Air Quality and Pollution Flashcards
A human breathes an average of how much air per day
35 lbs per day
Atmosphere composition
78% -
21% -
0.97% -
0.03% -
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Ozone (O3) and CO2
Other Gases
Is there earth an open or closed system
A closed system. Very little outside elements exit or enter the atmosphere.
The only major force that enters the earth’s atmosphere is
Sunlight
Is most air pollution man made or natural?
Man made. Some natural pollution occurs such as pollen pollution.
What is the greenhouse effect
AKA Global Warming.
Occurs when there is no longer an equilibrium between the amount of CO2 in the ocean and in the atmosphere.
When there is more CO2 in the atmosphere than in the ocean. More CO2 in the atmosphere draws in more sunlight to the atmosphere and it gets trapped.
Where is the ozone layer?
What is the benefit of the ozone layer?
Ozone lies high in the earths atmosphere.
It helps deflect away the majority of the sun’s harmful rays.
What are fluorocarbons and what are their effect on the atmosphere
Gases prevalent in refrigerants, aerosol cans etc.
They can accumulate and deplete the ozone layer thus allowing more harmful energy from the sun into the atmosphere.
What is the real danger of the greenhouse effect
The melting of polar ice caps. The world could end up totally submersed with 20 feet of water.
99% of the earths atmosphere is within what distance?
Within 20 miles
What are the layers of the atmosphere and their altitudes
TMST
Thermosphere > 50miles/80 km
Mesopause
Mesosphere > 30miles/50 km
Stratopause
Stratosphere > 12 miles/20 km
Tropopause
Troposphere
Low pressure system
Air currents move counter clockwise.
Air rises up and cools.
Usually results in precipitation or cloudy day.
“cyclonic condition”
High pressure system
Air mass moves clockwise, anticyclonic condition
Sunny, clear days
What is a thermal inversion and what are the three types
When a layer of warm air settles over a layer of cooler air that lies near the ground. The warm air holds down the cool air and prevents pollutants from rising and scattering.
Valley inversion
Radiation Inversion
Subsidence Inversion (Los Angeles)
Smog
Fog or haze combined with smoke and other atmospheric pollutants
Photochemical Smog
Type of smog found in LA from auto and industrial emissions which result in high emissions of nitrogen oxides.
NO combine with O2 and UV light to form NO2
Brown haze
How is ozone created
(O3) is created naturally by lightning storms and artificially by the photochemical smog.
Can cause shortness of breath, and aging effects
What are some of the by products of photochemical smog
ozone, nitrous oxide, PAN, oxygen and nitrogen oxides
Sulfur oxides and acid rain
Formed from burning sulfur latent coal.
Can form “acid rain” when sulfur oxides combines with moisture to form Sulfuric Acid H2SO4
Hazards of nitrogen oxides
nitrogen dioxide is more toxic than nitric oxide.
They are respiratory irritants and can cause pulmonary edema and death.
What is a PAN
Peroxyacetetyl nitrite is a form of air pollution from the photochemical smog. It causes eye irritation.
Air pollution can cause or worsen some of the following diseases
chronic bronchitis
emphysema
lung cancer
What can plants tell us about air pollution
Can tell us the type of pollutants in the environment. Air pollution can be detrimental to plants and leave distinctive markings characteristic of the particular pollutant
How can water heaters contribute to pollution
They can increase nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide.
Check for tight fitting vent system, pressure relief valve, proper strapping, carbon buildup
5 types of particulates and notate if they are solids or liquids
Dusts, smoke, mists (L) , aerosols (L) , fumes
Dust Hazards - Size of particles and associated diseases
10 microns or smaller Most damaging dust particles are 2.5 or smaller.
pneumoconiosis
black lung (coal miners)
silicosis - general term that just means particles inhaled in the lungs
siderosis - metal particles inhaled
asbestos - may not appear 15-20 years after exposure
cancers
Name three ways to control dust
bag houses, dust collectors, electrostatic precipitators
What is a smoke? What is the particle size of smoke
A solid particle in a gas. .1 micron or smaller
Name 5 types of smoke
coal smoke - carbon in hydrocarbon gas
wood smoke - cellulose ash particles
chemical smoke - military purposes
metallic smoke(AKA fume)- zinc/tin smelters
cigarette smoke - nicotine, tar, benzopyrene and others
What is a fume
smoke-like emanation from the surface of heated metals
Aerosols vs. Mists
Aerosols - smaller liquid droplets that suspend in air over long times
Mists - larger liquid drops that fall quickly
What is the oldest pollution measuring device
The ringleman scale (measures smoke opacity)
What is the purpose of a catalytic converter
To convert unburned fossil fuel by products such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides into carbon dioxide, water vapor and nitrogen.
the catalyst is the heated metals
What are draeger tubes
AKA absorption tubes - measures the concentration of a gas
What is an anemometer
A ventilation capacity meter, CFM, used in exhaust vent (make up air)
What is litmus paper
most common type of test paper, e.g. chlorine test strips
Test papers can also be used for toxic gases such as hydrogen sulfide
What is a velometer
Measures air speed (ft/min) used in air curtains
Name the three categories of air pollutants
organic gases, inorganic gases, particulate matter
Organic Gases as air pollutants
Hydrocarbons, usually produced from gasoline from vehicles
The hydrocarbons then react with the atmosphere to product photochemical smog
Inorganic gases as air pollutants
Nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and carbon monoxide
combustion pollutants
How is carbon monoxide formed
From the incomplete combustion (oxidation) of hydrocarbons
What is the federal clean air act
it established the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for six pollutants
What 6 pollutants does the air quality standard address
PM10 - Particulate matter 10 microns or less
O3 - Ozone
Pb - Lead
SO2 - Sulfur dioxide
CO - Carbon Monoxide
NO2 - Nitrogen dioxide
What are two methods to measure ozone
chemiluminescence and UV light absorption
What method is used to measure nitrogen oxides
Chemiluminescence
What method is used to measure hydrocarbons
Flame ionization (measures the current produced as air passes through flame)
How is carbon monoxide measured
With infrared energy
How is sulfur dioxide measured
With colorimetric method
What are two environmental factors that effect air pollution
meteorological factors - wind, precipitation, pressure
topographical factors - hills, valley, manmade features
What is an intertial separator
A control device for removing particulate matter. includes single cyclone, high efficiency cyclone and multiple cyclone separators
What is a wet collection device
used to collect particulate matter
e.g. scrubbers, spray chambers, wet filters
How does gas adsorption work
with activated carbon or silica gel etc.
How does gas absorption work
by dissolving gases with a liquid solvent (water, ethanol or benzene)
The MOST likely cause of photochemical smog is due to which of the following?
Large Industries
Chemical Processing Plants
Hazardous Waste Incinerators
Heavy motor vehicle traffic
Heavy motor vehicle traffic
The industries LEAST likely to be a source of sulfur dioxide pollution are:
Metal smelters
Coal and oil burning power plants
refineries
hazardous waste incinerators
hazardous waste incinerators
Scrubbers are wet collectors generally used to remove particles that form as a:
dust, aerosol, or fog
mist, solid, or vapor
fog, mist, or dust
fume, dust or mist
fog, mist or dust
Particle size selective inlets are used to separate particulates above and below 2 to 3 microns in size on:
high volume samplers
outfall vacuums
baghouse air filters
atmospheric respirator sieves
high volume samplers
When two pollutants are combined, the effect are greater than the sum of the individual effects. This is called:
commensalism
syngerism
magnification
multiplication
synergism
Which component of clean, dry air has the smallest volume?
Carbon monoxide
Nitrogen dioxide
ammonia
sulfur dioxide
sulfur dioxide
Ozone reduces the useful life of all of the following except:
rubber
textiles
dyes
nylon
nylon
Major effects on humans are caused by the Los Angeles and London type smog, alone with which two pollutants:
sulfur dioxide and hydrogen fluoride
sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide
hydrogen sulfide and peroxacyl nitrates
ozone and nitrogen dioxide
sulfur dioxide and hydrogen fluoride
Photochemical smog has been reported in congested areas with:
large industries
chemical processing plants
industries processing hazardous wastes
high motor vehicle traffic
high motor vehicle traffic
What type of air pollution causes bleaching of leaves in plants?
PAN
sulfur dioxide
industries processing hazardous wastes
high motor vehicle traffic
sulfur dioxide
Which of the following are NOT major sources of sulfur dioxide pollution?
metal smelters
coal and oil burning power plants
refineries
electric substations
electrical substations
Which of the following is not a malodorous gas?
sulfur dioxide
hydrogen sulfide
carbon monoxide
phenol
carbon monoxide
What size particle can reach the lowest parts of the lung?
15 microns
50 microns
3 microns
any size particle
3 microns
What does a windrose measure?
wind speed and direction
Which of the following is true about particulate air pollution?
Natural Sources emit more than anthropogenic
Anthropogenic sources emit more than natural
Cars emit more than trucks
Mobile sources emit more than stationary sources
Natural Sources emit more than anthropogenic
An example of a primary secondary air pollutant pair is:
SO2;H2SO4
Which of the following is not true about gaseous air pollution?
Trucks emit more than cars
An air pollutant which exists in vapor phase would be best termed?
gas
Systemic effects of indoor air pollutants include all but on of the following:
Pulmonary effects
An air pollutant that exists as a particle with a size of 2.5 - 10 micro meters would most likely end up-
Depositing in the nose and throat
When absorbed daytime heat is radiated quickly into space and the temperature of surface air drops below that of the air above it, the condition is referred to as:
radiation inversion
All of the following are criteria pollutants except:
a. carbon monoxide
b. sulfur dioxide
c. carbon dioxide
d. nitrogen oxides
Carbon dioxide
Acid condensates, dust, soot, and smoke are considered:
particulate matter
The most dangerous of the particulate air pollutants in terms of human health are:
aerosols
The Emergency Planning and Community-Right-to-Know Act was promoted by the accident at:
chernobyl
The greatest number of casualties as the result of air pollution occurred in:
Meuse River Valley, Belgium
Pollutants in the ambient air most associated with heightened risk of death and disease are:
particulate
