Unit 6 Atmospheric Pollution Flashcards
troposphere
first 10 k
weather
ariplanes
bad ozone
stratopshere
good ozone that protects us from uv-b, uv-c, radiatoin
no weather
mesosphere
coldest layer
where meterotires burn up
first layer to have atmospheric gases
thermosphere
not many gases
satellites and auroras
atmospheric gas composition
78% nitrogen
21% oxygen
1% other gases
overall impacts of pollutants
climate change
decrease NPP of plants: harm to plant tissues, affect amoint of xunlight
human health issues: respitory isues, developing counties have higher death rate
pollutant definition
anyting in teh atmosphere that is harmful to humans or the environment
can be natural or anthropogenic
primary pollutant
pollutants emitted direcly into the atmosphere
seconday polluntant
primary pollutant that undergoes a chemical reaction in the atmosphere usually w. other gases, water vapor, or dunlight
criteria air pollutants
clean air act required the epa to set criteria for 6 pollutants
NOSCLP: NO2, O3, SO2, CO, Pb, PM
non criteria air pollutants
no direct impact on human health: methane, CO2
natually occuringL radon, mold
other regulations: radiation, VOCs, noise pollution, mercury
combustion of fossil fuels
biggest contributor to atmospheric pollutant
causes all 6 polluntants anre more
contain carbon and impurities
nitrogen diozide
sources: volcanoes, lightning, forest fires, ff combustion
impacts: respitroy irritants, leads to formation of photochemical smog, converts to nitric acid in atmoshere
ozone
sources: good ozone, photochemical smog
impacts: irritation to nose/throat, respitrory illness, greenhouse gas
formula: sunlight + NOx + VOCs = O3
sulfur dioxide
sources: volcanoes, fires, combusiton of ff
impacts: can turn into sulfuci acid/acid rain, irritates plant tissues, disrupts photosynthesis
carbon monoxide
sources: volcanoes, forest fires, incomplete combustion of ff
impacts: asphyziation amdnd death
lead
sources: lithosphere, air particulate, paint, gasoline, pipes
impacts: no safe exposure level, effect learning, intelligence, and iq
particlate matter
mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets
sources: dust storms, wildfires, volcanoes, pollen, soot from FF, moking, construciton, agriculture
impacts: respitory irriation, heart and lung disase, decrease sunlught = less NPP
unleaded gasoline
cars in 70s were bult with catalyitc converters to ptomote phasing out lead with ethonal
lead banned in 1994
flint, michigan water crisis
lead piping contaminated water
fertility rates dropped, fetal deaths rose, impaired congition, delaued pruberty, behavioral disorders
less affluent communities more affected
photochemical smog
orange-brown haze caused by solar on atmosphere polluted with VOCs and NOx
NO + VOCs + O2 + UV = O3 + PANs
reactant 1: NOx
gas contains mosly hydrocarbons and other impurities bc its formed from fossils and impurities
car exhaust combustion accts as acatlysst to form NOx
reactant 2: VOCs
extremely diverse
can be harmful or not
like smells: pine, floral, ect
tropospheric conditions that help create photochemical smog
UV light and heat calatyxe the creation
urban areas
afternoon
summer
stratopsheric ozone
good ozone
o3
natural origin
created with oxygen reacts with sinlight
protects us from UV radiation
tropospheric ozone
bad ozone
O3
antrhropogenic origin
created when NOx reacts with VOCs and sunlight
causes respitory illness
Product 2: PANs
another product of photochemical smog
burns plant tissue
health effects of smog
irritates eyes, ears, and throat
can worsen existing heart and lung conditions
bronchitis, emphysema, COPD, asthma
cancer
reduction of photochemicla smog
use cleaner or public transport
reduce NOX: catalytic converters
reduce VOCs: pump gas at night, dont spill, close gas cap
thermal inversion
a layer of warm air is situated over a layer of cooler air
traps pollution
condittions that increase thermal inversion
windless weather
night time
winter
urban island heat
valleys and mtn ranges
coasts
tainjin, china
cut off heating system for winter season
cold snapp lead people to use stoves to keep warm
temperature inversion trapped CO and PM
1000 people were harmed and 11 died
sources of CO2
repiration
decompsition
ocean outassing
volcanic eruptions
eildgires
FF combstion
tends of CO2
naturally rise and fall, stay around 300 PPM
levels have grown over 400 PPM since the industrial revolution
impacts of CO2
climate change: shifting biomes, animal migrations, extreme weather, sea level rise
carbonic acid: acidify ocean, hruting marine life
co2 solutions
tech: carbom capture, nuclear and renewables
consumer/industry choice: conservation and efficiency
gov interncation: carbon tax, alternative transport
size of PM
inhalable case particulates : 2.5-10 upm. upper respitrory
fine particles: less than 2.5
smaller = more harmful to human health, lower respitrory
control of PM
baghouse filters: eletrically charge particles and use fabric to remove them
electrostatic precipitator: removes PM by using electricity, PM, and ,machine
scrubbers: uses water and air
indoor air pollutants
pollutants become trapped and concentrated w/in inpermeable walls
can be differnet than outdoor pollutants
radon-222
results from the decay of uranium in rock around a home
seeps through cracks and dissolves in ground water
ccauses cancer
can use kits to detect, fix cracks, venting systems
mold
fungus that releases spores
found in buildings with poor ventilation and high humididlty
causes allergy-like systems and respitroy issues
dust
particules of skin cells, hair, pet dander, clothing fibers, bacteria, dust mites, soil particles, pollen, ect
classified by size
can cause allergy symptims and respittory illnesss
solutionL change filters
coumbustion source of indoor air pollutants
biomass and fossil fuels
mroe deaths in developing countries
produces CO2, CO, NOx, SO2, and fine PM
asbestos
small glass fibers in insulation
obstract blood flow anc duase lung cancer
VOCs indoor air pollution
diverse: cleaning products, furniture, paint, ect
formaldehyde in treaated bulding materials that cuase cancer
sick building syndrome
occupants of a building experience acute health and comfor ecffects that is lined to time spent in a building
caused by poor ventilation or chemical contaminants (VOCs, combustion products, mold, dust, and pathogens)
solutions: ventilation, pollutant removal
acidity
measure of H+ ions vs OH- ions
acid rain formation
caused by NOX and SO2 react with water in the atmosphere
a secondary pollutant
wet deposition: precipitation as rain , sleet, and snow
dry deposition: falling particles or gases
pH less than 5.6
sources of acid rain
volcanoes, gesyers, lightning
FF combusion
what effects the severity of acid rain
proximity to power plant
direciton of wind
compsition of regional rocks and oils
impacts of acid rain
lower soil fertility
reduced minera intake
damage to leaves
water acidification = marine death
desolve main made structures
solutions to acid rain
alternatie energy sources to reduce ff use
sulfur scrubbers: limestone absorb SO2 and product can be used to produce drywall
catalytic converters: nitrogen oxides
remediation and restoration for acid rain
lming: add limestone to buffer ecidic soil, lakes, ect
noise pollution
sound at high enough levels that it causes physuilogic or emotional stress or hearing loss
measuring csound
in decibals
logmarithic
anthropogenic sources of noise
urban areas
transportation
construction
domestic and industrial activity
health efffects from noise pollution
danger zone: above 85 db
sound vibrates eardrum and bones in ear = hurt hair cells - hearing loss
stress, depression, anxiety = changes in blood pressure and heart health
wildlife health effects from noise pollution
masks natural sounds, disrupting hunting and communication
changes in mirgratory patterns
less reproduction
overall decline in helth
cant hear echolocation = no communication, cant find food, reproduce and migrate
how to control noise pollution
wear noise cancelling ear protection
EPA and OSHA set regulatroy limits and standards
