AIR POLLUTION

CHAPTER 12

• When harmful substances build up in the air it is called: ______________________________

– Air should have ________, _________, and small amounts of argon, CO2, and water vapor

2 kinds of air pollution

• PRIMARY – a pollutant put into the air by human activity– Electrical production.

Why?_________________– Industry– Transportation

• SECONDARY – when primary pollutants mix with other pollutants or other things in the air (like_______ ________) to make new pollutants

• SMOG

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/oceancolor/locus/images/LA-smog-2.jpg

SMOG

• sunlight affecting and mixing with air, exhaust and ozone

• Hard to see

• Unhealthy to breathe

PRIMARY POLLUTANTS

• CO ______________• NOx _____________• SOx _____________• Particulate Matter• VOCs____________

CO

• Odorless, colorless gas

• Sources- cars, industry

• Interferes with the body’s ability to carry oxygen

Noxnitrongen oxide

• “brown” smog

• Sources- burning fuels in cars, power plants, industry

• Can contribute to respiratory problems, cancer, ACID RAIN

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

http://i.treehugger.com/images/2007/10/24/smog-jj-001.jpg

Soxsulfur dioxide

• “gray” smog

• Sources- burning fossil fuels, volcanic eruptions

• Contributes to ACID RAIN, secondary pollutants cause respiratory problems

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

http://www.epcc.pref.osaka.jp/apec/eng/history/images/ab11_01.gif

VOCs

• Volatile means :vaporize (evaporate) into the air easily, and form toxic fumes

• Sources- burning fuels and off-gassing solvents (dry-cleaning)

• Contribute to SMOG, cause health problems, harm plants

Particulates

• Tiny bits of liquid or solid matter in the air

• Sources- construction, forestry, fires, vehicles, household products

• Can cause respiratory problems, cancer, erode buildings

SECONDARY POLLUTANTSGround level

ozone

Wait a second…I thought we liked ozone?????

Ozone in the Stratosphere

• Helps protect the Earth from UV Rays

Ozone in the troposphere

• Pollutant• Causes respiratory

problems- asthma, shortness of breath, permanent lung injury

Ozone

• Energy from _________________ causes primary pollutants (NOx and VOCs) to interact and to attack O2

• Changes it to O3

• Worse in summer/ winter?

• Worse in urban/ rural areas?

What can be done about air pollution?

• Clean Air Act (1970, enhanced in 1990)– Regulates vehicle emissions- catalytic converters

– Outlawed lead in gasoline• 95% fewer emissions than 30 years ago

– Requires industry to clean and monitor emissions• Scrubbers (electrostatic precipitators)-remove

What can be done about air pollution?

• Emissions trading• Companies can only pollute so much• But can sell “extra” pollution rights

California’s Zero-emission vehicle program

• Adopted in 1990

• No tail-pipe emissions

• Hybrid cars

• Battery operated cars

• http://serc.carleton.edu/images/research_education/yellowstone/inversion.jpg

What can make air pollution worse?

• Temperature inversions

– Layers of HOT air on top of COLD air

– If colder air is on bottom, polluted air is trapped

– Examples: LA, Mexico City, Donora PA

Donora, PA 1948 at 12 noon

Major employer was a zinc smelting factory – lots of air pollution

• Temperature inversion + smog + no wind

• 20 people died• 7,000 ill from smog

• Spectators couldn’t see football players on field

Air Pollution and health

SHORT TERM• Headache• Nausea• Eye and nose

irritation• Coughing• Respiratory infections

LONG TERM• Emphysema• Lung cancer• Heart disease• Lung damage

Indoor air pollution

• Sick building syndrome

• Newer houses are so air tight that they _________________ pollutants inside/outside

Indoor air pollutants

• VOCs-– Paints – Cleaners– Dry cleaning

• Radon– Gas from breakdown of uranium in underground rocks– 2nd leading cause of cancer in U.S.

• Asbestos– Insulation and Fire Retardant– Causes asbestosis

Indoor air pollutants

• Moth balls• Air fresheners• Candles• Cigarettes/ pipes• Unvented stoves/ heaters, fireplaces• Dirty air conditioning ducts• Paints• Formaldehyde from new cabinets , furniture,

rugs• CO from faulty heaters

Other air pollution

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx_yWFQvJT4