Chapter 18 - Air Pollution

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25 Terms

1

atmosphere

thin layer of gases that surrounds the earth

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atmosphere composition

  • 78% __________

  • 21% oxygen

  • 0.9% argon

  • 0.1% water vapor, carbon dioxide, neon, helium and other trace gases

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Troposphere

extends from the Earth’s surface up to about 10 km

  • It contains 75-80% of the atmosphere’s gases

  • Layer in which most weather occurs

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Stratosphere

extends from 10 km to about 50 km above the Earth

  • contains the ozone layer which absorbs the majority of the ultraviolet radiation from the sun

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Mesosphere

extends from 50 km to about 80 km above the Earth

  • The coldest layer of the atmosphere, dropping as low as –90o C

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Thermosphere

extends from 80 km into outer space

  • The lower layer of the thermosphere is the ionosphere (80 km to 550 km) that can reflect radio waves back to Earth. It cannot reflect television waves, which have a shorter wavelength

  • The upper layer of the thermosphere is the exosphere, which extends for thousands of kilometers above the Earth, blending into the vacuum of interplanetary space

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7

Air pollution

is the presence of one or more chemicals in the atmosphere in quantities and duration that cause harm to humans, other forms of life, and materials

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Primary pollutants

Products of natural events and human activities

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Secondary Pollutants

Some primary pollutants may react with one another or with the basic components of air to form new pollutants

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10

Major Classes of Air Pollutants

  • Carbon Oxides (CO, CO2)

  • Sulfur Oxides (SO2, SO3)

  • Nitrogen Oxides (NO, N2O)

  • Volatile Organic Compounds – VOC’s (CH4, CFC’s)

  • Suspended Organic Particles (dust, soot, pesticides)

  • Photochemical Oxidants (O3, H2O2)

  • Radioactive Substances (radon-222, plutonium-239)

  • Toxic Compounds (mostly carcinogens)

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photochemical smog

is formed when NOx and VOC’s react with heat and sunlight to produce a variety of pollutants.

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industrial smog

consists mostly of sulfur dioxide formed from the burning of coal and heavy oil

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catalytic converters

used in automobiles to convert CO, NOx and hydrocarbons to less harmful gases (like CO2)

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Wet & Dry Scrubbers

gases in smokestakes are passed through CaO (lime) or CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) to remove SO2, accumulating in a sludge

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Electrostatic Precipitators

removes particulates using an induced electric charge

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Vapor Recovery Nozzle

on a gasoline pump minimized gas fumes from escaping

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Afterburners

an additional combustion process

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Acid Deposition

is the mixture of acidic rain, snow, fog, cloud vapor, and particles that reach the earth’s surface

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Effects of acid depostion

  • direct damage to plant foliage, bark and roots

  • soil acidification and death of microorganisms

    • lake acidification and stress of aquatic life

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sick-building syndrome

Buildings with particularly poor air quality (~17% of commercial buildings according to the EPA)

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Causes of sick-building syndrome

may include the presence of tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, gasoline, radon gas, asbestos, carbon monoxide, VOCs and some species of fungi and bacteria

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Exposure to air pollutants may lead to several human health issues

  • Lung cancer

  • Asthma – muscle spasms in the bronchial walls

  • Chronic bronchitis – inflammation of cells lining the bronchi and bronchioles

  • Emphysema – damage to air sacs in lungs

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Radon-222

is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that is produced by the decay of uranium-238 in rocks and soil.  The gas can seep upward through soil and accumulate in unventilated lower levels of buildings.

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The U.S. Congress passed Clean Air Acts in 1970, 1977, and 1990, and impose the following strategies

  • EPA establishment of national ambient air quality standards (NAAQs)

  • EPA establishment of national emission standards for toxic air pollutants

  • Recent legislation, such as the “Clear Skies Initiative” (2003) have actually reduced the effectiveness of the Clean Air Act

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Deficienies of Clean Air Acts

  • Continued reliance on pollution cleanup rather than prevention

  • Failure to sharply increase fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks

  • No requirement for stricter emission standards for fine particulates

  • Giving municipal trash incinerators 30-year permits

  • Weak standards for incinerators

  • Weak standards for emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases

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