C: Atmospheric Pollution

Primary Pollutants

Primary Pollutants

Emitted directly into the air

Secondary Pollutants

Result from primary air pollutants reacting together and forming new pollutants

Point source air pollution

It occurs when the contaminant comes from an obvious source

Non-point source air pollution

It occurs when the contaminant comes from a source that is not easily identifiable or from a number of sources spread over a large, widespread area

Criteria air pollutants

These are a set of eight air pollutants that cause smog, acid rain, and other health hazards and are typically emitted from many sources in the industry, mining, transportation, power generation, and agriculture

Industrial smog

Trends to be sulfur-based and is also called gray smog

Carbon monoxide (CO2)

It is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly less dense than air, common from most combustion (esp vehicle exhaust), dangerous to human health

Lead (Pb)

Greyish material that accumulates in tissue, extremely dangerous to human health, found in older buildings

Nitrogen Oxide (NOx)

Comes from fossil fuel combustion and motor vehicles, respiratory irritant, forms photochemical smog and precursor to ozone

Ozone (O3)

When tropospheric (ground-level) it is a secondary air pollutant, formed from NOx and VOCs

Sulfuric Dioxide (SO2)

Comes from burning high sulfur coal, oil, power plants, respiratory irritant

Suspended particulate matter

Microscopic solid or liquid matter suspended in Earths atmosphere, causes respiratory distress and reduced visibility, #1 source is fires

Volcanic Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Organic chemicals that evaporate at atmospheric temperatures, forms ozone, comes from vehicles, improper combustion, and fossil fuel evaporation

Photochemical smog

LA smog, formed by photochemical oxidents (sunlight acting on compounds like NOx) and PM

Thermal inversions

These occur when air temperature rises with height instead of falling

Catalytic converter

It is an exhaust emission control device that converts toxic chemicals in the exhaust of an internal-combustion engine into less harmful substances

Acid deposition

It occurs when atmospheric chemical processes transform sulfur and nitrogen compounds and other substances into wet or dry deposits on Earth

Urban heat islands

It occur in metropolitan areas that are significantly warmer than their surroundings

Noise pollution

It is an unwanted human-created sound that disrupts the environment