Air pollutants may be categorised as primary or secondary.

Primary pollutants are directly emitted to the atmosphere, whereas secondary pollutants are formed in the atmosphere from precursor gases through
chemical reactions and microphysical processes. Air pollutants may have a natural, anthropogenic or mixed origin, depending on their sources or the
sources of their precursors. Key primary air pollutants include particulate matter (PM), black carbon (BC), sulphur oxides (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX)
(including nitrogen monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, NO2), ammonia (NH3), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), non-methane volatile organic
compounds (NMVOCs), including benzene, and certain metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, including benzo[a]pyrene (BaP).
Key secondary air pollutants are PM, ozone (O3), NO2 and several oxidised volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Key precursor gases for secondary PM
are sulphur dioxide (SO2), NOX, NH3 and VOCs. These pollutants and their precursor gases can be of both natural and anthropogenic origin including:
 burning of fossil fuels in electricity generation, transport, industry and households;
 industrial processes and solvent use, for example in the chemical and mining industries;
 agriculture;
 waste treatment;
 natural sources, including volcanic eruptions, windblown dust, sea-salt spray and emissions of volatile organic compounds from plants.

Particulate matter (PM)

The major components of PM are sulfate, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, black carbon, mineral dust and water. It consists of a complex mixture of
solid and liquid particles of organic and inorganic substances suspended in the air. While particles with a diameter of 10 microns or less, (≤ PM10) can
penetrate and lodge deep inside the lungs, the even more health-damaging particles are those with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less, (≤ PM2.5). PM2.5
can penetrate the lung barrier and enter the blood system. Chronic exposure to particles contributes to the risk of developing cardiovascular and
respiratory diseases, as well as of lung cancer.
Particulate matter is a mixture of aerosol particles (solid and liquid) covering a wide range of sizes and chemical compositions. PM is either directly emitted
as primary particles or it forms in the atmosphere from emissions of certain precursor pollutants such as SO2, NOX, NH3  and NMVOCs. PM is emitted from
many anthropogenic sources, including both combustion and non-combustion sources. Natural emissions of PM also occur, including from sea salt and
windblown Saharan dust.

Ground-level (tropospheric) ozone 

is not directly emitted into the atmosphere. Instead, it forms in the atmosphere from a chain of chemical reactions following emissions of certain precursor
gases: NOX, carbon monoxide (CO) and NMVOCs and methane (CH4). Ground-level ozone is formed from chemical reactions in the presence of sunlight,
following emissions of precursor gases, mainly NOX, NMVOCs, CO and CH4.
Ozone at ground level – not to be confused with the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere – is one of the major constituents of photochemical smog. It is
formed by the reaction with sunlight (photochemical reaction) of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) from vehicle and industry emissions and volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by vehicles, solvents and industry. As a result, the highest levels of ozone pollution occur during periods of sunny
weather.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

NO2 is the main source of nitrate aerosols, which form an important fraction of PM2.5 and, in the presence of ultraviolet light, of ozone. The major sources
of anthropogenic emissions of NO2 are combustion processes (heating, power generation, and engines in vehicles and ships).

Nitrogen oxides are emitted during fuel combustion from industrial facilities and the road transport sector. NOX is a group of gases comprising
nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). NO makes up the majority of NOX  emissions. NOX contributes to the formation of ozone and
particulate matter.

Sulphur dioxide is formed and emitted by combustion of fossil fuels (mainly coal and oil) primarily for electricity generation. High
concentrations of SO2 are associated with multiple health and environmental effects. The highest concentrations of SO2 have been recorded in the vicinity
of large industrial facilities. SO2 emissions are an important environmental issue because they are a major precursor to ambient PM2.5 concentrations.
SO2 is a colourless gas with a sharp odour. It is produced from the burning of fossil fuels (coal and oil) and the smelting of mineral ores that contain sulfur.
The main anthropogenic source of SO2 is the burning of sulfur-containing fossil fuels for domestic heating, power generation and motor vehicles.

Benzo(a)pyrene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) found in fine PM. Its origin is the incomplete combustion of various fuels. The main
sources of BaP in Europe are domestic home-heating, in particular wood- and coal-burning, waste-burning, coke and steel production, and road traffic.
Other sources include outdoor fires.