Air Pollution - Saraniecki Flashcards
What is the composition of clean, dry air?
Nitrogen 78%
Oxygen 21%
Argon 1%
CO2 0.03%
O3 .000002%
CO .00001%
What is a normal person’s consumption of air, food, water?
Air- 35 lbs aka 3000 gallons
water - 3-5 lbs
food - 1.5 lbs
What is a primary pollutant?
Provide examples
emitted into atmosphere directly from source and retains same chemical form
ex: CO, SO2, NO2, hydrocarbons, total suspended particles
affected by short range micrometeorology
What is a secondary pollutant?
Provide examples
formed by atmospheric reactions of precursor or primary emissions
ex: ground level ozone, acid rain, peroxyacyl nitrates
affected by regional meterology - long range
What is a fugitive pollutant?
particulate, gas, or vapor that enters the outdoor air NOT vented thru a stack
ex: street dust, ag dust, etc
Describe carbon monoxides presence in our air
60% of all CO emissions are from motor vehicle exhausts
in cities, that’s 95%
cold months: auto emissions greater with more frequent nighttime temperature inversions
Describe SOx in our air
65% emitted from electric utilities
also comes from petroleum refineries, cement manufacturing, metal processing, locomotives, large ships
Describe NOx in our air
major ingredient of ozone
NO2 mixed with particulate matter can cause reddish-brown layer over cities
sources: motor vehicles, electric utilities, fuel burners
What is ozone like at ground level?
“bad ozone”
air pollutant harmful to lungs, crops, trees, and other vegetation
main ingredient in smog plus VOCs and NOx and UV
Where is ozone a good component? What does it do?
the stratosphere where it is produced naturally when UV interacts with O2
filters harmful UV-B light from the earth
Destroys the following compounds: CFCs, HCFCs, halons, methyl bromide, carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform
How is lead found in our atmosphere?
from piston engine aircraft, metal processing, lead smelters, waste incinerators, utilities, lead acid battery manufacturing
How does particle size affect human health?
10 microns mostly stay in the nose and pharynx
2.5 microns or smaller can potentially pass through the lung into the bloodstream
Describe typical PM10s
What does it cause and who does it affect the most?
2.5-10 micron diameter
can be either primary or secondary pollutant
affects breathing and respiratory systems, damage to lung tissue, cancer, premature death
most susceptible: elderly, children, people with lung problems
Describe PM2.5s
sources?
What does it cause?
natural sources: dust, volcanos, forest fires
anthropogenic sources: burning of fuels in cars and power plants, wind blown dust from construction sites
linked to heart and lung diseases, respiratory issues, bronchitis
How do SO2 and Cl in air affect humans?
affect the upper respiratory tract
How does O3 affect human health?
lower respiratory tract
dissolves in the thin layers of the epithelial lining fluid
cough, shortness of breath
How does PAN affect plants?
Peroxyacyl Nitrates cause loss of chlorophyll in plants, glazing, silvering, or bronzing on the underside of leaves
How does ozone affect plants?
flecks, stipple, bleaching, tip burns on conifers, growth suppression
What is the number one greenhouse gas and where is it prominent?
50-80% carbon monoxide
from fossil fuel burning electrical plants and motor vehicles
What is the number 2 greenhouse gas and where is it from?
Methane
agricultural activities
landfills and decaying wetlands
chlorofluorocarbons
refrigerants
solvent and loam manufacturing
What are the two source categories for HAPs?
hazardous air pollutants
major source - emitting 10 tons/year of any one, or 25 tons/year of and combination of pollutant
area source - smaller sources such as dry cleaners
Where is benzene a byproduct of?
gasoline
Where does chromium pollution typically originate from?
electro-plating
tanning
What are examples of biogenic air pollution sources?
volcanoes
lightning
organic swamp decay
pollen
mold spores
What are the two types of sources of anthropogenic pollution?
Provide examples
Mobile sources: autos, trucks, planes
Stationary sources:
point source - power plant, industrial plant
area source - series of small sources that affect a region
What causes acid rain?
How is it reduced?
occurs when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions are transformed in the atmosphere and return to the earth in liquid or dry form
prevented through energy conservation, clean coal technology, and the cap and trade program
What is the cap and trade program?
~2000 utilities required to reduce SO2 emissions
capped at 10 million tons/year
companies can trade allowances
What measures the transport of pollutants when examining attainment areas?
wid rose
16 wind directions
measures how long wind blows in directions
What are different sampling medias used for air pollution and what do they test for?
filters - particulates
impingers - with liquid solutions, measures air-borne chems
adsorbent tubes - gases and vapors
tedlar bags - gases and vapors
agar plates - airborne molds and bacteria
colorimetric detector - gases and vapors
gravimetric sampling - PM10s and 2.5s
AAS - metals
Spectrophotometry - SO2 and O3
Chemiluminescence - NO2 and O3
FID and Mas Spec - VOCs
How are metals analyzed in air pollution?
atomic absorption
atomic emission spectroscopy
How is asbestos monitored in air pollution?
polarized-light microscopy bulk samples
phase-contrast microscopy air filters
transmission electron microscopy
How are gases and vapors analyzed in air pollution?
spectrophotometry
gas chromatography
GC/MS
What are the four classes of models to predict air pollution effects on ambient air quality?
Gaussian - flat terrain
Numerical - complex terrain
Statistical - unknown terrain
Physical - wind tunnel
What are the five PARTICULATE control methods?
settling chamber - low pressure drop for large particles >50 microns
cyclone scrubber - low pressure drop and high flow 10-200 microns
filters - lots of bags or cloth screens
wet collectors - high pressure drop, smaller than 1 microns
electrostatic precipitators - very high flow rates, very efficient for small particle sizes, esp <0.5 microns
What are the four control methods for GASES and VAPORS
absorption - gaseous pollutant dissolved in a liquid (scrubbers)
adsorption - gas attached to surface of a solid
condensation - convert gas to liquid
incineration - combusted
What was decided during the 1987 Montreal Protocol?
Phase-out CFC production and use of O3 depleting substances
Warning labels on essential ODS (ozone depleting substance)
Prohibited non-essential ODS
O3 layer in stratosphere should return by 2050
HCFCs completely phased out by 2030
What do we do with refrigerants?
they cannot be vented
must be recovered, recycled, and reclaimed
no requirement to repaid leak or change refrigerant type in existing units
What are some concerns for indoor air?
asthma
molds - mycotoxins
radon
carbon monoxide
formaldehyde
cigarette smoke
How are allergies and asthma prevented in a healthy home?
good indoor air quality
well ventilated home free of pollutants
dust mite mattress and pillow covers
bedding washed in hot water 130F every week
eliminate pests
How is mold and moisture controlled in a healthy home?
dryers and exhaust fans vented outside
water leaks repaired immediately
water damaged materials replaced
cold water pipers insulated
gutters routinely checked
How is dust mold sampled?
environmental relative moldiness index
gather settled household dust for laboratory testing of spores and/or RNA for taxonomic classification
not quantitative
utilizes PCR
How is air mold sampled?
takes a known quantity grab sample of some air
quantify by direct microscopic spore counting
What is SBS?
sick building syndrome
used to describe situations in which biulding occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified
What is BRI?
building related illness
used when symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants
Where are we seeing a lot of IAQ complaints?
indoor air quality
30% of new and remodeled buildings worldwide
What are some indicators of SBS?
acute discomfort: headache, eye, nose, through irritation, dry cough, itchy skin, nausea, difficulty in concentrating, fatigue
cause is unknown
most get relief upon leaving the building
What are some indicators of BRI?
cough, chest tightness, fever, chills, muscle aches
symptoms can be clinically defined and have clearly identifiable causes
may require prolonged recovery times
What are some potential indoor sources that contribute to SBS?
adhesives, carpeting, upholstery, manufactured wood, persticides
there are so many you could literally say any indoor item and it would be on this list
What are some potential outdoor sources that contribute to SBS?
motor vehicle exhausts, plumbing vents, building exhausts, poorly located air intake vents
