1. What causes air pollution?
Air and 2

2. Air Pollution Harmful substances in the air at unhealthy levels
Human activities
Natural sources

3. Mexico City

6. Primary Pollutants Pollutant that is put directly into the air
Soot from smoke

7. Secondary Pollutants
Form when primary pollutants react with naturally occurring substances
Ground-level ozone – UV light reacts with car emissions

10. Motor Vehicle Emissions
1/3 of air pollution come from cars
EPA required gradual elimination of lead
Catalytic converter – required in cars

11. Catalytic Converter
Clean exhaust gases before they are able to leave tailpipe

14. California Zero-Emissions Vehicle Program
Account for ½ of pollution
Encourage development of less-polluting vehicles
ZEV – electric cars
Partial ZEV – hybrids and methanol fuel cells

16. Industrial Air Pollution
Clean Air Act
Scrubbers – machine that moves gases through a spray of water that dissolves pollutants

18. Clean Air
Electrostatic precipitators – remove dust particles from smoke stacks
Polluted air blown through charged chamber
Sticks to sides of chamber
Coal –burning power plants and cement factories

20. Smog Chemical reaction between: Found in urban areas Sunlight Air
Car exhaust
Ozone
Found in urban areas

21. Temperature Inversions
Warm air traps cooler air near Earth’s surface
Valley cities

22. Los Angeles, CA

24. Health and Air Pollution
Short term:
Headaches, nausea, irritation of eyes or throat, coughing, infections

25. Health and Air Pollution
Long term:
Emphysema, lung cancer, heart disease

26. Indoor Air Pollution
Sick Building Syndrome – health problems caused by indoor pollutants
Building materials
Paints
Carpets
Fungus
Mold

28. Radon Gas Colorless, tasteless, odorless
Radioactive
Radon is an element that is produces by the decay of uranium
Found in earth – seeps into foundation
2nd leading cause of lung cancer

29. Asbestos Strong insulator and fire retardant
Mineral in long, thin fibers
Found in building materials
Banned in 70’s
Heart and respiratory disease

31. Noise Pollution Destroys cells in ear MP3 and iPods
Decibels (dB) – sound units

32. Light Pollution No health effects
Environmental effects – diminish view of night sky
Energy loss
Lights pointed down or low emission lighting