Air Pollution Cheat Sheet

Air Pollution Cheat Sheet Primary Pollutant Source Secondary Pollutant CO Incomplete combustion of fossil N/A fuels

CO2 Combustion of fossil fuels, aerobic HCO3 (partly responsible for respiration acidification of the oceans) 2- SO2 Combustion of sulfur containing SO3, SO4 salts fossil fuels (bituminous, lignite), smelting ore - NOx High heat from combustion HNO3, NO3 salts engines cause Nitrogen & Oxygen from the atmosphere to combine

N2 + O2  NO VOC’s Industrial solvents, gases, gas PAN’s leaks, industrial by-products Particulate Matter Combustion of fossil fuels and N/A (PM), Dust other organic material, aerosols, industrial processes, volcanoes, includes metals

N/A UV radiation, lightning, industrial O3 processes with electrical arcing such as laser printers and copiers

O2 + energy  O

O + O2 + energy  O3

Industrial Smog o Fossil Fuels  Combustion  CO2 + CO (1 pollutants, greenhouse gases, CO is toxic)

Sulfur in Coal + O2  SO2 + O2  SO3 + H2O  H2SO4 + NH3  (NH4)2SO4 (1o pollutant) (2o pollutant) (acid rain) (solid salt)

Photochemical Smog

N2 -makes up 78% of the atmosphere

+ O2 + high heat NO -primary pollutant

NO2 -primary/secondary pollutant

-UV radiation + H2O + Hydrocarbons

NO + O NO + HNO3 -acid rain PAN & other nitrate cmpds.

+ O2 + UV radiation

O3 -secondary pollutant + VOC’s Other Pollutants