Air Pollution Is Tootin Pollutin?

The Science of Farting  The word "FART" can stand for: –Frequency Actuated Rectal Tremor  a.k.a. Flatulence or Intestinal Gas  The average human releases 0.5 to 1.5 litres (1 to 3 U.S. pints) of flatus (gas) in 12 to 25 episodes throughout the day litrespints litrespints

Constituents of Flatulence  The primary constituents of flatulence are – nitrogen (the primary gas released) nitrogen –carbon dioxide carbon dioxidecarbon dioxide –hydrogen hydrogen – as well as lesser amounts of oxygen (ingested) and methane oxygenmethaneoxygenmethane

Can flatulence be harmful to the environment?  An average cow produces (through flatulence and/or burping) 280 liters of methane a day  What is methane? –CH4 –Greenhouse gas  Flatulence and the Greenhouse Effect –Is Tootin Pollutin?

Why is Cincinnati hazy? Ideal Conditions Cincinnati – Hazecam Hazecam March 22, 2006

What is Air Pollution?  Definition: – –The presence of substances (chemical, physical, biological) in the air (due to man) in large enough concentrations to interfere with one’s:   Health   Comfort   Safety   Full use and enjoyment of property NOTES

The Clean Air Act  Government legislation passed in 1963 that focuses on the reduction of smog and atmospheric pollution by enforcing clean air standards. smog atmosphericpollutionsmog atmosphericpollution –Amendments made in 1970 and NOTES

Air Pollution – Fast Facts  The average adult breathes 3,000 gallons of air every day –Children breathe more / lb. of body weight  Respiratory systems developing  More Americans die from automotive air pollution than from highway automobile accidents  1000 lung cancer deaths in Cincinnati: 900 smoking, 90 radon, 10 environmental  Short and long term exposure to air pollution has shown increased numbers of heart attacks and strokes NOTES

Two types of Air Quality Standards  Primary Standards –Establish limits to protect public health (especially sensitive populations: asthmatics, children, elderly)  Secondary Standards –Establish limits to protect public welfare (visibility, animals, crops, vegetation, buildings) NOTES

Six Criteria Air Pollutants  Ox ~ Ozone (O 3 )  SOx ~ Sulfur Oxides (SO 2 )  NOx ~ Nitrogen Oxides (NO 2, NO 3 )  COx ~ Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide (CO, CO 2 )  POx ~ Lead (Pb)  ROx ~ Particulate Matter (PM) Click on the picture for our current AQI NOTES

Nonattainment Areas Map from A geographical area that does not meet air quality standards for one of the six criteria pollutants NOTES

EPA tracks two air pollution trends  Air concentrations –Actual measurements of pollutant concentrations in ambient (outside) air  Performed at monitoring sites  Emissions –Estimates of total tons of pollutants released into the air each year NOTES

What does a “TON” look like?  1 ton = 2,000 lb NOTES

Is Tootin Pollutin?  What do you think?

Questions?