What causes air pollution

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What causes air pollution?

• Chapter 12 Air
• Section 1

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Clean Air

• Main Components
• N2
• O2
• Also Ar, CO2, H20

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Air Pollution

• The contamination of the atmosphere by waste
  products from sources such as industrial burning
  and automobile exhausts

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Air Pollution

• Mostly Human causes
• Some natural Volcanoes, pollen, dust, spores

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Primary pollutants

• Pollutants put directly in the air by human
  activity

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Secondary pollutants

• Pollutants formed from primary pollutants coming
  into contact with other primary pollutants or a
  naturally occurring substance. A chemical
  reaction takes place.

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Secondary pollutants

• Example
• Ground Level Ozone Car/Truck emission
  Ultraviolet rays of sun O2

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Motor Vehicle Emission

• Most air pollution from vehicles burning gas
• 2005 3,995,635 miles Highway

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Industrial Air Pollution

• Most energy plants burn coal/natural gas to
  create energy
• Releases 2/3 SO2 1/3 NOx polluting air

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Clean Air Act

• Written 1970
• strengthen 1990
• Gives EPA rights to regulate emissions

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Clean Air Act

• EPA Regulates Vehicle Emission
• Gradual removal of lead in gas

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Clean Air Act

• Addition of catalytic converter
• Cleans exhaust gases of pollutants

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Clean Air Act

• Fuel burned 35 more efficient w/ 95 fewer
  emissions than in the 70s

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Clean Air Act

• Epa regulates industries
• Many must use scrubbers or pollution-controlling
  devices

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Clean Air Act

• Scrubber
• machine that moves gases through a spray of H2O
• dissolves many pollutants

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Clean Air Act

• Electrostatic Precipitators
• cement factories coal power plants

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Clean Air Act

• Gas containing dust particles blown through
  chamber containing an electrical current

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Clean Air Act

• Causes charge-particles stick to each other and
  sides of chamber
• Clean gas released-dust particles removed
• Remove 22 million tons of ash each year

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Smog

• Visible pollution hanging over urban areas,
  reducing visibilities

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Smog

• Smog Sunlight Auto Exhaust Ozone

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View of NYC good day
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View of NYC Brown Haze
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Temperature inversion

• an atmospheric condition where warm air traps
  cooler air near Earths surface. The warm air
  also traps pollutants in the air closer to the
  surface.

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How It Works
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Temperature inversion

• Cities in a valley have a greater chance of
  temperature inversion
• LA