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de:Luftverschmutzung es:contaminación atmosférica fr:Pollution de l'air ja:大気汚染 nl:luchtvervuiling
zh:空氣污染
Air pollution is a broad term applied to all chemical and biological agents that modify the natural characteristics of the atmosphere.
Some definitions also consider physical perturbations such as noise pollution, heat, radiation or light pollution as air pollution. Some definitions include the term harmful as a requisite to consider a change to the atmosphere as pollution.
Air Pollutants are classified as either Primary or Secondary.
A primary air pollutant is one that’s added directly to the air from a given source. An example of a primary air pollutant would be carbon dioxide because it is added to the air from the burning of fossil fuels.
A secondary air pollutant is formed in the atmosphere through chemical reactions. An example of a secondary air pollutant would be the formation of ozone in photochemical smog.
Deaths
3 million people die of air pollution every year worldwide. 2.8 million of the 3 million die from indoor air pollution. 90% of the 3 million are deaths in developing nations. 70,000 die each year in the U.S. (Some estimates are as low as 50,000 or as high as 100,000). They die specifically from agitated asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, lung and heart diseases, and other respiratory allergies. Deaths are often caused by using bug sprays and other chemical sprays indoors without proper ventillation. Shower water mist containing arsenic is inhaled, causing many deaths. The arsenic can be trapped with a shower nozzle filter. Radon gas, a carcinogen, is exuded from the earth and trapped inside houses. These natural radon emissions can be blocked by a layer of aluminum foil under the carpet (according to the U.S. Department of Air Quality Management). Deaths from air pollution are compared to deaths from second hand smoke and chemical weapons. In the U.S, more people die from air pollution than from car accidents.
Causes
The sources of air pollution are divided in two groups: anthropogenic (generated by human activity) and natural.
Natural sources include:
Anthropogenic sources are mostly related to burning different kinds of fuel. They include:
Contaminants
Contaminants of air can be divided in particles and gases.
Particles are classified by their sizes. A usual division is in PM10 and PM2.5. PM10 are particles whose size is less than 10 micrometres; they are dangerous to humans because they can be breathed and reach the lungs. PM2.5 are particles whose size is less than 2.5 micrometres, and they are even more dangerous because they can pass the alveoli and reach the blood.
Important pollutant gases include:
The worst single incident of air pollution to occur in the United States of America occurred in Donora, Pennsylvania in late October, 1948
See also
Further Reading
- Davis, Devra, When Smoke Ran Like Water: Tales of Environmental Deception and the Battle Against Pollution, Basic Books, 2002, hardcover, 316 pages, ISBN 0-465-01521-2
Sources
- SantiagoLimpio.CL (http://www.santiagolimpio.cl) - Website of the environmental agency of Chile
- Local air pollution (http://www.science.org.au/nova/015/015key.htm) - On a site by the Australian Academy of science
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