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THERMAL INVERSION
TYPES OF EMISSIONS
Stationary Sources power plants, factories, industrial sites Mobile Sources cars, trucks, buses, trains, planes, aircraft, off-road vehicles Area Wide Sources agriculture, paved and unpaved roads, construction Natural Sources biogenic, wildfires, windblown dust
AIR POLLUTANTS
Sulfur containing compounds Nitrogen containing compounds Carbon containing compounds Halogen containing compounds Toxic substances Radioactive compounds
Criteria Pollutants
H2SO4
Nitrogen-Containing Compounds
Nitrous oxide (N2O): colorless, odorless, laughing gas, emitted by natural sources, chemically inert, not considered an air pollutant. Nitric oxide (NO) + nitrogen dioxide (NO2) = NOx: emitted by combustion at high temperatures. Together with hydrocarbons are important in formation of ozone. Lifetime about 1 day. Combines with water to form nitric acid, component of acid rain. Released by stationary and mobile sources.
Carbon Compounds
CO - carbon monoxide: criteria pollutant, colorless, odorless gas. Toxic - binds to hemoglobin preventing uptake of oxygen. Formed by incomplete combustion mainly in cars and trucks. Lifetime in atmosphere about one month
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas formed when carbon in fuels is not burned completely. It is a byproduct of highway vehicle exhaust, which contributes about 60 percent of all CO emissions nationwide. In cities, automobile exhaust can cause as much as 95 percent of all CO emissions. These emissions can result in high concentrations of CO, particularly in local areas with heavy traffic congestion. Other sources of CO emissions include industrial processes and fuel combustion in sources such as boilers and incinerators.
Particulates
Particles of average diameter 10 microns or less (PM10). Tend to be easily inhaled and lodge in lungs. Larger particles not readily inhaled. Sources are combustion process (particular diesel combustion), unpaved roads, fires. PM2.5 particles with average diameter less than 2.5 microns. Considered even more problematic than PM10 New EPA regs. For PM2.5 now under consideration
OZONE
Secondary pollutant: O3 Formed in atmosphere by reaction of oxides of nitrogen, VOC and sunlight. Classified as a criteria pollutant Major component of photochemical smog