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Dirty Air What it is and how to deal with it?
A view of a busy highway as heavy smog engulfs the city of Beijing, where air quality is rated as 'hazardous'. City authorities ordered many factories to scale back emissions and were spraying water at building sites to try to tamp down dust and dirt that worsen the noxious haze
Five Primary Sources of Air Pollution 1. COₓ • comes from burning of fossil fuels 2. NOₓ • comes from burning of fossil fuels [coal, oil] 3. SO₂ • BFF—coal 4. VOC [volatile organic compound] -- • examples are turpentine, formaldehyde, perfume, paint, 5. PM = Fine or Coarse— • construction projects, power plants • BFF --- • heating AC
PRIMARY vs. SECONDARY PRIMARY SECONDARY These form when primary pollutants interact with other primary pollutants or with naturally occurring substances such as HOH vapor. UV rays interact with emissions from cars, trucks, and natural sources. INDIRECT • Is a pollutant that is put into the air by human activity • TQ—what example of this have you seen today? • DIRECT
CLEAN AIR ACT [1970] • First, the law was aimed at major polluting chemicals. The goal was to both protect human health and the environment. The EPA [Federal Agency] started. • Second, the EPA would regulate allowable pollution by different industries depending on the region. • Third, the law aimed to control auto emissions. The goal was to reduce offending gases by 90 percent. • Lastly, the law encouraged states to develop plans to achieve such standards to be approved by EPA.
Industrial Air Pollution • Where does it come from? • BFF • TQ: Where around here do we find this? • And the answer is
Volatile organic compounds [VOCs] • TQ What are some more sources of VOCs? • Oil refineries • Chemical Manufacturing • Auto Repair Shops • Dry Cleaners
Decades After Clear Air Act, Most Smokestacks Still Lack Scrubbers • Using scrubbers on smokestacks is an old idea for reducing emission of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. • Clean Air Act in 1977 encouraged use of pollution control equipment over building tall smokestacks [ 500 feet or higher] that would release air pollutants high into the atmosphere to protect local air quality. • How have tall smokestacks affected the environment?
SMOG—what is it • TQ: What does SMOG stand for and where did the term originate? • Physician Harold Des Voeux in London coined the word in 1905 to describe natural fog contaminated by smoke: SMoke + fOG yielded SMOG. • At this time, the English Industrial Revolution was over a 100 years old. • TQ: Why did London end up with SMOG? • SMOG was the result of London's naturally moist and foggy air. Smoke and soot from industry and the use of coal as a heating fuel conspired to cause SMOG.
What creates a temperature inversion? • TQ: Looking at the chart how would you answer the question?
Temperature Inversion in Winter • Jan 15, 2013 |Story| KTUU • Dusty Haze Prompts Advisory • Channel 2 News • As the sun warmed Anchorage Tuesday, January 15, it became obvious the unusual mid-winter temperatures have created a stir in the air. The Anchorage Health and Human Services Department issued an air quality advisory, which is something they say is...most unusual.
What were the 5 Primary Air pollutants? • CO • NO • SO • VOC • PM • Where do most originate? • Why are these dangerous?