ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF OZONE LAYER DEPLETION TO NIGERIAby Victor eke mba | 14-09-2018 21:27 |
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 Ozone layer is a deep layer in earth?s atmosphere that contains ozone which is a naturally occurring molecule containing three oxygen atoms. These ozone molecules form a gaseous layer in the Earth?s upper atmosphere called stratosphere. The lower region of stratosphere containing relatively higher concentration of ozone is called Ozonosphere. The ozonosphere is found 15-35 km (9 to 22 miles) above the surface of the earth. The ozone layer protects our planet i.e. Earth from the harmful radiation that comes from the sun. French physicists Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson first discovered the ozone layer in 1913. It has the capability to absorb about 97-99% of the harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation that the sun emits, which can produce long term devastating effects on human beings as well as plants and animals. Economic Impact to my community - NIGERIA are listed below.1. Health: An unhealthy populace is an unproductive workforce. If the ozone becomes depleted, then more ultraviolet radiation could have serious impacts on human beings causing the following among others; Weakening of the human immune system (immunosuppression). Early findings suggest that too much UV radiation can suppress the human immune system which may play a role in the development of skin cancer. More skin cancers, sunburns and premature aging of the skin. Cataracts, blindness and other eye diseases; UV radiation can damage several parts of the eye including the lens, cornea, retina and conjunctiva. 2. Adverse Impacts on Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Ecosystem in Nigeria: Several of Nigeria?s major crop species are particularly vulnerable to increased UV radiation. Experiments on food crops have shown lower yields for several key crops such as rice, soy beans and sorghum. Also, plants minimize their exposure to UV radiation by limiting the surface area of foliage, which in turn causes stunted growth. This implies there would be a drop in the level of output of agricultural produces leading adversely to hunger and poverty. 3. Marine: In particular, plankton (tiny organisms in the surface layer of oceans) are threatened by increased UV radiation. Plankton are the first vital step in aquatic food chains. Decreases in plankton could disrupt the fresh and saltwater food chains, and lead to a species shift. Loss of biodiversity in our oceans, rivers and lakes could reduce fish yields for commercial and sport fisheries. The destructive effects of ultraviolet-A radiation on the African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus was revealed in terms of the carbonyl protein (CP), lipid peroxidation (LPO), DNA damage, super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), glutathione reductase (GR), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant (TAO) in the gills, kidney, liver, muscles and skin. Also, glucose, total lipid, total protein and cortisol content of fish serums were detected. 4. Material: Wood, plastic, rubber, fabrics and many construction materials are degraded by UV radiation. The economic impact of replacing and/or protecting materials could be significant. Most of Nigeria?s structures collapse are usually as a result of unprofessionalism and use of sub-standard building materials, but now we stand a risk of having it happen naturally as a result of ozone layer depletion. In conclusion, Nigeria needs to pay more attention to the issues of ozone layer depletion. There has been considerable progress in finding non-ozone-depleting substitutes for ODS in the last few years. Substitutes for air-conditioning and refrigeration applications are now available. Alternative products or processes can be used in some cases like: alternative insulating materials; substitute food containers such as hydrocarbon blown polystyrene, plastic film wrap and bags; alternative packaging materials such as plastic film bubble wraps; and air-conditioning and refrigeration plants operating on non-HCFC refrigerants. Many household and personal aerosol products, e.g. paint sprays and insecticides, now use hydrocarbons (e.g. propane and butane) as propellants instead of HCFCs or CFCs. The economic implication of ozone layer depletion in Nigeria is as real as day light. |
