Air Pollution

• The atmosphere provides various services to the economy and ecosystems:

  • Economy: Dilution, Storage, Recycling of polluting gases
  • Ecosystems: Oxygen Storage, Ozone layer, CO2 and Nitrogen exchange, trapping heat
• The "Tragedy of the Commons" concept highlights the need for sustainable management of renewable resources like the atmosphere, leading to regulations such as the Clean Air Act
• Natural sources of air pollutants include volcanic activity, which releases CO2, SO2 (aerosol, cooling gas), CH4, H2S, and particulate matter
• Effects of air pollution:

  • Damages organisms through acid rain, tropospheric ozone, and particulates
  • Reduces sunlight (NPP) due to smog and particulates
  • Contributes to global warming and ozone depletion
• Children are more susceptible to the effects of air pollution due to their developing immune systems and lungs, higher metabolic rates, and increased oxygen needs
• Indoor air pollution sources:

  • Smoking: Leading cause of preventable death, releases Carbon Monoxide, Arsenic, Particulates (Tar)
  • Radon: Colorless, odorless gas from radioactive decay of uranium
  • Asbestos: Natural mineral used in insulation, roofing, and brakes
• Asbestos exposure can lead to chronic lung conditions like cancer, Asbestos Fibrosis, and Mesothelioma
• Regulations like the Asbestos Hazard and Emergency Control Act of 1986 phased out the use of Asbestos by 1997
• Pesticides, household cleaners, burning biomass, and open hearth fires contribute to indoor air pollution
• Urban areas like Los Angeles face urban air pollution challenges due to high automobile density, economic activity, urban sprawl, and topographical factors
• Thermal inversion and Clean Air Acts:

  • 1970 Clean Air Act led to decreased major pollutant levels
  • 1990 Clean Air Act required power plants to reduce pollutants like SOx & NOx
• Noise pollution is any unwanted, disturbing sound that impairs hearing, decreases efficiency, causes stress, or accidents; nearly half of Americans are exposed to noise pollution
• The three main sources of photochemical smog are nitric oxide (NO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and hydrocarbons (HC).