8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
1/16
Air and Noise Pollution
Ch. 12
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
2/16
Food forthought
I thought I saw a blue jaythis morning. But the
smog was so bad, it turnedout to be a cardinal holdingits breath.
Michael J. Cohen
Humor is often used to getpeoples attention. With
your neighbor, use humor
to complete the followingsentence to draw attentionthe air pollution problem.
You know the air ispolluted when.
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
3/16
What is in air?
Mixture of gases
78% nitrogen
21% oxygen 1% argon, carbon dioxide,
water vapor
Pollutants harmfulmaterials that enter theenvironment picked up byair currents
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
4/16
Air pollution
Air pollution collection of harmfulsubstances released into the atmosphere
Some from natural sources (sand, duststorms, volcanic eruptions, forest fires)
Human activity = major source of pollutantsthat continues to grow
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
5/16
History of air pollution
Industrial revolution 1700s dependent onburning of wood and coal for fuel
Elevated air pollution to a widespread status Illness and death due to air pollution sky
rocketed
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
6/16
Primary and secondary
Primary pollutants putdirectly into the air byhumans, i.e. smoke
Secondary pollutants
primary pollutants reactwith other substances inthe air, i.e ground-levelozone
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
7/16
Outdoor pollutants
Particulates tiny solids suspended in the air ash, dust, soot, plant pollen
Can be inhaled and become trapped in the lungs
Gases usually oxides compounds ofoxygen and another element
Released when fossil fuels are burned
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
8/16
Photochemical smog yellow brown hazeformed when sunlight reacts with pollutantsfrom cars
I. e. Ozone (O3) very corrosive, nitrogen dioxidebrown gas, methane from livestock and decayingmatter
Chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs) compoundsof chlorine, fluorine, and carbon once used inrefrigerators, acs, aerosol cans, and theproduction of foams
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
9/16
Indoor Pollutants
Indoor Pollutant effects are multipliedby poor air circulation and the longamounts of time people spend inside
Cigarette smoke deadliest of all IP
Microorganisms bacteria and fungifrom air ducts and vents
Radon colorless, odorless, radioactivegas comes from soil when radium
breaks down Asbestos minerals that form in long
thin fibers banned in US
http://www.mikewoodburn.com/images/cough.JPGhttp://www.mikewoodburn.com/images/cough.JPG8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
10/16
Air pollution and living things
Pollution linked to many healthproblems and can worsen existingmedical conditions
Carbon monoxide binds tohemoglobin in oxygens place
Ozone and oxides irritate eyesand respiratory tract
Emphysema disease in which tinyair sacs in the lungs break down
Lung Cancer 150,000 deaths /year in US
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
11/16
How does air pollution effect anecosystem?
Ozone and sulfur oxides hazardous to plants, causestems to be brittle and leaves spotted
US loses $10 million of crops / year due to AP Loss of plants disrupts the food web and deprive
animals of food
Same health problems for animals as for humans(cancer, lung irritation, etc.)
Temperature Inversions usually warm air rises andtakes pollutants up into atmosphere Sometimes the air near the ground is colder than the air
above Pollutants become trapped near the surface of theground
i.e. Los Angeles cities in vallies
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
12/16
Global effects of air pollution
Acid rain
precipitation that is moreacidic than normal
Normal precip = 5.6 pH
Water in the atmosphere reacts withsulfur and nitrous oxide to form nitricacid and sulfuric acid
Strong and corrosive
Falls on forests and accumulates inmtn. lakes making them uninhabitable
by fish Absence of aquatic life disrupts
ecosystems
Damages trees and destroys forests
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
13/16
Controlling Air Pollution
Natural controls precipitation is most
effective particles in air stick to precip and fall to the
ground
many aerosols dissolve in rain CO2 removed biologically by plants and
microorganisms, also removed by ocean waters(cooler temps hold more)
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
14/16
Human controls Emission control standards for automobiles
catalytic converters remove pollutants fromexhaust
Use unleaded gas, cars get better gas mileagethan in past (reduce lead pollution by 90%)
Will always put out some pollution when gas isburned
Electric cars, hybrid cars Zero Emissions Vehicles no tailpipe emissions
Legistlation (EPA) Clean Air Act 1970 Require pollution control devices in factories
Regulates vehicle emissions
Power plants Burn fossil fuels to produceelectricity use techniques to remove pollutants from exhaust Scrubbers machine that moves gases through a
spray of water that removes many pollutants
Electrostatic precipitators remove dust particlesfrom smoke stacks
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
15/16
Noise Pollution
Comes from airplanes,machinery, loud concerts, etc. Causes annoyance, stress,
hearing loss
Living things harmed by loud orhigh-pitched sounds Sound measured in decibels
70-80 dB = annoyance, hearingloss
120 130 dB = physical pain andhearing damage
Noise Control Act 1972 setsstandards for maximum noise
levels in workplace
8/2/2019 Ch. 12 Air Pollution
16/16
Top Related