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APES Unit 7 Flashcards

Pollution (89 cards)

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1
Q

The four major sources of emissions that contribute to air pollution

A

Natural, area, stationary, mobile

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2
Q

Clean Air Act 1970

A
  • Required EPA to develop and enforce regulations to protect citizens
  • Regulated especially the use of lead
  • Prevents an estimated 160,000 deaths p/y
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3
Q

6 pollutants that the Clean Air Act identified as threatening to humans

A

Nitrogen oxides, ground level ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead, particulate matter (PM)

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4
Q

Nitrogen Oxides sources, effects, removal

A

Car and fuel combustion, forest fires, and lightning. Respiratory irritant, acid rain, smog. Removal through catalytic converters

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5
Q

Ground-level ozone (formation, effects, removal)

A

secondary pollutant formed by sunlight and water reacting with VOCS NOX and O2. Respiratory irritant, damages plants. Must reduce primary pollutants to remove

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6
Q

Nitrogen Oxides symbol

A

NO or NO2

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7
Q

Ground level ozone symbol

A

O3

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8
Q

Good Ozone (location and contents)

A

In the stratosphere, natural process, there is a depletion in this layer by CFCs which causes an increase in NO2 released

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9
Q

Bad Ozone (location and contents)

A

In troposphere, NOX and VOCS react with sunlight here, humans influence the process. There is an increase in sun cancer from harmful UV rays, destruction of marine life.

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10
Q

3 consequences of bad ozone

A

Respiratory problems, plant damage and greenhouse gas

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11
Q

Sulfur Dioxide (sources, effects and removal)

A

From the combustion of coal and oil, forest fires and volcanoes. Respiratory irritant, affects plant tissues. Forms acid rain and acid deposition which harms aquatic life. Reducing coal exhaust and using scrubbers help

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12
Q

Carbon Monoxide (how it forms, dangers, removal)

A

Formed during incomplete combustion of most matter through vehicle exhaust or other combustion. Especially dangerous indoors with poor ventilation, manure, charcoal, kerosene, can make it hard for people to breathe. Catalytic converters or cooking in ventilated areas

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13
Q

Sulfur Dioxide symbol

A

SO2

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14
Q

Carbon Monoxide symbol

A

CO

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15
Q

Lead (sources and side effects)

A

From old gasoline (1996 phased out) paint in older buildings, pipes. Toxic to the Central nervous system of living things

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16
Q

Particulate matter (PM) sources, effects, removal

A

Combustion of fossil fuels and biomass, road dust, volcanoes, dust storms, fires. Sunlight can be blocked preventing photosynthesis. Anything less than 10 is considered a respiratory irritant and can make lung conditions/asthma worse and lead to premature deaths. To remove: scrubbers, baghouse filters, gravitational settling

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17
Q

Which is worse for PM, gas or diesel?

A

diesel

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18
Q

PM 2.5

A

greatest health concern, usually more toxic

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19
Q

PM 10

A

too small to be filtered, health concern

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20
Q

PM 10+

A

Caught in nose and filtered out.

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21
Q

What does VOC stand for?

A

Volatile organic compounds

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22
Q

What are VOCs and removal

A

Organic chemicals with a high vapor pressure at room temp (plants) or hydrocarbons from building supplies in household products; things like benzene, toluene, formaldehyde. Range from very toxic to harmless. Using vapor recovery nozzles, lowering emissions, better ventilation and not using certain products all help

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23
Q

Sources of mercury, effects and removal

A

Coal, gold mining, oil, volcanoes, forest fires. Toxic to the CNS. Technologies to reduce PM also help reduce mercury

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24
Q

Mercury concentrations have increased in fish, what is this called?

A

Bioaccumulation

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25
Primary pollutant (5) + sources
Comes from a source like a smokestack or an exhaust pipe. CO, NO, VOCs, PM, NH3
26
Secondary pollutant (6) + sources
Undergone transformation that occurs in the daytime in wet conditions. Ozone, SO3, H2SO4, H2O2, HNO3, PANS
27
There are two main categories of smog what are they?
Industrial and photochemical smog
28
Industrial smog examples
sulfurous smog, gray smog, london fog, winter fog pea soup smog
29
How does industrial smog form?
Caused by SO2 and particulates reacting with water vapor, the biggest cause is coal.
30
Photochemical smog examples
brown smog, yellow smog, LA smog, summer smog
31
How does photochemical smog form?
Caused by VOCs and NOx reacting wtih water. Biggest contributor is cars, Dry, wamr conditions.
32
All scents are from...
VOCs
33
Formation of photochemical smog
NOXs and VOCs react with heat and sunlight after being emitted into the air. This forms ozone and other chemical oxidants like PANS.
34
Photochemical oxidants like PANS can enhance...
the formation of particulates which scatter light, smoke and fog
35
Photochemical oxidants definition, negative effects, removal
reactive compounds that remove electrons from other substances. PANS, ozone, aldehydes. Can be harmful to plant tissues, are bad for the respiratory system, can cause eye problems and damage to construction materials. Must reduce primary pollutants to "remove"
36
PANS =
peroxyacetyl nitrates
37
How does the time of day affect the formation of photochemical smog? (NOX and Ozone)
NOXs are highest early in the day, ozone mid day.
38
Harmful physiological effects of toxic smog
stroke, depression, asthma, cancer, burning, eye irritation etc.
39
Ways to reduce photochemical smog
- Reduce production of anthropogenic VOCs and NOX - Take care of cars - Improve gas mileage - Fuel up during cooler hours of the day - Avoid using gas, use electric instead
40
What does temperature do in the troposphere?
Temperature decreases because pressure decreases
41
Thermal inversion is when...
there is a layer of warm air above a layer of cold air, trapping it. Pollutants then also get trapped.
42
Where does thermal inversion most commonly occur?
in valleys
43
What situations lead to thermal inversion?
Valleys, warm fronts/high pressure, areas of oceanic upwelling, radiation.
44
Can thermal inversion happen on water?
No, typically they happen on land, oceans retain heat
45
Natural sources of CO2 + percentages
Ocean atmospheric exchange (40) plant and animal respiration (30) soil respiration and decomposition (30) volcanic eruptions (0.03)
46
Natural sources of particulate matter
pollen, sea salt, dust, secondary sulfates, volcanic ash, black carbon from wildfires
47
The 3 sources of indoor pollutants
Natural, anthropogenic, combustion
48
Examples of natural indoor pollutants
radon, mold, dust
49
Examples of anthropogenic indoor pollutants
insulation, lead paint, VOCs
50
Examples of combustion indoor pollutants
carbon monoxide, NOx, SO2, PM, tobacco smoke
51
Unidentified illnesses with unspecified causes often affecting office workers may be a result of...
sick building syndrome
52
What is radon? What are its side effects?
Radon-222 is naturally occuring radiactive gas that is produced by the decay of uranium found in rocks and soils. It is the #2 cause of lung cancer
53
How does radon infiltrate homes?
Moves up through the soil into homes through cracks in the basement, dissolves into groundwater that enters homes through the well.
54
Recommended EPA action level for radon
4.0
55
Air pollution in developing countries
indoor burning of woods, charcoal, dung, crop residues, coal. The poor suffer the greatest risk based on location and the inability to escape
56
Air pollution in developed countries
indoor air pollution is a bigger problem than in developing countries, common air pollutants are higher inside, 90% of the time indoors.
57
Carbon dioxide (CO2), effects, and how it is removed
Part of the carbon cycle so at normal levels is safe. A greenhouse gas so when concentration increases, acts as a blanket over Earth as it absorbs infrared rays. Removed by carbon capture and sequestration as well as reforestation
58
Photochemical oxidants examples (2)
ozone, PANS
59
Nitric acid (formation, effects, removal)
formed when NOx reacts with water vapor and oxygen. Leads to acid rain and deposition. Lowers the natural acidity of rain, lowers the pH of lakes and soil. Must reduce primary pollutants to "remove"
60
Nitric acid symbol
HNO3
61
What are hydrocarbons? Effects and removal
CH4 and gasoline, combustion releases CO2, harmful if swallowed. Using vapor recovery nozzles help prevent emissions.
62
Mold (formation, effects, removal)
Forms in humid, warm conditions. Can cause allergy symptoms to people who are sensitive, controlling humidity levels and fixing leaks all helps
63
Asbestos (formation, effects, removal)
Long, fibrous silicate material with insulate properties. Can cause lung cancer and respiratory diseases. No longer used in new houses, removal form old houses helps
64
Sulfuric acid (formation, effects, removal)
sulfur dioxide that causes acid deposition from coal burning plants. Formed when SO2 reacts with water vapor and oxygen. Leads to acid rain and like nitric acid can lower the acidity of rain and the pH of soil and lakes. Can be "removed" through the reduction of primary pollutants
65
Methods to reduce air pollutants (3)
Regulatory practices, conservation, alternative
66
Vapor recovery nozzle
prevents fumes from escaping into the atmosphere when fueling a motor vehicle
67
Catalytic converters
Made in 1975, used for internal combustion engines that convert pollutants in exhaust into less harmful molecules. Hydrocarbons CO, NO into H2O, N2 and CO2
68
Scrubbers
remove particulates and or gases from industrial exhaust streams
69
There are 2 types of scrubbers...
wet and dry
70
Wet scrubbers
Introduce water to dirty gas stream, particulates or gases are collected, most appropriate device to use to pick up particulates and gas
71
Dry scrubbers
dry reagents are sprayed into the exhaust stream, pollutants are neutralized or react and turn into a different substance. That substance falls out of the gas stream and is caught in a particulate screen
72
Coal burning power plants use scrubbers... (2)
Electrostatic precipitators and desulfurization
73
Electrostatic precipitators
dirt particles gain negative charge from one wire and a positive charge from another for collection and diposal
74
Desulfurization
reduce SO2 emissions, burn coal near CaCO2 (calcium carbonate to produce sheetrock.
75
Solutions for air pollution
- energy efficient power generation and building - improve waste management - greener more compact cities - safe, affordable public transit
76
Examples of areas where local control measures for air pollution have been implemented
- dry cleaning fluids - gas stations - lighter fluid - wood burning stores - transportation
77
Wet deposition of acid
rain, snow, fog
78
Dry deposition of acid
aerosol particles and gases
79
Sources of acid deposition
both natural and anthropogenic, both nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides
80
Nitrogen oxides natural + anthropogenic
Lightning & microbes. Motor vehicles, coal burning power plants
81
Sulfur oxides natural + anthropogenic
volcanoes. coal burning power plants
82
Nitrogen oxides (3)
NO, NO2, N2O
83
Sulfur oxides (2)
SO2, SO
84
Harmful impacts of acid deposition
communities downwind are at the most risk, soil and water acidification, corrosion of man-made structures
85
What can neutralize acid?
limestone through its "buffering" ability.
86
Sound at high enough levels can cause...
physiological stress and hearing loss
87
Sources of noise pollution
domestic/industrial activity, transportation, construction
88
Effects of noise pollution on children & adults
hearing loss, hormone imbalance, stress, anxiety, impaired hearing, etc.
89
Effects of noise pollution on other organisms
stress, masking of sounds used to communicate/hunt, damaged hearing, changes to migratory route. Marine animals are especially effected.

APES (1 decks)

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