What is the ozone hole?

What is the ozone hole?

On Saturday - September 16 -the world celebrates the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, and this global celebration that revolves around the ozone hole only expresses the importance of ozone to our lives on planet Earth. We previously said in the article What is the Atmosphere? that ozone constitutes a small percentage of atmospheric substances, and despite this, it is one of the most important atmospheric substances.

In short, ozone is a substance found in the lower part of thestratosphere layer, where ozone is formed through the conversion of part of oxygen into ozone by the action ofultraviolet radiation; That is, it consists of the bonding of three oxygen atoms. If we want to know the meaning of the ozone hole, we must consider the importance of ozone and its role in preserving the life of living organisms.

The importance of ozone

Ozone is one of the substances found in the layers of the atmosphere. It is one of the elements of this atmospheric shield, as this shield works to block harmful sunlight; When they reach the surface of the Earth, they cause harm to human skin and cause a disease called cataracts. These harmful rays also affect the fertility of animals and the ability of plants to grow and develop.

It is worth noting thatozone in itself is toxic, but despite its toxicity, it has many uses in many industries. It is also a bleach for candles and oils, and is used as a remover of unpleasant odors from some foodstuffs. Some medications are made from it, such as cortisone. Among its benefits are sterilization and refining. And water treatment.

Damage of ozone layer erosion

The ozone hole is not a hole in the literal sense of the word, nor is it a hole in space. Rather, it is a decrease in the rate of ozone below normal limits. This is due to thechemical activitiesthat humans practice. The date of discovery of this hole was in the seventies of the twentieth century, after which the world became concerned about the damage of ozone.

Hence we say: There are many reasons behind ozone hole or erosion, as humans have sought in recent decades to use organic compounds that cause severe environmental damage, including: the chlorofluorocarbon compound used in cooling devices, and the methyl bromide that humans use inAgricultural pesticides.

Therefore, the ozone hole has many harms, including: harm to human health - as we mentioned previously - in addition to harm to plants, as their exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays negatively affects the distribution of food in the soil, and the times of growth and development; Consequently, the animals that feed on them are harmed. Marine ecosystems are also affected. Because the ozone hole causes increased exposure of phytoplankton to ultraviolet rays from the sun.

On the other hand, harmful sunlight escaping from areas of lowozone rates affects fish, crustaceans, and amphibians. The ability of these organisms to reproduce is affected, as is the weakness of the larvae. Also, there is damage to the climate and its systems, and a quick look at the Arctic is enough to confirm the extent of the impact of the ozone hole on environmental systems.

Solving the ozone hole problem

From the above, it becomes clear to us how dangerous the ozone hole is for the Earth and its organisms. Therefore, the concerned international organizations decided to immediately begin implementing strict measures. In order to protect the ozone layer from harmful human activities, the participants of theMontreal Convention met in 1987 to eliminate - in a gradual manner -chlorofluorocarbons.

It is worth noting that the Earth Guards magazine had previously published an article entitled:How does the Montreal Protocol preserve the Arctic ice?In it, we discussed the extent of the impact of the Montreal Agreement on climate action and global efforts in this field, especially the ability of this agreement to reduce the phenomenon of the ozone hole. Because its most important item was reducing substances that deplete ozone in the atmosphere.

This agreement became effective in 1989, and since then 196 countries have joined it, in addition to the European Union countries. The Montreal Convention is the most successful international agreement to date. Because reports about it indicate that the levels of chlorofluorocarbons have declined significantly, and it is expectedthe ozone layer will recoverby the middle of this century.

In summary, we say that the ozone hole has a crucial role in preserving the Earth to remain habitable, and this is by absorbing ultraviolet rays, which are potentially more dangerous than the sun itself. This means that we need high concentrations of ozone in the stratosphere; In order to ensure that life - including human life - is not exposed to harmful concentrations of ultraviolet radiation.

At the end of the article, the Earth Guards see the need to raise awareness of the danger of the decrease in the rate of ozone in the atmosphere, and hence they tried to approximate the meaning of the ozone hole throughWhat series...?so that people realize the reality of thisclimate crisis, and to prepare for its negative effects.