The ozone is a layer of gasses in the stratosphere that protects life on Earth against ultraviolet rays from the sun (Aggarwal et al., 1). Anthropogenic activities leading to the emission of nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons can result in the destruction of the ozone layer. Organohalogens also contributes to the destruction of the ozone layer (Lee, 858). The depletion leads to secondary ozone layer close to the ground called terrestrial ozone layer that is responsible for the degrading effects on humans, plants, and their environment.
In the article published on August 27, 2009, on the New York Times, Dean (para. 1) points out that nitrous oxide is a new culprit responsible for ozone depletion. In the article, she observes that most of the nitrous oxide released into the atmosphere are due to the action of bacteria in the soil. She further states that nitrous oxide can also be released into the atmosphere due to human activities. Some of these activities include the use of livestock manure on crops, burning biofuels, and the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers.
According to Dean, despite the fact that Montreal protocol of 1987 does not regulate nitrous oxide, it is still a leading artificial cause of ozone depletion. The agreement was meant to reduce the release of chemicals that have the effect of depleting the ozone layer. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports, reports Dean (para. 5), the ozone layer has been steadily improving in health since the adoption of the Montreal Protocol. The report also ascertained that nitrous oxide is a leading emerging cause of ozone depletion possibly due to the reduction in the emission of the other chemicals that destroy the ozone layer (para. 5).
Chlorofluorocarbons are a major target of the Montreal protocol, and their emission has reduced since the adoption of the agreement. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report revealed that Chlorofluorocarbons hinder the nitrous oxide actions of destroying the ozone layer, and since their level has fallen, the effects of nitrous oxide are beginning to be seen in the ozone layer.
In her article, Dean quotes Dr. Ravishankara, a researcher with The Environmental Protection Agency, sometimes concerning the ozone depletion as related to the effects of nitrous oxide. In his speech, reports Dean (Para. 8), Dr. Ravishankara says even though the uncertainties are critical, the agency is still uncertain on what percentage of nitrous oxide is contributed by the various sources. He also estimated that since the onset of industrialization, the ozone layer has thinned by about 6% worldwide (Dean, para. 9).
Dean also provides more insight into the fact that even though the ozone layer is a pollutant on the ground level, it protects the living organisms on the surface of the earth from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays. She also points out that the ozone layer over Antarctica has somehow remained unaffected by nitrous oxide possibly explained by the unusual chemistry of the atmosphere over the place.
Works cited
Aggarwal, Anjali, et al. "Depletion of the Ozone Layer and Its Consequences: A Review." American Journal of Plant Sciences 4.10 (2013): 1990.Top of Form
Dean, Cornelia. “New Culprit Seen in Ozone Depletion.” New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. 27 Aug. 2009. Web. 30 April 2016.
Lee, J. W. (2013). Advanced biofuels and bioproducts. New York, NY: Springer.
