1. Chapter 12, Section 2: Air, Noise & Light Pollution Standards: SEV3a
Air & Air Pollution
Chapter 12, Section 2: Air, Noise & Light Pollution
Standards: SEV3a

2. Who is most affected by air pollution?
Very young
Very old
People with heart or lung problems
People who have asthma

3. What are the short term effects of air pollution on health?
Headache
Nausea
Irritation of eyes, nose, throat
Coughing
Upper respiratory infections- bronchitis, pneumonia
Worsen effects of asthma & emphysema

4. What are the long term effects of air pollution?
Emphysema
Lung cancer
Heart disease

5. Case study: health effects of ground level ozone (aka- bad ozone)
Good ozone is in the stratosphere over Earth’s atmosphere & protects us from UV rays
Ground Level (bad) Ozone = VOC’s + NOx + sunlight
Mostly from cars, gas vapors & power plants
Short term effects: irritation of respiratory system, increased asthma
Long term effects: reduced lung function (especially kids who live in urban areas and are outside often)

6. What are some types of indoor air pollution?
Sometimes indoor worse than outdoor because more concentrated & more exposure.
Tobacco smoke
Tetrachloroethylene- dry cleaning fluid
Paradichlorobenzene- moth balls & air freshener
Bleach, NaOH- cleaners
NOx- unvented gas stoves, wood stoves
Fungi & bacteria- dirty air conditioning ducts
CO- faulty furnace, cars left running
Formaldehyde- furniture, carpet, particle board
Radon- radioactive soil under foundation

7. What is radon? Odorless,colorless Radioactive
When home is built, radon can be “uprooted”
If basement or floors develop cracks, radon can seep in
If you live in this environment for many years can develop lung cancer.
2nd leading cause of lung cancer in US
How do you fix it?
Establish ventilation system in basement to release radon so it doesn’t build up in house

8. What is asbestos? Long, thin fibers that are able to resist heat
Insulator, fire retardant
Brakes & building materials
Banned in school buildings now.
Inhaling asbestos can cut & scar lungs
Leads to type of lung cancer called mesothelioma
Cross section of a lung afflicted with mesothelioma

9. What is sick building syndrome?
Common in well air conditioned buildings that are closed tight to keep in cool air.
Cause headaches, nausea that are alleviated by going outside
Martin county, Florida- $11 million courthouse closed down due to mold created by air conditioning system with no ventilation.
LA Times- Florida's Plague: Sick Building Syndrome

10. What is noise pollution?
Unwanted sounds
Irritating to ears & damages cells in ears
Hearing loss has doubled in US in last 30 yrs
12% teens have permanent hearing loss
Measured in decibels (dB)
See table
120 dB is threshold of pain
Europe MP3 players cannot produce more than 100 dB of noise
National Institute of Health sets safe threshold at 85dB for 8 hours
US does not regulate personal listening devices.

11. What is light pollution?
Does not present direct danger to human health.
Problems with light pollution:
Aesthetic reasons- can’t see stars at night
Wasted energy when shines upward
Shield light so it is focused downward
Use timer controls
Use low pressure sodium light sources to save energy

12. You should be able to…
Describe the long term and short term effects of air pollution on health.
Describe two ways in which indoor air pollution can be prevented
Describe some of the human health problems caused by noise pollution
Describe several solutions to the energy waste associated with light pollution.