air pollutionunit 9

air pollution• health effects

• WHO estimates that air pollution killed 7 million people in 2012 - more than double previous estimates

• indoor vs. outdoor (ambient)• household pollution

• cooking and heating with solid fuel• poor ventilation

• ambient pollution• sources vary greatly with region

atmosphere• stratosphere• troposphere

• ozone layer• greenhouse effect

• greenhouse gases• H2O• N2O• CO2

• CH4

• chemical cycles - affect weather patterns and climate• carbon cycle - CO2 emissions• nitrogen cycle - NO, N2O from heat of combustion• sulfur cycle - fossil fuels like coal, oil

atmospheric pollution• Air pollutants

• Natural and anthropogenic sources• Volcanoes, fires, dust storms

• Human health impacts • acute, chronic, carcinogenic

• Impacts on plants • agriculture, forestry

• Infrastructure impacts • damage to buildings, bridges, statues

http://www.flickr.com/photos/phil_p/2082804280/

http://www.mmepr.com/shakedownnews/tag/los-angeles/

major air pollutants• Sources

• natural• wildfires• volcanic eruptions• plant emissions

• anthropogenic• industrial (smokestacks)• deliberate burning of forests• transportation

major air pollutants• Primary pollutants

• Volatile organic compounds• Particulate• Carbon oxides• Nitrogen oxides• Sulfur oxides• Lead• Air toxics

• Secondary pollutants• Ozone• Peroxyacetyl nitrates• Photochemical oxidants

indoor air pollution• biggest sources

• burning of solid fuel for cooking/heating• wood, coal, dung, crop residuals

• tobacco smoke• building materials

• formaldehyde• asbestos

• household chemicals• particulate

smogs• Industrial Smog

• gray industrial fog • SO2 and particulates

combine with humid air • Photochemical Smog

• brown-air smog • Nitrogen oxides and VOCs

react with sunlight • other pollutants

• smog may also contain mercury, lead, and other contaminants as particulate

south asia• south asian smog problem

• massive persistent smog cloud• block out light• acid rain

acid rain• acid deposition

• causes• smokestacks• coal-burning, cars

• dry deposition• particulate

• sulfate and nitrate salts• wet deposition

• acid rain, snow, fog• sulfuric, nitric acid

acid rain• trouble spots

• associated with coal power plants• trends

climate change• History

• last million years• ice ages and warm trends

• last 12,000 years• pretty warm, stable climate

• evidence• greenhouse effect

• basic understanding• indirect estimates of climate change over 1,000-2,000 years

• tree rings, corals, ice core samples• climate models based on historical data

global CO2 emissions• atmospheric CO2 concentration

solar variation• what about the sun?

• has that changed?

effects of climate change• projected impacts of climate change

2°C change, 450ppm CO2 3°C change, 550ppm CO2 4°C change, 650ppm CO2

forest fires worsen forest fires much worse forest fires / drought increase sharply

prolonged droughts intensify prolonged droughts much worse

heat waves more common, fewer winter deaths

major heat waves, deaths from heat increase

deserts spread, malaria spreads deserts spread more, tropical diseases spread

tropical diseases spread faster and further

conflicts over water supplies increase irrigation / hydropower decline --1.4 billion people water shortage

water shortages for almost all people

water wars, refugees, terrorism increase water wars, refugees, terrorism, economic collapse widespread

some crop increases in temperate zones (decreases in tropics)

crop pests multiply and spread crop yeilds fall sharply in all regions

most mountain glaciers lost half of arctic tundra melts glaciers and ice sheets melt even faster

sea levels rise, flood low lying coastal areas sea levels continue to rise many low-lying cities flooded

extensive coral reef damage coral reefs severely threatened coral reefs, tropical forests, alpine tundra, coastal wetlands collapse

high extinction risk for arctic species 20-30% of plant and animal species face extinction

50% of plant and animal species face extinction

slowing climate change• what can we do?

• cut energy waste• programmable thermostats• insulation• more efficient lighting

• shift to low-carbon energy• wind? nuclear?

• geoengineering• carbon sequestration

• restore natural forests• carbon capture and storage

• global dimming - difficult to know effects• legislation / international agreements

artificial photosynthesis• Berkeley lab

• nanowire array• CO2 reduced to acetyl CoA• methane

discussion questions• Suppose that an incineration facility is to be built near your

community and that hazardous wastes currently being disposed of in your landfill will be disposed of in the new facility. • Would you support or oppose the proposal? Why?

• Do you think human activities are having an affect on climate? • Do you think there is anyway to prevent catastrophe?

• Think of three activities you took part in yesterday that used energy inefficiently. (and thus increased pollution) • how could you improve the energy efficiency of these

activities?