently, in European countries and the United States, the level of carbon dioxide in a room was measured only in order to check the quality of ventilation, and it was believed that CO2 was dangerous to humans only in high concentrations. Studies on the effect of carbon dioxide at a concentration of approximately 0.1% on the human body have appeared quite recently.
Few people know that fresh air outside the city contains about 0.04% carbon dioxide, and than closer content CO2 in the room to this figure, the better the person feels.
Are we aware of the impact of poor indoor air quality on our health and the health of our children? Do we understand how high levels of indoor carbon dioxide affect our performance and student performance? Can we understand why we and our children are so tired at the end of the working day? Are we able to solve the problem of our morning fatigue and irritability, as well as poor night sleep?
A group of European scientists conducted studies on how a high (approximately 0.1-0.2%) level of carbon dioxide in the classroom affects the body of schoolchildren. Studies have shown that more than half of schoolchildren regularly experience the negative effects of high CO2 levels, and the consequence of this is that problems with the respiratory system, rhinitis and weak nasopharynx are observed in such children much more often than in other children.
As a result of studies conducted in Europe and the United States, it was found that elevated level CO2 in the classroom leads to a decrease in the attention of schoolchildren, to a deterioration in academic performance, as well as to an increase in the number of missed lessons due to illness. This is especially true for children with asthma.
In Russia, such studies have never been carried out. However, as a result of a comprehensive survey of Moscow children and adolescents in 2004-2004. it turned out that respiratory diseases prevail among young Muscovites.
As a result of recent studies conducted by Indian scientists among the inhabitants of the city of Kolkata, it was found that even in low concentrations, carbon dioxide is a potentially toxic gas. Scientists have concluded that carbon dioxide is close in toxicity to nitrogen dioxide, taking into account its effect on cell membrane and biochemical changes occurring in a person's blood, such as acidosis. Prolonged acidosis, in turn, leads to disease of the cardiovascular system, hypertension, fatigue and other unfavorable conditions. human body consequences.
Residents of a large metropolis are exposed to the negative effects of carbon dioxide from morning to evening. First in a crowded public transport and in their own cars, which are stuck in traffic jams for a long time. Then at work, where it is often stuffy and there is nothing to breathe.
It is very important to support good quality air in the bedroom, because people spend a third of their lives there. In order to get a good night's sleep, the quality of the air in the bedroom is much more important than the duration of sleep, and the level of carbon dioxide in bedrooms and children's rooms should be below 0.08%. High level CO2 in these rooms can cause symptoms such as nasal congestion, throat and eye irritation, headaches and insomnia.
Finnish scientists have found a way to solve this problem based on the axiom that if in nature the level of carbon dioxide is 0.035-0.04%, then indoors it should be close to this level. The device they invented removes excess carbon dioxide from indoor air. The principle is based on the absorption (absorption) of carbon dioxide by a special substance.
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The role of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere.
Recently, there has been an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air, which leads to a change in the Earth's climate.
Carbon (C) in the atmosphere is found mainly in the form of carbon dioxide (CO 2) and in a small amount in the form of methane (CH 4), carbon monoxide and other hydrocarbons.
For gases of the Earth's atmosphere, the concept of "gas lifetime" is used. This is the time during which the gas is completely renewed, i.e. the time it takes for as much gas to enter the atmosphere as it contains. So, for carbon dioxide this time is 3-5 years, for methane - 10-14 years. CO oxidizes to CO 2 within a few months.
In the biosphere, the importance of carbon is very high, since it is part of all living organisms. Within living beings, carbon is contained in a reduced form, and outside the biosphere, in an oxidized form. Thus, the chemical exchange of the life cycle is formed: CO 2 ↔ living matter.
Sources of carbon in the Earth's atmosphere.
The primary source of carbon dioxide are volcanoes, during the eruption of which a huge amount of gases is released into the atmosphere. Some of this carbon dioxide comes from thermal decomposition ancient limestones in various zones of metamorphism.
Carbon also enters the Earth's atmosphere in the form of methane as a result of anaerobic decomposition of organic residues. Methane under the influence of oxygen is quickly oxidized to carbon dioxide. The main suppliers of methane to the atmosphere are tropical forests and swamps.
Migration of CO 2 in the biosphere.
Migration of CO 2 proceeds in two ways:
- In the first method, CO 2 is absorbed from the Earth's atmosphere during photosynthesis and participates in the formation organic matter with subsequent burial in the earth's crust in the form of minerals: peat, oil, oil shale.
- In the second method, carbon is involved in the creation of carbonates in the hydrosphere. CO 2 goes into H 2 CO 3, HCO 3 -1, CO 3 -2. Then, with the participation of calcium (less often magnesium and iron), the precipitation of carbonates occurs in a biogenic and abiogenic way. Thick strata of limestones and dolomites appear. According to A.B. Ronov, the ratio of organic carbon (Corg) to carbonate carbon (Ccarb) in the history of the biosphere was 1:4.
Geochemical cycle of carbon.
Extraction of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide from the Earth's atmosphere is extracted by green plants through the process of photosynthesis, which is carried out through the energy-using pigment chlorophyll. solar radiation. Plants convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into carbohydrates and oxygen. Carbohydrates are involved in education organic compounds plants, and oxygen is released back into the atmosphere.
Binding of carbon dioxide.
A very small part of its total mass is involved in the active cycle of carbon. Great amount carbonic acid preserved in the form of fossil limestones and other rocks. Between the carbon dioxide of the Earth's atmosphere and the water of the ocean, in turn, there is a moving equilibrium.
Due to the high reproduction rate, plant organisms (especially lower microorganisms and marine phytoplankton) produce about 1.5-10 11 tons of carbon in the form of organic matter per year, which corresponds to 5.86-10 20 J (1.4-10 20 cal) of energy .
Plants are partially eaten by animals, during the death of which organic matter is deposited in the form of sapropel, humus, peat, which, in turn, give rise to many other caustobioliths - coal, oil, combustible gases.
In the processes of decomposition of organic substances, their mineralization, bacteria (for example, putrefactive), as well as many fungi (for example, molds) play a huge role.
The main reserves of carbon are in a bound state (mainly in the composition of carbonates) in the sedimentary rocks of the Earth, a significant part is dissolved in the ocean waters, and a relatively small part is present in the air.
The ratio of carbon amounts in the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere of the Earth, according to updated calculations, is 28570: 57: 1.
How does carbon dioxide get back into the Earth's atmosphere?
Carbon dioxide is released into the Earth's atmosphere:
- in the process of respiration of living organisms and the decomposition of their corpses, the decay of carbonates, the processes of fermentation, decay and combustion;
- green plants, during the day absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in the process of photosynthesis, at night some of it is returned back;
- as a result of the activity of volcanoes, the gases of which consist mainly of carbon dioxide and water vapor. Modern volcanism on average leads to the release of 2 10 8 tons of CO 2 per year, which is less than 1% of the anthropogenic emissions (from human activity);
- as a result of human industrial activity, in last years occupied special place in the carbon cycle. The mass burning of fossil fuels leads to an increase in the carbon content in the atmosphere, since only 57% of the carbon dioxide produced by mankind is processed by plants and absorbed by the hydrosphere. Massive deforestation also leads to an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air.
This was the article Carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere. ". Read further: « Argon in the composition of the Earth's atmosphere - the content in the atmosphere is 1%.«
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere goes through a path that is vaguely reminiscent of the water cycle known to everyone since childhood in nature. Its meaning boils down to the fact that CO2 appears in the air due to natural and man-made processes, and then partly removed from the atmosphere, and partly accumulates in its upper layers and affects the climate.
Distribution of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere
For many centuries, right up to the beginning of the industrial revolution, natural processes served as the main sources of CO2 formation: volcanic eruptions, decomposition of organic matter, forest fires and animal respiration. But from about the middle of the XVIII century. the content of CO2 in the air begins to be significantly affected by human industrial activity, primarily those that are associated with the combustion of fossil fuels (oil, coal, shale, natural gas, etc.) and the production of cement. They account for about 75% of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Land use is responsible for the remaining 25%, in particular, active deforestation.
The removal of part of CO2 from the air occurs due to its dissolution in the ocean and absorption by plants. However, plants not only absorb carbon dioxide, but also release it: in the process of breathing, they, like people, “inhale” oxygen and “exhale” CO2. So carbon dioxide is always present in the atmosphere, the only question is how much it is.
Over the past decades, CO2 has increased more rapidly than ever before in recorded history. In 1750, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere was about 270 ppm, and only after more than two hundred years, by 1958, did it "creep" to the level of 320 ppm. Another fifty years - and a leap of as much as 60 points: in 2005, the CO2 content in the atmosphere was 380 ppm. In 2010 - already 395 ppm. And recently, scientists reported that the carbon dioxide content has exceeded 400 ppm and will not return in the foreseeable future. Looks like it's time to rewrite encyclopedias.
By the way, in the history of the Earth there were periods with a much higher content of carbon dioxide. Four billion years ago, our young planet's atmosphere contained as much as 90% CO2. True, life had not yet originated: there was no oxygen at all. 2.5 billion years ago, plants appeared and everything was fine.
I must say that the mark of 400 ppm was overcome before. The content of CO2 in the atmosphere varies throughout the year, reaching a maximum in May. So the spring-summer increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide did not cause concern to scientists. In May 2015, even in Antarctica, CO2 levels reached 400 ppm, which has not happened in 4 million years! But on the other hand, in September, the lowest CO2 content in the atmosphere of the year is traditionally observed. Therefore, the September overcoming of the 400 ppm mark is the clearest evidence of an uncontrolled increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the air.
carbon dioxide and we
What will happen to us in this “new four-hundred-pipiem world,” as the Western press managed to christen our planet? The answer can be summed up in two words: global warming.
Global warming began a long time ago, and it is directly related to the content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The fact is that CO2 is not just a gas, but a greenhouse gas. CO2 is extremely inert, it is reluctant to react with other chemical elements. Due to this, it accumulates in the Earth's atmosphere, where it retains thermal radiation from its surface and prevents its return to outer space. This is the greenhouse effect.
The greenhouse effect is so strongly associated in our minds with global warming that it is usually associated with something negative. Meanwhile, it is the greenhouse effect that we owe a comfortable life on Earth. Without greenhouse gases (except for CO2, these include water vapor, methane and ozone), the average temperature on the planet would be -15 ° C, and not + 15 ° C, as it is now.
But an uncontrolled increase in the content of greenhouse gases leads to an increase in the greenhouse effect, and that, in turn, to global warming. Everyone has heard about it and often treats it with irony, and sometimes with suspicion: is this a conspiracy of eco-fuel producers? The thing is that we do not seem to see any signs of global warming in everyday life.
Indeed, global warming is a slow process. Greenland will not melt tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, or even in a hundred years. There will be no giant wave washing away New York like in disaster movies. It will be flooded gradually: the city will have to retreat under the onslaught of the rising ocean. Small Pacific islands will disappear from the face of the Earth (or rather, the sea). Wet regions will become even wetter, and dry regions even drier. In the first, disease-carrying insects will breed, in the second, an acute shortage of food will begin and drinking water. The inflow of fresh glacial water into the ocean will change the course of warm and cold currents, which threatens to cool in the Northern Hemisphere and hurricanes around the planet. You can not continue further: even if a small part of these predictions come true, humanity will have a hard time.
In the meantime, the average annual temperature around the world has been breaking records for the third year in a row. 2016 is called the hottest year in the last 150 years. Scientists have found that the Earth's atmosphere has warmed by 1.45°C compared to the pre-industrial period. The figure may seem insignificant, but it is more than enough to melt the ice.
See for yourself:
Ice melting (NASA photos)
In September 2016, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere passed the psychologically significant mark of 400 ppm (parts per million). This makes the plans of developed countries to prevent an increase in temperature on Earth by more than 2 degrees doubtful.
Global warming is an increase in the average temperature of the Earth's climate system. During the period from 1906 to 2005, the average air temperature near the planet's surface increased by 0.74 degrees, and the rate of temperature increase in the second half of the century is about twice as high as for the period as a whole. For the entire period of observations, 2015 is considered the hottest year, when all temperature indicators exceeded those of 2014, the previous record holder, by 0.13 degrees. V various parts around the globe, temperatures change in different ways. Since 1979, temperatures over land have risen twice as much as over the ocean. This is explained by the fact that the air temperature over the ocean grows more slowly due to its large heat capacity.
The movement of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
Human activities are considered to be the main cause of global warming. Indirect research methods have shown that until 1850, for one or two thousand years, the temperature remained relatively stable, albeit with some regional fluctuations.
Thus, the beginning of climate change almost coincides with the beginning of the industrial revolution in most Western countries. Greenhouse gas emissions are considered to be the main reason today. The fact is that part of the energy that the planet Earth receives from the Sun is re-radiated back into outer space in the form of thermal radiation.
Greenhouse gases hinder this process by absorbing some of the heat and keeping it in the atmosphere.
The addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere leads to even greater heating of the atmosphere and an increase in temperature near the surface of the planet. The main greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are carbon dioxide (CO 2) and methane (CH 4). As a result of the industrial activity of mankind, the concentration of these gases in the air is growing, which leads to an annual increase in temperature.
Since climate warming threatens literally all of humanity, attempts are made repeatedly in the world to bring this process under control. Until 2012, the Kyoto Protocol was the main global agreement to combat global warming.
It covered more than 160 countries of the world and covered 55% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. However, after the end of the first stage of the Kyoto Protocol, the participating countries could not agree on further actions. In part, the drafting of the second stage of the treaty was hampered by the fact that many participants avoid using the budget approach to determine their obligations in relation to CO 2 emissions. CO 2 emission budget - the amount of emissions over a certain period of time, which is calculated from the temperature that participants must not exceed.
According to the decisions taken in Durban, no binding climate agreement will be in place until 2020, despite urgent efforts to reduce gas emissions and reduce emissions. Studies show that at present the only way to provide a "reasonable probability" of limiting warming to 2 degrees (characterizing dangerous climate change) will be to limit the economies of developed countries and their transition to an anti-growth strategy.
And in September 2016, according to the Mauna Loa Observatory, another psychological barrier of CO 2 greenhouse gas emissions was overcome - 400 ppm (parts per million). It must be said that this value was repeatedly exceeded before,
but September is traditionally considered the month with the lowest concentration of CO 2 in the Northern Hemisphere.
This is explained by the fact that green vegetation has time to absorb a certain amount of greenhouse gas from the atmosphere during the summer before the leaves fall from the trees and some of the CO 2 returns. Therefore, if the psychologically important threshold of 400 ppm was exceeded in September, then, most likely, monthly indicators will never be lower than this value.
“Is it possible that in October this year the concentration will decrease compared to September? Completely ruled out
Ralph Keeling of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego explains on his blog. “Short-term drops in the concentration level are possible, but the monthly average values will now always exceed 400 ppm.”
Keeling also notes that tropical cyclones can reduce CO 2 levels for a short time. Gavin Schmidt, chief climate scientist, agrees: “At best, you can expect some kind of balance, and CO 2 levels will not rise too quickly. But, in my opinion, CO 2 will never fall below 400 ppm again.”
According to the forecast, by 2099 the concentration of CO 2 on Earth will be 900 ppm, which will be about 0.1% of the entire atmosphere of our planet. As a result, average daily temperatures in cities like Jerusalem, New York, Los Angeles and Mumbai will be close to +45°C. In London, Paris and Moscow, temperatures will exceed +30°C in summer.
The vast majority of ventilation experts agree: carbon dioxide is an indicator of the state of the air (authoritative proof from ABOK). A lot of CO2 means a lot and more harmful substances(formaldehydes and other toxic organics, PM2.5, etc.). This is logical: after all, if ventilation cannot cope with air exchange, then CO2 exhaled by us and the rest of the “air cocktail” accumulate in the room. So it is quite reasonable to measure the concentration of CO2 in the air in order to assess the quality of this very air.Is carbon dioxide an air pollutant like car exhaust or industrial emissions? Research on this topic is conflicting. There are many articles about the harm of CO2 (example one, example two). There are fewer studies showing that carbon dioxide is practically harmless, but there are some (example). If you are interested in this topic, write in the comments. In the future, we may do a detailed review of the effects of CO2 on human health.
Our opinion is that carbon dioxide clearly affects a person's well-being (lethargy, fatigue, drowsiness). Remember how you feel in a stuffy office or apartment with closed windows. The average effect of CO2 on a person looks something like this:
How to measure the amount of CO2 in the air?
The level of carbon dioxide in the air is measured in ppm: 1 ppm = 0.0001%, that is, one part per million. For Russia, 1400 ppm of carbon dioxide in the air is already an unacceptable amount (according to GOST 30494-2011). In America, the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers) general standards state: Complaints about headache start at 2000 ppm.On average, the hospital gets the following picture:
- 300 ppm - the norm outdoors in nature
- 500 ppm - the norm on the street in a modern city
- 700-1500 ppm is the norm in the room, and closer to 1500 ppm, complaints of stuffiness, headache, lethargy, etc. are already beginning.
All done with an introduction. We proceed directly to the measurement. Word to Mikhail Amelkin.
Transport
The trip started from the plane. Flight Novosibirsk-Moscow, about 4 hours. The plane is full, Airbus A316. The entire flight, the concentration of CO2 is about 2000 ppm! Add here too high temperature on board (about 28°C) and low pressure (786 hPa versus 1007 hPa on the ground), and you will understand why we are so "sausage" after flights. For comparison, at the airport of arrival, about 700 ppm, that is, the norm. On the way back, I flew in a half-empty plane and the situation was much better - the entire flight was up to 1000 ppm, which is acceptable.
The subway is much better. At the station itself underground 600 ppm. In old, "leaky" cars, about 700 ppm. Here in the new subway cars, where air conditioners drive the air in a circle, it is already worse - with an incomplete load of 1200 ppm. In a full car, more than 2000 ppm should be expected. But here it is worth bearing in mind that we usually spend little time in such cars, 10-20 minutes, so this is not very critical.
The street
Made a stop right on the Red Square. The level is about 450 ppm. This is higher than outside the city, which is most likely due to the abundance of transport, boiler houses and industry, which actively release CO2 into the air, creating a “bubble” of carbon dioxide over the city. But it's not scary. Till.
Home and hotel
I was lucky, and in my room the concentration of CO2 was less than 600 ppm all night. Fine! I didn't sleep well. This is because I asked for a room with a window to the courtyard and was able to keep the window on micro-ventilation without waking up from the noise of cars. But there is no ventilation in the room, so the fee for fresh air is also not small - Moscow could. There would be a fan with professional filters - it would be a fiver!
I must say that measurements in apartments with closed windows often show very poor results, a couple of people in a room can easily “breathe” 2000 ppm in 40-60 minutes. And the windows are usually closed so that there are no drafts and noise from the street. The conclusion is the same as in the case of the hotel - ventilation is a must have at home. At the same time, it is easier and cheaper to put compact ones than to bother with full ventilation.
Restaurants and cinemas
Here the picture is very different, but one thing is obvious (someone will say that this is clear even without appliances) - our restaurateurs love to save on a fan! For example, I had a business meeting at the Daily Bread coffee shop on Nikolskaya. The place is good, but the trouble with the air is 2000 ppm! In such an atmosphere it is very difficult to think and solve business issues. It was a little better at Chaikhona No. 1 on Pushkinskaya, up to 1500 ppm.
But there are also good places: at Starbucks on Revolution Square and at Five Stars on Paveletskaya 700 ppm and 800 ppm, respectively. But in the cinema hall of this wonderful cinema it was “no ice” - up to 1500 ppm the whole session. At the same time, the administration did not stint on air conditioners - it was cool in the halls and this “brightened up” the situation. But air conditioners do not replace ventilation! Temperature is temperature, and oxygen is oxygen, it must be both.
While this is all the information on Moscow. I undertake to make a survey trip in Novosibirsk. What can be said in summary?
conclusions
According to the data obtained, one can unambiguously state the low quality of air in transport, especially when there are many passengers in it. A couple of tips on what to do on a stuffy plane.- Use airflow, it is in every aircraft on the ceiling or "in the back of the seat in front of you." From there, the air also comes in excess of CO2 (verified), but it at least inflates that “bubble” of carbon dioxide that you “breathed” around you.
- If it's hot in the cabin, undress. Let it be a little cool. The lower the body temperature, the better the blood is saturated with oxygen and carbon dioxide is excreted.
- Keep activity to a minimum. It is better to sleep or "meditate". Try not to be nervous, not to take triple integrals in your mind. Remember, the brain consumes about 20% of all oxygen in the blood!
- If you smoke, it's best not to smoke a few hours before your flight. This will clear the blood of carbon monoxide and improve the supply of oxygen to the brain. Better use nicotine gum / pills / patches.
- After arrival, spend an hour outside, breathe, do breathing exercises, and normalize biochemistry in the blood. Let your brain recover!
This time, it was not possible to "hunt" for CO2 in schools, kindergartens and offices, but there is reason to believe that there are regularly exceeded concentrations of carbon dioxide. A little spoiler: we have already measured CO2 in the classroom of one of the Novosibirsk schools - more than 2000 ppm! And children should study and work with their heads there. And how to demand concentration and academic performance from a child when the head does not cook just physiologically?
Tion note: there will be a material about our mini-study at school soon.
In short, I want to choose places of work and rest based on air quality as well. I believe that this will significantly improve the "average temperature in the ward" - the well-being of me and my family.
