CHAPTER 25 AIR POLLUTION THE YOUNGEST SCIENTIST Kids on the frontline of asthma research

1. CHAPTER 25 AIR POLLUTION THE YOUNGEST SCIENTISTKids on the frontline of asthma research

2. 25 THE YOUNGEST SCIENTIST Kids on the frontline of asthma research • At the end of this chapter you will know: • The main types and global impact of outdoor air pollution. • The health, economic, and ecological consequences of air pollution. • Strategies for reducing pollutants in both developing and industrialized nations. Learning Outcomes

3. 25 THE YOUNGEST SCIENTIST Kids on the frontline of asthma research Air-quality issues span the globe and have serious health effects for humans and other organisms. Pollutants can travel great distances—it is this reality that makes it necessary to use technology to reduce pollutants at the source. Core Concept

4. 25 THE YOUNGEST SCIENTIST Kids on the frontline of asthma research TERMS TO KNOW:Asthma Case: Asthmatic children in Los Angeles have been collecting data about air quality by wearing monitors that continuously sample levels of small particles and nitrogen dioxide in the air. By breathing into a specially designed collection bag several time a day, their breath is assessed for nitric oxide—a chemical marker for airway inflammation.

5. 25 THE YOUNGEST SCIENTIST Kids on the frontline of asthma research TERMS TO KNOW:Asthma • Asthma is a respiratory ailment marked by inflammation and constriction of the narrow airways of the lungs. • It is also one of the most common chronic childhood diseases in the United States and other developed nations and a major cause of childhood disability. • Leading cause of school absences • Prevalence doubled from 1980 to the mid-1990s • 7 million children and 17.5 million adults diagnosed

6. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes air pollution as a major threat to human health. Outdoor air pollution in urban areas is responsible for at least 1.3 million deaths annually. Indoor air pollution may be responsible for 2 million or more premature deaths per year. The link between air quality and human illness was recognized in the 1930s when people in Belgium became sick and died as a result of trapped pollutants associated with a temperature inversion. A similar event occurred in England in the 1940s when acid aerosols became trapped in the atmosphere, killing 4000 people.

7. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years

8. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years

9. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years

10. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years

11. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years

12. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years

13. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years

14. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years • Air pollution comes from: • Vehicle exhaust • Industry emissions • Coal-fired power plants • Indoor burning of solid fuels (charcoal, wood, animal waste) • Natural sources (sandstorms, volcanic eruptions, wildfire) • Primary air pollutants – Directly release from stationary or mobile sources • Secondary air pollutants – When a primary pollutant reacts with other chemicals to form another pollutant. Controlled burning of agricultural fields

15. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years • Air pollution comes from: • Vehicle exhaust • Industry emissions • Coal-fired power plants • Indoor burning of solid fuels (charcoal, wood, animal waste) • Natural sources (sandstorms, volcanic eruptions, wildfire) • Primary air pollutants – Directly release from stationary or mobile sources • Secondary air pollutants – When a primary pollutant reacts with other chemicals to form another pollutant. Ground-level ozone and acid rain—pollutants from burning fossil fuels react with atmospheric oxygen in the presence of sunlight.

16. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years

17. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years

18. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years

19. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years • Air pollution regulation: • Standards for particulate matter (PM) and six “criteria pollutants” • Sulfur oxides • Carbon monoxide • Nitrogen oxides • Ground-level ozone • Lead • Primary air pollutants – Directly release from stationary or mobile sources • Secondary air pollutants – When a primary pollutant reacts with other chemicals to form another pollutant. Ground-level ozone and acid rain—pollutants from burning fossil fuels react with atmospheric oxygen in the presence of sunlight.

20. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years In addition to the six criteria pollutants, the EPA also recognizes 187 hazardous air pollutants that can have adverse effects on human health. • Carcinogens • Teratogens • Pollutants affecting central nervous function and other body tissues • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) • CO2

21. 25 Outdoor air pollution has been under examination for many years

22. 25 Outdoor air pollution has many sources

23. 25 Outdoor air pollution has many sources

24. 25 Outdoor air pollution has many sources

25. 25 Outdoor air pollution has many sources

26. 25 Outdoor air pollution has many sources

27. 25 Outdoor air pollution has many sources

28. 25 Outdoor air pollution has many sources

29. 25 Outdoor air pollution has many sources

30. 25 Outdoor air pollution has many sources

31. 25 The air we breathe affects our lungs, especially those of children Analysis of blood taken from children with severe asthma in California showed a difference in the regulating cells—a critical component of the immune system—in asthmatic children. Those kids with the changes in their “peacekeeping cells,” the cells that would normally keep inflammation at bay, also had higher levels of pollutants in their blood. It appears that certain air pollutants stifle the activity of genes responsible for maintaining normal immune-system function. Students in the South Bronx were twice as likely to attend a school near a highway as were children in other parts of the city. The South Bronx is home to some of the highest asthma hospitalization rates for children in New York City.

32. 25 The air we breathe affects our lungs, especially those of children Minority communities still face more exposure to pollution than average—an example of environmental racism. The risk for developing cancer from exposure to polluted air increased as income decreased. In general, cancer risk is higher for minorities, regardless of income level. Children of low-income families are especially at risk since their homes are often near major roads or factories, and they often come from and go to school when traffic is heaviest. Students in the South Bronx were twice as likely to attend a school near a highway ad were children in other parts of the city. The South Bronx is home to some of the highest asthma hospitalization rates for children in New York City.

33. 25 Traveling pollution has far-reaching impacts Air pollution doesn’t stay where it begins. Sulfur and nitrogen emissions react with oxygen and water to form acid rain and snow. Falling acid rain acidifies the soil, setting off another sequence of unfortunate events.

34. 25 Traveling pollution has far-reaching impacts Air pollution doesn’t stay where it begins. Sulfur and nitrogen emissions react with oxygen and water to form acid rain and snow. Falling acid rain acidifies the soil, setting off another sequence of unfortunate events.

35. 25 Traveling pollution has far-reaching impacts Air pollution doesn’t stay where it begins. Sulfur and nitrogen emissions react with oxygen and water to form acid rain and snow. Falling acid rain acidifies the soil, setting off another sequence of unfortunate events.

36. 25 Traveling pollution has far-reaching impacts Air pollution doesn’t stay where it begins. Sulfur and nitrogen emissions react with oxygen and water to form acid rain and snow. Falling acid rain acidifies the soil, setting off another sequence of unfortunate events.

37. 25 Traveling pollution has far-reaching impacts Air pollution doesn’t stay where it begins. Sulfur and nitrogen emissions react with oxygen and water to form acid rain and snow. Falling acid rain acidifies the soil, setting off another sequence of unfortunate events.

38. 25 Traveling pollution has far-reaching impacts Though acid deposition has decreased, surface waters and soils remain acidic due to the accumulation of acids over the years and ecosystems have not yet shown signs of recovery. Restrictions imposed by the Clean Air Act have helped decrease acid deposition in the United States. Smokestack scrubbers remove sulfur from coal burning, reducing SO4 released. Emission-control technologies on vehicles, such as the catalytic converter, convert dangerous combustion by-products to safer emissions.

39. 25 Indoor air pollution may pose a bigger health threat than outdoor air pollution Mold, pollen, mites, hair, and dander

40. 25 Indoor air pollution may pose a bigger health threat than outdoor air pollution Particulates

41. 25 Indoor air pollution may pose a bigger health threat than outdoor air pollution Chemicals

42. 25 Air pollution is responsible for myriad health and environmental problems Air pollution does not respect political boundaries—regulation requires international cooperation. Scientists are discovering plants around the world under stress from pollutants released from industrialized nations. Trees inside a controlled environment are used to study the effects of air pollution on plants. These trees show damage from excess ground-level ozone. Acid rain has stunted growth of these conifers at high elevations in the Austrian Alps.

43. 25 We have several options for addressing air pollution • Command and Control Regulation – Setting national limits for allowable levels of pollution with fines for non-compliance. • Clean Air Act (USA, 1963) – Set air-quality standards that each state was responsible for enforcing. • Green taxes – Taxes on environmentally undesirable actions. • Tax credit – Reduction in taxes based on environmentally beneficial action. • Subsidies – Money or resources intended to promote environmentally friendly activities. • Cap-and-trade – Limits to the amount of pollution allowed but with an opportunity to sell or trade unused permits. Statue in Trafalgar Square, London Erosion exceeding normal weathering likely from acid rain is being seen in national treasures around the world.

44. 25 We have several options for addressing air pollution • Technology and policy can help curb air pollution: • filters and ventilation systems to improve indoor air; • Reducing emissions from manufacturing with end-of-pipe solutions. • Filters • Electrostatic precipitators • Catalytic converters • Scrubbers • Cap-and-trade

45. 25 We have several options for addressing air pollution • Technology and policy can help curb air pollution • Filters and ventilation systems to improve indoor air • Reduce emissions from manufacturing with end-of-pipe solutions • Filters • Electrostatic precipitators • Catalytic converters • Scrubbers • Cap-and-trade

46. 25 We have several options for addressing air pollution Mass-transit options that decrease the number of cars on the road will reduce air pollution. Buses that run on compressed natural gas emit fewer emissions overall, but the particulates they release are very small, so—while better than a traditional diesel bus—they are still not pollution free.

47. 25 PERSONAL CHOICES THAT HELP

48. 25 UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE

49. 25 UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE

50. 25 ANALYZING THE SCIENCE