What Are the 6 worst air Pollutants?

1. What Are the 6 worst air Pollutants? • Particulate Matter (PM) • Carbon Monoxide (CO) • Ozone (O3) • Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) • Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) • Lead(Pb)

2. Particulate Matter What is it? • Very small particles of soot, dust, or other matter, including tiny droplets of liquids

3. Particulate Matter Where Does It Come From? • Diesel engines • Power plants • Industries • Windblown dust • Wood stoves • Other sources

4. Particulate Matter What are some examples? • Dust • Soot • Pollen • Smoke

5. Particulate Matter What are the health effects? • Breathing problems due to damage and irritation to the lungs • Aggravation of asthma, lung, or heart disease in people who already have these problems • Chronic bronchitis • Irritation of eyes, throat, skin, & nose

6. Particulate Matter What are the environmental effects? • Damage to crops • Decreased visibility (regional haze) • Damage to buildings and statues

7. Particulate Matter How can you protect yourself? • Stay away from recently stirred up dust and smoky areas • Car pool, walk, or bike • Keep cars well tuned and maintained • Conserve electricity

8. Carbon Monoxide What is it? • A colorless, odorless gas. • Produced when something is burned incompletely or in a closed-in area • Toxic to all humans and animals. • Most commonly inhaled poisonous substance

9. Carbon Monoxide Where can it be formed? • Incorrectly vented furnaces • Gas water heaters • Gas stoves and clothes dryers • Fireplaces that are blocked by debris • Non-electric space heaters • Charcoal grills used inside as heaters • Automobiles idling in closed garages

10. Carbon Monoxide What are the health effects of over-exposure to CO? • Headaches • Drowsiness • Dizziness • Confusion • Death

11. Carbon Monoxide How can you protect yourself from CO poisoning? • Install carbon monoxide detectors • Never use space heaters or gas stoves in unvented rooms • Never use gas stoves or charcoal grills inside as heaters • Never stay in a closed garage with a car that is running • Check gas water heaters, clothes dryers, furnace connections, & fireplaces regularly

12. Ozone What is it? • A colorless gas that is made up of three atoms of oxygen. • It reacts with other pollutants to form smog (which can be invisible!)

13. Ozone Where can it be found? • Stratosphere - protects us from UV rays of the sun “good” ozone • Troposphere - ground-level ozone - the air we breathe - “bad” ozone • “Good Up High, Bad Near By”

14. Ground-level Ozone How is it formed? • Ozone is formed when VOCs and nitrogen oxides combine in the presence of sunlight. VOCs+NOx = Ozone

15. Ground-level Ozone Where do the pollutants that form ground-level ozone come from? • Air emissions from industry • Motor vehicle exhaust • Gasoline vapors • Chemical solvents

16. Ground-level Ozone What are the health effects? • Can worsen chronic bronchitis & asthma • Can cause chest pains, shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, & nausea • Makes it harder to breathe • Repeated exposure to high levels of ozone pollution may cause permanent lung damage

17. Ground-level Ozone What can you do to help decrease “bad”ozone levels? • Car pool, walk, bike • Conserve electricity • Keep cars well tuned & maintained • Try not to spill gasoline when filling up your car or gas-powered lawn equipment • Fill up cars and mow lawns after 6:00pm

18. Nitrogen Dioxide What is it? • A gaseous compound made up of nitrogen and oxygen • It is a major component of acid rain

19. Nitrogen Dioxide Where does it come from? • It comes from the burning of fossil fuels (like gasoline and coal). • Vehicles • Power plants • Coal-burning stoves

20. Sulfur Dioxide What is it? • A gaseous compound made up of sulfur and oxygen • It is a major component of acid rain • It is very smelly

21. Sulfur Dioxide Where does it come from? • It comes from the burning of coal and oil. • Power plants and industries • Coal-burning stoves • Refineries

22. SO2 and NO2 What are the health effects? • SO2 and NO2 can both cause lung disease • SO2 can cause eye irritation and burning of the skin • NO2 can also aggravate existing heart disease

23. Acid Rain How is acid rain formed? • Acid rain forms high up in the atmosphere when SO2 and NO2 combine with water and sunlight. • When this reaction forms acid, it falls to the ground in the form of acid rain or snow.

24. Acid Rain What are the environmental effects of acid rain? • Harmful to plant life • Harmful to aquatic life • Causes damage to forests • Causes damage to vegetation • Corrodes statues and monuments

25. Lead What is it? • A solid metal that can be found in the air in a dust-like form of particulate matter.

26. Lead Where can it be found? • Leaded gasoline (which is no longer sold in the U.S.) • Paint used in old houses & some cars • Smelters - used in metal refineries • Manufacturing process of lead storage batteries • Contaminated soil and dust

27. Lead What are the health effects? • Brain and other nervous system damage, especially in children • Digestive problems • Kidney damage • Reproductive system damage • Learning disabilities in children

28. Lead What are the environmental effects? • Contaminated soil can damage crops and livestock

29. Lead How can children protect themselves from lead poisoning? • Don’t disturb, play with, or eat paint chips • Wash hands immediately after playing in dirt • Never eat dirt