Upload
jemima-morton
View
225
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Smokey Mountains
Citation preview
Air Pollution
Mexico City
Clear Day
Not soclear day
Smokey Mountains
Smog – US, global
Denver Houston
BeijingTokyo
Smog
When air pollution hangs over urban areas and reduces visibility.
Atmosphere – the gaseous envelope surrounding the earth
Air pollution• The presence of chemicals in the air in high
enough quantities to cause harm
Sources of Air pollution
Mobile
Stationary
Vehicles Forest Fires
Power plants Volcanoes
Man Made Natural
Primary Pollutants
• CO• CO2
• SO2
• NO• Volatile organic compounds• Particulate matter – “stuff” floating in the air
– Ex: soot from smoke, fine cement particles
Pollutants emitted directly into the air by human activity
Secondary Air Pollutants
• SO3
• H2O2
• O3 – ground level ozone
When primary pollutants react with one another or the air to form another pollutant
Motor Vehicles
• Produce the most air pollution by burning gas
Clean Air Act 1970• Gave the EPA the authority to regulate car emissions
– Unleaded gasoline– Catalytic converters – clean exhaust – makes water
ZEV’s
• Zero-emissions vehicle– No tailpipe emissions– No gas emissions– No emission control system
• Electric cars – only true ZEV• Partial ZEV’s
– Hybrids– Methanol fuel cells
Temperature inversion• What is it?
Why is it bad?
© 2003 John Wiley and Sons Publishers
Fig 23.16 Two causes for the development of atmospheric inversion, which may aggravate air pollution problems.
LA or LimaLA or Lima
LondonLondon
• How does Temperature inversion affect Knoxville?
Donora, PADonora Death Fog
Donora, PA
October 1948 air pollution event killed at least 20 and hospitalized close to half of the town. Public outcry helped set in motion early air pollution regulations.
Alcoa??
“Pea Soup”London smog
12000 people died prematurely
What do you thinkcaused all the smog?
Factors that help reduce air pollution
• Precipitation (rain, snow)• Sea spray• Wind
Factors that increase air pollution
• Urban buildings• Hills/mountains• High temperatures
Acid rain – Precipitation that contains high concentrations of acid
• 3.5 – 5.0 on the pH scale (about as acidic as tomato juice)
• Normal is about 5.8 – 6.0• Causes acidification – a rise in the acidity
of soil and water– Some nutrient are dissolved– Some toxic chemicals are released
Smokey Mountains
Acid Shock
• When acid snow melts and large amounts of acid rush into water.
• Kills many aquatic species
Forests of Vermont – dyingCoal burning in Ohio Valley
What harmful effects does it cause to humans?
• Resperatory disease– Bronchitis– Asthma
Other ways acid rain can cause damage
• Can leach toxic metals in to water source• Damages metals, statues, buildings etc.• Water and soil pollution
What can we do?
• Reduce emissions• Limestone in lakes
– Expensive– Temporary– Kills some aquatic life
• Fertilizers?
Indoor Air Pollution• Usually 2-5 times higher than outdoors• Can be 100 times greater
As much as 18 timeshigher in a car
• On average people spend 70-98% of their time indoors or in their cars.
Sick building syndrome • Bad pollution - causes dizziness, headaches,
coughing, sneezing, etc.• New buildings worse than old ones
– B/c there is less air exchange to save energy– Chemicals from new furniture and carpet
=
Most dangerous indoor air pollutants
• Cigarette smoke• Formaldehyde (fabrics)• Radioactive radon (in rocks)• Fine and ultrafine particles
Other Indoor Pollutants
• Radon – colorless, tasteless, odorless gas– Radioactive and causes lung cancer– Found in rocks below your home– Second leading cause of lung cancer in US
• Asbestos – used as a heat insulator– US banned its use in the early 1970’s– Causes asbestosis
How your body helps you
• Nose hairs• Mucus• Coughing/sneezing
Too much exposure
• Asthma• Chronic bronchitis• Lung cancer• Emphysema
Good News
• The Laws are working• Between 1970-2001
• there was a 25% decrease even though – population 32%
– energy consumption 42% – vehicle travel 150%
Bad News
• Nitrogen Oxide levels have 15%• Surface ozone has increased• 133 Million people still live in unhealthy
areas
Improvement
• We need to prevent not just clean• Better fuel efficiency• Better regulation of small motors• More CO2 reduction
Noise Pollution
• Unwanted sound• 12 of teens have permanent hearing loss
– Caused by headphones• Headphones are not regulated in the US• In Europe they cannot be louder than 100dB
Light Pollution
• No health effect• Diminishes views of the sky• Wastes energy
– Lights that shine into the sky• Billboards• Poor street lights