Smoke from Power Plants and Factories

Sulfur dioxide is produced by combustion of sulfur-containing fuels, such as coal and fuel oils. Also, in the process of producing sulfuric acid and in metallurgical process involving ores that contain sulfur. Sulfur oxides can injure man, plants and materials. At sufficiently high concentrations, sulfur dioxide irritates the upper respiratory tract of human beings because potential effect of sulfur dioxide is to make breathing more difficult by causing the finer air tubes of the lung to constrict. "Power plants and factories emit 90% to 95% of the sulfur dioxide and 57% of the nitrogen oxides in the United States. Almost 60% of the SO2 emissions are released by tall smoke stakes, enabling the emissions to travel long distances". (Miller 494) As emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitric oxide from stationary sources are transported long distances by winds, they form secondary pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, nitric acid vapor, and droplets containing solutions of sulfuric acid, sulfate, and nitrate salts. These chemicals descend to the earth's surface in wet form as rain or snow and in dry form as a gases fog, dew, or solid particles. This is known as acid deposition or acid rain.

Smog
This smog is created by burning coal and heavy oil that contain sulfur impurities in power plants, industrial plants, etc... The smog consists mostly of a mixture of sulfur dioxide and fog. Suspended droplets of sulfuric acid are formed from some of the sulfur dioxide, and a variety of suspended solid particles. This smog is common during the winter in cities such as London, Chicago, Pittsburgh. When these cities burned large amounts of coal and heavy oil without control of the output, large-scale problems were witnessed. In 1952 London, England, 4,000 people died as a result of this form of fog. Today coal and heavy oil are burned only in large boilers and with reasonably good control or tall smokestacks so that industrial smog is less of a problem. However, some countries such as China, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and some other eastern European countries, still burn large quantities of coal without using adequate controls.

Burning of Used Tires

Air pollution is a phenomenon by which particles (solid or liquid) and gases contaminate the environment. Such contamination can result in health effects on the population, which might be either chronic (arising from long-term exposure), or acute (due to accidents). Other effects of pollution include damage to materials (e.g., the marble statues on the Parthenon are corroded as a result of air pollution in the city of Athens), agricultural damage (such as reduced crop yields and tree growth), impairment of visibility (tiny particles scatter light very efficiently), and even climate change (certain gases absorb energy emitted by the earth, leading to global warming). Air pollution is certainly not a new phenomenon. Early references to it date back to the Middle Ages, when smoke from burning coal was already such a serious problem that in 1307 King Edward I banned its use in lime kilns in London.

Tobacco and Cigarette Smoking

Tobacco smoke from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes can be a huge source of pollution in homes where tobacco is used.Well, maybe not as safe as you think. Now we have learned our homes are full of poisonous fumes, allergens, and other junk. According to the EPA, indoor air pollution may be a bigger problem than air pollution outside. In fact, indoor air can be 5 times as polluted as outside air.Indoor air pollution causes many health problems. It can make existing problems worse. The different particles in the air can trigger

an asthma attack.Short term exposure to these pollutants can cause watery eyes, runny noses, and itchy throats.Long term exposure can cause respiratory diseases, heart disease, or cancer.

Volcanic Eruption
The researchers attributed enhanced levels of sulphate observed at monitoring station to the fact that the SO2 produced in the eruption was being converted to sulphate during atmospheric transport. They point out that the high acidity of the plume particles (due to condensation of sulphuric acid on the particle surface) represents an additional risk to the PM10level for human health. Inhalation of PM10 substances can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular problems. Fortunately, the researchers conclude that any effect on people in the region is likely to be minor.

Congested Traffic
Higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, increased over a value of 1.0 (anything higher indicates increased likelihood of the condition) for both types of air pollutants. Traffic-related pollutants could be a factor in higher rates of diabetes and maybe hypertension for black women living in Los Angeles in homes exposed to these higher levels of air pollution. There are plenty of high pollution areas all over the country. If you have to spend hours in congested traffic every day commuting to work, take a look at making a change there as well. Your long term health might benefit in surprising ways.