How Do CFCs Damage The Ozone Layer?

One of the everyday activities that we indulge in is the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that damage the environment especially the ozone layer that protects us from the harmful effects of the cosmic rays emitted by the sun and other celestial bodies and maintains the radioactive balance of the atmosphere. CFCs are used in a variety of ways such as refrigerants, coolants, insulants propellants in aerosol sprays cleaning agents etc.

Ozone (O3) is a blue gas that is very unstable and lies roughly 10 to 50 Kms. above the earths atmosphere with a maximum concentration between 20 to 25 Kms and is a very unstable form of oxygen and is split up into free oxygen (O) and O2 (the Oxygen that we breathe) when ultraviolet (UV) radiation hits its molecules. The energy of the UV radiation, on the splitting of the ozone molecule is converted into harmless heat and never reaches the earth. The O and the O2 recombine into new molecules of ozone (O3).

The CFCs that we release can remain as CFCs for up to a hundred years. As it is, it is harmless but the trouble starts when it slowly drifts upwards to the ozone layer where it is split apart by the UV radiation into molecules of chlorine etc. This chlorine combines with the free O in the ozone layer forming chlorine monoxide; thus effectively stopping the reformation of the ozone molecules depleting the already scarce ozone, causing a hole in the ozone layer.

The resulting passing of UV radiation into the atmosphere reaches the earth causing increase in eye cataract, skin cancer and other harmful effects to both flora and fauna of the earth.

Why Holes In The Ozone Layer?

There is a drastic depletion of the ozone layer especially over the Antarctic. Why? Why only over the poles? This has been noticed since the eighties. Is this a natural climatic variation or a chemical decomposition? Is it due to the activities of humans? The actual still reason remains a mystery.
The reason has been proved scientifically that it is the reaction between chlorine and bromine emitted from industrially manufactured gases. But it is difficult to explain the depletion over the Antarctic due to these reasons since the emission of chlorine and bromine takes far away from the Antarctic.
It seems that the depletion of ozone over the Antarctic can be attributed to climatic changes that is occurring over the earth. Especially because of the lowering of temperatures across the earth. This, of course, is directly due to the effects of the gases produced by humans.
As such, we - the present generation - have to be particularly careful in the materials that we use so that we can leave a good legacy for our children. I would, in fact, say that we are living in the time that we have borrowed from our children.