Air Pollution By: JW Option E

What is an Air pollutant? What are the Sources of Air pollution? What are the effects of Air pollution? What are the methods of reduction?

Air Pollutant A Substance present in sufficient concentration in the air to produce harmful effects on humans, animals, vegetation, or materials. Primary Added directly to air from a given source Ex. CO 2 from burning fossil fuels Secondary Formed in the atmosphere through chemical reactions Ex. Smog

5 Major Air Pollutants Carbon Monoxide CO Nitrogen Oxides NO x Sulfur Oxides SO x Particulates Hydrocarbons

Carbon Monoxide Colorless Tasteless Odorless Toxic Formed by incomplete Combustion of Carbon Automobiles, buses, trucks, small engines, industrial processes

Health Effects from CO Reduces the ability of blood to deliver oxygen to vital tissues, affecting primarily the cardiovascular and nervous systems Lower concentrations- Affect individuals with heart disease and to decrease maximal exercise performance in young, healthy men Higher concentrations- cause symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and fatigue Carbon Monoxide

Sources 90% comes natural Oxidation of methane gas 10% Man-made Incomplete Combustion of fossil fuels Forest fires Gasoline Industries Carbon Monoxide 2CH 4 + 3O 2  2CO + 4H 2 O

Methods of Control Thermal Exhaust Reactor Catalytic Converter Use Mass transportation (Car pooling) Solar and battery operated cars Carbon Monoxide

Takes advantage of the heat of the exhaust gases and enables CO to react with more air to oxidize carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and any un-burnt hydrocarbon fuel to carbon dioxide and water Thermal Exhaust Reactor Exhaust from Engine  Air  1. 2CO (g) + O 2(g)  2CO 2(g) Exhaust to environment  2. Also converts hydro- carbons to CO 2 + H 2 0 Carbon Monoxide

Catalytic Converter Oxidizes Carbon Monoxide Convert NO to nitrogen gas Car price increased $600-$800 not a stand-alone cure-all for emissions control Unleaded fuel is required Carbon Monoxide

Nitrogen Oxides

Sources Human: high temperature, combustion in automobiles produces mostly NO, which is oxidized to NO2 in the atmosphere Natural: Decomposition of Nitrogen Nitrogen Oxides

Effect On Health Toxic Irritation on eyes and ears Breathing problems Respiratory distress Pulmonary Edema Nitrogen Oxides

Methods of Control Catalytic Converters Lean Burning Engines Recirculation of Exhaust gases Nitrogen Oxides

V.O.C’s gases from certain solids or a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands

"The Green-Clean Challenge Begins"

Electrostatic Precipitation remove particles from airstreams having large steady flow rates Typical applications include coal-burning plants and cement kilns A typical two-stage electrostatic precipitator has a stage of corona wires and a stage of collecting plates The corona wires are maintained at several thousand volts which produces a corona that releases electrons into the airstream These electrons attach to dust particles and give them a net negative charge The collecting plates are grounded and attract the charged dust particles and are wrapped by mechanical wrappers to dislodge the collected dust, which then drop into hoppers below The air velocity between the plates needs to be sufficiently low to allow the dust to fall and not to be re-entrained in the airstream

What will you do to Control Air Pollution?

The End.