ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY

10TH PRESENTATION

Assoc. Prof. Pınar Gedikkaya BAL

AIR POLLUTION

◦ There are six common air pollutants. They are:

◦ Particle pollution (often referred to as particulate matter)
◦ Ground-level ozone
◦ Carbon monoxide
◦ Sulfur oxides
◦ Nitrogen oxides
◦ Lead.

◦ These pollutants can harm your health and the environment, and cause property damage.
◦ Of the six pollutants, particle pollution and ground-level ozone are the most widespread
health threats.
Particle Pollution

◦ Particle pollution (also called particulate matter or PM) is the term for a
mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air.

◦ Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to
be seen with the naked eye.

◦ Others are so small, they can only be detected using an electron microscope.
      
Particle Pollution
◦ Particle pollution includes particles with diameters that are 2.5 micrometers and smaller.

◦ How small is 2.5 micrometers? Think about a single hair from your head. The average human hair is about
70 micrometers in diameter – making it 30 times larger than the largest fine particle.

◦ These particles come in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals.

◦ Some particles, known as primary particles are emitted directly from a source, such as construction sites,
unpaved roads, fields, smokestacks or fires.

◦ Others form in complicated reactions in the atmosphere of chemicals such as sulfur dioxides and nitrogen
oxides that are emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles. These particles, known as secondary
particles, make up most of the fine particle pollution in the country.
Particles and Health
◦ Particle pollution contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can get deep into the lungs and
cause serious health problems.

◦ The size of particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems.

◦ Small particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest problems, because they can get deep into your lungs,
and some may even get into your bloodstream. 

◦ They cause:
◦ increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing, or difficulty breathing, for example;
◦ decreased lung function;
◦ aggravated asthma;
◦ development of chronic bronchitis;
◦ irregular heartbeat;
◦ nonfatal heart attacks; and
◦ premature death in people with heart or lung disease.
Particles and Visibility
◦ Fine particles (PM2.5) are the major cause of reduced visibility (haze), including many of the treasured national
parks and wilderness areas. 

◦ One of the most basic forms of air pollution - haze - degrades visibility in many cities and scenic areas.

◦ Haze is caused when sunlight encounters tiny pollution particles in the air, which reduce the clarity and color of
what we see, and particularly during humid conditions. 

◦ Some of the pollutants which form haze have also been linked to serious health problems and environmental
damage.

◦ Exposure to very small particles in the air have been linked with increased respiratory illness, decreased lung
function, and even premature death. In addition, particles such as nitrates and sulfates contribute to acid rain
formation which makes lakes, rivers, and streams unsuitable for many fish, and erodes buildings, historical
monuments, and paint on cars.
Particles and Visibility

◦ A hazy day ◦ A clear day

Particle Pollution and
Environmental Damage
◦ Particles can be carried over long distances by wind and then settle
on ground or water. 

◦ The effects of this settling include:

◦ making lakes and streams acidic
◦ changing the nutrient balance in coastal waters and large river basins
◦ depleting the nutrients in soil
◦ damaging sensitive forests and farm crops
◦ affecting the diversity of ecosystems. 
Acid Rain

◦ "Acid rain" is a broad term referring to a mixture of wet and dry deposition (deposited material) from the atmosphere containing higher than
normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids.

◦ Acid rain formation result from both natural sources, such as volcanoes and decaying vegetation, and man-made sources, primarily emissions
of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) resulting from fossil fuel combustion.

◦ Most of acid rain comes from electric power generation that relies on burning fossil fuels, like coal. 

◦ Acid rain occurs when these gases react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form various acidic
compounds.

◦ The result is a mild solution of sulfuric acid and nitric acid. When sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released from
power plants and other sources, prevailing winds blow these compounds across state and national borders, sometimes over
hundreds of miles.
Effects of Acid Rain
◦ Acid rain causes acidification of lakes and streams and contributes to the
damage of trees at high elevations (for example, red spruce trees above 2,000
feet) and many sensitive forest soils.

◦ In addition, acid rain accelerates the decay of building materials and paints,
including irreplaceable buildings, statues, and sculptures that are part of our
nation's cultural heritage.

◦ Prior to falling to the earth, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx)
gases and their particulate matter derivatives—sulfates and nitrates—
contribute to visibility degradation and harm public health.
Effects of Acid Rain

◦ Surface waters (lakes and streams

and aquatic animals)

◦ Forests

◦ Automotive coatings

◦ Materials and buildings

◦ Visibility

◦ Human health
Reducing particle pollution

◦ Air quality standards are necessary.

◦ National and regional rules to reduce emissions of pollutants that form particle
pollution will help state and local governments meet the air quality standards. 

◦ At the international level: The 1979 Geneva Convention on Long-range

Transboundary Air Pollution
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete
the Ozone Layer
◦ The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is a global agreement to protect the
Earth’s ozone layer by phasing out the chemicals that deplete it.

◦ This phase-out plan includes both the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. The
landmark agreement was signed in 1987 and entered into force in 1989.

◦ The Montreal Protocol provided a set of practical, actionable tasks that were universally agreed on. The
Protocol has successfully met its objectives thus far and continues to safeguard the ozone layer today.
Thanks to the collaborative effort of nations around the world, the ozone layer is well on its way to
recovery.