geology ch. 16 air quality issues

ground-level ozone

-a serious pollutant -in the upper atmosphere ozone serves to screen out ultraviolet light

earths global wind patterns

-air is warmed at equator -flows toward higher latitudes -colder, more dense air sinks and flows toward the equator

ultraviolet light

-can damage tissue and cause genetic mutations

troposphere

-extends from the earths surface to 10 km (6.2 miles) -contains most of the water vapor of the atmosphere and is the layer where weather takes place

stratopshere

-extends from the top of the troposphere to about 50 km -contains most of the ozone -ozone layer absorbs sunlight, the upper layers are warmer than the lowers -protects from UV radiation

ways lead gets into the body

-inhale it -consume lead that has landed on substances we eat

photochemical smog

-involves production of secondary air pollutants -a mixture of pollutants including ozone, aldehydes, and peroxyacetyl nitrates that result from nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen monoxide, and volatile organic cmpds with sunlight -2 most destructive components of photochemical smog are ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate PAN For photochemical smog to develop, several ingredients are required. Nitrogen monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and volatile organic compounds must be present, and sunlight and warm temperatures are important to support the chemical reactions involved. -nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen monoxide, volatile organic cmpds, sunlight -it is a mixture of air pollutants including aldehydes and peroxyacetyl

volatile organic compounds VOCs

-organic compounds that readiluy evaporate and become pollutants in the air -referred to as hydrocarbons

effects of acid rain on aquatic ecosystems

-reproduction rates fall for many organism -there is a progressive loss of diversity with increasing acidity

pollutants classified as "criteria pollutants"

-sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides -particulate matter -lead -carbon monoxide and ozone

effects of acid rain on structures

-the acid rain coverts limestone to gypsum, and then the gypsum dissolves into water and washes away -metal structures are altered by their interaction with acid rain

primary air pollutants

-there are 5 major types of unmodified materials that, when released into the environment in sufficient quantities, are considered hazardous. -carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds (hydrocarbons), particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and oxides of nitrogen. -may interact with one another in presence of sunlight to form new compounds such as ozone

helping pollution

1. restrict the kinds of cars ppl buy 2. provide incentives to encourage fewer ppl to drive 3. provide economic penalties for the use of automobiles 4. provide affordable, safe and convenient alternative means of transportation

formation of smog

1. rush-hr traffic rises levels on nitrogen monoxide and VOCs in the atmosphere 2. sunlight reacts with chemicals to form nitrogen dioxide 3. NO2, VOCs, and NO react in sunlight to form ozone and other components of smog 4. the sun sets and temp falls

indoor air pollution

A growing body of scientific evidence indicates that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Many indoor air pollutants and pollutant sources are thought to have an adverse effect on human health. - is often higher than it is outdoors

indoor air pollutants come from a variety of sources:

Asbestos fibers from older ceiling and floor tiles and insulation; Formaldehyde, which is associated with many consumer products, including certain wood products and aerosols; Radon in certain parts of the world with the appropriate geology; Lead from lead-based paints in older homes; Volatile organic compounds such as airborne pesticide residues, perchloroethylene (associated particularly with dry cleaning), paradichlorobenzene (from mothballs and air fresheners), and gases from cleaning agents, polishes, and paints; Carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide from stoves, furnaces, kerosene heaters, fireplaces, and tobacco smoke; Particulate matter from burning materials; Mold spores from molds growing in damp places; and Other disease-causing or allergy-producing organisms.

Lead

At one time, the primary source of airborne lead was from additives in gasoline. Lead was added to gasoline to help engines run more effectively. Recognition that lead emissions were hazardous resulted in the lead additives being removed from gasoline in North America and Europe. Today, nearly all countries have phased out lead as an additive to gasoline and nearly all of the gasoline produced worldwide is unleaded. Since leaded gasoline has been eliminated in much of the world, lead levels have fallen. In the United States, lead emissions peaked at about 258,000 tons per year. In 2007, they were about 1,300 tons per year—a reduction of 99.5 percent. Today, industrial sources such as metal smelters and manufacturers of batteries account for about 80 percent of lead emissions.

certain air pollutants

In addition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established air quality standards for six principal air pollutants The criteria air pollutants are carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), lead (Pb), and ozone (O3).

hazardous air pollutants

Other dangerous materials are released as a result of consumer activities. Benzene in gasoline escapes when gasoline is put into the tank, and the use of some consumer products such as glues and cleaners releases toxic materials into the air. The majority of air toxics, however, are released as a result of manufacturing processes. Perchloroethylene is released from dry cleaning establishments, and toxic metals are released from smelters. The chemical and petroleum industries are the primary sources of hazardous air pollutants.

pollution

any addition of matter or energy that degrades the environment for humans and other organisms The pollutants released into the air are diluted, carried away by the wind, washed from the air by rain, or react with oxygen in the air to form harmless materials. Thus, the overall negative effect is slight.

noise pollution

Research has shown that exposure to noise can cause physical, as well as mental, harm. The loudness of the noise is measured by decibels (db). Decibel scales are logarithmic rather than linear. The frequency or pitch of a sound is also a factor in determining its degree of harm. High-pitched sounds are the most annoying. The most common sound pressure scale for high-pitched sounds is the A scale, whose units are written "dbA." Hearing loss begins with prolonged exposure (eight hours or more per day) to 80 or 90 dbA levels of sound pressure. Sound pressure becomes painful at around 140 dbA and can kill at 180 dbA. In addition to hearing loss, noise pollution is linked to a variety of other ailments, ranging from nervous tension headaches to neuroses. Research has also shown that noise may cause blood vessels to constrict (which reduces the blood flow to key body parts), disturbs unborn children, and sometimes causes seizures in epileptics.

radon

Since radon is an inert gas, it does not enter into any chemical reactions within the body, but it can be inhaled. Once in the lungs, it may undergo radioactive decay, producing other kinds of atoms called "daughters" of radon. Increased incidence of lung cancer is the only known health effect associated with radon decay products. It is estimated that the decay products of radon are responsible for about 20,000 lung cancer deaths annually in the United States. This is about 10 percent of lung cancer deaths.

smog

Smog problems could be substantially decreased by reducing the NOX and VOCs associated with the use of internal combustion engines (perhaps eliminating them completely) or by moving population centers away from the valleys where thermal inversions occur.

atmosphere

The atmosphere (air) is composed of 78.1 percent nitrogen, 20.9 percent oxygen, and a number of other gases such as argon, carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor that total about 1 percent

ch 16 review

The atmosphere has a tremendous ability to disperse pollutants. Carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and oxides of nitrogen compounds are the primary air pollutants. They can cause a variety of health problems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established standards for six pollutants known as criteria air pollutants. They are carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds (hydrocarbons), ozone, and lead. The EPA also regulates hazardous air pollutants. Photochemical smog is a secondary pollutant, formed when hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen are trapped by thermal inversions and react with each other in the presence of sunlight to form peroxyacetyl nitrates and ozone. Elimination of photochemical smog requires changes in technology, such as more fuel-efficient automobiles, special devices to prevent the loss of hydrocarbons, and catalytic converters to more completely burn hydrocarbons in exhaust gases. Acid rain is caused by emissions of sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen into the atmosphere, which form acids that are washed from the air when it rains or snows or settle as particles on surfaces. Direct effects of acid rain on terrestrial ecosystems are difficult to prove, but changes in many forested areas are suspected of being partly the result of additional stresses caused by acid rain. Recent evidence suggests that loss of calcium from the soil may be a major problem associated with acid rain. The effect of acid rain on aquatic ecosystems is easy to quantify. As waters become more acidic, the complexity of the ecosystem decreases, and many species fail to reproduce. The control of acid rain requires the use of scrubbers, precipitators, and filters—or the removal of sulfur from fuels. However, oxides of nitrogen are still a problem. Significant impacts on our health, the vitality of forests and other natural areas, the distribution of freshwater supplies, and the productivity of agriculture are among the probable consequences of climate change. Chlorofluorocarbons also lead to the destruction of ozone in the upper atmosphere, which results in increased amounts of ultraviolet light reaching the Earth. Concern about the effects of chlorofluorocarbons has led to international efforts that have resulted in significant reductions in the amount of these substances reaching the atmosphere. Many commonly used materials release gases into closed spaces (indoor air pollution), where they cause health problems. The most important of these health problems are associated with tobacco smoking. Radon gas is also an important indoor air pollutant in certain parts of the world.

nitrogen oxides/ oxides of nitrogen

The burning of fossil fuels produces a mixture of nitrogen-containing compounds. These compounds are formed because the nitrogen and oxygen molecules in the air combine with one another when subjected to the high temperatures experienced during combustion. -formed during combustion or burning, when heated in the presence of oxygen

acid rain

The deposition of wet acidic solutions or dry acidic particles from air. can form from chemicals released by natural and human activities -soil chemistry is changed when soil cannot buffer additional acid supplied. -aluminum, liberated in the soil by acid, interferes wit the ability of plants roots to absorb nutrients

the clean air act

What is commonly called the Clean Air Act is in reality several pieces of legislation. The original Clean Air Act of 1970 was amended in 1977 and again in 1990.

ozone O3

a molecule that consists of three oxygen atoms bonded to one another

acid deoposition

accumulation of acid-forming particles on a surface

carbon monoxide

chemical compound produced when carbon-containing materials such as gasoline, coal, wood, and trash are burned with insufficient oxygen. When carbon-containing compounds are burned with abundant oxygen present, carbon dioxide is formed (C + O2 → CO2). When the amount of oxygen is restricted, carbon monoxide is formed (2C + O2 → 2CO) instead of carbon dioxide. Any process that involves the burning of fossil fuels has the potential to produce carbon monoxide. About 60 percent of CO comes from vehicles driven on roads and 25 percent comes from vehicles not used on roads (earth movers and other heavy equipment, ATVs, snowmobiles, lawn tractors, etc.). Most of the remainder comes from other processes that involve burning (fires, power plants, industry, wood-burning stoves, burning leaves,

particulate matter

consists of tiny solid particles and liquid droplets dispersed into the atmosphere.

lead

gasoline with lead, was banned in 1980 in the US, was formerly the main source of lead as a pollutant

sulfur dioxide

has a sharp odor, irritates respiratory tissue, and aggravates asthmatic and other respiratory conditions. It also reacts with water, oxygen, and other materials in the air to form sulfur-containing acids. The acids can become attached to particles that, when inhaled, are very corrosive to lung tissue. These acid-containing particles are also involved in acid deposition

leading source of carbon monoxide pollution

incomplete combustion of fossil fuel that occurs at low oxygen levels

nitrogen dioxide

is a reddish brown, highly reactive gas that causes respiratory problems, is responsible for much of the haze seen over cities, and is a component of acid precipitation. Nitrogen dioxide also is important in the production of the mixture of secondary air pollutants known as photochemical smog,

mesosphere

layer with decreasing temperature above the earth

thermosphere

layer with increasing temperature, extends 300 km above the earths surface

producers of lead pollution

manufacturers of batteries, metal smelters

most commonly produced nitrogen oxide molecules

nitrogen monoxide nitrogen dioxide

majority of gases in earths atmospheres

nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor

thermal inversions

occur when a stable layer of warmer air lies above cooler air

hydrocarbons

primarily carbon and hydrogen The use of internal combustion engines accounts for about 44 percent of volatile organic compounds released into the air. The use of solvents contributes about 22 percent. (See figure 16.8.) VOCs are important in the processes that lead to the production of the secondary air pollutants found in smog.

secondary air pollutants

primary air pollutants that may interact with one another in presence of sunlight to form new compounds such as ozone. also form from reactions with substances that occur naturally in the atmosphere.

sources of coarse PM10 matter include

primary pollutants such as dust, carbon particles and smoke particles

sulfur

reacts with oxygen and hydrogen in the atmosphere to form acid rain

release VOC when used

solvents, internal combustion engines

pesticides

toxic materials released to kill insects/ pests.

noise control act of 1972

was the first major attempt in the United States to protect the public health and welfare from detrimental noise. This act also attempted to coordinate federal research and activities in noise control, to set federal noise emission standards for commercial products, and to provide information to the public.

true

when energy use is low and human population is small, it is possible to release pollutants into the atmosphere and have them be diluted w/o causing much harm