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Chapter 12

Chapter 12. Air. 12-1 Causes of Air Pollution. Clean air = mostly nitrogen and oxygen gases Air pollution is harmful substances in the form of liquids, solids or gases Primary pollutants are put into the air by human activity

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Chapter 12

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  1. Chapter 12 Air

  2. 12-1 Causes of Air Pollution • Clean air = mostly nitrogen and oxygen gases • Air pollution is harmful substances in the form of liquids, solids or gases • Primary pollutants are put into the air by human activity • Secondary pollutants are formed when primary pollutants react with normal air components such as water vapor

  3. Sources • Carbon Monoxide: vehicles • Nitrogen Oxide: vehicles, power plants • Sulfur Dioxide: burning of coal/oil • Volatile organic compounds: vehicles, gas station spillage, household products • Particulates: • Fine: vehicles, power plants • Coarse: cement, mining, wood-burning, fields, roads

  4. Although air pollution is worse today because of modern industry, it has been a problem for thousands of years

  5. Clean Air Act of 1970 • EPA has the authority to regulate vehicle emissions in the US • 90% of lead pollution reduced when gasoline became unleaded • Catalytic converters filter pollutants • Industries must use air scrubbers (pg. 307) • Electrostatic precipitators clean smoke stacks

  6. Motor Vehicle Emissions • 1/3 of all air pollution is from vehicles • 1990 California Air Resources Board established the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) program • By 2016 16% of vehicles in California must be ZEVs • Electric, advanced battery, hydrogen fuel vehicles will qualify • Hybrids are partial ZEVs

  7. Industrial Air Pollution • Power plants burn fossil fuels releasing: • 2/3 of all sulfur dioxide • 1/3 of all nitrogen oxides • VOCs • Other industries producing VOCs: • Dry cleaning • Oil refineries • Chemical manufacturing plants • Auto repair shops • Furniture refinishers

  8. Smog • Pollution hanging over urban areas that mixes with sunlight and ozone

  9. Temperature Inversions • Air above is cooler than air below which traps pollutants that are normally circulated out

  10. 12-2 Air, Noise & Light Pollution

  11. Short Term Effects • Headache • Nausea • Eye, nose, throat irritation • Coughing • Upper respiratory infections • Pneumonia • Aggravates Asthma/Emphysema

  12. Long Term Effects • Emphysema • Lung cancer • Heart disease

  13. Indoor Air Pollution • Sick-building syndrome – Buildings with very poor air quality due to: • Plastics • Paints • New carpeting/furniture • Building materials • Common in tightly sealed buildings

  14. Radon • Colorless, tasteless, odorless • Produced by the decay of uranium • Seeps through the foundations of homes • 2nd leading cause of lung cancer in the US

  15. Asbestos • Used as insulator/fire retardant • Banned in the early 70’s • Asbestos fibers can cut and scar the lungs • Causes serious illness and death

  16. Noise Pollution • May cause health problems too! • Hearing loss • High blood pressure • Stress • Decibels (dB) – measures sound intensity • See chart on page 312

  17. Light Pollution • Doesn’t pose health threat • Negatively affects the environment • Diminishes view of night sky • Energy waste

  18. 12-3 Acid Precipitation

  19. Causes • Sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides are released from the burning of fossil fuels • These combine with water in the atmosphere which falls as acid rain • Adversely affects ecosystems

  20. pH • Scale that determines how acidic or basic a substance is • See page 314 • 7 is neutral • Lower numbers (below 7) are higher acidity • Higher numbers (above 7) are higher basicity

  21. Affects on Soil/Plants • Increase soil acidity • Decreases nutrients • Increases toxic metals that are absorbed into roots • Clogs surface openings on plants

  22. Affects on Aquatic Ecosystems • Acid shock may be fatal for fish and other organisms • Affects reproduction • Acidified lakes are treated with limestone to raise the pH

  23. Affects on Humans • Toxic metals from soil into food chain • Increase in respiratory problems • Dissolves building materials

  24. International • Pollutants released in one area fall as acid precipitation in another area • International agreements are needed to control the problem

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