Air

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Air Air Pollution

• Chapter 12

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When is a Lichen like a Canary?

• Old Mans Beard Usnea trichodea
• Evernia
• Both sicken and die in the presence of too much
  sulfur dioxide can help track pollution to its
  source (ex. sulfur dioxide poisoning and Isle
  Royale in Lake Superior

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Reindeer and Chernobyl

• 1986 -Chernobyl nuclear power facility in
  Ukraine exploded and spewed radioactive particles
  into the atmosphere
• Some particles fell to the ground in Scandinavia
  and were absorbed by lichens ? people in this
  area depend on reindeer meat for food, reindeer
  eat lichens. What do you think happened?

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Key Concepts

• Structure and composition of the atmosphere

• Types and sources of outdoor air pollution

• Types, formation, and effects of smog

• Sources and effects of acid deposition

• Effects of air pollution

• Prevention and control of air pollution

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The Atmosphere

• Troposphere
• Stratosphere
• Disruption of Gaseous Biogeochemical Cycles
• Mesosphere
• Thermosphere

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8 Classes of pollutants
Carbon oxides Sulfur oxides
Nitrogen oxides Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Suspended particulate matter (SPM) Radioactive Materials
Toxics Photochemicals
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Carbon Oxides

• Carbon monoxide (CO)
• Carbon dioxide (CO2)

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Sulfur Oxides

• Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
• Sulfur trioxide (SO3)

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Nitrogen Oxides

• NOX
• Nitrogen oxide (NO)
• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
• Nitrous oxide (N2O)

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VOCs

• Methane (CH4)
• Propane (C3H8)
• CFCs
• new car smell
• Paint

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SPM

• Dust
• Soot
• Asbestos
• PCBs
• Pesticides

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Photochemical Oxidants

• Ozone (O3)
• Aldehydes

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Radioactive Substances

• Radon-222
• Iodine-131
• Strontium-90

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Hazardous Air Pollutants

• Benzene
• Methyl chloride
• Chloroform
• Formaldehyde

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Outdoor Air Pollution

• Primary pollutants

• Secondary pollutants

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Ozone Animation

• Formation of Ozone http//www.airinfonow.org/html
  /makingozone/o3play.htm
• Lung Damage http//www.airinfonow.org/html/lungat
  tack/lungplay.htm

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Photochemical Smog

• When pollutants react with sunlight smog is
  produced.
• It is formed by both primary and secondary
  pollutants.

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Components of Smog

• Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
• Oxygen (O2 and O3) Hot summer days increase the
  levels of ozone, a major component
• VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

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Photochemical Smog

• Brown-air smog or yellow smog

• Photochemicalreaction

• Photochemicaloxidants

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Nitric oxide
Nitrogen dioxide
Ozone
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20
Parts per million
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0
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A.M.
Noon
P.M.
Time
Pollution Concentrations are Time Dependent
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What can be done to reduce smog?
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Industrial (Gray-Air) Smog

• Sulfuric acid
• Ash
• Soot

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Industrial Smog

• Gray-air smog

• Industrial smog

• Sulfuric acid

• Sulfur dioxide

• Particulates

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Temperature Inversions

• Subsidence inversion

• Radiation inversion

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A Thermal Inversion
Notice how the clouds rise to a point then stop
rising. That is where the temperature change
occurs.
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A Thermal Inversion
Taken during the winter, notice the smoke rising
so far then it stops
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Thermal Inversion in a City
The warm air above the city traps the car exhaust
and forces it to street level.
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Regional Outdoor Air Pollution from Acid
Deposition

• Acid deposition

• Wet deposition

• Dry deposition

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Acid Deposition and Humans

• Respiratory diseases

• Toxic metal leaching

• Decreased visibility

• Damage to structures, especially containing
  limestone

• Decreased productivity and profitability of
  fisheries, forests, and farms

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Effect of Acid Deposition on Plants
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Acid Deposition Effects on Limestone
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• http//news.discovery.com/videos/earth-acid-rain-e
  ating-washington-dc.html

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Acid Deposition and Aquatic Systems

• Fish declines

• Undesirable species

• Aluminum toxicity

• Acid shock

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Acid Deposition, Plants, and Soil

• Nutrient leaching

• Heavy metal release

• Weakens trees

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Acid Deposition in the US
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Indoor Air Pollution/Sick Building Syndrome
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Radon

• Radon-222

• 4 picocurie level

• Occurs in certain areas based on geology

• Associated with uranium and organic material in
  rock

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Effects of Air Pollution on Living Organisms and
Materials

• Damage to mucous membranes

• Respiratory diseases

• Damage to plant leaves and roots

• Reduction in primary productivity

• Deterioration of materials

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Respiratory System
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Solutions Preventing and Reducing Air Pollution

• Clean Air Act

• National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

• Primary and secondary standards

• Output control vs. input control

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Electrostatic Precipitator
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Cleaned gas
Dirty gas
Baghouse Filter
Dust discharge
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Dirty gas
Cyclone Separator
Dust discharge
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Dirty gas
Clean water
Dirty water
Wet Scrubber
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Emission Reduction