By: Gemrex D.

Breva
Air pollution can be defined as an alteration of air quality that can be
characterized by measurements of chemical, biological or physical
pollutants in the air. Therefore, air pollution means the undesirable
presence of impurities or the abnormal rise in the proportion of some
constituents of the atmosphere.

It can be classified in 2 sections:

1. visible
2. invisible
Global
- depletion of the ozone layer and global warming caused
by the emission of greenhouse gases, mainly carbon
Air pollution control, the techniques employed to reduce or eliminate the
emission into the atmosphere of substances that can harm
the environment or human health. The control of air pollution is one of the
principal areas of pollution control, along with wastewater
treatment, solid-waste management, and hazardous-waste
management.
The primary focus of air pollution regulation in industrialized countries has
been on protecting ambient, or outdoor, air quality. This involves the
control of a small number of specific “criteria” pollutants known to
contribute to urban smog and chronic public health problems.

At least two distinct types of smog are recognized:

1. sulfurous smog
2. photochemical smog.
1. Sulfurous smog, which is also called “London smog,” results from a
high concentration of sulfur oxides in the air and is caused by the
use of sulfur-bearing fossil fuels, particularly coal. This type of
smog is aggravated by dampness and a high concentration of
suspended particulate matter in the air.
2. Photochemical smog, which is also known as “Los Angeles Smog,” occurs most
prominently in urban areas that have large number of automobiles. It requires neither
smoke nor fog. This type of smog has its origin in the nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbon
vapours emitted by automobiles and other sources, which then undergo photochemical
reactions in the lower atmosphere.
Most air toxics are organic chemicals, comprising molecules that contain
carbon, hydrogen and other atoms. Specific emission regulations have
been implemented against those pollutants. In addition, the long-term
and far-reaching effects of the “greenhouse gases” on atmospheric
chemistry and climate have been observed, and cooperative
international efforts have been undertaken to control those pollutants.
The greenhouse gases include
1. carbon dioxide,
2. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),
3. methane,
4. nitrous oxide,
5. and ozone.
Environmental Protection Agency ruled that greenhouse gases posed
a threat to human health and could be subject to regulation as air
pollutants.
There are many types of air pollution. Some are visible.
Others are invisible. But all of them can make people sick,
harm plants, pollute waterways, or even cause global
warming.

Some of these dangerous particles get into the atmosphere

naturally from forest fires, lightning strikes, and erupting
volcanoes, but most of the stuff that we call air pollution is
put into the atmosphere by humans. Here's a list of a few
of the common air pollutants and where they come from.
1. Carbon monoxide, is an invisible air pollutant and is released into the air
when fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas are burned.
2. Nitrogen dioxide is a brown gas that comes mostly from cars and trucks
that burn fossil fuels, plants that make electricity, and burning wood.
Breathing nitrogen dioxide in the air makes people's lungs irritated. A
similar type of pollution, nitric oxide, creates haze. It damages plants
and makes materials like fabric and metal wear apart easily.
3. Ground-level ozone, a harmful type of ozone, forms in the air when
sunlight interacts with nitrogen oxides, which are released from
factories, and organic compounds, which are released naturally from
plants. Ozone near the ground is not beneficial like the ozone layer in the
stratosphere, and is a major part of smog.
4. Ultrafine aerosols are tiny particles in the air. They are released from
cars, trucks, and power plants. When people breath aerosols, the
particles travel deep into their lungs and the tissue of the lungs can
become inflamed.
Air is a mixture of about
78% of nitrogen,
21% of oxygen,
0.9% of argon,
0.04% of carbon dioxide,
and very small amounts of other
gases. There is an average of about
1% water vapour.
AIR POLLUTION CAUSES
Air pollution is caused by the presence in the atmosphere of toxic
substances, mainly produced by human activities, even though
sometimes it can result from natural phenomena such as volcanic
eruptions, dust storms and wildfires, also depleting the air quality.

Anthropogenic air pollution sources

are:
1. Combustion of fossil fuels, like coal and oil for electricity and
road transport, producing air pollutants like nitrogen and sulfur
dioxide
2. Emissions from industries and factories, releasing large
amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, chemicals and organic
compounds into the air
3. Agricultural activities, due to the use of pesticides,
insecticides, and fertilizers that emit harmful chemicals
4. Waste production, mostly because of methane generation in
AIR POLLUTION EFFECTS
It is impossible to describe the whole extent of potential and
actual damage caused by all forms of air pollution. But here
are the main consequences:

1. ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Air pollution has a major impact on the process of plant evolution
by preventing photosynthesis in many cases, with serious
consequences for the purification of the air we breathe. It also
contributes to the formation of acid rain, atmospheric precipitations
in the form of rain, frost, snow or fog, which are released during
the combustion of fossil fuels and transformed by contact with
water steam in the atmosphere.
It is impossible to describe the whole extent of potential and
actual damage caused by all forms of air pollution. But here
are the main consequences:

1. ON THE GLOBAL WARMING

On top of that, air pollution is a major contributor to GLOBAL
WARMING AND CLIMATE CHANGE. In fact, the abundance of carbon
dioxide in the air is one of the causes of the greenhouse effect.
Normally, the presence of greenhouse gases should be beneficial for
the planet because they absorb the infra-red radiation produced by
the surface of the earth. But the excessive concentration of these
gases in the atmosphere is the cause of the recent climate change.
It is impossible to describe the whole extent of potential and
actual damage caused by all forms of air pollution. But here
are the main consequences:

1. ON THE HUMAN HEALTH

Our continual exposure to air pollutants is responsible for the
deterioration of human health.
Air pollution is indeed a significant risk factor for human health
conditions, causing allergies, respiratory and cardiovascular
diseases as well as lung damage.
AIR POLLUTION PREVENTION
There are ways to prevent, control and eventually reduce air
pollution:

1.Renewable fuel and clean energy

production
The most basic solution for air pollution is to move away from
fossil fuels, replacing them with alternative energies like
solar, wind and geothermal.
Renewable fuels are fuels produced from renewable resources. Examples
include: biofuels (e.g. Vegetable oil used as fuel, ethanol, methanol from clean energy
and carbon dioxide or biomass, and biodiesel) and Hydrogen fuel (when produced
with renewable processes). This is in contrast to non-renewable fuels such as natural
gas, LPG (propane), petroleum and other fossil fuels and nuclear energy.
There are ways to prevent, control and eventually reduce air
pollution:
2.Energy conservation and efficiency
Producing clean energy is crucial. But equally
important is to reduce our consumption of energy by
adopting responsible habits and using more efficient
devices.
Efficiency and conservation are different but related
The terms energy efficiency and energy conservation have distinct meanings:
•Energy efficiency is using technology that requires less energy to perform the same function.
Using a light-emitting diode (LED) light bulb or a compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb that
requires less energy than an incandescent light bulb to produce the same amount of light is an
example of energy efficiency.
•Energy conservation is any behavior that results in the use of less energy. Turning the lights
off when leaving the room and recycling aluminum cans are both ways of conserving energy.
There are ways to prevent, control and eventually reduce air
pollution:

3.Eco-friendly transportation
Shifting to electric vehicles and hydrogen vehicles, and
promoting shared mobility (i.e carpooling, and public
transports) could reduce air pollution.
1. Bikes, Scooters and Hoover Boards
2. Electric/Hybrid Vehicles
3. Car Pooling
4. Public Transportation
5. Walking
There are ways to prevent, control and eventually reduce air
pollution:
4.Green building
From planning to demolition, green building aims to
create environmentally responsible and resource-efficient
structures to reduce their carbon footprint.
Some of the more common green building practices include:
•Using sustainable building materials such as recycled glass and steel, as well as renewable materials such as bamboo and
rubber.
•Installing energy-efficient windows and doors.
•Using lower-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints and stains.
•Constructing green roof systems (aka “plants on your roof”) that offer many benefits, including onsite gardens, rainwater
management and protection from the effects of harmful UV light.
•Adding water harvesting and purification systems that both manage and make the most use of rainfall.
•Installing commercial solar panel carports to provide covered parking and integrated charging stations for electric vehicles.
•Maximizing natural light, which can not only save on lighting requirements (and subsequently energy costs), but can also help
keep buildings warm in colder months.
•Using renewable energy for business—for example, installing a commercial solar panel system or a commercial energy
storage system.