APES chapter 15- Air pollution and stratospheric ozone depletion

air pollution/ground level pollution

introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, microorganisms @ high enough concentrations to harm plants, animals, material, and ecosystems

US Clean Air Act (1970)

identifies six pollutants which threaten the well being of humans, ecosystems, and structures

sulfur dioxide

from the combustion of fuels, respiratory irritant, damages plant tissue

nitrogen oxides

from motor vehicles, fossil fuel combustion, forest fires, lightning, microbial action within soil, plays a role in forming tropospheric ozone and photochemical smog

carbon oxides

from fossil fuel combustion/the incomplete combustion of matter

particulate matter/particulates/particles (PM)

solid/liquid particles suspended in air, from the combustion of wood, animal manure, biofuels, coal, oil, gasoline, road dust, rock crushing, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, dust storms

haze

reduced visibility caused by particulate matter scattering light, can also be indirectly caused by ozone and photochemical oxidants

photochemical oxidants

a class of air pollutants, formed as a result of sunlight acting on compounds, harmful to plant tissue, human respiration, construction materials

smog

partly responsible for haze and reduced sunlight in ciites

photochemical smog/log angeles-type smog/brown smog

dominated by oxidants

london-type smog/grey smog/sulfurous smog

dominated by sulfur dioxide and sulfate compounds

lead

occurs in soils and rock, present in oil and coal, cuases long-term harm in adults, increased risk of high blood pressure, kidney damage, exposure to pregnant women can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, and low birth weight

mercury

found in coal, oil, toxic to the central nervous system of humans/other organisms

volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

organic compounds that become vapors at typical atmospheric temperature, most are hydrocarbons (gasoline, lighter fluid, dry-cleaning fluid, oil-based paints, perfumes), lead to the formation of photochemical oxidants

primary pollutants

come directly out of the smoke stacks, exhaust pope, natural emission sources, include CO, CO2, SO2, NOx, most VOCs

secondary pollutants

primary pollutants that have undergone transformations in the presence on sunlight, water, oxygen, other compounds (ozone, sulfate, nitrate)

human health

the health of all humans (including the elderly, children, people with asthma)

welfare

visibility, the status of crops, natural vegetation, animals, ecosystems, and buildings

the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQs)

specifies concentration limits for each air pollutant, notes a concentration that should not be exceeded over a specific time period

Black triangle

named for the high emissions of sulfur and dust, northern bohemia, southern saxony, and part of lower Silesia, one of the most polluted areas in central Europe

inversion layer

traps emissions that accumulate beneath it, causes severe pollutions events (The Great Smog of London)