question_answer 129)

  Some halogen containing compounds are useful in daily life. Some compounds of this class are responsible for exposure of flora and fauna to more and more of UV light which causes destruction to a great extent Name the class of these Halo compounds. In your opinion, what should be done to minimize harmful effects of these compounds.

Answer:

  A number of polyhalogen compounds, e.g., dichloromethane, chloroform, iodoform, carbon tetrachloride, freon and DDT have many applications in our daily life. Refer to sec. 10.10, pages 10/46-10/49 for details. Freons also cause depletion of ozone layer and thus allow more UV rays to reach the earth which, in turn, damage flora and fauna. To minimise the harmful effects of freons, fluorocarbons and fluorocarbons which are stable in the stratosphere should be used in aerosol propellants and m air conditioning equipments.