Air Pollution Flashcards
Though it could only be concentrated
locally in a particular area, it is
considered a global health hazard
because it can easily spread into
Earth’s atmosphere.
Air Pollution
It occurs when large quantities of
harmful substances that include gases,
particles (both organic and inorganic),
and biological agents are introduced
to Earth’s atmosphere.
Air Pollution
Classification of
Pollutants
Primary pollutants and secondary pollutants
These are air pollutants that
are emitted directly from a
source.
• Carbon Monoxide
• Carbon Dioxide
• Sulfur Dioxide
• Nitrogen Oxides
Primary Pollutants
It forms when other
primary pollutants react in
the atmosphere.
• Sulfur Trioxide
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Nitric Acid
• Nitrates and Sulfates
Secondary Pollutants
Major Air Pollutants (4)
Particulate Matter
Ground-Level Ozone
Nitrogen Dioxide
Carbon Monoxide
Sulfur Dioxide
It can be made up of several components like nitrates, sulfates, soil
or dust particles, and allergens (mold
spores, pollen, etc.).
Particulate Matter
It describes an extremely small solid
and liquid particles suspended in the
air.
Particulate Matter
Also known as particle pollution and
is not a single pollutant, but rather a
mixture of many chemical species.
Particulate Matter
mainly comes from
motor vehicles, wood burning
heaters, and industry.
Particle pollution
small enough to
pass through the throat and nose and
enter the lungs.
PM10 (particles with a diameter of
10𝑭 or less)
can get deep into the
lungs and into the blood stream.
PM2.5 (particles with a diameter of
2.5 m or less)
when inhaled is due to
the free radicals which can cause
mutations that would lead to cancer
and other complications.
Ground-Level Ozone
It is the main component of smog and
is the product of the interaction
between sunlight and emissions from
sources such as motor vehicles and
industry.
Ground-Level Ozone
It is one of the gases that causes acid
rain when it reacts with water in the
atmosphere.
Nitrogen Dioxide
It contributes to the formation of
ground-level ozone as well as
particulate matter pollution.
Nitrogen Dioxide
It is a highly reactive gas which is
emitted by motor vehicles, industrial
processes, gas-heaters, and gas stove
tops.
Nitrogen Dioxide
When inhaled in large amounts, it
may cause carbon monoxide
poisoning and death.
Carbon Monoxide
generated by
motor vehicles, industrial sources,
bushfires, gas stoves, and cigarette
smoke.
Carbon Monoxide
It is an odorless and colorless gas that
forms from incomplete combustion
of carbon in fuels.
Carbon Monoxide
Like nitrogen dioxide, it also
produces sulfuric acid when mixed
with water, causing acid rain if it
persists in the atmosphere.
Sulfur Dioxide
A highly reactive gas with pungent
smell, emitted from
fossil fuel combustion by
powerplants and other industrial
facilities.
Sulfur Dioxide
Ozone is around _____, about _____
of the ozone in the atmosphere is
found in this “ozone layer”
2-8 ppm, 90%
It is found ____ up (the lower
________).
20-40 km, stratosphere
radiation enters the
atmosphere.
UV-A
radiation can be blocked by
normal O2
UV-C
radiation is blocked by the
ozone layer
UV-B
Types of UV Radiation
UV-A (400-315nm)
UV-B (315-280nm)
UV-C (280-100nm)
Vacuum UV (100nm-10nm)
How UV Radiation
Damage Cells?
Radiation is ______. When _____ hit
cells, it can cause damage.
energy
Sometimes, it can _________ to
reproduce uncontrollably – leading to
cancer.
reprogram cells
electrons are blasted away
from a molecule, creating dangerous
_______ which can react with
nearby cells
free-radical
All skins produce a dark colored
pigment (______) when exposed
to UV radiation.
melanin
absorbs the radiation
and stops it from penetrating to
the tissue below.
Melanin
from
fridges and aerosols are stable
compounds which does not react and
just passes through some gases as it
goes up.
CFCs (chlorofluorocarbon)
this
CFC will be broken down by UV
radiation separating _____ and
becomes ___.
This radical reacts to ozone and
break it.
chlorine, free radical
Dark skinned people have a lot
of this pigment in their skin, so
are harmed ____ by UV radiation.
less
Effects of Ozone
Depletion
Human Health and Structures
Food and Forest
Wildlife
Air Pollution and Climate Change
•Reduced yield for some crops
•Reduced seafood supplies
due to smaller phytoplankton population
•Decreased forest productivity
for UV-sensitive tree species
Food and Forest
•Worse Sunburns
•More Eye Cataracts and Skin
Cancer
•Immune System Suppression
Human Health and Structures
• Increased acid deposition
• Increased photochemical smog
• Degradation of outdoor painted surfaces, plastics, and
building materials
Air Pollution and Climate
Change
• More eye cataracts in some
species
• Shrinking populations of aquatic species sensitive to UV radiation
• Disruption of aquatic food
webs due to shrinking
phytoplankton populations
Wildlife
is unseen but it is
present and real not only on land, but
also under the sea.
Noise pollution
any loud or unpleasant sound
that may cause disturbance.
Noise
Soft sounds like the rustling of
leaves register
20 to 30 decibels.
The level of sound is measured in
decibels (dB).
The sound of a siren or a gunshot
can reach up to
140 decibels.
Louder sounds like thunderclaps
are at
120 decibels.
Long exposure to noise above
70dB can lead to
noise induced
hearing loss (NIHL).
The use of _____ interferes with
whales and dolphins who rely on
echolocation to navigate, communicate,
find food, and avoid predators.
active sonar
can also lead to
changes in the feeding behavior of these
animals and cause mass strandings of
whales on beaches.
Noise pollution
defined as the
excessive use of artificial light
which can cause serious
consequences to both humans
and the environment, including
the flora and fauna around us.
Light pollution
Types of Light Pollution
Light Clutter
Glare
Light Trespass
Sky Glow
excessive
grouping of lights which causes
distraction.
• Street lights
• Brightly-lit signs
• Billboards
•Advertisements
Light Clutter
is the visual sensation
you experience when stray light in
your field of vision is greater than
the light to which your eyes are
adapted. It can cause:
a.Diminished contrast
b.Reduced color perception
c.Decreased visual performance
Glare
also known as spill
light, occurs when illumination from a
light fixture is projected beyond a
property line.
Light Trespass
can originate from
both natural and artificial sources,
but mismanaged man-made
lighting is the primary source. It is
caused by light being emitted
directly into the sky where it is
scattered by dust and gas
molecules, creating an orange
glow in the night.
Sky Glow
The most apparent effect of light
pollution is ________
especially with the excessive use of
light.
It can alter circadian rhythm or the so
called “________” which dictates
primarily our sleeping patterns.
Can lead to insomnia and other
sleeping disorders.
Astronomers also find it hard to
observe the night sky.
waste of electricity
biological clock
can
alter the timing of reproductive
events.
Artificial light
How to Reduce Light
Pollution
- Start with natural darkness. Only add
light for specific purpose.
2.Use smart lighting controls
3.Keep lights close to the ground
directed and shielded.
4.Use the lowest intensity lighting
5.Use non-reflective, dark-colored
surfaces
6.Use lights with reduced or filtered
blue, violet and ultraviolet
wavelengths
a level of
ecological organization that is distinguished by
the average annual
temperatures and the amount of the annual precipitation that they receive.
Biome
