Air, Noise, and Light Pollution

1
Air, Noise, and Light Pollution

• Chapter 12 Section 2

2
Air, Noise, and Light Pollution

• The very young and very old with heart or lung
  problems are most susceptible.
• Death certificates will list diseases like
  emphysema and lung cancer instead of air
  pollution.
• Americans pay tens of billions of dollars
  annually to treat respiratory diseases caused by
  air pollution.

3
Short Term Effects of Air Pollution on Health

• Many effects of air pollution are short-term and
  reversible IF exposure decreases.
• Short-term effects include headache, nausea,
  irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat,
  tightness in the chest, coughing, and upper
  respiratory infections like bronchitis and
  pneumonia.
• People who have asthma and emphysema can have
  symptoms worsen.

4
Long Term Health Effects of Air Pollution

• Long term effects include emphysema, lung cancer,
  and heart disease.
• Long term exposure may worsen symptoms especially
  in older people

5
Sick Building Syndrome

• Chemicals used to make carpets, building
  materials, paints, and furniture are the major
  sources of indoor pollutants.
• Buildings that have very poor air quality have a
  condition called sick-building syndrome.
• This is most common in hot places where buildings
  are tightly sealed to keep the heat out.
• Identifying and removing the sources of indoor
  pollutants is the most effective way to maintain
  good indoor air quality.
• Ventilation is necessary for good indoor air
  quality.

6
Radon Gas

• Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas
  that is radioactive. It is produced by the decay
  of uranium.
• Radon can seep through the cracks and holes in
  the foundation of homes, offices, schools, etc.
  where it sticks to dust particles.
• In the lungs, radon can destroy the genetic
  material in the cells that line air passages.
• Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer
  in the U.S.

7
Asbestos

• Several minerals that form in long, thin fibers
  and that are valued for their strength and
  resistance to heat are called asbestos.
• Asbestos is primarily used as an insulator and
  fire retardant that was used extensively in
  building materials.
• The U.S. banned the use of asbestos in the early
  1970's.
• Asbestos fibers that are inhaled can cut and scar
  the lungs causing asbestosis. People who have
  this have difficulty breathing and can die of
  heart failure.

8
Noise Pollution

• Unwanted sound is noise pollution.
• It is irritating, and it damages our hearing.
  Hearing loss has doubled in the U.S. in the past
  30 years. About 12 of teens have permanent
  hearing loss likely due to the use of portable
  listening devices. The National Institutes of
  Health say the safe threshold for MP3 players is
  85 dB for 8 hours.
• Sound intensity is measured in decibels (dB).
• Noise pollution can be controlled by devices such
  as mufflers on lawn mowers and vehicles.

9
Light Pollution

• Light pollution does not present a direct hazard
  to human health.
• Light pollution in urban ares diminishes our view
  of the night sky.
• The more important concern of light pollution is
  wasted energy.
• Solutions include shields to direct light
  downward, using timers, and low-pressure sodium
  sources which are more efficient.

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Copy now, answer later

• Describe the long-term effects and the short-term
  effects of air pollution on health.
• Describe two ways in which indoor air pollution
  can be prevented.
• Describe some of the human health problems caused
  by noise pollution.
• Describe several solutions to the energy waste
  associated with light pollution.
• Molds can grow in new, tightly sealed buildings
  where the humidity is high and the ventilation is
  poor. Explain how you would control the growth of
  mold in this type of environment.