Air Pollution …continued

Topics… Indoor Air Pollution Noise Pollution Light Pollution Acid Rain Radon Sick Building Syndrome Asbestos Noise Pollution Light Pollution Acid Rain

Radon Colorless, tasteless odorless gas Radioactive gas given off by rocks as the uranium in the rocks decays Sticks to dust particles and gets breathed in, entering the lungs Can damage genetic material Second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. EPA's citizens guide to radon

Sick-Building Syndrome Tightly sealed buildings Fungi grows in air-conditioning ducts, ceiling tiles, carpet, furniture, etc. Especially a problem in temperature extremes where buildings are sealed to trap cool/warm air Fixed through ventilation

Asbestos Minerals that form in long, thin fibers and valued for strength and heat resistance Used in insulation as a flame retardant Banned in early 1970s When inhaled, it can cut/scar lungs causing asbestosis Difficulty breathing gets worse and leads to heart failure EPA asbestos

Noise Pollution Unwanted sound Measured in decibels (dB) EPA noise pollution

Light Pollution No direct hazard to human health Negative environmental impacts Insects, nocturnal animals Birds migrating/singing unnaturally Sea turtle babies going the wrong way Easily fixed through shielding, time controls, and low-pressure sodium sources (energy efficient source) Transparency picture

Acid Rain Acid precipitation is precipitation, such as rain, sleet, or snow, that contains a high concentration of acids, often because of the pollution of the atmosphere. When fossil fuels are burned, they release oxides of sulfur and nitrogen.

What Causes Acid Rain? When these oxides combine with water in the atmosphere they form sulfuric acid and nitric acid, which falls as acid precipitation.

Flows over and through the ground into surface water Acid precipitation can kill living things and can result in the decline or loss of some local animal and plant populations

pH A pH is a value that is used to express how acidic something is A pH of 7 is neutral < 7 is acidic > 7 is basic Pure water has a pH of 7.0, while normal precipitation has a pH of about 5.6 (due to CO2 being dissolved and forming carbonic acid

Precipitation is considered to be acid precipitation when it has a pH of < 5.0 Precip. Acidity varies with geography Eastern U.S. and Canada = 4.2-4.8 Most is around Lake Erie and Lake Ontario

Acid Rain’s Effect on Plants Soil/surface water pH drop Nutrients in soil change and influence root growth (root damage) Sulfur dioxide in water clogs openings on pants’ surfaces Surface Water pH drop Kills aquatic plants/animals

Acid Rain’s Effect on Fish Aluminum leaches out of the soil and into lakes causing fish to suffocate

Acid Shock Sudden runoff (snow melt/heavy rain) of highly acidic water into surface water Fish kill Affects reproduction of frogs/fish/aquatic life

Problem…solved? Powdered limestone (calcium carbonate = basic) sprayed on lakes to help restore natural pH Enough lime cannot be spread to offset the acid damage

Acid Rain’s Effect on Humans Toxic metals poison crops, water, and fish, eaten by humans Increased respiratory problems in community’s children Acid rain can dissolve calcium carbonate in building materials like concrete and marble, affecting important historical monuments

International Conflict Pollutants can be created/released in one place and fall onto the land far away Ex: almost half of the acid precipitation that falls in southeastern Canada results from pollution produced in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri, West Virginia, and Tennessee

International Cooperation Canada-U.S. Air Quality Agreement: 1991 Both countries agreed to reduce acidic emissions that flowed across the boundary More may be necessary to control the acid rain problem