4. • Colorless, odorless gas
• Sources of emission
• Potential health problems
• Regulations
• 9 ppm (8-hours)
• 35 ppm (1-hour)
5. • Naturally occurring and manufactured metal
• Major sources of emissions
• Potential health problems
• Children and infants especially susceptible
• Regulations
• 1.5 µg/m3 (quarterly)
6. • Good up high, bad nearby
• Reaction: Sunlight + Nitrogen Oxides + VOC = O3
• Sources of Nitrogen Oxides and VOC emissions
• Potential Health Problems
• Regulations
• 0.12 ppm (1-hour)
• 0.08 ppm (8-hours)
7. • …more than 4 in 10
people (41% or 127
million) in the United
States live in counties
that have unhealthful
levels of either ozone
or particle pollution
8.
9. • Produced by interaction of nitrogen with oxygen during
high-temperature combustion
• Component of smog
• Potential health problems
• Regulations
• 0.053 ppm (annually)
• 0.1 ppm (1-hour)
12. • Produced by combustion of sulfur contained in fossil fuels
• Major sources of pollution with sulfur dioxides
• Potential Health Problems
• Regulations
• 0.03 ppm (annually)
• 0.14 ppm (24-hours)
• 0.50 ppm (3-hours)
15. • The Air Pollution Control Act of 1955
• Clean Air Act of 1963
• Clean Air Act of 1970
• National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
• State Implementation Plans (SIP)
• New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)
• National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollution
(NESHAPs)
• Amendments of 1990 to the Clean Air Act of 1970
17. • Inadequate control for certain pollutants
• Group susceptibility
• Toxicity
• Understanding confounding factors
• Linking air pollution and adverse health effects
18. • …in many developing countries, consideration of
pollution emissions in urban planning, domestic heating,
energy production and transport development is still not a
common practice.
19. • Carpool or use public transportation
• Turn off lights when not in use
• Bike or walk if air quality is healthy
• Combine errands to reduce vehicle trips
• Limit engine idling
• Use environmentally safe paints and cleaning products
and follow directions for storing
• Refuel cars and trucks after dusk, when emissions are
less likely to produce ozone
20. • Reduce inequality in air pollution exposure
• Take action on national and global levels
• Lead fight against pollution by working with
21. • In the reading, it was stated that “persons with higher
educational attainment had lower relative risk of PM-
related mortality” (Pope III & Dockery, 2006). However,
the WHO stated that those living in middle-income
countries disproportionately experience the burden of air
pollution. How do you explain this?
• According to the EPA, the ozone layer should recover by
the year 2050 if we stop producing ozone-depleting
chemicals. Do you think this is possible? Why or why
not?
• In our research, we found that Some Americans believe
the EPA holds too much regulatory control. What do you
think would happen if the EPA lost some of its power?
22. • American Lung Association. (n.d.). What’s the state of your air?. Retrieved February
• 6, 2013, from http://www.stateoftheair.org
•
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Unhealthy air quality – United
• States, 2006-2009. Retrieved February 6, 2013, from
• http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/su6001a5.htm
•
• Karrar, P., Mehrpour, O., & Abdollahi, M. (2012 July 19). A systematic review on
• status of lead pollution and toxicity in Iran: guidance for preventive measures. DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 20(1).
•
• Laumbach, R. (2010). Outdoor air pollutants and patient health. American Family Physician, 81: 175-180.
•
• McCally, M. (2002). Life support: the environment and human health. Cambridge:
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
•
• McConnell, R., Berhane, K., Gilliland, F., London, S., Islam, T., Gauderman, W., et al. (2002). Asthma in exercising children exposed to
ozone: a cohort study. Lancet, 359: 386-391
•
• Office of Air Quality and Radiation. (2008). Air quality guide for ozone. Retrieved
• February 6, 2013, from http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=pubs.aqiguideozone
•
• Pope III, C. A., & Dockery, D.W. (2006, June). Health effects of fine particulate air
• pollution: lines that connect. Journal of Air & Waste Management Association, 56, 709-742.
•
• United States Environmental Protection Agency (2012). What are the six common air
• pollutants?. Retrieved February 6, 2013, from http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/
•
Editor's Notes
Lindsay
Sam
Though there are several air pollutants, tonight we are going to cover the 6 major contributors. They are…..
Lindsay
----Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas emitted from combustion of carbonaceous fuels such as wood, gasoline, and natural gas
----In the US, emission controls for new vehicles resulted in a 77% reduction in CO emissions between 1975-1981.
----But because of increased vehicle use and traffic congestions, many cities remain where CO levels exceed air-quality standards
----Exposure to CO can reduce the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
----Symptoms can range from nonspecific, like headaches, dizziness, and fatigue to death.
----People with several types of heart disease already have a reduced capacity for pumping oxygenated blood to the heart, which can cause them to experience myocardial ischemia (reduced oxygen to the heart), often accompanied by chest pain (angina), when exercising or under increased stress.
----For these people, short-term CO exposure further affects their body’s already compromised ability to respond to the increased oxygen demands of exercise or exertion.
----Fetuses and infants are more susceptible than adults to CO poisoning
----Regulations set by the EPA include:
Sam
----Lead (Pb) is a metal found naturally in the environment as well as in manufactured products.
----The major sources of lead emissions have historically been from fuels in on-road motor vehicles (such as cars and trucks) and industrial sources.
----As a result of EPA's regulatory efforts to remove lead from on-road motor vehicle gasoline, emissions of lead from the transportation sector dramatically declined by 95 percent between 1980 and 1999, and levels of lead in the air decreased by 94 percent between 1980 and 1999.
----Today, the highest levels of lead in air are usually found near lead smelters.
----The major sources of lead emissions to the air today are ore and metals processing and piston-engine aircraft operating on leaded aviation gasoline.
----Many countries still use leaded gasoline as car fuel, which is a large contributor to lead air pollution.
----Exposure to lead for the general population comes mainly from airborne dusts containing lead particles
----lead can adversely affect the nervous system, kidney function, immune system, reproductive and developmental systems and the cardiovascular system. Lead exposure also affects the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. The lead effects most commonly encountered in current populations are neurological effects in children and cardiovascular effects (e.g., high blood pressure and heart disease) in adults. Infants and young children are especially sensitive to even low levels of lead, which may contribute to behavioral problems, learning deficits and lowered IQ
----Regulations set by the EPA include 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter for 3 months
Lindsay
--Upper atmospheric ozone, or strataspheric ozone, protects the earth from the sun’s harmful rays
--ground level, or tropospheric ozone, is the main component of smog
-----. It is formed by the interaction of sunlight and air containing hydrocarbons and nitric oxides which are emitted by automobiles, industrial power plants, and gasoline vapors. With population growth, ozone at the ground level has significantly increased in the last one hundred years (Laumbach, 2010).
-----high concentrations of ozone are most often observed in the summertime, when sunlight is most intense and temperatures are highest (conditions that increase the rate of photochemical formation); additionally, ozone levels are generally lower in the morning, accumulating throughout the day, and decrease rapidly following sunset
-----Ground level ozone- what we breathe- can harm our health.
------Ozone can promote scar tissue formation and cell damage by oxidation. One study found an association between air pollution, specifically ozone and particulate matter, and alzhemiers due to oxidative stress.
------It has been shown to heighten heart disease, chest congestion, bronchitis and asthmatic attacks.
------. Even relatively low levels of ozone can cause health effects. People with lung disease, children, older adults, and people who are active outdoors may be particularly sensitive to ozone.
-----Children are at greatest risk from exposure to ozone because their lungs are still developing and they are more likely to be active outdoors when ozone levels are high, which increases their exposure. Children are also more likely than adults to have asthma.
Lindsay
Sam
----Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is one of a group of highly reactive gasses known as "oxides of nitrogen," or "nitrogen oxides (NOx)."
----It is produced by the interaction of atmospheric nitrogen with oxygen during high-temperature combustion.
----NO2 forms quickly from emissions from cars, trucks and buses, power plants, and off-road equipment and is a component of smog
----In addition to contributing to the formation of ground-level ozone, and fine particle pollution, NO2 is linked with a number of adverse effects on the respiratory system.
----Current scientific evidence links short-term NO2 exposures, ranging from 30 minutes to 24 hours, with airway inflammation in healthy people and increased respiratory symptoms in people with asthma.
----Also, studies show a connection between breathing elevated short-term NO2 concentrations, and increased visits to emergency departments and hospital admissions for respiratory issues, especially asthma.
----Near-roadway (within about 50 meters) concentrations of NO2 have been measured to be approximately 30 to 100% higher than concentrations away from roadways.
----Additionally, NO2 can cause or worsen respiratory disease, such as emphysema and bronchitis, and can aggravate existing heart disease, leading to increased hospital admissions and premature death.
----Regulations set by the EPA for all nitrogen oxides include: 0.053 ppm annual exposure and 0.1 ppm for a 1-hour exposure
Recent air pollution issues in beijing
Lindsay
--Particle pollution (also called particulate matter or PM) is the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye. Others are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope
----Particle pollution includes "inhalable coarse particles," with diameters larger than 2.5 micrometers and smaller than 10 micrometers and "fine particles," with diameters that are 2.5 micrometers and smaller. How small is 2.5 micrometers? Think about a single hair from your head. The average human hair is about 70 micrometers in diameter – making it 30 times larger than the largest fine particle.
-----These particles come in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals.
-----Some particles, known as primary particles are emitted directly from a source, such as construction sites, unpaved roads, fields, smokestacks or fires. --------Others form in complicated reactions in the atmosphere of chemicals such as sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides that are emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles.
-----These particles, known as secondary particles, make up most of the fine particle pollution in the country.
----Particle pollution - especially fine particles - contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, including:
premature death in people with heart or lung disease,
nonfatal heart attacks,
irregular heartbeat,
aggravated asthma,
decreased lung function, and
increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing.
-----Regulations set by the EPA include:
***Particles larger than 10 micrometers are not regulated by the EPA
Sam
----Sulfur dioxide is produced by the combustion of sulfur contained in fossil fuels, such as coal and crude oil
----Therefore the major sources of environmental pollution with sulfur dioxide are electric power generating plants, oil refineries, and smelters. Additionally, some coals are particularly sulfur-rich.
----the sulfur dioxide released in the air does not remain gaseous
----It undergoes chemical reaction with water, metals, and other pollutants to form aerosols.
----Local reductions in pollution were often achieved by the use of tall stacks, particularly for power plants.
----This resulted in the pollutants being emitted high into the atmosphere, where prolonged residence time allowed for transformation into acid aerosols.
----Sulfur Dioxide is a clear, highly water-soluble gas, so it is effectively absorbed by the mucous membranes of the upper airways
----Inhalation of high concentrations of Sulfur Dioxide has been shown to increase airway restrictiveness in normal healthy volunteers and in asthmatics
----additionally, other studies have shown that asthmatics are particularly sensitive to the bronchoconstrictive effects of sulfur dioxide and react to much lower concentrations
----For asthmatics, exposure to 0.4ppm SO2 for several minutes is enough to cause bronchospasms
----Sulfur dioxide has been linked to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in several studies.
----Regulations set by the EPA include: 0.03 ppm annual exposure, 0.14 ppm for a 24-hour exposure, and 0.5ppm for a 3-hour exposure (not to be exceeded more than once per year)
Lindsay and Sam
-Acid Rain
------is the mixture of wet and dry deposited material from the atmosphere containing more than normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids.
------It is caused by volcanoes, decaying vegetation, and man-made sources, mainly sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide from fossil fuel combustion
------in the US, roughly 2/3 of sulfur dioxide and ¼ nitrogen oxide come from electric power generators that rely on the burning of fossil fuels.
------Acid rain occurs when these gases react in atmosphere with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form acidic compounds
------Acid rain causes acidification of lakes and streams, damages trees at high elevations, accelerates decay of building materials and paints
-Ozone depletion
------Damage to the ozone layer is primarily caused by the release of chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) and other ozone depleting chemicals into the air by the use of refrigerants, insulating foams, pesticides, fire extinguishers, and industrial solvents.
------”Good” Ozone is found in the earth's upper atmosphere extending 10-50 km above the surface.
------The thin layer of ozone molecules in the atmosphere absorb some of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays before it reaches the earth's surface, making life on earth possible.
------The depletion of ozone is causing higher levels of UV radiation on earth, endangering both plants and animals, and increasing skin cancer in humans
-Climate change
------The Greenhouse effect prevents the sun's heat from rising out of the atmosphere and flowing back into space.
------This warms the earth's surface causing the green house effect. The earth’s temperature has risen 14 degrees F over the last century
------While a certain amount of green house gases in the atmosphere are necessary to make the earth warm, activities such as the burning of fossil fuels are creating a gaseous layer or “blanket” that is too dense to allow the heat to escape.
------ Temperature change causes shifts in climate and weather, including rainfall changes, more frequent and severe heat waves, oceans become more acidic, ice caps melt, and sea levels rise.
------Other gases contributing to the problem include cholrofluorocarbons (CFC), methane, nitrous oxides, and ozone.
This video takes place in washington, it talks about different forms of pollution, greenhouse gases, and PM
Lindsay
The air pollution control act of 1955 was the first federal legislation involving air pollution. This act provided funds for federal research in air pollution.
The clean air act of 1963 was the first federal legislation involving air pollution CONTROL.
It established a federal program within the US Public Health Service and authorized research into techniques for monitoring and controlling air pollution.
In 1967, the federal government for the first time conducted ambient monitoring studies.
The Clean Air Act of 1970
--resulted in a major shift in the federal government’s role in air pollution control.
--four major regulatory programs affecting stationary sources were initiated and enforcement authority was expanded
--The adoption of this legislation occurred at the same time as the National Environmental Policy Act that established the US Environmental Protection Agency
Amendments of 1990
--Authorized a program to control 189 toxic pollutants, including those previously regulated by the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
--Established permit program requirements
--Expanded and modified provisions concerning the attainment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards
--Established a program to phase out the use of chemicals that deplete the ozone layer
EPA projects that the Clean Air Act will prevent 230,000 early deaths in 2020.
This video discusses the EPA involvement in detail
Lindsay
--According to the book, ozone and lead are not adequately controlled under the current standards. Also, there is inadequate control of acidity inherent in the SO2 limits.
--research regarding group susceptibility
--which components of gases and sources are the most toxic
--effect of confounding factors
--Linking air pollution and adverse health effects is complicated and requires expertise across a range of scientific disciplines—from atmospheric to exposure to health sciences, as well as including air quality managers and policy makers who implement and develop policy to reduce risk from air pollution
Sam
Sam
---Public health recognizes air pollution as an important determinant of health, especially in developing countries.
---There is significant inequality in the exposure to air pollution and related health risk: air pollution combines with other aspects of the social and physical environment to create a disproportional disease burden in less affluent parts of society.
---Exposure to air pollutants is largely beyond the control of individuals and requires action by public authorities at the national, regional and even international levels.
---The health sector can play a central role in leading a multi sectoral approach to prevention of exposure to air pollution. It can engage and support other relevant sectors (transport, housing, energy production and industry) in the development and implementation of long-term policies to
reduce the risks of air pollution to health.
Solar energy, wind energy, hydro energy
In our research, we found some controversy surrounding the EPA. Some politicians wanted to block the standards set by the Clean Air Act. And we want to know your feelings regarding the EPA, and how it has impacted
