What is Smog
Smog is a synchronous of two words, smoke and fog. Smog can be of two types—Photochemical or Coal-induced.
• Photochemical Smog is caused by the interaction of some hydrocarbons and oxidants mainly (nitrogen oxides) under the influence of sunlight rise to dangerous peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN).
• Its main constituents are nitrogen oxides, PAN, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and ozone.
• It reduces visibility, causes eye irritation, damage to vegetation and cracking of rubber.
• Modern smog (also called traffic smog) is a type of air pollution derived from vehicular emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine with the primary emissions to form photochemical smog.
• Coal induced smog consists of smoke, sulfur compounds and fly ash.