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Air & Air Pollution. Chapter 12. When is a Lichen like a Canary?. Old Man’s Beard Usnea trichodea Evernia Both sicken and die in the presence of too much sulfur dioxide – can help track pollution to its source (ex. sulfur dioxide poisoning and Isle Royale in Lake Superior.
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Air & Air Pollution Chapter 12
When is a Lichen like a Canary? • Old Man’s Beard Usnea trichodea • Evernia • Both sicken and die in the presence of too much sulfur dioxide – can help track pollution to its source (ex. sulfur dioxide poisoning and Isle Royale in Lake Superior
Reindeer and Chernobyl • 1986 -Chernobyl nuclear power facility in Ukraine exploded and spewed radioactive particles into the atmosphere • Some particles fell to the ground in Scandinavia and were absorbed by lichens people in this area depend on reindeer meat for food, reindeer eat lichens. What do you think happened?
Key Concepts • Structure and composition of the atmosphere • Types and sources of outdoor air pollution • Types, formation, and effects of smog • Sources and effects of acid deposition • Effects of air pollution • Prevention and control of air pollution
The Atmosphere Troposphere Stratosphere Disruption of Gaseous Biogeochemical Cycles Mesosphere Thermosphere
Carbon Oxides Carbon monoxide (CO) Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Sulfur Oxides Sulfur dioxide (SO2) Sulfur trioxide (SO3)
Nitrogen Oxides NOX Nitrogen oxide (NO) Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) Nitrous oxide (N2O)
VOCs Methane (CH4) Propane (C3H8) CFCs “new car smell” Paint
SPM Dust Soot Asbestos PCBs Pesticides
Photochemical Oxidants Ozone (O3) Aldehydes
Radioactive Substances Radon-222 Iodine-131 Strontium-90
Hazardous Air Pollutants Benzene Methyl chloride Chloroform Formaldehyde
Outdoor Air Pollution • Primary pollutants • Secondary pollutants
Ozone Animation Formation of Ozone: http://www.airinfonow.org/html/makingozone/o3play.htm Lung Damage: http://www.airinfonow.org/html/lungattack/lungplay.htm
Photochemical Smog When pollutants react with sunlight “smog” is produced. It is formed by both primary and secondary pollutants.
Components of Smog Nitrogen oxides (NOx) Oxygen (O2 and O3) Hot summer days increase the levels of ozone, a major component VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
Photochemical Smog • Brown-air smog or “yellow smog” • Photochemicalreaction • Photochemicaloxidants
40 Nitric oxide Nitrogen dioxide Ozone 30 20 Parts per million 10 0 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 A.M. Noon P.M. Time Pollution Concentrations are Time Dependent
Industrial (Gray-Air) Smog Sulfuric acid Ash Soot
Industrial Smog Fig. 17-8 p. 426 • Gray-air smog • Industrial smog • Sulfuric acid • Sulfur dioxide • Particulates
Temperature Inversions • Subsidence inversion • Radiation inversion
A Thermal Inversion Notice how the clouds rise to a point then stop rising. That is where the temperature change occurs.
A Thermal Inversion Taken during the winter, notice the smoke rising so far then it stops
Thermal Inversion in a City The warm air above the city traps the car exhaust and forces it to street level.
Regional Outdoor Air Pollution from Acid Deposition • Acid deposition • Wet deposition • Dry deposition
Acid Deposition and Humans • Respiratory diseases • Toxic metal leaching • Decreased visibility • Damage to structures, especially containing limestone • Decreased productivity and profitability of fisheries, forests, and farms
http://news.discovery.com/videos/earth-acid-rain-eating-washington-dc.htmlhttp://news.discovery.com/videos/earth-acid-rain-eating-washington-dc.html
Acid Deposition and Aquatic Systems • Fish declines • Undesirable species • Aluminum toxicity • Acid shock
Acid Deposition, Plants, and Soil Fig. 17-15 p. 432 • Nutrient leaching • Heavy metal release • Weakens trees
Acid Deposition in the US Fig. 17-11 p. 429
Radon • Radon-222 • 4 picocurie level • Occurs in certain areas based on geology • Associated with uranium and organic material in rock
Effects of Air Pollution on Living Organisms and Materials • Damage to mucous membranes • Respiratory diseases • Damage to plant leaves and roots • Reduction in primary productivity • Deterioration of materials
Solutions: Preventing and Reducing Air Pollution • Clean Air Act • National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) • Primary and secondary standards • Output control vs. input control
Cleaned gas Electrodes Dust discharge Dirty gas Electrostatic Precipitator