Atmospheric pollution

Atmospheric pollution

1. Smoke

   • Sources
     • Combustion of coal, diesel, general combustible wastes
     • Combustion of crop waste, wood fuel, grasslands, forests
   • Impacts
     • Humans
       • respiratory disease
       • Killed cilia in the lungs
       • Carcinogenic chemicals
     • Other living organisms
       • Reduced photosynthesis
       • toxic substances
     • Climate
       • reduced temps
       • high albedo
   • Controls
     • Legislation
     • Electrostatic precipitators
     • Cyclone separators
     • Scrubber
     • More efficient combustion tech

2. Acid precipitation

   • Sources
     • Sulfur dioxide
     • Sulfur trioxide
     • Oxides of Nitrogen
     • Hydrogen chloride
   • Impacts
     • Living organisms
       • denature and inhibit enzymes
       • Damage to exposed tissue
       • Lichens are very sensitive
       • Sulfur dioxide can create breathing difficulties
       • metal ions mobilised
     • Non-living organisms
       • Corrosion
   • Control
     • desulfurisation
     • Removing hydrogen sulfide from nat. gas
     • low temp. combustion
     • Catalytic converters
     • Urea sprays

3. Smog

   • Sources
     • Smoke + Fog = Smog
     • temp inversions
   • Control
     • Control of smoke sources
   • Impacts
     • See smoke
   • Photochemical smog
     • Nitrogen dioxide + Ozone + Unburnt hydrocarbons = PANS

4. Oxides of nitrogen

   • Sources
     • Released by exhaust gases
     • High temperature combustion
   • Impacts
     • Creates secondary pollutants
   • Control
     • Catalytic converters
     • Urea sprays
     • Low temperature combustion

5. Hydrocarbons

   • Sources
     • exhaust control
   • Impacts
     • React with other to form secondary pollutants
   • Control
     • Catalytic converters
     • Vapor collection

6. Carbon monoxide

   • Sources
     • Produced when carbon-based materials are burned with a shortage of o2
   • Impacts
     • Binds to haemoglobin, prevents it from carrying oxygen
   • Control
     • Exhaust catalytic converters oxidise carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide.