apes unit 7 air pollution

carbon monoxide (CO)

PRIMARY

• colorless, odorless gas

• from incomplete combustion of fuel

• asphyxiant (binds to hemoglobin, decreasing oxygen causing suffocation)

what reduces CO

• catalytic converters

• better ventilation

• CO detectors required by CA law

sulfur dioxide (SO₂)

PRIMARY

• colorless gas

• combustion of coal for electricity (70%)

• respiratory problems

• acid rain

what reduces SO₂

• wet scrubbers on coal smokestacks

• fluidized bed combustion in boiler furnaces has calcium carbonate to capture SO₂

NOx

NO: primary, NO₂: secondary

• highly reactive, foul-smelling, reddish brown gas

• combustion of engines

• smog & acid rain, resp probs, reduces visibility

reducing NOx

• emission standards

• smog checks

• catalytic converters

tropospheric ozone

SECONDARY

• cars

• sun + heat react w NOx and VOCs to form oxone

• smog, damages immune system, resp problems, crop damage

reducing tropo ozone

• emission standards

PM

PRIMARY & SECONDARY

• very small particles

• smokestacks, construction, mining, wind, volcanoes, etc

• resp probs

reducing PM

• alternative heating

• electrostatic precipitators

• baghouse filters in exhaust systems

• mechanical filters remove ultrafine PM

lead

PRIMARY

• heavy metal

• from old leaded gas & old paint, ore & metal processing factories, battery manufacturing

• brain damage, lowers IQ, bioaccumulation & biomagnification in food chain

reducing lead

• 98% drop due to ban on leaded gas

VOCs

PRIMARY

• hydrocarbon chems ending in ‘-ane” and “-aldehyde, vapors from fuels like benzene

• dry cleaning, paints, varnishes, carpet, candles, perfumes, fuel vapors, trees, formaldehyde

• overload immune system, resp

reducing VOCs

• air filters & ventilation

• masks

• emission standards

toxic air pollutants

PRIMARY & SECONDARY

• airborne toxins such as heavy metals, VOCs, methylene chloride

• from metal smelting, sewage, industry, burning trash

• CANCER, reproductive defects, resp/immune/neurological probs

reducing toxic air pollutants

• Clean Air Act regulations reduced by 42%

hydrocarbons

PRIMARY and SECONDARY

• incomplete combustion of automobile fuel, gasoline and diesel

• damage plants, cancer

reducing hydrocarbons

• cleaner-burning vehicles

• catalytic converters

sulfuric acid & nitric acid

SECONDARY

• components of acid rain

• SO₂ and NO₂ combine w water and oxygen in air

• elevates aluminum in soil, dissolve nutrients

reducing sulfuric/nitric acid

• add CaCO₃ to lakes/ponds/soil

• wet scrubbers

• Clean Air Act reduced acid rain by 50%