Air and Noise Pollution

Ch. 12

Food for thought

I thought I saw a blue jay this morning. But the smog was so bad, it turned out to be a cardinal holding its breath.
Michael J. Cohen

Humor is often used to get peoples attention. With your neighbor, use humor to complete the following sentence to draw attention the air pollution problem. You know the air is polluted when.

What is in air?
Mixture of gases
78% nitrogen 21% oxygen 1% argon, carbon dioxide, water vapor

Pollutants harmful materials that enter the environment picked up by air currents

Air pollution
Air pollution collection of harmful substances released into the atmosphere Some from natural sources (sand, dust storms, volcanic eruptions, forest fires) Human activity = major source of pollutants that continues to grow

History of air pollution

Industrial revolution 1700s dependent on burning of wood and coal for fuel Elevated air pollution to a widespread status Illness and death due to air pollution sky rocketed

Primary and secondary

Primary pollutants put directly into the air by humans, i.e. smoke Secondary pollutants primary pollutants react with other substances in the air, i.e ground-level ozone

Outdoor pollutants
Particulates tiny solids suspended in the air ash, dust, soot, plant pollen
Can be inhaled and become trapped in the lungs

Gases usually oxides compounds of oxygen and another element

Released when fossil fuels are burned

 Photochemical smog yellow brown haze formed when sunlight reacts with pollutants from cars
I. e. Ozone (O3) very corrosive, nitrogen dioxide brown gas, methane from livestock and decaying matter

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) compounds of chlorine, fluorine, and carbon once used in refrigerators, acs, aerosol cans, and the production of foams

Indoor Pollutants
Indoor Pollutant effects are multiplied by poor air circulation and the long amounts of time people spend inside Cigarette smoke deadliest of all IP Microorganisms bacteria and fungi from air ducts and vents Radon colorless, odorless, radioactive gas comes from soil when radium breaks down Asbestos minerals that form in long thin fibers banned in US

Air pollution and living things

Pollution linked to many health problems and can worsen existing medical conditions Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in oxygens place Ozone and oxides irritate eyes and respiratory tract Emphysema disease in which tiny air sacs in the lungs break down Lung Cancer 150,000 deaths / year in US

How does air pollution effect an ecosystem?

Ozone and sulfur oxides hazardous to plants, cause stems to be brittle and leaves spotted US loses $10 million of crops / year due to AP Loss of plants disrupts the food web and deprive animals of food Same health problems for animals as for humans (cancer, lung irritation, etc.) Temperature Inversions usually warm air rises and takes pollutants up into atmosphere
Sometimes the air near the ground is colder than the air above Pollutants become trapped near the surface of the ground i.e. Los Angeles cities in vallies

Global effects of air pollution

Acid rain precipitation that is more acidic than normal
Normal precip = 5.6 pH

Water in the atmosphere reacts with sulfur and nitrous oxide to form nitric acid and sulfuric acid
Strong and corrosive

Falls on forests and accumulates in mtn. lakes making them uninhabitable by fish
Absence of aquatic life disrupts ecosystems

Damages trees and destroys forests

Controlling Air Pollution

Natural controls precipitation is most effective

particles in air stick to precip and fall to the ground many aerosols dissolve in rain CO2 removed biologically by plants and microorganisms, also removed by ocean waters (cooler temps hold more)

 Human controls
Emission control standards for automobiles
catalytic converters remove pollutants from exhaust Use unleaded gas, cars get better gas mileage than in past (reduce lead pollution by 90%) Will always put out some pollution when gas is burned Electric cars, hybrid cars
Zero Emissions Vehicles no tailpipe emissions

Legistlation (EPA) Clean Air Act 1970

Require pollution control devices in factories Regulates vehicle emissions

Power plants Burn fossil fuels to produce electricity

use techniques to remove pollutants from exhaust Scrubbers machine that moves gases through a spray of water that removes many pollutants Electrostatic precipitators remove dust particles from smoke stacks

Noise Pollution
Comes from airplanes, machinery, loud concerts, etc. Causes annoyance, stress, hearing loss Living things harmed by loud or high-pitched sounds Sound measured in decibels
70-80 dB = annoyance, hearing loss 120 130 dB = physical pain and hearing damage

Noise Control Act 1972 sets standards for maximum noise levels in workplace