Air Pollutants

Question 1

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Answer 1

Gas
Source: incomplete combustion of fuel, combustion of waste, vehicle exhaust, boilers, furnaces, water heaters, wood stoves, fireplaces, gas stoves
Impact: Out competes O2 for hemoglobin - low concentration, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, confusion, nausea, death
Env. Effect: Contributes to ground eleven ozone, smog
Sinks: upward migration in the upper layers of the atmosphere, uptake by soils
Mitigation: maintaining and adjusting combustion equipment, gas appliances, furnaces, flues, and chimneys

Question 2

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Answer 2

Gas
Source: Combustion of any organic material. Gasoline, petroleum, coal, natural gas, biomass, aerobic respiration
Impact: A greenhouse gas, CO2 absorbs thermal radiation and re-emits it at lower wavelengths
Env. Effect: absorption of heat in the troposphere / increasing global temp, Water/atmospheric acidification and ecological impacts
Sinks: Photosynthetic organisms, acid deposition, acidification of oceans through CO2 uptake
Mitigation: Using fuel sources that have low to no CO2 emissions, fertilizing ocean with iron, Kyoto Protocol and Paris Accord