Air Pollution and Solutions

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Air Pollution and Solutions
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Air

• Air is a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon
  dioxide, water vapor and other gasses

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Air

• All living things depend on the air to survive

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Air Pollution

• Emissions Pollutants that are released into the
  air

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Air Pollution

• Until mid-1900s most emissions came from
  factories and power plants

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Air Pollution

• Today emissions also come from cars and trucks

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Air Pollution

• There are natural causes of air pollution
• Erupting volcanoes
• Forest fires

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Smog

• Photochemical Smog A thick, brownish haze formed
  when certain gases in the air react with sunlight

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Smog

• When smog levels are high a haze settles over the
  city

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Smog

• Smog can cause eye throat irritation
  breathing problems

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Sources of Smog

• The major sources of smog are the gases emitted
  by cars and trucks

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Smog

• Burning gas releases gases into the air.
• These gases include hydrocarbons and nitrogen
  oxides

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Smog

• Hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides react with
  sunlight and produce a form of oxygen called ozone

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Bad Ozone

• Ozone form of oxygen formed from hydrocarbons
  and nitrogen oxides.

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Bad Ozone

• Ozone is toxic the major chemical found in smog

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Bad Ozone

• Ozone can cause lung infections and weaken the
  immune system.

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Temperature Inversion

• Air close to the ground is heated by Earths
  surface

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Temperature Inversion

• As air warms it rises into the cool air above

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Temperature Inversion

• Any pollutants in the air are carried higher into
  the atmosphere where they are blown away

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Temperature Inversion

• Temperature inversion When a layer of warm air
  prevents the rising air from escaping

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Temperature Inversion

• The layer of warmer traps the polluted air close
  to Earths surface.

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Temperature Inversion

• The smog becomes concentrated and dangerous

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Acid Rain

• Acid rain Precipitation that is more acidic than
  normal because of air pollution

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Acid Rain

• Acid rain can be in the form of rain, sleet, snow
  and fog

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Acid Rain

• Acid rain is caused by the emissions from power
  plants and factories that burn coal and oil

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Acid Rain

• Burning coal and oil produce nitrogen oxides and
  sulfur oxides

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Acid Rain

• When these gases react with water vapor in the
  air it forms nitric acid and sulfuric acid

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Acid Rain

• These acids return to Earth in the precipitation.

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Acid Rain

• When acid rain falls into water, fish and eggs
  cannot survive

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Acid Rain

• Can reverse the affects of acid rain in water by
  adding substances to neutralize the acid

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Acid Rain

• When acid rain falls on plants it damages leaves
  and stems
• It also affects the nutrient levels

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Acid Rain

• Acid rain reacts with stone and metal causing
  damage to statues and buildings

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Acid Rain

• Automobiles rust more quickly in areas with high
  acid rain levels

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Acid Rain

• Damage to statues, buildings and cars are not
  reversible

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Indoor Air Pollution

• Substances that cause indoor air pollution
  include dust, pet hair and toxic chemicals

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Indoor Air Pollution

• Glues cleaning supplies give off toxic fumes
• Cigarette smoke can damage heart lungs

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Carbon Monoxide

• Carbon monoxide a colorless, odorless gas formed
  from burnt wood, coal, oil or gas.

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Carbon Monoxide

• When carbon monoxide builds up it can be deadly.
• In Illinois, it is a law to have a detector

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Radon

• Radon a colorless, odorless gas that is
  radioactive.
• Formed naturally by certain rocks

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Radon

• Radon enters homes through cracks in basement
  floors and walls

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Radon

• Can cause lung cancer over time
• Can install ventilation systems to prevent build
  up

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Reducing Pollution

• The key to reducing air pollution is to control
  emissions

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Reducing Pollution

• The Clean Air Act regulates the amount of certain
  pollutants that can be released into the air

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Reducing Pollution

• The Clean Air Act also encourages the development
  of new technology that reduces air pollution

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Factories

• Factories need to put devices in their smoke
  stacks to treat emissions

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Factories

• Place a scrubber to remove pollutants from
  emissions using water droplets.

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Factories

• If the smoke is black then it has pollutants
• If the smoke is white, its not smoke, its steam

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Vehicles

• Cars and trucks now have pollution-controlling
  devices

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Vehicles

• Catalytic converter is a device that reduces
  carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides.

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Vehicles

• Catalytic converter causes gases to react,
  forming less harmful carbon dioxide and water

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Vehicles

• States, like Illinois require cars to pass
  emissions tests
• Illinois requires a test every 2 years

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What Else?

• Use less energy
• Take public transportation
• Ride your bike
• Walk