1. Air Quality
By Danielle Benkert

2. Particulate or Particle Pollution
Caused by combustion of fossil fuels like burning of coal, diesel, gasoline, and wood
Parts of particulate suspended in the air includes:
Road dust
Diesel
Sulfate Aerosols
Soot
Ash
wood

3. Particulate or Particle Pollution Cont.
EPA is concerned about particulate matter 10 micrometers in diameter or smaller. The smaller particles can pass through nose and throat and go into the lungs causing respiratory problems.
Particulate pollution caused by traffic and diesel engines is becoming a big problem in European Union cities. The World Health Organization (WHO) set their acceptable air quality standard at 10 micrograms of particles per cubic meter and the standard is not being met.
The standard in the United States is 15 micrograms per cubic meter.

4. Smog or Ground-Level Ozone
Formed when Nitrogen oxides emitted from electric power plants and automobiles react with organic compounds in presence of sunlight and heat
It has been referred to as a public health crisis, impacting people in nearly every U.S. state.
Our reliance on automobiles is to blame for the increase in smog levels.

5. Smog or Ground-Level Ozone
EPA sets federal eight-hour smog standards and tracks number of days that exceed standard.
2002 was worst recorded smog season
Standard was exceeded 8,818 times nationwide
California, Texas, and Tennessee have had highest number of unhealthy ozone days.

6. Health
1 out of 3 people in the United States is at higher risk of experiencing ozone-related health effects.
Those most at risk of experiencing smog related health effects include:
Children
People who work or exercise outside regularly
Elderly
People with respiratory diseases

7. Health Cont. Short term health effects of smog include: Asthma
Irritating lungs
Reducing lung function
Aggravating asthma
Inflaming and damaging lining of lungs
Asthma
Prevalence of asthma has increased globally suggesting growing problems with indoor and outdoor air quality
Most chronic disorder among children worldwide