Air Pollution
Causes
Natural Sources
Volcanic eruptions
Wildfires
Allergens
Human activities
Energy use
Agriculture
Greenhouse gases
Greenhouses gases are produce as we burn fossil fuels
Carbon Dioxide
Methane
Nitrous Oxide
Fluorinated gases
Rise in mold
More frequent extreme weather
For example, Floods
More Pollen
This means more production
Because of the warm climate
Smog
Is a brown haze that reduce visibility
Produce serious health problems
There are two types, Sulfurous and Photochemical
Sulfurous
Made of sulfure oxides, burning coal
Photochemical
Is the result of the reaction between
Sunlight
Nitrogen Oxides
Is produced because
Car exhaust
Coal power plants
Factory emissions
Volatile organic compounds
Is produced because
Gasoline
Paints
Cleaning solvents
Combine
Manmade pollution
Local weather and geography
Consequences
Harm plants
Irritates eyes
Cause respiratory distress
Irritate
Eyes
Nose
Throat
Exacerbate conditions
Asthma
Emphysema
Increase the risk of respiratory infections
Bronchitis
Covered different cities like
London
Because of high humidity
Was affected by industrial smog
Great Smog of London
Shut down all transportation
Cause 4,000 respiratory deaths
Glasgow
Edinburgh
Places vulnerable to smog are the ones which
Are surronded by mountains
Lying in a basin
Harmful for...
Young people
Older people
Pregnants
Produce low birth weight
Birth defects
Clean Air Act
Was signed in 1956
Banned Coal in certain parts of the city
Regulations
In vehicles emissions and gas content in the USA
Toxic pollutants
The components are...
Mercury
Lead
Dioxins
Benzene
They are caused because
It is released during gas or coal combustion
Waste incineration
Burning of gasoline
Consequences
Health problems
Cancer
Reproductive complications
Birth defects
Solutions
Limit toxic pollutants
By decreasing the use of fossil fuels
Which are caused by
Transportation
Manufacturing
Electricity generation
Smog in Los Angeles
It first "appeared" in July 26, 1943
Was yellowish with a chemical odor
So, the scientist Arie Haagen-Smit indentified two culprits
VOCs and Nitrogen oxides, which react with sunlight
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Are compounds that easily became vapor
Might contain
Carbon
Oxygen
Hydrogen
Chlorine
Sulfur
Some are naturally produced
Plants
Animals
Some are from manmade sources
Solvents
Paints
Glues
Petroleum
Nitrogen oxides
Produced by the incomplete combustion of gas in motor vehicles
VOCs and Nitrogen oxides produce PANs and Tropospheric or ground-level ozone
Produce
Eye irritation
Damage lung tissue
Consequences
Damage and weaken crops
Decrease yield
Temperature Inversion
Structure
Is a pollution-filled layer of air that remains trapped near the Earth´s surface by a slightly warmer layer above
Are the chemicals and particles in the atmosphere
Climate change
It increase SMOG
Because of the high level of heat and UV radiation