group presentation studying

air quality

PM health effects

Refers to the various impacts on human health caused by exposure to particulate matter (PM), which can include respiratory issues, cardiovascular diseases, and increased mortality rates.

effects of great salt lakes (what does dust activate)

dust activates Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, these normally detect pungent chemicals like capsaicin in chili peppers, long term asthma like changes

PM2.5 effects

premature death, nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma

PM10 effects

irritation of eyes, nose, throat, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, aggravates lung diseases

secondary impacts of PM beyond human health

can include environmental degradation, ecosystem disruption, and impacts on climate. reduced visibility, degrade buildings

what is causing the issue in the great salt lake area

high water usage (2nd highest in US), climate change (lower water volume), sediments (history of mining, high salinity, As U Pb Antimony

what happens when SO2 is released into the atmosphere

SO2 forms aerosols which are components to pm2.5

what is the concern in Delhi NCR

large population, majority of coal fired power plants upwind carrying this SO2 to the city

major SO2 emitters

coal fired power plants (CFPPs) main contributers, 1. india, 2 south africa, 3 china

how is SO2 reduction going and why

very good decline in most countries while india is growing the decrease is due to implementation in flue gas desulphurization systems (FGDs)

how much do FGDs help

potential to remove up to 95% of emissions

why is Delhi NCR having a hard time

they keep getting notifications of compliance pushed back later, they were categorized into who is closest to cities and especially if they are non attainment A B and C classifications, they had a policy dilution in 2025 and more extentions into 2030

category C

no control tech required

category B

suggested to install FGDc

category A

mandated to install FGD

India has FGD systems but how much and how many are exempted

only 12% have installed FGDs and the Indian government exempted 78% of CFPP from installing FGDs

arguments against FGDs and their fact checks (4)

they increase CO2 but they are not that substantial. Low sulfur content in Indian coal they have to burn more coal because it burns faster so it has higher emissions no significant AQ benefits installing FGD can reduce PM2.5 cy 8% and prevent 124 thousand premature deaths economically not feasible human health outweighs saving money

biogenic VOCs

account for 90% of global annual VOC emissions isoprene and monoterpenes

wilfire smoke is

a complex mixture of gases and particleswh

what type of fire produces more VOCs due to incomplete combustion

smoldering fires ( CO2 and CO VOCs NOx PM metals)

what is aged smoke

smoke that has gone through transformation or change (ozone from VOCs)

ozone formation components

voc + O2 + NOx = ozone

secondary organic aerosol formation

VOC + OH/HO2 + oxygenated compounds = secondary organic aerosolsw

why are wildfires becoming a bigger concern

less fire suppression in the 90s high build up of vegetation, climate change favoring severe wild fires, intense fires send particles higher into the stratosphere where they can remain for months

3 land management strategies

controlled burns, mechanical thinning, fuel breaks (cut lines to stop fires)

effects of ozone hole on southern hemisphere

warmer, wetter weather

how does climate change impact the ozone hole

changes in atmospheric dynamics, longer ozone holes, changed timeline of recovery

attributions to worsening depletion

smoke from Australian wildfires, aerosols from la soufiere eruption in the caribbean , volcanic eruptions

where do we want ozone

the stratosphere

CFCs are

very damaging to ozone

importance of sampling

can find elevated levels of CFCs and change it an example is hawaii found that it was coming from china and found out who and they got arrested

how long would it take for ozone hole to be fixed if all emissions ceased immediatley

2065

how long would it take for ozone hole to be fixed if leakage was reduced to 0.5% as intended by montreal protocol

2066

current emissions at 3.6%

2073 or later debated by scholars

when did montreal protocol happen

1987wh

what is the montreal protocol

regulates production and consumption of over 100 man made chemicals that are ozone depleting substances like HCFCs CFCs

present montreal protocol

99% of ODS (ozone depleting substances) are phased outw

where are ODS still present

select CFCs for feedstock, ageing appliances that contain CFCs, some countries still have stockpiles of old ODS

health issues

lung injury, worse conditions of athsma and COPD, cancer

stratospheric ozone and human health

O3 adsorbs UV radiation and decreases damaging DNA in living organisms (cataracts and cancer)

marine ecosystem impacts of O3

exposure to solar UVb affects orientation and mobility of phytoplanton lowering their survival rates

crops and vegatation impacts of O3

UVb inhibits photosynthesis suppressing crop yield for sensitive crops by 5-15%

biogeochemical cycling impacts of O3

UV b alters sources and sinks of ghg and trace gases

animal populations impacts of O3

abnormal DNA from UVb also damage RNA, proteins and lipids, amphibian embryos and larvae mortality and malformation