Major Air Pollutants

Carbon Monoxide

  • Common sources: Furnaces, grills, generators, stoves, water heaters, tobacco smoke, Auto, truck, or bus exhaust from attached garages, nearby roads, or parking areas are some sources. 

  • Health Effects: Blocks blood oxygen delivery (you suffocate), leading to symptoms like headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and confusion. 

  • Environmental Effects: Increases  global warming, Reduced air quality

Sulfur Dioxide

  • What is it?: Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a colorless, pungent, toxic gas primarily released by burning sulfur-bearing fossil fuels (coal, diesel) and volcanic activity. 

  • Common sources: burning of fossil fuels(oil/coal specifically) by power plants/other industrial facilities, extracting metal from ore and ships/vehicles that burn fuel with a high sulfur content

  • Environmental Impact: SO2 reacts with water in the atmosphere resulting in acid rain

  • Health impacts: respiratory distress, Irritation, and asthma attacks, chronic respiratory issues, reduced lung function, and cardiovascular disease

Particulate Matter

  • What:  a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air

    • Dirt, dust, soot, smoke

  • Sources: exhaust, fires, dry ground, and construction

  • Health Impacts: Breathing unhealthy levels of particulate matter can lead to health problems like asthma, and heart disease. 

  • Bad in rural environments- dirt roads, gravel roads, wind, etc

Nitrogen Oxides

  • Common sources: fossil fuel combustion- motor vehicle exhaust from cars, trucks,and buses, power plants, industrial boilers, gas stoves and ovens, diesel powered equipment, and lightning

  • Nitrogen Oxides contribute to the formation of smog, acid rain, and tropospheric ozone (we don’t like oxide in the trophosphere)

  • Exposure to Nitrogen Oxides can cause respiratory problems, and can worsen conditions such as asthma and chronic bronchitis

  • Regulatory measures set by the EPA limit nitrogen oxide emissions

Volatile Organic Compounds

  • Common sources of VOCs include:

    • Paints, paint strippers, and other solvents

    • Copiers, printers, correction fluids, and carbonless copy paper

    • Aerosol sprays

    • Cleansers and disinfectants

    • Building materials and furnishings

  • Health impacts: eye, throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination, damage to liver kidney, and central nervous system.

  • Environmental impacts: reduce agricultural yields, increase acidity of rain, creation of ground-level ozone

Lead

  • Common Sources: 

    • Ore and metals processing 

    • Piston-engine aircraft operating on leaded aviation fuel 

    • Waste incinerators 

    • Lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust 

    • Lead smelters 

  • Environmental Impacts:

    • Bioaccumulative environmental pollutant (toxin that builds up faster than it can be eliminated)

    • Soil and water contamination

    • Air pollution

    • Not biodegradable (permanent pollutant)

Human Health Impacts:

  • Potent neurotoxin

  • Damages kidneys, nervous system

  • Can damage neurological development in children