Pollution Project

Air Pollution

By: Christine Bayly



Table of contents
Carbon Monoxide
Sulfur Dioxide
Nitrogen oxides
Particulate Matter
Troposphere ozone
Lead



Carbon Monoxide -Causes

● Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas produced by burning
gasoline, wood, propane, charcoal or other fuel

● It can be caused by various fuel-burning appliances and engines produces carbon
monoxide.

● For example: Cooking with a charcoal grill indoors, the carbon monoxide can
build to dangerous levels or even when your tailpipe is covered with snow and is
not properly cleared can cause Carbon Monoxide.

● Or even improperly ventilated appliances and engines, especially tightly closed or
enclosed spaces.

● It is also released into the atmosphere by volcanoes as they erupt, from the smoke
of forest fires, from the natural gases in coal mines, and even from lightning!

Carbon Monoxide - Consequences

● By inhaling too much Carbon Monoxide, you can have carbon monoxide
poisoning. That is when the it builds up in your bloodstream and your body
replaces the oxygen in your red blood cells with carbon monoxide. This is can lead
to serious tissue damage, or even death.

● Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Dull headache, Weakness, Dizziness,
Nausea or vomiting, Shortness of breath, Confusion, Blurred vision or even Loss
of consciousness.

● This is especially dangerous for people who are sleeping or intoxicated because
they could have irreversible brain damage or death without anyone knowing

● When carbon monoxide is emitted into the atmosphere it affects the amount of
greenhouse gases, which are linked to climate change and global warming.

● Which means that land and sea temperature increases changing to ecosystems,
increasing storm activity and causing other extreme weather events.

Carbon Monoxide- Solutions

● You can prevent this every easily by either installing a Carbon Monoxide detector.
● Always open the garage door before you start your car. The garage is an enclosed

space where carbon monoxide from the car could build and cause bad things.
● Use a gas appliance as recommend. Don’t use it to warm up your house.
● Make sure you keep your fuel heated appliances vented properly.
● If you happen to have a fireplace, keep it in good repair.
● Keep chimneys or vents unblocked
● Make sure if you have had carbon monoxide poisoning happen in your household,

make sure it is repaired properly so it won’t happen again.

●





Sulfur Dioxide- Causes

● It caused from the burning of fossil fuels (coal and oil) and the smelting of mineral ores
(aluminum, copper, zinc, lead, and iron) that contain sulfur.

● The gas primarily is emitted from fossil fuel combustion at power plants and other industrial
facilities, as well as fuel combustion in mobile sources such as locomotives, ships, and other
equipment.

● In minnesota they collected data on what causes sulfur dioxide in their state and most of it
seems to come from these: Large, stationary sources with relatively high emissions, such as
electric power plants and refineries.

● Smaller stationary sources such as dry cleaners, gasoline service stations and residential wood
burning. May also include diffuse stationary sources such as wildfires and agricultural tilling.

● Even vehicles operated on highways, streets and roads or even Off-road vehicles and portable
equipment powered by internal combustion engines. Includes lawn and garden equipment,
recreational equipment, construction equipment, aircraft and locomotives.

● In nature, volcanic eruptions can release sulfur dioxide into the air.
● In homes, sulfur dioxide gas can result from tobacco smoke, improperly or inadequately vented

gas appliances (such as stoves, ranges, furnaces, or clothes dryers), gas or kerosene heaters,
wood or coal stoves, automobile exhaust from attached garages, and malfunctioning chimneys.

Sulfuric acid is the world's largest
volume industrial chemical. The
main use is in the production of
phosphate fertilizers. It is used to
manufacture explosives, other acids,
dyes, glue, wood preservatives, and
automobile batteries. It is used in the
purification of petroleum, the
pickling of metal, copper smelting,
electroplating, metal work, and the
production of rayon and film.

Sulfur Dioxide- Consequences

● Sulfur dioxide dissolves easily in water to form sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid is a major component of acid rain. Acid
rain can damage forests and crops, change the acidity of soils, and make lakes and streams acidic and unsuitable
for fish. Sulfur dioxide also contributes to the decay of building materials and paints, including monuments and
statues.

● You yourself can breathe it in or get it on your skin which will cause burning of the nose, throat, and lungs,
difficulty breathing, and harm to the respiratory system which will affect you short term.

● By touching liquid sulfur dioxide you can cause: Frostbite or Irritation of the eyes.
● For long term health: Changes in lung function, Decreased fertility in women and men, Loss of smell, Headache

and dizziness, Nausea and vomiting, or Bronchitis and shortness of breath.
● According to australian government website of department of agriculture, water, and environment: “It has

moderate acute (short-term) toxicity on aquatic life. Sulfuric acid is very corrosive and would badly burn any
plants, birds or land animals exposed to it. It has moderate chronic (long-term) toxicity to aquatic life. Chronic
effects on plants, birds or land animals have not been determined. Small quantities of sulfuric acid will be
neutralised by the natural alkalinity in aquatic systems. Larger quantities may lower the pH for extended periods
of time.”

Sulfur Dioxide- Solutions

● Use gas appliances with electronic (pilotless) ignition. This will eliminate the continuous low-level
pollutants from pilot lights.

● Use exhaust fans over gas stoves that are vented to the outdoors instead of fans that recirculate the air
indoors. Keep the metal mesh filters on your exhaust fans clean (most can be run through the
dishwasher).

● Choose vented appliances whenever possible, and make sure they are vented to the outdoors. Have a
trained professional inspect your appliances annually.

● Never heat your home with a gas range or stove.
● Do not idle your car in the garage.
● Do not smoke indoors.
● Scientists have found different ways to reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide released from coal-burning

power plants: Using coal that contains less sulfur; “Wash” the coal to remove some of the sulfur; or even
installing equipment called scrubbers, which remove the sulfur dioxide from gases leaving the
smokestack. Because nitrogen oxides are created in the process of burning coal and other fossil fuels,
some power plants are changing the way they burn coal.



Nitrogen Oxides- Causes

● This gas smells and can be naturally formed in the atmosphere by lighting and
some even by water, plants, and soils, but only like 1% is like this in city air.

● “Nitrogen dioxide is an important air pollutant because it contributes to the
formation of photochemical smog, which can have significant impacts on human
health.”

● It primarily gets in the air from the burning of fuel. NO2 comes from the
emissions of cars, trucks and buses, power plants, and off-road equipment.

Nitrogen Oxides-Consequences

● Nitrogen dioxide inflames the lining of the lungs, and reduce the immunity to
lung infections. This can cause problems such as wheezing, coughing, colds, flu
and bronchitis.

● When Nitrogen interacts with water, oxygen and other chemicals in the
atmosphere to form acid rain. Acid rain harms sensitive ecosystems such as lakes
and forests.

● The particles of NO2 make the air hazy and difficult to see though which can
affect many national parks that we visit for the view.

● NO2 being in the atmosphere contributes to the nutrient pollution in coastal
waters.

Nitrogen Oxides-Solutions

● For australia, they are taking measures to do these things: implementing national fuel quality standards;
supporting the implementation of tighter vehicle emission standards

● developing a National Environment Protection Measure for diesel, to improve the in-service performance
of diesel vehicles

● developing and promoting alternative fuels;
● developing pollution forecasting systems for Australia's major cities;
● promoting bicycle use for short journeys through Cycle Connect; and
● working with the States and Territories through programs such as TravelSmart to influence passengers

transport choices.
● As a general rule of thumb, these are some other ways to solve this: Prevention of Nitrogen Oxide and

Removal During Combustion and Nitrogen Oxide Removal After Combustion.
● One type of technology used in cars is called a catalytic converter which can reduce the pollution
● Or steering clear of fossil fuels.



Particulate Matter - Causes

● This is all the sum of all solid and liquid particles suspended in air many of
which are hazardous. This complex mixture includes both organic and
inorganic particles, such as dust, pollen, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets.
These particles vary greatly in size, composition, and origin.

● These particles come in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of
hundreds of different chemicals.Some are emitted directly from a source, such
as construction sites, unpaved roads, fields, smokestacks or fires.

● Most particles are formed in the atmosphere due to the complex reactions of
chemicals such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. In which these
pollutants are emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles.



Particulate Matter- Consequences

● The particular matter contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so
small that they can be inhaled and cause serious health problems.

● Visabillity damage
● making lakes and streams acidic
● changing the nutrient balance in coastal waters and large river basins
● depleting the nutrients in soil
● damaging sensitive forests and farm crops
● affecting the diversity of ecosystems
● contributing to acid rain effects.
● Material damage

●

Particulate Matter- Solutions

● EPA regulates inhalable particles. Particles of sand and large dust, which are larger
than 10 micrometers, are not regulated by EPA.

● EPA’s national and regional rules to reduce emissions of pollutants that form PM
will help state and local governments meet the Agency’s national air quality
standards.

● Limit the use of fireplaces and wood stoves.
● Reduce diesel emissions by replacing older engines with newer and cleaner ones
● Walk, cycle, take public transit and carpool whenever possible
● Mulch garden refuse instead of burning it



Troposphere Ozone - Causes

● The Tropospheric ozone is a short-lived climate pollutant with an atmospheric
lifetime of hours to weeks.

● It does not have any direct sources of emissions but rather it is a secondary gas
formed by the interaction of sunlight with hydrocarbons which include methane
and nitrogen oxides. Which are emitted by vehicles, fossil fuel power plants, and
other man-made sources.





Troposphere Ozone- Consequences

● The Ozone absorbs radiation and is the defender against strong greenhouse gas. But
the tropospheric ozone affects the climate beyond increased warming, having impacts
on evaporation rates, cloud formation, precipitation levels, and atmospheric
circulation. These primarily occur within the regions where tropospheric ozone
precursors are emitted, and it mostly affects the Northern Hemisphere.

● Tropospheric ozone is a big component of smog, which can worsen bronchitis and
emphysema, trigger asthma, and permanently damage lung tissue. By having
exposure to this, it is caused 1 million premature deaths each year.

● The highly reactive oxidant significantly reduces crop productivity as well as the
uptake of atmospheric carbon by vegetation. It also affects plants by impeding growth
and seed production, reduced functional leaf area and accelerated ageing.

Troposphere Ozone - Solutions

● Primarily to reduce this, it is by methane reduction strategies.
● Combining the short lifetime of methane in the atmosphere, with strong warming

potential, means that strategies to reduce the emissions can help the climate and
have health benefits in a few decades.
● Even some simple things you can do to reduce ozone is to walk, bike, take public
transportation. Or wait until the evening to refuel your car as the pollutants will
be unlikely to become ozon. Or even on a larger scale, you can look for energy
sources that don’t emit pollution leading to ozone.



Lead- Causes

● At a national level, major sources of lead in the air are ore and metals processing
and piston-engine aircraft operating on leaded aviation fuel. Other sources are
waste incinerators, utilities, and lead-acid battery manufacturers. The highest air
concentrations of lead are usually found near lead smelters. Or even recyclers too.

● Other industrial sources of lead emissions can include: metals processing, iron and
steel foundries, copper smelters, industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers,
glass manufacturers, or cement manufacturers

● You use to find a lot of leaded fuel or even pain with lead

Lead -Consequences

● Elevated lead in the environment can result in decreased growth and
reproductive rates in plants and animals, and neurological effects in vertebrates.

● According to the EPA, “Once taken into the body, lead distributes throughout the
body in the blood and is accumulated in the bones. Depending on the level of
exposure, lead can adversely affect the nervous system, kidney function, immune
system, reproductive and developmental systems and the cardiovascular system.
Lead exposure also affects the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood.”

● It can get in the air, soil, and water which can become lead dust and we can
breathe it in and it can be harmful to the environment.

Lead -Solutions

● By properly disposing of products with lead or choosing products that do not have
lead in them such as paint.

● By reducing the amount of lead smelters in the area, choosing fuel that doesn’t
have lead, or by choosing not to melt lead.

● Also you can follow these different rules that these organizations have offered as
solutions to combat lead pollution. “The Clean Air Act made by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes National Ambient Air
Quality Standards (NAAQS) for those criteria pollutants considered most harmful
for health and the environment. Another example is the European Union Air
Quality Directive by the European Environmental Agency, which also establishes
some standards and tips to reduce air pollution, both indoors and outdoors.”