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Air Pollution - Saraniecki Flashcards

1
Q

What is the composition of clean, dry air?

A

Nitrogen 78%
Oxygen 21%
Argon 1%
CO2 0.03%
O3 .000002%
CO .00001%

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2
Q

What is a normal person’s consumption of air, food, water?

A

Air- 35 lbs aka 3000 gallons
water - 3-5 lbs
food - 1.5 lbs

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3
Q

What is a primary pollutant?
Provide examples

A

emitted into atmosphere directly from source and retains same chemical form
ex: CO, SO2, NO2, hydrocarbons, total suspended particles
affected by short range micrometeorology

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4
Q

What is a secondary pollutant?
Provide examples

A

formed by atmospheric reactions of precursor or primary emissions
ex: ground level ozone, acid rain, peroxyacyl nitrates
affected by regional meterology - long range

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5
Q

What is a fugitive pollutant?

A

particulate, gas, or vapor that enters the outdoor air NOT vented thru a stack
ex: street dust, ag dust, etc

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6
Q

Describe carbon monoxides presence in our air

A

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

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7
Q

Describe SOx in our air

A

65% emitted from electric utilities
also comes from petroleum refineries, cement manufacturing, metal processing, locomotives, large ships

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8
Q

Describe NOx in our air

A

major ingredient of ozone
NO2 mixed with particulate matter can cause reddish-brown layer over cities
sources: motor vehicles, electric utilities, fuel burners

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9
Q

What is ozone like at ground level?

A

“bad ozone”
air pollutant harmful to lungs, crops, trees, and other vegetation
main ingredient in smog plus VOCs and NOx and UV

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10
Q

Where is ozone a good component? What does it do?

A

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

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11
Q

How is lead found in our atmosphere?

A

from piston engine aircraft, metal processing, lead smelters, waste incinerators, utilities, lead acid battery manufacturing

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12
Q

How does particle size affect human health?

A

10 microns mostly stay in the nose and pharynx
2.5 microns or smaller can potentially pass through the lung into the bloodstream

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13
Q

Describe typical PM10s
What does it cause and who does it affect the most?

A

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

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14
Q

Describe PM2.5s
sources?
What does it cause?

A

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

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15
Q

How do SO2 and Cl in air affect humans?

A

affect the upper respiratory tract

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16
Q

How does O3 affect human health?

A

lower respiratory tract
dissolves in the thin layers of the epithelial lining fluid
cough, shortness of breath

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17
Q

How does PAN affect plants?

A

Peroxyacyl Nitrates cause loss of chlorophyll in plants, glazing, silvering, or bronzing on the underside of leaves

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18
Q

How does ozone affect plants?

A

flecks, stipple, bleaching, tip burns on conifers, growth suppression

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19
Q

What is the number one greenhouse gas and where is it prominent?

A

50-80% carbon monoxide
from fossil fuel burning electrical plants and motor vehicles

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20
Q

What is the number 2 greenhouse gas and where is it from?

A

Methane
agricultural activities
landfills and decaying wetlands
chlorofluorocarbons
refrigerants
solvent and loam manufacturing

21
Q

What are the two source categories for HAPs?

A

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

22
Q

Where is benzene a byproduct of?

23
Q

Where does chromium pollution typically originate from?

A

electro-plating
tanning

24
Q

What are examples of biogenic air pollution sources?

A

volcanoes
lightning
organic swamp decay
pollen
mold spores

25
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
26
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
27
What is the cap and trade program?
~2000 utilities required to reduce SO2 emissions capped at 10 million tons/year companies can trade allowances
28
What measures the transport of pollutants when examining attainment areas?
wid rose 16 wind directions measures how long wind blows in directions
29
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
30
How are metals analyzed in air pollution?
atomic absorption atomic emission spectroscopy
31
How is asbestos monitored in air pollution?
polarized-light microscopy bulk samples phase-contrast microscopy air filters transmission electron microscopy
32
How are gases and vapors analyzed in air pollution?
spectrophotometry gas chromatography GC/MS
33
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
34
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
35
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
36
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
37
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
38
What are some concerns for indoor air?
asthma molds - mycotoxins radon carbon monoxide formaldehyde cigarette smoke
39
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
40
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
41
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
42
How is air mold sampled?
takes a known quantity grab sample of some air quantify by direct microscopic spore counting
43
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
44
What is BRI?
building related illness used when symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants
45
Where are we seeing a lot of IAQ complaints?
indoor air quality 30% of new and remodeled buildings worldwide
46
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
47
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
48
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
49
What are some potential outdoor sources that contribute to SBS?
motor vehicle exhausts, plumbing vents, building exhausts, poorly located air intake vents

REHS (47 decks)

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