known as atmospheric pollutants are harmful gasses that should not be found in sample of clean air
Definition
air pollution is the introduction of unwatned and harmful chemicals into the atmosphere #ChemistryDefinitions
- air pollution can come from natural causes - such as lightning strikes, wildfires, volcanic eruptions.
- can also come from human activities - industrial emissions, combustion, engine emissions and man made fires
| Air Pollutant | Sources | Harmful Effects |
|---|---|---|
| Sulfur dioxide * colourless gas with pungent odour | combustion of fossil fuels volcanic eruptions | - sulfur dioxide causes breathing difficulties in humans and animals. - and Nitrogen oxides react with oxygen in air to form acidic compounds which dissolve in rain water, forming solutions of strong acids. this is acid rain. - acid rain kills plants and aquatic life. also corrodes buildings and structures made from limestone, marble and metals. |
| nitrogen oxides - NO is colourless and odourless - is red brown and has pungent smell. | vehicle combustion engines lightning | carbon monoxide binds irreversibly with haemoglobin in RBC. this lowers ability of haemoglobin to transport oxygen to rest of body. can result in loss of consciousness and even death. |
| Methane colourless gas and odourless gas that is highly flammable. | anaerobic bacterial decay of organic substances. waste gasses from cattle | major greenhouse gas that leads to global warming |
| unburnt HC colourless gasses that are naturally odourless, but may be pungent due to fuel addititives | vehicle combustion from engines | unburnt HC can cause eye and respiratory tract infection. can react with nitrogen oxides in presence of sunlight to form photochemical smog, which appears as brown haze. formation of smog also produces ozone, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. - which are other pollutants |
| ozone () pale blue gas with pungent odour | lightning from reactions between oxygen molecules and sunlight in upper atmosphere from reactions between unburnt HC and nitrogen oxides in presence of sunlight in lower atmosphere | ozone can cause eye and respiratory tract irritation, breathing difficulties. upon inhalation, can also cause chest pains and headaches. ozone slows down photosynthesis in plants, can damage crops. |