Air Chapter12

12-1 What Causes Air Pollution Objectives 1. Name five primary air pollutants, and give sources for each. 2. Name the two major sources of air pollution in urban areas. 3. Describe the way in which smog forms. 4. Explain the way in which a thermal inversion traps air pollution.

What is Air Pollution? When harmful substances build up in the air to unhealthy levels Most comes from human activities but some can come from natural events

Primary Pollutants Directly put into the air (soot) CO, NO, SO2, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), particulate matter

Secondary Pollutants When primary pollutants comes into contact with other primary pollutants or natural substances Ground level ozone

History of Pollution 1000’s of years Worse today because of the burning of fossil fuels

Motor vehicle emissions 1/3 of all air pollution comes from emissions from cars

Control of vehicle pollution Clean Air Act of 1970 Clean up lead from gasoline 95% of fewer emissions then 30 years ago

California Zero Emission Vehicle Program By 2016 requires 16% of all vehicles made to put out zero emissions

Industrial Air Pollution Most burn fossil fuels Releases SO2, NO into the air Power plants produce 2/3 of all SO2 released

Clean Air Act Requires use of scrubbers or pollution control devices

Smog Air pollution over urban areas causes by sunlight, air, auto exhaust, and ozone

Temperature Inversions Normally cool layer of warm air allow pollutants to blow away Inversion is caused when there is a cool area near the ground, a warm layer, then another cool a layer

Traps pollutants Mountains ranges near cities can aggravate this problem

12-2 Air, Noise, and Light Pollution Objectives 1. Describe three possible short-term effects and long-term effects of air pollution on human health. 2. Explain what causes indoor air pollution and how it can be prevented. 3. Describe three human health problems caused by noise pollution. 4. Describe solutions to energy waste caused by light pollution.

Short term Effects of Air Pollution on Health Headaches, nausea, irritation to the nose and throat, tight chest, respiratory infections

Long Term Effects Emphysema Lung cancer Heart disease

In Door Air Pollution Plastics, industrial chemicals, CO, fungi, bacteria, tobacco smoke, formaldehyde Sick building syndrome – caused when buildings have poor air supply

Radon gas Colorless, odorless, tasteless gas Produced by the decay of Uranium Seeps up through cracks in rocks through houses Causes cancer (2nd lead cause0

Asbestos Thin fibers that can get into your lungs and cause cuts and scaring which can lead to infections Found in insulation and other building materials Banned since 1970

Noise Pollution From airplanes, construction, traffic Causes loss of hearing, high blood pressure, stress

Measured in decibels (dB) Over 120 decibels continuously can cause permanent hearing loss

Noises and their decibel levels Rocket engine 180 Jet Engine 140 Rock & Roll Concert 120 Car horn 110 Lawn mower 90 Door bell 80 Conversation 60

Light pollution Not a direct hazard to human health Negative affect on environments and animals Energy loss/waste

12-3 Acid Rain Objectives 1. Explain the causes of acid precipitation. 2. Explain how acid precipitation affects plants, soils, and aquatic ecosystems. 3. Describe three ways that acid precipitation affects humans. 4. Describe ways that countries are working together to solve the problem of acid precipitation.

Causes Precipitation that contains high concentration of acid From burning of fossil fuels SO + NO + water = acid rain

Flows to into water ways and kills wildlife and plants

Measure of how acidic or basic a substance is pH Measure of how acidic or basic a substance is 0______________7________________14 Acidic Neutral Basic Acidic rain has a pH of less than 5

Most acidic place in the US in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario

Affects on Soil and Plants Acidification changes the soil chemistry Acid levels goes up, and nutrient levels go down

Causes Al and other toxic metals to be released Root damage SO clogs stomata (holes) on plants

Affects on Aquatic Ecosystems pH goes up so plants die then everything that eats the plants including animals

Al accumulates in fish and they suffocates Interferes with oxygen intake Worse in spring (snow melt) Acid Shock- sudden influx of acid water into aquatic ecosystems

Acid Precipitation and Humans Rain gets into the soil, then the crops, animals eat the crops (or we do), then we eat those animals

Has been linked to respiratory problems Affects quality of life by affecting the ecosystems we enjoy for recreation Dissolves limestone in buildings and monuments

International Areas that produce the rain affect areas many miles away Has lead to treaties between countries to reduce pollution (Canada and US)