ENVS2003 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Hydrogen Sulfide, Volatile Organic Compound, Sea Spray
29 Jun 2016
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Document Summary
Air pollution is the most widespread environmental damage. 147 million metric tons of air pollution released each year by the us. The world releases about 2 billion metric tons a year. Air quality has improved over the past 20 years in developed countries. Developing countries however have higher air pollution sometimes ten times higher than the pollution levels considered safe for human health. Natural air pollution: -natural fires-smoke -volcanoes- ash, acid mists, hydrogen sulfide and toxic gases. Compounds: about 114 million metric tons a year released from all sources. Humans release about 90% of the sulfur in the air in urban areas. Once in the air it can turn into sulfur trioxide and react to water vapor contributing to acid rain. Nitrogen compounds: nitrogen oxides- formed when nitrogen in fuel or combustion in air is heated to above. 650 degrees c. total emissions about 230 million tons a year.
