1. Air Pollution

2. What is air pollution?
contamination of the air by noxious gases and minute particles of solid and liquid matter (particulates) in concentrations that endanger health
Air pollution only occurs outdoors

3. Sources of Outside Air Pollution
Combustion of gasoline and other hydrocarbon fuels in cars, trucks, and airplanes
Burning of fossil fuels (oil, coal)
Insecticides
Herbicides
Everyday radioactive fallouts
Dust from fertilizers
Mining operations
Livestock feedlots

4. 18-1 What Is the Nature of the Atmosphere?
Concept The atmosphere is structured in layers, including the troposphere, which supports life, and the stratosphere, which contains the protective ozone layer.

5. Atmospheric pressure (millibars) 200 400 600 800 1,000 120 75
200
400
600
800
1,000
120 75
110
Temperature
Thermosphere 65
100 90
Mesopause 55 80
Mesosphere 45 70
Altitude (kilometers)
Altitude (miles) 60
Stratopause 35 50
Stratosphere 40 25 30
Figure 18.3
Natural capital: The earth’s atmosphere is a dynamic system that includes four layers. The average temperature of the atmosphere varies with altitude (red line). Most UV radiation from the sun is absorbed by ozone (O3), found primarily in the stratosphere in the ozone layer 17–26 kilometers (10–16 miles) above sea level. Question: Why do you think the temperature falls and rises twice, going from lower to higher altitudes?
Tropopause 15 20
Ozone layer 10
Pressure
Troposphere 5
(Sea level)
Pressure =
1,000 millibars at ground level
–80
–40 40 80
120
Temperature (˚C)
Fig. 18-3, p. 470

6. What’s in smog particulates (especially lead) nitrous oxides potassium
Carbon monoxide
Other toxic chemicals

7. AQI: Air Quality Index
Indicates whether pollutant levels in air may cause health concerns.
Ranges from 0 (least concern) to 500 (greatest concern)

8. No health impacts are expected when air quality is in this range.
Air Quality Index
Protect Your Health
Good
0-50
No health impacts are expected when air quality is in this range.
Moderate
51-100
Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
Unhealthy
Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion, everyone else, especially children should limit prolonged outdoor excertion.
Very Unhealthy (Alert)
Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor exertion.

9. Effects on the environment
Acid rain
Ozone depletion
Global warming
In human population- respiratory problems, allergies, strengthens lugs, and a risk for cancer

10. Air Pollutants that affect Health
Common outdoor air pollutants
Fuel combustion is the primary source
particulate matter
carbon monoxide
sulfur dioxide
nitrogen oxides
Common indoor air pollutants
Furniture, flooring, paint and plastics are the primary source
volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

11. Health Effects
Air pollution has both acute and chronic effects on human health.
minor irritation of eyes
upper respiratory problems
Chronic bronchitis
Asthma is aggravated
chronic respiratory disease
heart disease
lung cancer
Reduced life expectancy
Death

12. Strategies Air Quality Management Plan
Development of new technology- electric cars, cleaner fuels, low nitrogen oxide boilers and water healers, zero polluting paints, less polluting BBQ lighter fluids
Use of natural gas
Carpooling
Follow the laws enacted

13. Indoor Air Pollution

14. What Are the Major Indoor Air Pollution Problems?
The most threatening indoor air pollutants are smoke and soot from wood and coal cooking fires (a hazard found mostly in developing countries) and chemicals used in building materials and products.

15. Indoor Air Pollution Is a Serious Problem
Developing countries
Indoor burning
Poor suffer the greatest risk
Developed countries
Indoor air pollution is greater than outdoor air pollution

16. Indoor Air Pollution Is a Serious Problem
Why?
11 of the common air pollutants have higher concentrations inside than outside
Greater in vehicles than outside
Health risks magnified: people spend 70–98% of their time is indoors

17. Indoor Air Pollution Is a Serious Problem
Who are at greatest risk from indoor air pollution?
Children under 5 and the elderly
Sick
Pregnant women
People with respiratory disorders or heart problems
Smokers
Factory workers

18. Indoor Air Pollution Is a Serious Problem
Four most dangerous indoor air pollutants
Tobacco smoke
Formaldehyde
Radioactive radon-222 gas
Very small particles

19. Indoor Air Pollution Is a Serious Problem
Other possible indoor air pollutants
Pesticide residue
Pb particles
Living organisms and their excrements
E.g., Dust mites and cockroach droppings
Airborne spores of molds and mildews

20. Some Important Indoor Air Pollutants

21. SOLUTIONS Indoor Air Pollution Prevention Cleanup or Dilution
Clean ceiling tiles and line AC ducts to prevent release of mineral fibers
Use adjustable fresh air vents for work spaces
Ban smoking or limit it to well-ventilated areas
Increase intake of outside air
Set stricter formaldehyde emissions standards for carpet, furniture, and building materials
Change air more frequently
Circulate a building’s air through rooftop greenhouses
Prevent radon infiltration
Figure 18.24
Ways to prevent and reduce indoor air pollution (Concept 18-6). Question: Which two of these solutions do you think are the most important? Why?
Use office machines in well-ventilated areas
Use efficient venting systems for wood-burning stoves
Use less polluting substitutes for harmful cleaning agents, paints, and other products
Use exhaust hoods for stoves and appliances burning natural gas
Fig , p. 492

22. SOLUTIONS Air Pollution Outdoor Indoor
Improve energy efficiency to reduce fossil fuel use
Reduce poverty
Distribute cheap and efficient cookstoves or solar cookers to poor families in developing countries
Rely more on lower-polluting natural gas
Rely more on renewable energy (especially solar cells, wind, and solar-produced hydrogen)
Reduce or ban indoor smoking
Figure 18.26
Ways to prevent outdoor and indoor air pollution over the next 30–40 years (Concept 18-6). Question: Which two of these solutions do you think are the most important? Why?
Transfer energy efficiency, renewable energy, and pollution prevention technologies to developing countries
Develop simple and cheap tests for indoor pollutants such as particulates, radon, and formaldehyde
Fig , p. 493

23. Acid rain contains high levels of sulfuric or nitric acids
contaminate drinking water and vegetation
damage aquatic life
erode buildings
Alters the chemical equilibrium of some soils

26. Figure 18.13
Regions where acid deposition is now a problem and regions with the potential to develop this problem (Concept 18-3). Such regions have large inputs of air pollution (mostly from power plants, industrial plants, and ore smelters) or are sensitive areas with soils and bedrock that cannot neutralize (buffer) inputs of acidic compounds. Question: Do you live in or near an area that is affected by acid deposition or any area that is likely to be affected by acid deposition in the future? (Data from World Resources Institute and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Potential problem areas because of sensitive soils
Potential problem areas because of air pollution: emissions leading to acid deposition
Current problem areas (including lakes and rivers)
Fig , p. 480