Unit 7 Air Pollution (copy)

Vapor Recovery Nozzle

Captures hydrocarbon VOCs from gasoline fumes during refueling

Catalytic converter

Filters out nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and gasoline particles

Crushed limestone

Reduces SO2 from coal power plants by mixing with coal before burning

Fluidized bed combustion

Filters out sulfur dioxide by pumping in oxygen to make combustion more efficient

Scrubbers

Treat power plant emissions with chemicals to filter out NOx, SO2, and VOCs (and PM in wet scrubbers)

Electrostatic precipitator

Filters out particulate matter by charging and collecting particles

Fabric (baghouse) filters

Filters out particulate matter

Thermal inversion

Layer of warm air overriding cool air, reducing dispersion of pollutants and causing poor air quality

Sulfur dioxide natural source

volcanic eruptions

Sulfur dioxide antrhopogenic source

coal combustion

Nitrogen oxide natural source

forest fires and lightning

Nitrogen oxide anthropogenic source

combusion of oil

PM natural source

forest fires, volcanic eruptions, dust storms

PM anthropogenic souce

oil/coal combusion

Carbon dioxide natural source

decomposition, respiration, volcanic eruptions, forest fires

Carbon dioxide anthropogenic source

combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation

Carbon monoxide sources

combustion of oil and natural gas

Ozone natural source

reaction of oxygen and sunlight in the stratosphere

Ozone anthropogenic source

reaction of VOCs, nitrogen/sulfur oxides, and sunlight in the troposphereS

Smog sources

Anthropogenic: reaction of sunlight with VOCs and nitrogen/sulfur oxides

Ways to reduce air pollutants

Use fewer resources, energy more efficiently, and utilize pollution control measures

Clean Air Act

Identifies and regulates federally controlled air pollutants to maintain low concentrations

Primary pollutants

Emit directly into the air from a smoke stack or tailpipe

Secondary pollutants

Created by a reaction between primary pollutants and sunlight or water

Photochemical smog causes

Urban areas have more smog due to increased traffic, hotter temperatures, more VOCs, and electricity demand

Photochemical smog effects

Reduces sunlight, damages plant stomata, worsens respiratory conditions, increases healthcare costs, and decreases agricultural yields

Acid deposition causes

Reaction of primary pollutants (NOx and SO2) with water in the atmosphere

Acid deposition effects

Soil/water acidification and leaching of metals out of soil and sediment

Environmental impacts of acid rain

Carried away by prevailing winds, degrades habitats downwind

Noise pollution impacts

Disrupts animal communication, predator-prey dynamics, migration paths, and organisms using sonar

Radon source

granite bedrock

Mercury source

burning coal

Lead source

burning oil or coal

Arsenic source

burning coal

Radon health impact

lung cancer

VOCs health impact

resp. irr.

Lead health impacts

neurotoxin (esp in children)