air pollution, release into the 

atmosphere of various gases, finely divided solids, or

finely dispersed liquid aerosols at rates that exceed the natural capacity of
the environment to dissipate and dilute or absorb them. These substances may reach
concentrations in the air that cause undesirable health, economic, or aesthetic effects.
Major air pollutants
Criteria pollutants
Clean, dry air consists primarily of nitrogen and oxygen—78 percent and 21 percent
respectively, by volume. The remaining 1 percent is a mixture of other gases,
mostly argon (0.9 percent), along with trace (very small) amounts of carbon
dioxide, methane, hydrogen, helium, and more. Water vapour is also a normal, though
quite variable, component of the atmosphere, normally ranging from 0.01 to 4 percent
by volume; under very humid conditions the moisture content of air may be as high as 5
percent.

There are six major air pollutants that have been designated by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) as “criteria” pollutants—criteria meaning that the
concentrations of these pollutants in the atmosphere are useful as indicators of overall
air quality. The sources, acceptable concentrations, and effects of the criteria pollutants
are summarized in the table.

Criteria air pollutants

maximum
acceptable environmental human health
pollutant common sources
concentration in risks risks
the atmosphere

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

exacerbates
symptoms of heart
disease, such as
carbon automobile emissions, 35 ppm (1-hour chest pain; may
contributes to smog
monoxide fires, industrial period); 9 ppm (8- cause vision
formation
(CO) processes hour period) problems and
reduce physical and
mental capabilities
in healthy people

nitrogen automobile emissions, damage to foliage; inflammation and

0.053 ppm (1-year
oxides (NO electricity generation, contributes to smog irritation of
period)
and NO2) industrial processes formation breathing passages

sulfur electricity generation, 0.03 ppm (1-year major cause of haze; breathing
dioxide fossil-fuel period); 0.14 ppm contributes to acid rain difficulties,
Criteria air pollutants

maximum
acceptable environmental human health
pollutant common sources
concentration in risks risks
the atmosphere

formation, which
combustion, industrial subsequently damages particularly for
(SO2) processes, automobile (24-hour period) foliage, buildings, and people with asthma
emissions monuments; reacts to and heart disease
form particulate matter

nitrogen oxides (NOx)

interferes with the
and volatile organic
ability of certain plants
compounds (VOCs) reduced lung
to respire, leading to
from industrial and 0.075 ppm (8-hour function; irritation
ozone (O3) increased susceptibility
automobile emissions, period) and inflammation of
to other environmental
gasoline vapours, breathing passages
stressors (e.g., disease,
chemical solvents,
harsh weather)
and electrical utilities

sources of primary
particles include fires,
smokestacks,
contributes to formation
construction sites, and 150 μg/m3 (24-hour
of haze as well as acid irritation of
unpaved roads; period for particles
rain, which changes the breathing passages,
particulate sources of secondary <10 μm); 35
pH balance of aggravation of
matter particles include μg/m3 (24-hour
waterways and damages asthma, irregular
reactions between period for particles
foliage, buildings, and heartbeat
gaseous chemicals <2.5 μm)
monuments
emitted by power
plants and
automobiles

adverse effects upon

multiple bodily
systems; may
0.15 μg/m3 (rolling
metal processing, loss of biodiversity, contribute to
three-month
waste incineration, decreased reproduction, learning disabilities
lead (Pb) average); 1.5
fossil-fuel neurological problems when young
μg/m3 (quarterly
combustion in vertebrates children are
average)
exposed;
cardiovascular
effects in adults