Chapter 19Chapter 19Air PollutionAir Pollution
Atmosphere as a ResourceAtmosphere as a Resource
Atmospheric CompositionAtmospheric Composition N: 78.08%N: 78.08% O: 20.95%O: 20.95% Ar: 0.93%Ar: 0.93% COCO22: 0.04%: 0.04%
Ecosystem servicesEcosystem services Blocks UV radiationBlocks UV radiation Moderates the climateModerates the climate Redistributes water Redistributes water
Air Pollution - TerminologyAir Pollution - Terminology
Air PollutionAir Pollution Chemicals added to the atmosphere by Chemicals added to the atmosphere by
natural events or human activities in high natural events or human activities in high enough concentrations to be harmful enough concentrations to be harmful
1.1. Primary Air PollutantPrimary Air Pollutant Harmful substance that is emitted Harmful substance that is emitted directlydirectly
into the atmosphere into the atmosphere
2.2. Secondary Air PollutantSecondary Air Pollutant Harmful substance Harmful substance formed in the formed in the
atmosphere atmosphere when a primary air pollutant when a primary air pollutant reacts with substances normally found in the reacts with substances normally found in the atmosphere or with other air pollutants atmosphere or with other air pollutants
Major Air PollutantsMajor Air Pollutants
Particulate MaterialParticulate Material
Thousands of solid or liquid particles Thousands of solid or liquid particles suspended in airsuspended in air Ex: soil particles, soot, lead, asbestos, Ex: soil particles, soot, lead, asbestos,
sea salt, and sulfuric acid droplets sea salt, and sulfuric acid droplets DangerousDangerous
toxic/toxic/carcinogeniccarcinogenic effects effects
Nitrogen and Sulfur OxidesNitrogen and Sulfur Oxides Nitrogen OxidesNitrogen Oxides
Greenhouse gases that cause difficulty breathing and Greenhouse gases that cause difficulty breathing and leads to photochemical smogleads to photochemical smog
Sulfur OxidesSulfur Oxides Causes acid precipitationCauses acid precipitation
Carbon OxidesCarbon Oxides Ex: CO and COEx: CO and CO22 Greenhouse gasesGreenhouse gases
HydrocarbonsHydrocarbons- ex: CH- ex: CH44- methane- methane Some are related to photochemical smog and Some are related to photochemical smog and
greenhouse gasesgreenhouse gases
OzoneOzone
Tropospheric Ozone-Tropospheric Ozone- Man- made pollutant Man- made pollutant Secondary air pollutantSecondary air pollutant Component of photochemical smogComponent of photochemical smog
VS.VS. Stratospheric Ozone-Stratospheric Ozone-
Sources of Outdoor Air Sources of Outdoor Air PollutionPollution Two main Two main
sourcessources1. Transportation1. Transportation
2. Industry2. Industry
Urban Air PollutionUrban Air Pollution
Smog- air pollution that reduces Smog- air pollution that reduces visibilityvisibility Photochemical SmogPhotochemical Smog
formed by chemical reactions involving formed by chemical reactions involving sunlight, nitrogen oxide, and hydrocarbons sunlight, nitrogen oxide, and hydrocarbons
Formation of Photochemical Formation of Photochemical SmogSmog
Sources of Smog in Los Sources of Smog in Los AngelesAngeles
Effects of Air PollutionEffects of Air Pollution
Greater health threat to Greater health threat to childrenchildren than adultsthan adults Air pollution can restrict lung Air pollution can restrict lung
developmentdevelopment Children breath more often than adultsChildren breath more often than adults
ScrubberScrubber
Electrostatic Electrostatic precipitatorprecipitator
Controlling Air Pollution- (particulate Controlling Air Pollution- (particulate matter) matter)
The Clean Air Act 1970The Clean Air Act 1970
Authorizes EPA to set limits on Authorizes EPA to set limits on amount of specific air pollutants amount of specific air pollutants permittedpermitted
Focuses on 6 pollutants:Focuses on 6 pollutants: lead, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, lead, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide,
carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and ozoneozone
The Clean Air ActThe Clean Air Act
Urban Air QualityUrban Air Quality
Other Ways to Improve Air Other Ways to Improve Air QualityQuality Reduce sulfur content in gasolineReduce sulfur content in gasoline Require federal emission standards Require federal emission standards
for all passenger vehiclesfor all passenger vehicles Require emission testing for all Require emission testing for all
vehiclesvehicles
Ozone Depletion in Ozone Depletion in StratosphereStratosphere Ozone Protects earth from UV Ozone Protects earth from UV
radiationradiation
Ozone Depletion in Ozone Depletion in StratosphereStratosphere Ozone thinning/holeOzone thinning/hole
First identified in First identified in 1985 over Antarctica1985 over Antarctica
Caused by Caused by human-produced human-produced
bromine and bromine and chlorine containing chlorine containing chemicalschemicals
Ex: CFCsEx: CFCs
Effects of Ozone DepletionEffects of Ozone Depletion
Higher levels of UV-Higher levels of UV-radiation hitting the radiation hitting the earthearth Eye cataractsEye cataracts Skin cancer (right)Skin cancer (right) Weakened immunityWeakened immunity
May disrupt May disrupt ecosystemsecosystems
May damage crops May damage crops and forestsand forests
Recovery of Ozone LayerRecovery of Ozone Layer
Montreal Protocol (1987)Montreal Protocol (1987) Reduction of CFCsReduction of CFCs Started using HCFCs (greenhouse gas)Started using HCFCs (greenhouse gas)
Full recovery will not occur until 2050Full recovery will not occur until 2050
Acid DepositionAcid Deposition
Effects of Acid DepositionEffects of Acid Deposition
Declining Declining Aquatic Animal Aquatic Animal PopulationsPopulations
Thin-shelled Thin-shelled eggs prevent eggs prevent bird bird reproductionreproduction Calcium is Calcium is
unavailable in unavailable in acidic soilacidic soil
Forest declineForest decline
Acid Deposition and Forest Acid Deposition and Forest DeclineDecline
Air Pollution Around the Air Pollution Around the WorldWorld Air quality is deteriorating rapidly in Air quality is deteriorating rapidly in developing countries developing countries
5 worst cities in world5 worst cities in world Beijing, China; Mexico City, Mexico; Beijing, China; Mexico City, Mexico;
Shanghai, China; Tehran, Iran; and Shanghai, China; Tehran, Iran; and Calcutta, India Calcutta, India
Air pollution can travel thousands of Air pollution can travel thousands of milesmiles
Indoor Air PollutionIndoor Air Pollution
Pollutants can Pollutants can be 5-100X be 5-100X greater than greater than outdoors!outdoors!
Ahhhhh Clean Car SmellAhhhhh Clean Car Smell Ten Most ToxicTen Most Toxic
Nissan Versa Nissan Versa Chevy Aveo Chevy Aveo Scion xB Scion xB Kia Rio Kia Rio Suzuki Forenza Suzuki Forenza Kia Spectra 5 Kia Spectra 5 Subaru Forester Subaru Forester Chevy Express Chevy Express Hyundai Accent Hyundai Accent Chevy SilveradoChevy Silverado
Ten Least ToxicTen Least ToxicChevy Cobalt Chevy Cobalt Chrysler PT Cruiser Chrysler PT Cruiser Honda Odyssey Honda Odyssey Volvo V50 Volvo V50 Suzuki Aerio Suzuki Aerio Acura RDX Acura RDX BMW X3 BMW X3 Nissan Frontier Nissan Frontier Toyota Matrix Toyota Matrix Volvo S40Volvo S40
Over sixty chemicals were identified inside the interiors of the four vehicles in this study.
volatile organic volatile organic chemicals (VOC’s) in a chemicals (VOC’s) in a new minivan were over new minivan were over 35 times the health limit 35 times the health limit the day after its delivery the day after its delivery
Top Related