Air Quality and Pollution

Air Composition

Coal fired Power Plant

Primary Pollutants - their sources and effects Carbon monoxide – incomplete combustion of fossil fuels – headaches and death Sulfur dioxide – combustion of fossil fuels – respiratory irritant, stomate damage, converts to H2SO4 Nitrogen oxides – NO, NO2 – combustion of fossil fuels – respiratory irritant, converts to HNO3 and photochemical smog containing ozone Particulate matter – combustion of fossil fuels, wood, manure – agriculture, road construction – respiratory irritant Volatile organic compounds – evaporation of fuels, solvents, paints – forms ozone Lead – Gasoline additive, coal combustion

Secondary Air Pollutants Sulfuric Acid – H20 + SO2 -> H2SO4 – acid precipitation – irritant to plants, animals, aquatic organisms, decomposition of rock(marble,limestone) and metal structures Nitric Acid -H2O+ NO2 -> HNO3 - acid precipitation Hydrogen Peroxide – H2O2 – surface irritant Ozone – O3 – respiratory irritant Ammonium – NH3 – respiratory irritant

Air Quality Protection US Clean Air Act - 1970 – Identified 6 Criteria Pollutants – Sulfur dioxide(SO2), Nitrogen Oxides (NOX), Carbon monoxide (CO), Particulates(SPM), Tropospheric Ozone(O3), Lead (Pb) limits amounts and concentrations of these gases 2007 – Supreme Court added Carbon dioxide Requires emission controls – catalytic converters, auto emission testing, electrostatic precipitators, scrubbers

Electrostatic Precipitator

Air Scrubber

Air Pollution Control at Coal fired Power Plant

Greenhouse Gases Water vapor Carbon dioxide (CO2) Methane (CH4) Nitrous oxide (N2O) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) All produce an exaggerated Greenhouse Effect

Climate Change Effects Warmer and fewer cold days and nights Warmer and more frequent hot days and nights More heat waves Heavy precipitation events and flooding Areas of drought increases More intense cyclone, hurricane and tropical storms Increased incidence of high sea level and flooding

International Air Quality Controls Kyoto Protocol – 1997 – international meeting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 5.2% below 1990 levels by 2012 US 7% reduction- not signed by US Senate – Al Gore and Clinton supported ,8% European reduction, 0% Russian, China, India reduction 2001 – GW Bush argued against CO2 emission control for US, wanted international controls 2007 – US Supreme Court ruled that EPA had authority to regulate greenhouse gases in Clean Air Act 2010 – Obama supported fuel efficiency but no ratification of protocol 192 countries have ratified – not USA

Carbon sequestration