7.1 Introduction to Air Pollution (Pollutants)

Question 1

What are the 6 criteria pollutants?

Answer 1

SO2, NOx, CO, PM, O3, and Pb

Question 2

What is Pb?

Answer 2

Lead

Question 3

What is SO2?

Answer 3

Sulfur Dioxide

Question 4

What is NOx?

Answer 4

Nitrogen Oxides

Question 5

What is CO?

Answer 5

Carbon Monoxide

Question 6

What is O3?

Answer 6

Ozone (tropospheric)

Question 7

What is PM?

Answer 7

Particulate Matter

Question 8

Is CO2 (carbon dioxide) a criteria pollutant?

Answer 8

No, CO2 is a greenhouse gas.

Question 9

What does coal combustion release?

Answer 9

Release CO, CO2, SO2, NOx, PM, and toxic metals (mercury, arsenic, lead)

Question 10

What are some impacts of SO2?

Answer 10

• respiratory irritant
• forms grey smog
• combines with water and O2 in atmosphere to form sulfuric acid – acid rain

Question 11

How are NOx (nitrogen oxides) released?

Answer 11

Combustion of anything, especially fossil fuels and biomass

Question 12

How does NOx form?

Answer 12

N2 combine with O2 = NOx

Question 13

How can NOx become NO2?

Answer 13

NOx reacts with O3 or O2

Question 14

How does NO2 go back to NOx?

Answer 14

Sunlight converts (breaks bonds)

Question 15

What are the impacts of NOx?

Answer 15

• respiratory irritant
• leads to tropospheric ozone (O3), which leads to photochemical smog
• combines with O2 and water to form nitric acid — acid precipitation/rain

Question 16

What are primary pollutants?

Answer 16

Emitted directly from the source such as, vehicles, power plants, factories, and natural sources such as volcanoes and forest fires.

Question 17

What are some primary pollutants?

Answer 17

NOx, CO, CO2, VOCs, SO2, PM, and Hydrocarbons

Question 18

What are secondary pollutants?

Answer 18

Are primary pollutants that have transformed in the presence of sunlight, water, and O2

Question 19

What are some secondary pollutants?

Answer 19

Tropospheric ozone (O3), Sulfuric acid (H2SO4), sulfate , nitric acid (HNO3), and nitrate