8.3 Urban Air Pollution

Flashcards covering key concepts, terms, and definitions related to urban air pollution based on lecture notes.

Urban Air Pollution

Contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by chemical, physical, or biological agents.

Primary Pollutants

Pollutants that are emitted directly from a source such as vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions.

Secondary Pollutants

Pollutants formed through chemical reactions between primary pollutants and other substances in the atmosphere.

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)

Gases produced from combustion processes, contributing to air pollution and the formation of acid rain.

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

A primary pollutant originating from the combustion of sulfur-containing fossil fuels, contributing to acid rain.

Particulate Matter (PM)

Tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in air which can affect health when inhaled.

Photochemical Smog

A type of air pollution formed when sunlight reacts with primary pollutants like nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds.

Acid Rain

Precipitation that contains acidic components such as sulfuric acid and nitric acid, resulting from air pollution.

Tropospheric Ozone

A secondary pollutant formed from nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight; harmful to health.

Management Strategies

Approaches to reduce urban air pollution, including altering human activities and controlling pollutant emissions.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Organic chemicals that can vaporize and contribute to chemical reactions leading to air pollution.

Indicator Species

Species used to measure pollution levels in an environment; sensitive to changes in air quality.

Thermal Inversion

A weather phenomenon where warm air traps cooler air at ground level, leading to increased pollution concentration.

Indoor Air Pollution

Pollution that occurs indoors, often caused by inefficient fuel use, tobacco smoke, and chemical vapors.

Acid Deposition

The process through which acid rain and dry deposition of acidic materials affects soil, water, and vegetation.

Environmental Impact

The effect that pollutants have on natural ecosystems, human health, and infrastructure.

Clean-up Technologies

Methods employed to reduce pollution at the source, such as catalytic converters and scrubbers.