Air Pollution Notes
What is air pollution
•Air pollutants vary from one another •An air-pollutant is something in the wrong place in the wrong concentration •Ex.) Ozone: Good in the stratosphere –Horrible in the troposphere (kills everything) What are the two main types of air pollution? •Nothing new –2000 years ago Seneca complained about the foul air of Rome –1273 King Edward I ordered “dirty” coal to no longer be burned •One man was evened hanged for disobeying the first “clean air act” Primary Pollutants These are pollutants that arise from: 1.) Humans (activities from humans, VOC’s) 2.) Earth’s natural processes (dust storms, volcanoes, SO2) Secondary Pollutants •These are primary pollutants that mix together –Ex.) Acid Rain (Car exhaust and dust mixed with water) Pollution of both kinds have been here forever but have increased more dramatically since the industrial revolution •Cities tend to be more polluted with secondary pollutants…why? • •These areas are also prone to Smog: –Industrial –Photochemical |
•Photochemical: smog activated by light
–This is smog formed by the mixing of primary and secondary by light –N2 + O2 = 2NO (this creates the brown smog) •Industrial: (Gray-Air smog) caused by sulfuric acid drops in the air –Caused by burning coal, rarely a problem today •Emits high levels of SO2 and NO –Why? –Very inefficient processes are used to generate electricity and power •Cleaning it up: –Smoke stack scrubbers (machine that sprays water) –Electro static Precipitators (electrically charged dust) •First, is it serious? (1990) –Gov’t: Yes but not a crisis –Coal and Oil: Costs more than the health risks – –Since the Clean Air act was passed things have changed. Oil and Coal are required to watch SO2 levels released –Acid rain rates since then have fallen 35% Tobacco smoke Fomaldehyde •Used in dissection materials •How does it get in your house? –Plywood –Paneling –Particle Board *Causes rashes, dizziness, and headaches Radioactive radon •Radon-222: radioactive gas found in some soils and rocks –can seep into some houses and increase the risk of lung cancer –2nd leading cause of lung cancer Asbestos •A commercially used product –Fire retardant and insulator •Can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma •Banned now but not always –Roseau High School Inside air pollutants •Have been linked to many diseases •Also causes: “sick building syndrome” –When at least 20% of individuals are chronically sick •Formaldehyde is the #1 culprit to sick building syndrome Noise Pollution •Noise can also cause air pollution –Measured in decibels (dB) •Ex.) Traffic, cities –Permanent deafness results\ after 120 dB Light Pollution •Does not present a direct hazard to health –Hurts aesthetic value •Results from inefficient lighting uses –Wastes energy –Burns more fossil fuels |
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Acid Rain Notes
What is Acid Rain?
-Precipitation that has a pH of less than that of natural rainwater (which is about 5.6 due to dissolved carbon dioxide). -It is formed when sulphur dioxides and nitrogen oxides, as gases or fine particles in the atmosphere, combine with water vapour and precipitate as sulphuric acid or nitric acid in rain, snow, or fog. What Causes Acid Rain? -Natural Sources -Emissions from volcanoes and from biological processes that occur on the land, in wetlands, and in the oceans contribute acid-producing gases to the atmosphere -Effects of acidic deposits have been detected in glacial ice thousands of years old in remote parts of the globe -The principal cause of acid rain is from human sources -Industrial factories, power-generating plants and vehicles -Sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen are released during the fuel burning process (i.e. combustion) What forms Acid Rain? -When water vapour condeses, or as the rain falls, they dissolve in the water to form sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3). -While the air in cleaned of the pollutants in this way, it also causes precipitation to become acidic, forming acid rain |
What are the affected areas?
-Canada -Acid rain is a problem in Canada -Water and soil systems lack natural alkalinity such as lime base -Cannot neutralize acid -Canada consists of susceptible hard rock such as granite -Do not have the capacity to effectively neutralize acid rain -Industrial acid rain is a substantial problem in China, Eastern Europe and Russia and areas down-wind from them. -Acid rain from power plants in the Midwest United States has also harmed the forests of upstate New York and New England. -This shows that the effects of acid rain can spread over a large area, far from the source of the pollution What are the effects of acid rain? -Harmful to aquatic life -Increased acidity in water bodies -Stops eggs of certain organisms (e.g. fish) to stop hatching -Changes population ratios -Affects the ecosystem -Harmful to vegetation -Increased acidity in soil -Leeches nutrients from soil, slowing plant growth -Leeches toxins from soil, poisoning plants -Creates brown spots in leaves of trees, impeding photosynthesis -Allows organisms to infect through broken leaves -Accelerates weathering in metal and stone structures -Eg. Parthenon in Athens, Greece; Taj Mahal in Agra, India -Affects human health -Respiratory problems, asthma, dry coughs, headaches and throat irritations -Leeching of toxins from the soil by acid rain can be absorbed by plants and animals. When consumed, these toxins affect humans severely. -Brain damage, kidney problems, and Alzheimer's disease has been linked to people eating "toxic" animals/plants. |