Air Pollution Chapter 20

The Atmosphere as a Resource Atmospheric composition: Nitrogen = 78% Oxygen = 21% Argon = 0.93% Carbon dioxide = 0.04%

London Fog or Smog(1952)? Passed 1956? Anticyclone or high pressure

Types and Sources of Air Pollution Case-in-Point: Air Pollution in Los Angeles and Mexico City Smog in Mexico City Fecal Snow

Atlanta Ranked 6th for Soot Ranked 12 for Ozone

Air Pollution Effect & At Risk Effects: 1.Suppress Immune System 2.Constrict Airways 3.Reduced O 2 Intake 4.Headaches & Fatigue 5.Coughing & Burning Eyes At Risk: 1.Pregnancy 2.Age 3.Heart Condition 4.Respiratory Ailments 5.Age

Clean Air Act Timeline: 1923 Leaded Gasoline 1967 Air Quality Act - no standards 1970 Clean Air Act (standards) / Earth Day 1980 Lead drops 50% in environment & drops 37% in blood 1980 Vice President Bush proposes ending phase out as the chairman of Regulatory Relief 2000 Milestones: Carbon Monoxide: 31% decrease Sulfur Dioxide: 27% decrease VOC’s down 42% Particulate Matter* (PM-10): 71% decrease Lead: 98% decrease 2003 Bush Clear Skies Initiative - cap & trade market based 2008 Bush & Global warming? Tax or Cap of C0 2

Controlling Air Pollution in the United States Clean Air Act Emissions in the US, 1970 vs. 2000

Clear Skies Initiative Benefits of the Initiative?? * Reduces respiratory and cardiovascular diseases by dramatically reducing smog, fine particles, and regional haze. * Protects wildlife, habitats and ecosystem health from acid rain, nitrogen and mercury deposition. * Cuts pollution further, faster, cheaper, and with more certainty— replacing a cycle of endless litigation with rapid and certain improvements in air quality. * Saves as much as $1 billion annually in compliance costs that are passed along to consumers. * Protects the reliability and affordability of electricity. * Encourages use of new and cleaner pollution control technologies.

Appearing to Raise Standards Weakens controls on mercury pollution levels Weakens the current cap on nitrogen oxide pollution levels from 1.25 million tons to 2.1 million tons * Delays enforcement of smog-and-soot pollution standards until 2015.

Auto Emissions Carbon Monoxide Nitrogen Dioxide Sulfur Dioxide PM 10 Benzene Formaldehyde - half life 1-10 days Polycyclic Hydrocarbons Carbon Dioxide - pollutant?

Types of Air Pollutants Synergism? (HNO 2 ) Nitrous Acid (HNO 3 ) Nitric Acid (H ) Hydrogen Peroxide SO x - Sulfate Compounds (SO 3 ) Sulfur Trioxide (H 2 SO 4 ) Sulfuric Acid (PANs) Peroxyacetyl nitrate No x - Nitrate Compounds (O 3 ) Ozone (H 2 CO 3 ) Carbonic Acid Particulate matter Nitrogen oxides Sulfur oxides Carbon oxides Hydrocarbons Ozone Major Classes of Air Pollutants

Photochemical Smog No x + Voc’s = smog

Winter Smog Summer Smog Smog

Inversions 1.A warmer, less dense air mass moves over a cooler, more dense air mass. 2.If radiation from the surface of the earth exceeds the amount of radiation received from the sun, which commonly occurs at night, or during the winter when the angle of the sun is very low in the sky.

Ozone (0 3 ) Sources: Ozone (O 3 ), a colorless gas, is the major constituent of smog. Produced by the chemical reaction of nitrogen dioxide with volatile organic compounds (voc’s) - such as hydrocarbons in automobile exhaust or vapors from cleaning solvents - in the presence of sunlight. Health: Ozone irritates the mucous membranes of the nose, throat and airways; ninety percent of the ozone inhaled into the lungs is never exhaled. Air Quality: The air quality standard for ozone is 0.08ppm, averaged over eight hours. The significant harm level, at which serious and widespread health effects occur among the general population, is 0.60 ppm of ozone, averaged over two hours.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Carbon Monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas that is a by-product of the incomplete burning of fuels. Health: CO weakens the contractions of the heart, binds chemically to hemoglobin Air Quality: The air quality standard for CO is 9 parts per million, averaged over 8 hours. The significant harm level, at which serious and widespread health effects occur to the general population, is 50 ppm of CO.

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2 ) Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) is a light brown gas that can become an important component of urban haze. Health: Many animal studies suggest that NO 2 impairs respiratory defense mechanisms and increases susceptibility to infection. Air Quality: The air quality standard for NO 2 is ppm, annual average. The significant harm level, at which serious and widespread health effects occur to the general population, is 2.0 ppm of NO 2.

Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ) Sources: Sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) is a colorless reactive gas that is ordorless at low concentrations, but pungent at very high concentrations. Emitted primarily when fossil fuels and ores (coal) that contain sulfur are burned or processed. Health: Several studies of chronic effects have found that people living in areas with high PM and SO2 levels have a higher incidence of respiratory illnesses Air Quality: The air quality standard for SO 2 is 0.14 ppm, averaged over 24 hours. The significant harm level, at which serious and widespread health effects occur to the general population, is 1.0 ppm of SO 2.

Particulate (PM10) Sources: Particulate matter (PM) is solid matter or liquid droplets from smoke, dust, fly ash, or condensing vapors that can be suspended in the air for long periods of time. Health: observed human health effects of PM include breathing and respiratory symptoms, aggravation of existing respiraory and cardiovascular disease, alterations in the body's defense system against inhaled materials and organisms, and damage to lung tissue. Air Quality: The air quality standard for PM10 is 150 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3), averaged over 24 hours. The significant harm level, at which serious and widespread health effects occur to the general population, is 600 µg/m3 of PM10.

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Air Quality Index (AQI) Purpose: The AQI is calculated for the five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Once these levels are measured, the AQI figures are reported in all metropolitan areas of the United States with populations exceeding 200,000. The AQI converts the measured pollutant concentration in a community's air to a number on a scale of 0 to 500. The most important number on this scale is 100, since that number corresponds to the standard established under the Clean Air Act. A 0.14 ppm reading for sulfur dioxide or a ppm reading for ozone would translate to an AQI level of 100. EPD Issues: Alert / Warning / Emergency Index value = pollutant concentration / pollutant goal concentration x (100)

AQI Colors

Types and Sources of Air Pollution Sources of Outdoor Air Pollution

Types and Sources of Air Pollution Hydrocarbon emissions in Atlanta, Georgia

Controlling Air Pollution in the United States Controlling Air Pollutants Turned ON Electrostatic precipitator Turned OFF

Controlling Air Pollution in the United States Scrubber Centrifugal Forces - vortex

Scrubbers (dry or wet)

Air Pollution Around the World Many nations do not have most current pollution scrubbing technologies Air pollution in China

Ways to Improve Air Quality Reducing the sulfur content in gasoline Require federal emissions standards to apply to ALL passenger vehicles Require emission testing for ALL vehicles No Tillage Practices Alternative Energies Higher Gas prices Public Transportation Smart Growth Home Conservation (use less energy)

Indoor Pollutant Sources

Indoor Air Pollution

Indoors

Indoor Air Pollution Radon gas - emitted by bedrock containing uranium