ENVS 1126 Chapter : LBN Chapter 19A
Document Summary
N2, o2, water vapor, argon (ar), co2. 40 trace gases (ozone, he, h, nitrogen oxides) Atmospheric pollution: three factors determine the level of air pollution, the amount of pollutants entering the air, the amount of space into which the pollution is added, mechanisms that remove pollutants from the air, troposphere: the lower atmosphere. Site and source of weather, water vapor, clouds. Pollutants are usually removed within hours or days: pollutants in the stratosphere resist cleansing. Atmospheric cleansing: natural air pollutants: volcanoes, fires, dust storms. 3 major mechanisms in the biosphere remove, assimilate and recycle natural pollutants: hydroxyl radical (oh): a naturally occurring compound. Oxidizes pollutants to harmless products that end up on land or in water: sea salts: a cleansing agent picked up from sea spray helps form raindrops, sunlight: breaks down organic molecules. Hydroxyl radicals: highly reactive hydrocarbons are rapidly oxidized. Nitrogen oxides (nox) are oxidized within a day.
