Air Pollution

Contents
• Air Pollution: Definition
• Air Pollutants
• Sources of Air Pollution
• Effect of Air Pollution
Air Pollution
• any atmospheric condition in which substances
are present at concentrations high enough above
their normal ambient levels to produce a
measurable effect on man, animals, vegetation,
or materials.
Air Pollution
• Any alteration of the physical, chemical and
biological properties of the atmospheric air, or
any discharge thereto of any liquid, gaseous or
solid substances that will or is likely to create or
to render the air resources of the country
harmful, detrimental, or injurious to public
health, safety or welfare or which will adversely
affect their utilization for domestic, commercial,
industrial, agricultural, recreational, or other
legitimate purposes
• RA 8749
Types of Air Pollutants
• Primary Pollutants
▫ Pollutants emitted directly into the atmosphere

• Secondary Pollutants
▫ Pollutants formed in the atmosphere when
primary pollutants react with atmospheric
substances or with other air pollutants
Air Pollutants
• Carbon monoxide (CO)
▫ is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly
less dense than air.

• Nitrogen Oxide (NOx)

▫ are a group of gases that are composed of nitrogen
and oxygen. Two of the most common nitrogen
oxides are nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide

• Sulfur Oxides (SOx)

▫ gas, colorless and odorless in low concentrations, but
with irritating odor in high concentrations
Air Pollutants
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
▫ are organic compounds that easily become vapors
or gases
▫ Any compound of carbon , excluding CO, CO2, Ch2O3,
metallic carbides or carbonates, and ammonium
carbonate

• Particulate Matter (PM)

▫ is the sum of all solid and liquid particles suspended in
air many of which are hazardous

• Ozone (O3)
▫ It is a pale blue gas with a distinctively pungent smell
Sources of Air Pollutants
• Anthropogenic Sources
Anthropogenic Sources
Anthropogenic Sources
Sources of Air Pollutants
• Natural Sources
Natural Sources
Source and Impact of Air Pollution
Effects of Air Pollution: Health Effects
• Death
• Headaches and nausea
• Respiratory ailments (Direct)
• Cardiovascular illnesses
• Cancer

• Sun burns (Indirect)

• Skin Cancer
Effects of Air Pollution: Health Effects
• Photochemical Smog
▫ Brownish-orange haze formed by chemical reactions
involving sunlight, nitrogen oxide, and hydrocarbons
Effects of Air Pollution: Health Effects
Formation of Smog
Acid Rain Formation
Effects of Air Pollution: Environment Effects

• Acid Rain increases acidity of fresh water

• In the 70s, more than 18,000 lakes in Sweden were found

with acidity exceeding the natural limits, and in half of
them fish populations had dramatically reduced

• The same phenomenon occurred in about 3,000 lakes in

the US
Effects of Air Pollution: Environment Effects

• Acid Rain
▫ affects reproduction of egg laying organisms
▫ Forest decline
Acid Deposition and Forest Decline
Effects of Air Pollution: Environment Effects

• Acid Rain
• Deterioration of materials and paints. Irreversible failures to
buildings and monuments that constitute elements of
cultural heritage
Effects of Air Pollution: Environment Effects

• Ozone – Layer Depletion

▫ Caused by Chloro-fluoro-carbon (CFC)
Indoor
Pollution
Activities
Seatwork:
• Give 10 ways to reduce and eliminate air pollution in
your community.

Assignment:
• What are the major sources of air pollutants in your
community?
• Do the sources benefit your community?
• How would one decide on whether or not a specific
pollutant source should be shut down or required to
reduce its emissions?