Ozone Hole: Causes and Harm Due to Ozone Depletion
Ozone Hole: Causes and Harm Due to Ozone Depletion
- The stratosphere has an ozone layer which protects the earth’s surface from excessive ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun. Chlorine from chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) used for refrigeration, air conditioning, fire extinguishers, cleaning solvents, aerosols (spray cans of perfumes, medicine, insecticide) cause damage to ozone layer chlorine contained in the CFCs on reaching the ozone (O3) layer split the ozone molecules to form oxygen (O2). Amount of ozone, thus gets reduced and cannot prevent the entry of UV radiation. There has been a reduction of ozone umbrella or shield over the Arctic and Antarctic regions. This is known as ozone hole. This permits passage of UV radiation on earth’s atmosphere which causes sunburn, cataract in eyes leading to blindness, skin cancer, reduced productivity of forests, etc. Under the “Montreal Protocol” amended in 1990 it was decided to completely phase out CFCs to prevent damage of ozone layer.
