Air Pollution

➢ Air pollution results

from combustion,
where oxygen reacts
with a fuel to release
energy.

Products
Particulates, sulfur
dioxide, carbon dioxide,
Reactants nitrogen oxides, etc.
Fuel and Oxygen (O2)
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 Pure Fuels “Dirty” Fuels
Only contain the fuel. Additional non-combustible
elements mixed in with the
fuel.
Release carbon dioxide Release carbon dioxide,
and water vapor as sulfur, ash, and much more.
products.

Coal, oil, wood

Methane, gasoline,
ethanol
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 Secondary pollutants are
Primary pollutants are directly formed when primary pollutants
released into the air from the react with gases in the
source. atmosphere.

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 1.
Atmosphere
Composition of each layer.
➢ The thermosphere blocks harmful radiation
from the sun.

➢ The mesosphere is the layer where meteors

and asteroids burn up as they approach Earth.

➢ The stratosphere has a layer of ozone that

partially blocks some of the sun’s UV light.

➢ The troposphere contains all of our weather,

and all living organisms.
▻ Air cools rapidly as the altitude increases.
➢ Normally, the
atmosphere gets colder
as elevation increases.

▻ Warm air is less dense,

so it rises, creating
circulation.

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➢ In thermal inversions, the
normal temperature
patterns reverse.

▻ The dense cold air

doesn’t rise.
▻ Pollution accumulates.

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➢ Urban atmosphere on a normal day:

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➢ Urban atmosphere during a thermal inversion:

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 2.
Air Pollution
Most common forms and how they’re regulated.
➢ In 1948, a steel town in Pennsylvania called Donora experienced
a 5-day thermal inversion.
▻ A smog containing fluoride, sulfur, and other pollutants
released by the coal-burning steel and zinc plants sickened
thousands.

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➢ In 1952, London experienced an
exceptionally cold winter,
forcing people to burn a lot of
coal to keep their homes warm.
▻ Released a lot of sulfur
dioxide and particulates.

➢ A thermal inversion lasting 4

days caused pollution levels
build up to toxic levels, killing
over 4,000 people.

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➢ The Clean Air Act was signed into law in 1970 in response to
public outrage following incidents like in Donora and London.

➢ The law directed the EPA to establish limits for criteria

pollutants – ones that caused the most environmental damage
and health hazards.

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 Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
➢ Colorless, rotten egg
smell.
➢ Biggest source is
coal-burning power
plants.
➢ Causes burning in the
respiratory tract.
➢ Forms sulfuric acid
when it reacts with
water in the
atmosphere.
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 Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
➢ Reddish-brown, sharp-
sweet smell.
➢ Biggest sources are
automobiles and
denitrification of fertilizer
by soil bacteria.
➢ Causes burning of the
respiratory tract.
➢ Forms nitric acid, smog,
and ozone in the
atmosphere.
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 Carbon Monoxide (CO)
➢ Colorless and odorless.
➢ Any fuel-burning device
can produce it: furnaces,
cars, hot water tanks.
➢ Blocks oxygen absorption
in blood, causing dizziness
and eventually death.
➢ No secondary pollutants.

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➢ Large tunnels have
ventilation fans to
prevent the buildup
of carbon monoxide
and nitrogen oxides
during heavy traffic
periods.

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Particulate Matter (PM)
➢ Visible as smoke, dust,
or soot.
➢ Biggest sources are
coal-burning power
plants and
construction sites.
➢ Particles can become
embedded the
respiratory tract,
worsening asthma.
➢ No secondary
pollutants. 20
PM2.5 particles are <2.5 μm (microns)
in diameter and can reach the deepest
part of the lungs.

PM10 particles are <10 μm

(microns) in diameter and will
embed in the upper respiratory
tract.

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 Lead (Pb)
➢ Metal that can
become embedded in
particulates.
➢ Biggest source used
to be cars until leaded
gas was banned.
▻ Now aviation fuel a
and coal plants.
➢ Neurotoxin.
➢ No secondary
pollutants.
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 Ground Level Ozone (O3)
➢ Colorless gas.
➢ Not released into the air
directly -- created from
nitrogen oxides (NOx) and
volatile organic
compounds (VOCs).
➢ Highly reactive to living
tissues.
➢ Ozone IS a secondary
pollutant.

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 Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOCs)
➢ Carbon-based liquids that
quickly evaporate.

➢ Major sources are

solvents and vehicles.

➢ Cause headaches and

nausea.

➢ Secondary pollutants are

ozone and smog. 24
Analysis of lead in ice cores has Clean Air Act

demonstrated the effectiveness

of the Clean Air Act.
Pollution increases as people
burn more wood and coal.

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➢ In 1990, the Clean
Air Act was
amended with
several additions to
cover issues that
were still not being
addressed:
▻ Acid rain
▻ Urban smog
▻ Ozone depletion

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➢ Acid precipitation has a pH lower than normal rain.
▻ Normal rain has a pH of about 5.6 due to carbonic acid.
▻ Acid rain has a pH of 4.2-4.4 due to sulfuric and nitric acid.
10x more
acidic

Normal rain
Acid Rain

Strongest Neutral Strongest

Acid solutions Base
➢ Acid rain causes
environmental
damage:

▻ Erodes limestone
structures.

▻ Lowers the pH of
surface waters.

▻ Leaches aluminum
from soils into
surface waters. 28
➢ Acid precipitation
mostly affects the
northeast, due to the
amount of industry,
dense population,
and prevailing winds.

▻ Has improved
significantly since
1990.

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➢ In 1985, scientists discovered a hole forming in the ozone layer
in the stratosphere, directly above Antarctica.
➢ The cause was found to be CFCs – chlorine-containing gases
used in spray cans and as refrigerants.

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The Montreal
Protocol is an
international
agreement to
discontinue the
use of chlorine-
based aerosols
and refrigerants.
➢ Near complete
recovery
expected by
the mid-21st
century.

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➢ Photochemical smog is a mixture of secondary pollution that
forms on sunny days from nitrogen oxides and volatile organic
compounds (VOCs).

➢ Increasing fuel emission standards and requiring a cleaner-

burning reformulated gas helped reduce these pollutants.
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➢ Catalytic converters reduce vehicle emissions by passing
engine exhaust through a series of precious metals that
chemically change the gases into less harmful forms.

Catalysts

CO2
VOCs
H2O
CO
N2
O2
NO2

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➢ The Clean Air Act required all
industry to cut sulfur dioxide
emissions in half by:

▻ Scrubber systems that use a

liquid spray to remove sulfates
from the air.

▻ A sulfur cap-and-trade program

where companies can purchase
“credits” from others.

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➢ Stacks must be 500 feet to reach above potential thermal
inversions.

➢ Many power plants have switched from coal to natural gas,

which only produces carbon dioxide. 35