Air Pollution, How it affects Humanity, our Economy, and our Environment

Reminder: Yellow do not write it down.

How does air pollution cause billions of dollars in damage each year? It corrodes buildings and machines Stunts the growth of agricultural crops and weakens livestock Causes or aggravates disease such as bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, and lung cancer

To Exist is to Pollute What is the difference between pollutants generated by nature and those generated by man? Natures pollutants occur over such a wide area that we do not notice them, Anthropogenic pollutants generate in very small areas. When does air pollution become a serious problem? When it overcomes nature’s ability to dispose of it and disperse it.

Primary Air Pollutants, their human source and their natural source CO2: combustion of wood and fossil fuels, biological decay, oceans, forest fires, respiration. CO: combustion, forest fires and photochemical reactions. SO2: combustion of coal and oil, smelting of ores, Volcanoes More on the next slide!

Primary Air Pollutants: CH4: combustion, biological decay, and termites. NOx: combustion, lightning, bacteria in the soil.

How are secondary air pollutants formed? Formed in the atmosphere by the chemical reactions of primary pollutants and the natural particles that are in the air. Also formed by the mixing of two or more primary pollutants. What are particulates? Solid particles that get into the air. (emissions from smoke stacks and car tail pipes, dust, even pollen).

If pollen is Plant sperm, does that mean allergies are STDs?

Smog: the Spoiler of our Cities AQI – Air Quality Index A number that describes the concentration of pollutants that are the major contributors of smog How dangerous is smog? quite dangerous-in 1952, during one of the deadliest fogs in history, the death rate almost doubled in London

Why is the combustion of fossil fuels a particular problem when it comes to smog production? They contain varying amounts of sulfur that convert to sulfur oxides. Which can lead to Acid Rain.

Smog: Many governments have set limits on the quantity/quality of sulfur that may be present in the fuels used which has decreased the amount of smog in many areas. Begs the question, even though there are limits on quantity and quality do all cities, towns, and people fall these limitations?

Temperature Inversion: Cool air mass is trapped beneath a less dense warm air mass, Why are they so dangerous? Pollutants can’t escape and their concentrations may rise and rise and rise and rise and rise and rise (Beijing).

What do some of these pollutants do? Ozone can crack rubber, corrode metals, and damage animal and plant tissue. NO2 decreases visibility and irritates the eyes and respiratory system. Particulates can cause respiratory infections, asthma, and emphysema. BTW: Ozone = O3

Vocabulary Define the following terms on a separate sheet of paper. Acid Deposition Acid Rain (Wet version of #1) Air Pollution Atmospheric Pressure Buffer Industrial Smog Mesosphere Peroxyacyl Nitrates. 9. pH 10. Photochemical Smog 11. Primary Pollutant 12. Secondary Pollutant 13. Smog 14. Thermal inversion