GEO-1330 Lecture 7: Air Pollution (Feb13-17)
Document Summary
Pain, numbness or tingling of the extremities. Miscarriage or premature birth in pregnant women. Set a standard of concentration for pollutants in air in order to provide a margin of safety for the public. 9 pollutants; sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon oxides, particulate matter, lead, ozone, volatile organic compounds, mercury, and carbon dioxide. When primary pollutants transform in the presence of sunlight or other molecules. When fossil fuels are combusted, sulfur combines with oxygen to form sulfur dioxide (primary pollutant) Sulfur dioxide is a respiratory irritant and hurts plant tissue. Sulfur dioxide reacts with water vapor to create sulfuric acid (secondary pollutant) which comes down as acid rain. Acid rain alters the ph of lakes and soil. Kills plants and aquatic life and leaches nutrients from soil. 1990: used to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. Set cap on total so2 pollution allowed in us.