Unit 7 Flashcards
The Clean Air Act of 1963, a US federal law to control air pollution on a national level, did what?
-regulated lead use, particularly in fuel, which dramatically decreased the % of lead in the atmosphere
-cars are required to have catalytic converters (unless they are older than 1973)
-Restricted burning of coal in certain areas
-established the cap & trade program
-established the Office of Noise Abatement and Control (ONAC) to carry out studies on noise & its effect on public health and welfare
Cap & Trade Program
(Part of Clean Air Act)
Established a carbon cap that gets stricter over time, where excess emissions can be “traded” or sold to other companies as supply and demand set the price
[effective because trading gave companies an incentive to cut emissions to save/make money]
Pollutants from coal-burning
(& their effects)
-SO2, Sulfur dioxide
-NO Nitrogen oxides
-CO2 Carbon dioxide
-(Hg) Mercury & Lead (Pb)
Externalities
costs of a resource that are not covered in bills
(Funding a power plant but there is an added cost of air pollution)
Ground-level ozone in most major US cities result from what?
vehical exhaust
primary pollutant
a pollutant emitted from a source directly into the atmosphere
Fly ash & bottom ash are?
residues created when power plants burn coal
How does smog form?
CO2, NOx, & VOCs from factory smoke combine with the Sun’s UV rays to produce PANs & O3, creating essentially a cloud of pollution (one that is incapable of dissipating in when in a basin or encased by mountains)
Photochemical smog
brown smog with pungent odor & a high amount of Nitrogen dioxide, made by: (NO2&VOCs) + Sunlight
Most commonly formed in areas with a lot of warm weather & sunlight
Effects of Photochemical Smog
birth defects, asthma, eye irritation, respiratory problems, and reduced lung function
When is ground level ozone concentration at its peak?
Afternoon during the summer (as ozone is produced by chemical reactions between oxygen and sunlight)
At what time is Nitrogen oxide is produced?
early in the day
How can Photochemical smog be reduced?
Reducing nitrogen oxide & VOCs by using catalytic converters on cars
phenomenon where the air of different temperatures invert in the atmosphere, causing the dense warm upper air layer to trap down pollution close to the ground, (especially smog & particulates)
Temperature/Thermal/Atmospheric Inversion
How is air temperature distributed during Atmospheric Inversion?
cold air (ground level) to warm air then colder air
asending order
CO2 appears naturally in the atmosphere from sources such as…
respiration, decomposition, forest fires & volcanic eruption
Common indoor air pollutants
radon, mold, dust &
-Lead - in old plumbing pipes/fixtures & some paints
-Formaldehyde - building materials, furniture, upholstery, & carpeting
-(most common) VOCs from furniture, paneling and/or carpets
-insulation (aerosoles)
Indoor air pollutant particulates
asbestos, dust, & cigarette/vape smoke (VOCs are most common)
Health Effects of Formaldehyde
irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and/or skin
a colorless, odorless, non-anthropogenic carcinogen gas that seeps through the foundation of houses due to radioactive decay of Uranium 238 in earth’s underlying rocks. (may also be in the groundwater entering homes through a well)
Radon
How long should a test for radon be?
As radon levels fluctuate, you’ll get the most accurate results from a long-term test. (around 90 days)
Radon Remediation:
-Seal & caulk foundation cracks
-Install a soil suction radon reduction system, (aka vent pipe & fan system) where a 3-4inch pipe pulls radon from under the house & vents it outside, keeping it from accumulating inside
-Create a gas-permeable layer beneath the slab or flooring (not for homes with a crawl space)
-Install plastic sheeting on top of the gas-permeable layer
Most common way for asbestos fibers to enter the body is through…
breathing
(if inhaled or ingested some fibers may get into the lungs, or, if swallowed, into the digestive tract, causing health problems)
Health Risks of Asbestos
-Asbestosis: a serious, chronic, non-cancerous respiratory disease that may cause cardiac failure
-Mesothelioma: rare form of cancer that often occurs in the thin membrane lining of the lungs, chest, abdomen, and (rarely) heart, (cancers in the esophagus, larynx, oral cavity, stomach, colon & kidney may also be caused by ingesting asbestos)
Methods to reduce air pollution from coal burning power plants
-Scrubbers (remove particulates and/or gases from industrial exhaust streams
-electrostatic precipitators - (captures particulates)
Dry scrubbers for particulates, Wet for gasses & particulates
Downside of scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators-particulates
the particulates collected are coal ash, which contains toxic levels of several different pollutants that is then collected & stored long-term in coal ash ponds near the plant where they contribute to acid mine drainage, as well as surface and groundwater pollution
Limestone bedrock has the ability to neutralize the effect of
acid rain on lakes and ponds
any precipitation with high levels of SOx that damages the environment and eats away at structures
Acid Rain
Acid rain and deposition can increase in the concentrations of soluble heavy metals in a local pond and soils in a local pond & soils, which ________
can lead to the acidification (LOWERed pH) of soils & bodies of water
Acid rain effect on trees
tree damage resulting in lowered resistance to pests, plants struggle to take in water, decreases trees ability to withstand cold weather, and lowers their rate of photosynthesis,
How to Control Acid Disposition
Reduce SO2 and NO2 emissions by switching to alternative energies such as solar, hydroelectric and wind power
Legislation: (The Clean Air Act) set standards on how much NO2 and SO2 are allowed to be emitted
Sources of urban noise pollution
transportation, construction, domestic, & industrial activity
Effects of hearing loss
stunted developmentally, worse test scores,
Effects of noise pollution on animals in ecological systems
stress, the masking of sounds used to communicate or hunt, damaged hearing, and causing changes to migratory routes
sound at levels high enough to cause physiological stress and eventual permanent hearing loss
noise pollution
Health Risk of Radon
Lung cancer
True or False: industrial smog does not contain ozone
true
CFCs deplete…
the ozone layer
What do electro precipitators collect?
particles/particulates
What do scrubbers collect?
(wet scrubbers)
toxic gases & particulate matter
(dry scrubbers just capture particulates)
Primary gas responsible for acid rain
Sulfur dioxide
what causes photochemical smog?
nitrogen oxides + volatile organic hydrocarbons (VOCs) exposed to UV rays
From Burning Fossil Fuels
catalytic converters collect
Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxide (NOx), & Hydrocarbon (HC)
baghouse filters in exhaust systems capture:
particulates (least effective)
vapor recovery nozzle
device on gasoline pumps preventing toxic fumes from escaping into the air when fueling a vehicle
What is the primary anthropogentic cause of acid rain in the northeast United States?
Burning Fossil Fuels
