1. Air Pollution

2. Major Air Pollutants Air pollutants vary from one another
An air-pollutant is something in the wrong place in the wrong concentration
Ex.) Ozone: Good in the stratosphere
Horrible in the troposphere (kills everything)

3. History of Air Pollution
Nothing new
2000 years ago Seneca complained about the foul air of Rome
1273 King Edward I ordered “dirty” coal to no longer be burned
One man was evened hanged for disobeying the first “clean air act”

4. Primary Pollutants:
These are pollutants that arise from: 1.) Humans (activities from humans, VOC’s) 2.) Earth’s natural processes (dust storms, volcanoes, SO2)

5. Secondary Pollutants:
These are primary pollutants that mix together
Ex.) Acid Rain (Car exhaust and dust mixed with water)
Pollution of both kinds have been here forever but have increased more dramatically since the industrial revolution

6. Who is more polluted?
Cities tend to be more polluted with secondary pollutants…why?
These areas are also prone to Smog:
Industrial
Photochemical

7. The smog brothers… Photochemical: smog activated by light
This is smog formed by the mixing of primary and secondary by light
N2 + O2 = 2NO (this creates the brown smog)
Industrial: (Gray-Air smog) caused by sulfuric acid drops in the air
Caused by burning coal, rarely a problem today

8. Temperature Inversions
-A factor that influences smog creation and problems
-An inversion is when cold air is trapped below a layer of warm air
-This inhibits winds from blowing and moving pollutants through the air
Figure 18-11

9. Industrial Air Pollution:
Emits high levels of SO2 and NO
Why?
Very inefficient processes are used to generate electricity and power
Cleaning it up:
Smoke stack scrubbers (machine that sprays water)
Electro static Precipitators (electrically charged dust)

10. 12-3: Acid Precipitation

11. Air Pollution from Acid Deposition
Acid deposition: When dry chemicals such as SO2 mix with water they create acid rain
Acidity is expressed in ph
<7 = acid
>7= basic
7= neutral
*This shows up all over the US
(East coast is 10 times more acidic with a ph of 4.3)

12. What are the effects? Harmful ecological effects Harmful to humans
Destroys aquatic environments (next slide)
Ruins tree foliage and makes them more susceptible to disease, winter and summer
Harmful to humans
Respiratory illnesses (asthma and bronchitis)
Weakens structures (buildings and statues)

13. Acid Deposition and Aquatic Systems
Water
boatman
Whirligig
Yellow perch
Lake trout
Brown trout
Salamander
(embryonic)
Mayfly
Smallmouth
bass
Mussel
6.5
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5 pH
Fish declines
Undesirable species
Acid shock
pH affects lake system and species can only tolerate so much pollution. Can kill fish or inhibit reproduction.
Norway, Sweden 16,000 lakes have no fish; Canada 14,000 lakes acidic, Here in US 9000 lakes.

14. Acid Deposition, Plants, and Soil
Nutrient leaching
Heavy metal release
Weakens trees
Fig

15. What can we do? First, is it serious? (1990)
Gov’t: Yes but not a crisis
Coal and Oil: Costs more than the health risks
Since the Clean Air act was passed things have changed. Oil and Coal are required to watch SO2 levels released
Acid rain rates since then have fallen 35%

16. 12-2: AIR POLLUTION
Indoor air pollution usually is a greater threat to human health than outdoor air pollution.
People spend 70-80% more time indoors then outdoors
According to the EPA, the four most dangerous indoor air pollutants in developed countries are:
Tobacco smoke.
Formaldehyde.
Radioactive radon-222 gas.
Asbestos

17. Inside Air pollutants:
Have been linked to many diseases
Also causes: “sick building syndrome”
When at least 20% of individuals are chronically sick
Formaldehyde is the #1 culprit to sick building syndrome

18. 1.) Formaldehyde: Used in dissection materials
How does it get in your house?
Plywood
Paneling
Particle Board
*Causes rashes, dizziness, and headaches

19. 2.) Radioactive Radon
Radon-222: radioactive gas found in some soils and rocks
can seep into some houses and increase the risk of lung cancer
2nd leading cause of lung cancer
Sources and paths of entry for indoor radon-222 gas.
Figure 18-18

20. 3.) Asbestos A commercially used product
Fire retardant and insulator
Can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma
Banned now but not always
Roseau High School

21. Noise Pollution: Noise can also cause air pollution
Measured in decibels (dB)
Ex.) Traffic, cities
Permanent deafness results after 120 dB

22. Light Pollution: Does not present a direct hazard to health
Hurts aesthetic value
Results from inefficient lighting uses
Wastes energy
Burns more fossil fuels

23. Using the Marketplace to Reduce Outdoor Air Pollution
To help reduce SO2 emissions, the Clean Air Act authorized and emission trading (cap-and-trade) program.
Enables the 110 most polluting power plants to buy and sell SO2 pollution rights.
Between , the emission trading system reduced emissions.
In 2002, the EPA reported the cap-and-trade system produced less emission reductions than were projected.

24. PREVENTING AND REDUCING AIR POLLUTION
Environmental scientists point out several deficiencies in the Clean Air Act:
The U.S. Congress has failed to increase fuel-efficiency standards for automobiles
Obama has now increased all motor vehicle standards
Regulation of emissions from motorcycles and two-cycle engines remains inadequate.
There is little or no regulation of air pollution from oceangoing ships in American ports.