APUSH - Atmosphere and Air Pollution

Ground level Ozone(O3)

"Bad" ozone - found in troposphere - highly reactive gas that is a major component of photochemical smog - can aggravate heart disease, cause and aggravate respiratory illness, damage plants, rubber in tires, fabrics and paints

Nitrification

(NH4+---> NO2- (nitrite)---> NO3-(nitrates)) - ammonia is converted to nitrate ions (NO3-).

Troposphere

- Atmosphere's innermost layer - Made up (78%) AND OXYGEN(21%) with smaller amounts of water vapor and carbon dioxide - 75% of atmosphere's mass is in here - Extend 8-16 kilometers from earth's surface - WEATHER occurs in this zone - Temperature decrease with altitude, reaching -76degrees Fahrenheit

Mesosphere

- COLDEST layer - ICE CLOUDS occur here - Meteors burn up this layer - Temperature decreases with altitude

What is effects of acid deposition in surface water

- Causes release of aluminum from soil (toxic to many species) - Low pH can cause chronic stress to fish population reducing their viability

Carbon sequestration

- Foraminifera(forams) convert carbonate ions to calcium carbonate to form shells - Corals also convert hep sequester carbon assimilating the ions to form CaCO3 structures - Shell fish also have shells/exoskeletons made of calcium carbonate

Human influence on Nitrogen cycle

- Fossil fuel combustion - Use of artificial nitrogen fertilizers - Release of nitrogen in wastewater - At high temps, N2 reacts with O2 to form NOx. - Gives brown color to smog

Environmental Effects of thinning ozone layer

- Greater UV radiation destroys plant cells (decrease photosynthesis) - Sunburns animals - Cataracts/blindness in animals - Cooling of the stratosphere - Climatic changes

Ozone layer

- In the stratosphere - Absorbs UV radiation - Comprised of a high concentration of 03 molecules. Oxygen exists in 3 forms in the atmosphere: O3, O2, and O. Ozone is being continuously formed and decomposed due to the energy from UV rays. O3 + UV--> O2 + O --> O3

Rising sea levels

- Increasing at average rate of 3.2mm per year - Melting of ice sheets and glacier in the antarctic polar regions and greenland - projected to flood low-lying urban areas, coastal estuaries, wetlands, coral reefs and barrier island and beaches

Sulfur Oxides

- Naturally occurring (volcanoes) - Burning of coal, oil, gasoline - Cause lung damage, asthma, bronchitis - Sulfur can be removed from smoke by wet scrubbers in factories - Largest sulfur sink is sedimentary rocks

Primary Air Pollution

- Primary pollutants ---->Release directly into the atmosphere e.g Factories, cars, wind and soil, volcanoes, forest fires, pollen, decaying plants, salt particles from sea and refrigerants

What is the deficiencies in the Clean Air act

- Regulation of emissions from motorcycles and two-cycle engines remains inadequate - There is little or no regulation of air pollution from oceangoing ships in American ports - Airports are exempt from many air pollution regulations - The Act does not regulate the greenhouse gas CO2 - There is a need for better enforcement of the Clean Air Act

Stratosphere

- Second layer - Contains less matter - Contains the OZONE Layer - Temperature increase with altitude due to the ABSORPTION of UV radiation by ozone - Ozone is produced by UV radiation and lighting - 99% of ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by this level

Human health effects of thinning ozone layer

- Sunburn/skin cancer - Cataracts (eye damage) - Wrinkles - Decreased immune response

Thermosphere

- Temperature INCREASES with height due to gamma rays, X-rays and UV radiation. - Molecules are converted into IONS which results in Aurora Borealis (Northern lights) in Northern Hemisphere and Aurora Australis (Southern lights) in the Southern Hemisphere - Biggest of all layers - International space stations flies in this layer

How do we know what temperatures were in the past?

- Types of plant and animal remains in geological strata - About of coral formation and foraminifera in the oceans - Ice cores

Exosphere

- Upper most layer of the atmosphere - Light elements exist here mainly Hydrogen - The exosphere represents the final transition between the atmosphere and interplanetary space.

Electrostatic precipitator

- Use to attract negatively charged particles in a smokestack into a collector - Can remove 99% of particulate matter including dusk and smoke - Does not remove hazardous ultra fine particles - Produces toxic dust that must be safely disposed of - Use large amounts of electricity

Greenhouse effect

- Vital for our survival - The capacity of certain GASES in the atmosphere to TRAP HEAT, thereby warming the Earth - Without this effect, earth would be cold and inhospitable

Effects of global warming

- Warmer troposphere diminishes the ocean's ability to remove and store CO2. - In warmer world, agricultural productivity may increase in some areas and decrease in others - Crop and fish production in some areas could be reduced by rising sea levels that would flood river deltas - Increase deaths from heat and disruption of food supply and spread of tropical diseases to temperate regions

Ocean Acidification

- When CO2 in atmosphere reacts with water to form carbonic acid. - Dissolving CO2 in seawater increase the hydrogen ion(H+) concentration in the ocean, and thus decrease ocean pH

Sulfur dioxide (SO2)

- colorless gas with a strong odor Coal emissions from electricity generation and industry - 1/3 of sulfur dioxide in troposphere occurs through sulfur cycle - 2/3 of sulfur dioxide from human sources - burning fossil fuel, oil refineries, smelting of sulfide ores

How can outdoor air pollution increase

- urban buildings(slow wind dispersal of pollutants), -mountains(promote temperature inversion), -high temperatures(promote photochemical reactions

Kyoto protocol

---a Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change (UNFCCC), aimed at fighting global warming ---Their goal is to achieve the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate change ---192 countries agreed to follow the kyoto protocol

Wet scrubber

-Fine mists of water vapor trap particulates and convert them to a sludge that is collected and disposed of usually in a landfill - Can remove 98%of SO2 and particulate matter - Not very effective in removing hazardous fine and ultra fine particles

Clean Air Act

1963 - first passage 1970, 1977, 1990 - amended - Involves EPA - Control pollution caused by industrial and auto emissions - Set standards for acceptable levels of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, ozone, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, lead, cut out CFCs - Provide pollution credits for industries that utilize pollution-control devices - Bush administration relaxed rules

Absorption of solar radiation

70% of the solar radiation that falls on earth is absorbed and runs the water cycle, drives winds and ocean currents, powers photosynthesis and warms the planet

Factors that influence climate

Air mass Albedo Altitude Carbon cycle Clouds Distance to ocean Fronts Greenhouse effect Heat (convection) Angle of the sunlight Human activity Land changes Landmass distribution Latitude Location Moisture content of air Mountain ranges Pollution Precession Rotation Solar output Volcanoes Wind patterns

Indoor Air pollution

Arsenic - found in smoking/pesticides/rodent poison, very toxic, carcinogen health effect Carbon Monoxide - found in wood burning fireplace, tobacco smoke, kerosene, automobiles, natural gas, can cause headaches, drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, nausea, death Asbestos - found in insulation, cause lung diseases Formaldehyde - found in furniture stuffing, foam insulations, carpeting, can cause nasal/lung cancer, asthma, throat/eye/nose irritation Lead particulate - found in paint particles, exhaust from leaded gasoline, cause impaired development, clumsiness, memory loss, anemia Mercury - found in fungicides, old thermometers, cause nervous system damage, cancer Methane/Propane - found in natural gas leaks/ sewer backup, can cause headaches, fatigue, nausea, confusion Tabacco smoke - found in cigarettes, cigars, pipes, can cause cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease Radon - found in radioactive soil, uranium deposits, cause lung cancer, lung tissue damage

How does air quality effect me?

Asthma Emphysema Allergies Heart disease Drink polluted water Colds Pneumonia

Nitrogran fixation

Atmospheric nitrogen is converted to ammonia(NH3) or nitrate ions(NO3)

What is effects of acid deposition in Rocks, statues, buildings

Corrodes at an increased rate

Ways to prevent and control air pollution from coal burning facilities

Electrostatic precipitator Wet scrubber

What is the major factors causing changes in the tropospheric temperature?

Fluctuation of greenhouse gases and changes in solar output

Secondary air pollution

Form when primary pollutants react e.g ozone, smog and acid rain

Ice cores

Gasses dissolved in the atmosphere are trapped in the ice as it freezes Each year, the snow builds up and creates a layer similar to tree rings

Changing ocean currents

Global warming could alter ocean currents and cause both excessive warming and severe cooling

Indoor air pollution

Greater threat to human health than outdoor air pollution 4 most dangerous indoor air pollutants : - Tabacco smoke - Formaldehyde - Radioactive random-222 gas - Very small fine and ultra fine particles

Halocarbons

Human-made compounds made from hydrocarbons with added chlorine, bromine, or fluorine - used in fire retardants, foam blowing insulation

Indicators of warming world

Increase in .... Humidity Temperature over ocean Sea surface temperature Sea ice Ocean heat content Temperature over land Decrease in ..... Sea level Snow cover Glaciers

Urban outdoor air pollution

Industrial smog - mixture of sulfur dioxide, droplets of sulfuric acid, variety of suspended solid particles emitted mostly by burning coal.

Montreal Protocol (1987)

International agreement designed to protective stratospheric ozone layer - Bans CFCs, halons and methyl chloroform - Very successful....ozone showing signs of recovery

Fighting Global warming

Kyoto protocol Paris Agreement(2015)

Air Quality Index (AQI)

Measures levels of 5 criteria pollutants Forecast of daily air pollution levels Purpose to educate and protect public focuses on health effects

What is the positive feedback loop on solar radiation

More Sunlight absorbed by land and sea.---->warmer temperatures----->less snow and ice

Topography and pollution

Mountainous areas tend to trap pollution - can contain pollution in an area Flat areas tend to allow pollution to disperse for example the forest fires in Los Angeles area where winds carry the smoke across the ocean, wind can clean air, but it can spread it somewhere else

Assimilation

NO3-(nitrates) converted to amino acids, DNA, chlorophyl

Photochemical smog

Nitrogen and light form "bad" ozone A brownish haze formed when pollutants react with each other in the presence of sunlight. e.g Beijing

Gasses in the atmosphere

Nitrogran(78%) - Nutrient for living organisms Oxygen(21%) - produced through photosynthesis Carbon Dioxide(.03%) - produced during cellular respiration, combustion of fossil fuels and decay of organic matter Ozone(.01%)

Volatile organic compounds (VOCS)

Organic compounds (mostly hydrocarbons) that exist as gases in the air. - has high vapor pressure at ordinary room temperature - combustion of gas, methane - cause cancer, blood disorder, immune system damage

Chlorosis

Plants produced insufficient levels of chlorophyll due to mineral deficiencies

Destruction of atmospheric ozone

Presence of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halocarbons(halons)

What is effects of acid deposition in Forests

Reduces the availability of nutrients within the soil

National Ambient Air Quality standards (NAAQS)

Set acceptable concentration for 6 "criteria" pollutants that threaten public health/ the environment over broad areas - CO, Pb, Nitrogen Oxides, Ozone, Particulate matter and Sulfur Dioxides - Created by the Clean Air Act

Nitrogen cycle

Steps in the nitrogen cycle Nitrogran Fixation Nitrification Assimilation Ammonification Denitrification

Sulfur cycle

The collection of processes by which sulfur moves to and from minerals and living systems. - Circulates through the biosphere - Sulfur in the lithosphere --slow weathering of rock material, dissolved in runoff, moves with river water and deposited as sediments in the ocean, then uplifting to surface - Sulfur in the Hydrosphere ---Main storage of sulfur in oceans is through dissolved sulfate. Rivers transport 110 million tons of sulfur per year to oceans - Sulfur in the soil ---Main source are deposition from atmosphere, weathering rocks, release from decay of organic matter, fertilizer, pesticides and irrigation water

Sequestration (and the ocean)

The process of CO2 being removed from the atmosphere and stored by a sink - Ocean is the largest carbon sink

Albedo

The proportional REFLECTANCE of the earth's surface - Low albedo - oceans water - Moderate albedo - landmasses - High albedo - snow and ice - POSITIVE FEEDBACK loop (less snow and ice, more sunlight absorbed by land and sea, warmer temperature)

5 layers of the atmosphere

Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere Exosphere

Major Greenhouse gases

Water vapor (H2O) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Methane(CH4) Nitrous oxide(N2O)

Acid deposition

Wet or dry acid pollution that falls to the ground - acid rain, fog, snow - Rains cleans air, but pollutes water - SO2 (sulfur dioxide) and NO (nitric oxide) combine with water particles to form H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) and HNO3 (nitric acid) - Normal pH is 6.6 Acid Rain is about 4.3

Temperature inversion

atmospheric condition in which warm air traps cooler air near the earth's surface - lead to pollution such as smog being trapped close to the ground - examples: rising smoke in Lochcarron, Scotland forms a ceiling over the valley due to a temperature inversion - example: Great smog of 1952 - london

Chlorofluorocarbons

nonflammable chemicals e.g used in manufacture of aerosol sprays, and refrigerants - Largest source of CFCs in atmosphere is leakage from air conditioners - Trademark name is Freon - Stable structures which allow them to migrate through the troposphere - Broken down when exposed to strong radiation - 1 chlorine atoms released from a CFC can destroy 100,000 ozone molecules

How can outdoor air pollution decrease

settling out percipitation sea spray winds chemical reactions

Suspended particulate matter (SPM)

solid particles/ liquid drops light enough to remain suspended in the air --Light enough to float --Dust, lead, mercury, radon -- Get in lungs, stain buildings, reduce visibility

Ammoniafication

wastes and decaying organisms broken down into NH4+ Decomposers convert organic waste into ammonia