(FULL - Unit 7 APES)Air Pollution Chart

Carbon monoxide is (blank) Pollutant, and it’s description

• Primary Pollutant

• colorless, odorless gas from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels.

(6) sources of CO

comes from vehicles, lawn mowers, wood burning, forest fires, heating, industry

why is CO an issue? (2 issues)

• asphyxsiant: binds to hemoglobin decreasing oxygen

• headaches, drowsiness, flu-like symptoms, deaths (esp. to infants/kids)

CO solutions (4 solutions)

• Catalytic converters in cars

• appliances are better ventilated

• Co detectors in homes required by law in CA

• EPA: Clean Air Act

Primary pollutants

comes directly from the source (tailpipe, smoke stack, etc.)

Secondary Pollutant

a primary pollutant that has undergone transformation in the presence of sunlight, water, oxygen, or other compounds

Sulfer Dioxide is (blank) Pollutant, and it’s description (hint: short)

• primary pollutant

• colorless gas

one source of SO₂

• combustion of coal for electricity (70%)

why is SO₂ an issue? (2 issues)

• asthma

• acid rain

SO₂ solutions (2 solutions)

• Wet Scrubbers on coal smokestacks capture SO₂

• Fluidized bed combustion in boiler furnaces has Calcium Carbonate to capture SO₂

NOX (Nitric oxide and Nitrogen Dioxide) is (blank) pollutant and its description

• Nitrogen oxides = pp, NO/NO2 may be secondary

• highly reactive, bad smell, reddish-brown gas

NOX sources

• combustion of engines (cars, buses, planes, etc.)

NOX health issues (3)

• asthma

• smog

• acid rain

NOX solutions (3)

• emission standards (EPA)

• smog checks

• catalytic converters

Troposphere ozone (t.s.) (blank) pollutant

• secondary pollutant

t.s. source/process

• exhaust from cars

• sun + heat + NOx + VOCs = ozone

t.s. (5) issues

• asthma

• damange immune system

• smog

• crop damage (less photosynthesis —> damage leaves)

• Damage plastic and rubber (breakdown)

t.s. solution (1 and is it dec or inc now?)

• emission standards (EPA)

• levels decreased

note about t.s.

t.s. (when studying, look at chart to explain the process at bottom, I think there’s also class notes about it)

Particulate matter (PM) is

• pp/sp

• very small particles, dust, soot, sulfates, nitrates, pollen

PM comes from (6) sources

• pollen, smokestacks, construction, mining, fire, volcanoes, vehicles

list pms “best” to worst types

• (course) PM₁₀

• (fine) PM_2.5

• (worst) ultrafine: PM_0.1

PM health problem (1)

• asthma

PM (5) solutions

• alternative heating (no wood)

• dust control in construction

• electrostatic precipitators on smokestacks

• baghouse filters in exhaust systems

• removes ultra fine PM from air in buildings and homes

lead

• primary pollutant

• heavy metal

lead (4) sources

• old leaded gasoline

• old paint that has been sanded/peeled off

• ore & metal processing factories

• battery manufacturing & recycling facilities

lead (2) issues

• brain damage (lowers IQ)

• bioaccumlation (thing consumed lead dies) & biomagnification in food chain (more pollutant in higher trophic levels as upper levels eat it)

lead solution (inc or dec)

• decreased by 98% because of ban in leaded gas in US

VOCs

• pp

• carbon chemicals with “-ane” (like butane/aldehydes). Vapors from fuels like Benzene

• other smelly substances

VOC sources

• dry-cleaning, paint, furniture, pressed wood, carpet

• plants/trees

• candles

• perfumes

• fuel vapors

• varnishes

VOC issues (3)

• asthma, mucas irritant

• cancer

• overloads immune system

VOCs solutions (4)

• air filters/ventilation

• masks

• emission standards (EPA)

• alt. products in households (like VOC free paint, essential oil/candles, etc.)

6 criteria air pollutants

• Ozone.

• Particulate Matter.

• Carbon Monoxide.

• Lead.

• Sulfur Dioxide.

• Nitrogen Dioxide.

sulfuric/nitric acid

• s.p.

• components of acid rain

sul/nit acid source

• SO₂ and NO₂ which comebine w/water and oxygen in atm

sul/nit acid issue (4)

• contaminated drinking water

• soil degradation (break down nutrient like calcium and depletes nutrient)

• aquatic ecosystem damage

• eye irriation

sul/nit acid solution (2) and then (1 inc or dec?)

• Add CaCO₃ (Calcium Carbonate) to lakes, ponds, and soil

• wet scrubbers

• clean air act decreased it by 50%

toxic air pollutants (pp or sp or both), description, 4 sources, 4 issues, one inc/dec

• pp/sp

• desc: many airborne toxins such as heavy metals (mercury), some VOCs, and methylene chloride

• source: metal smelting, sewege treatment, industry, burning trash

• issues: cancer, reproductive defects, immune, brain problems

• sol: clean air act regulation/reduced by 42%

(HCs) hydrocarbons (specifics of VOC)

• pp/sp

• H & C, CH₃, benzene

• formed from incomplete combustion of cars, helps form other air pollutants

HCs source

• gasoline/diesel cars

HCs (2) issues

• cancer

• damage plants

HCs 2 solutions

• cleaner burning vehicles

• catalytic converters

HC note

HC note: look at chart to explain process