Chapter 11: Atmospheric Pollution

Acid rain

When nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SO2) in the atmosphere mix with the rain, snow, fog, hail, or dust, they can become acid rain and fall to the Earth This can be in wet or dry forms.

Anthropogenic

Caused by humans

Carbon dioxide

Traps heat leading to melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and coastal flooding; causes climate change. Can be fixed by carbon sequestration

Carbon monoxide

a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas produced by burning gasoline, wood, propane, charcoal or other fuel. Improperly ventilated appliances and engines, particularly in a tightly sealed or enclosed space, may allow carbon monoxide to accumulate to dangerous levels.

Catalytic converter

A device that converts pollutants into less dangerous things

Clean Air Act

American law that regulated the use of lead in fuels and the atmosphere

Electrostatic precipitators

Remove fine particles like dust, smoke, soot, and ash before they leave the smokestack

Formaldehyde

colorless, strong-smelling, flammable chemical that is produced industrially and used in building materials such as particleboard, plywood, and other pressed-wood products

Hydrocarbons

compounds comprised exclusively of carbon and hydrogen and they are by far the dominant components of crude oil, processed petroleum hydrocarbons (gasoline, diesel, kerosene, fuel oil, and lubricating oil), coal tar, creosote, dyestuff, and pyrolysis waste products

Sulfur dioxide

Makes it difficult to breathe, particularly for people with asthma. Harms trees and plants by damaging leaves and decreasing growth; leads to acid rain. Way to prevent is gas scrubbing or by using fluidized bed combustion.

Thermal inversion

Occurs when pollution gets trapped near the Earths surface because of warm air trapping cooler, denser air near the Earth

Toxic metals

Type of metal decides the toxic effects

Lead

Leads to permanent nerve damage, anemia, or mental retardation

Nitric acid

a colorless liquid with yellow or red fumes with an acrid odorr. Exposure to nitric acid can cause irritation to the eyes, skin, and mucous membrane; it can also cause delayed pulmonary edema, pneumonitis, bronchitis, and dental erosion.

Nitrogen oxide

Photochemical smog because of the formation of ozone molecules; cause acid rain. Can cause chronic lung disease and damage to the respiratory system. Way to prevent is catalytic converters in vehicles; H2O2 or sodium hydroxide scrubbers in manufacturing plants

Noise pollution

Sound that is loud and long enough to cause harm to humans and animals

Ozone

Photochemical smog can cause ground-level ozone to occur particularly in the afternoon when it gets hot; can cause a variety of health effects such as chest pain, throat irritation, coughing, and congestion. It is particularly dangerous to people with asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema.

Particulates

Can get into the lungs; some are even small enough to get into the bloodstream. Cause haze and, depending on what the particle is, can acidify lakes and streams, deplete the soil of nutrients, and damage materials. Fixed by baghouse filters or electrostatic precipitators.

Photochemical smog

This type of smog occurs in warm places that have a lot of people, cars, factories, power plants, etc. It is formed when volatile organic hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, heat, and sunlight mix; can cause eye irritation and respiratory illness; ground-level ozone is produced.

Primary air pollutants

an air pollutant emitted directly from a source

Radon-222

A gas that comes from uranium decay and is the second leading cause of cancer in America

Vapor recovery nozzle

A device added to gasoline fuel pumps that traps the vapors before they can be released to the atmosphere

Volatile organic hydrocarbons

When they mix with nitrogen oxides and heat they can form photochemical smog

Wet and dry scrubbers

Air pollution devices that remove particulates so they dont get into the atmosphere

Secondary air pollutants

not directly emitted as such, but forms when other pollutants (primary pollutants) react in the atmosphere.