Types of Air Pollutants
Air Pollutant
Air pollutants are usually classified into particulate and gaseous. The particulate substances include solid and liquid particles whereas the gaseous include substances that are in gaseous state at normal temperature and pressure. These air pollutants has a vital impact on human beings, animals, vegetation and buildings. Also, it is one of the reasons causing the change of earth’s climate.
Below are short descriptions about the major types of air pollutants and its effect on us:
Below are short descriptions about the major types of air pollutants and its effect on us:
1. Particulate Matter
Particulate matters are differentiated into two types, settleable and suspended. Settleable dusts are usually heavier particles that are sized around 10 micron which makes them sink to the ground easily. Compared to settleable dust, suspended particles are the opposite. It will usually remain in the air longer after it's been produced.
What causes it?
What causes it?
- smokes produced from vehicles
- open burning ( plants, dried leafs, cloths, rubbish etc)
- Purify/ smelting metal
- Dust and smoke particles(settleable dusts) will cause irritation to the respiratory tract and will lead to diseases such as bronchitis, asthma and lung cancer.
- Smog is a type of suspended particulate matter, it is formed by the combination of dust and smoke particles. It severely affect our the environment because it will cause condensation of water vapours as well as attracting chemicals like SO2 (sulfur dioxide), H2S(hydrogen dioxide), and NO2(nitrogen dioxide) etc. In long term, too much of these chemicals in our body will lead to respiratory problems. Besides, smog will also affect the life cycle of a plant as it acts like a blockage that disable the sunlight get to the plant.
- It is proven that particulates that suspend in the air reduce sunlight to 1/3.
2. Carbon monoxide
A type of toxic flammable gas that is colourless and odourless which formed by incomplete combustion of carbon.
What produces it?
What produces it?
- Heaters
- Fireplaces
- Car mufflers
- Charcoal grills
- Car and truck engines
- Portable generators
- Kitchen activities (cooking, barbecue etc)
- When there is too much carbon monoxide in the air, our body will replaces oxygen in our red blood cells with carbon monoxide. This will lead to serious tissue damages or even death. Below are some symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning :
- difficulties to breath
- headache
- weakness
- vomiting
- dizziness
- chest pain
3. Sulphur Oxides
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a colourless gas with sharp odour. It is produced in large quantity by burning fossil fuels and also smelting of mineral ores that contain sulfur.
What produces it?
When sulfur dioxide combines with water in the air, it will form sulphurous acid (H2SO3) which is the major component of acid rain. This will severely impact on our :
Environment
What produces it?
- smelting of metallic ores
- burning of petroleum
- coal in industries
- thermal plants
- motor vehicles
When sulfur dioxide combines with water in the air, it will form sulphurous acid (H2SO3) which is the major component of acid rain. This will severely impact on our :
Environment
- acidify soils, lakes and streams which will endanger the ecosystem
- accelerate corrosions of building and monuments
- reduce visibility
- irritation to eyes
- damages to respiratory tract
- affect lung functions
- mucus secretion
4. Nitrogen Oxides
Nitrogen oxide is a part of a group of gaseous air pollutants that has a nasty smell and it's a result of biological and non-biological activities.
quality of air as it's formation and modification to other air pollutant will affect the our health and environment.
What produces it?
Biologically
Its Impacts :
Environment
quality of air as it's formation and modification to other air pollutant will affect the our health and environment.
What produces it?
Biologically
- Lighting strikes
- Residues from plants, soil and water
- Solar flares
- Storms
- HIGH energy radiation
- Burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas etc)
- Transportation vehicles exhausts
- Petrol and metal refining
- Electricity generator from coal fired power stations
- Manufacturing industrie s
- Food processing
Its Impacts :
Environment
- Changes ozone formation which will affect both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
- Contribute to acid rain
- Causes eutrophication in coastal waters (eg Chesapeake Bay), this will impact on the environment of aquatic life because the body of water suffers from an increase in nutrients, which leads to a reduction of oxygen in the water.
- Irritation to eyes
- Respiratory system problems ( eg constant coughing)
- Lung failure
- Blood congestion
- Dilation of arteries
5. Carbon dioxide
Due to excessive combustion activity, the content of C02 has been steadily rising. As carbon dioxide accumulates in the atmosphere it absorbs more and more of the reflected infrared radiation. This could cause an increase in temperature referred to as the green house effect. Melting polar ice caps and glaciers could cause sea levels to rise, flooding most of the major population centres and fertile lands.