Air Pollution One Page AP Review

Major outdoor air pollutants

Include carbon oxides, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, suspended particulate matter, photochemical oxidants, VOCs, and hazardous air pollutants.

Primary pollutants

Pollutants like CO2, NOx, and SO2 directly emitted into the troposphere from sources like car exhaust and burning coal.

Secondary pollutants

Formed when primary pollutants react with air, leading to issues like acid rain and photochemical smog.

Photochemical Smog

Formed from car emissions reacting with VOCs and NOx to produce ozone, causing respiratory irritation.

Thermal Inversions

When warm air traps cool air, preventing the dispersion of pollutants, especially problematic in cities and mountainous areas.

Technologies for Removal of Air Pollution

Methods like baghouse filters, cyclone collectors, electrostatic precipitators, wet scrubbers, and catalytic converters help in removing pollutants from the air.

Natural Factors that Reduce Air Pollution

Rain, snow, salty spray from the ocean, and winds play a role in reducing air pollution.

Indoor Air Pollution

Sources include cigarette smoke, CO, formaldehyde, radon-222, asbestos, and fine particulates, leading to health issues like lung cancer and respiratory problems.

Clean Air Acts

The 1973 and 1990 Clean Air Acts aimed to regulate air quality, with the latter introducing the SO2 cap and trade program.