Science On Display Research
There is much particulate pollution indoors and outdoors. Before I go any further you
might want to know what particulate pollution is. It is complex mixture of extremely small
particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Particulate pollution is made up of a number of
components which include acid (nitrates and sulfates) particles, organic chemical particles, and
metal particles. There are also soil particles and dust particles. The sizes of the particles are
linked to potential for causing health issues. Particles with a diameter of ten micrometers or
less generally pass through the throat and nose. Then the particles enter the lungs which can
affect your heart and lungs, and then it will cause serious health issues.
Many factors contribute to indoor pollutions. Everyday things in your homes add on to
the pollution. Carpeting and plywood emit formaldehyde (H2CO) gas. You might not know it
but if you have a good amount of pets you might have more pollution in your house than a
family with one or two pets. The same thing goes if there are a lot of people living in your
house. This is because pets produce dander and humans produce dust. Your bedding pollutes
you air because of the dust mites living in it. It is even a possibility that there can be more air
pollutants in the winter than in the summer because controlled fires from stoves and fireplaces
add smoke to the air inside and outside.
Substances in air that can cause harm to humans and the environment are air
pollutants. Air pollutants can be solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. They can also be manmade or natural. Air pollutants are classified by primary or secondary. Primary air pollutants
are substances directly emitted from a process. Some examples of this are ash from a volcanic
eruption and carbon monoxide from motor vehicle exhaust. Another example of a primary air
pollutant is sulfur dioxide released from factories. Substances that are not emitted directly are
called secondary air pollutants. They form in the air when primary pollutants react or interact.
This category includes ground level ozone which makes up photochemical smog. Some
pollutants may be primary and secondary. Both are emitted directly and formed from other
primary pollutants. Did you know that 4% of deaths in the United States of America can be
caused by air pollution according to the Environmental Science Engineering Program at the
Harvard School of Public Health?
Humans greatly contribute to the amount of pollution in our world. Some major
primary pollutants are produced by humans. One of these pollutants is sulfur oxides (SO X) with
the chemical compound formula of (SO2). SO2 is produced by many things. Volcanoes and
various industrial processes are two examples of SO2. Coal and petroleum often contain sulfur
compounds so their combination generates sulfur dioxide. Another example of SO2 is further
oxidation SO2, usually in the presence of catalyst such as NO2, forms H2SO4, and thus acid rain.
Another major primary pollutant is nitrogen oxides (NOX). An example of this is brown haze
above or a plume downwind of cities. One of the several nitrogen oxides is nitrogen dioxide.
Nitrogen dioxide is a chemical compound formula NO2. NO2 is a reddish-brown toxic gas with a
sharp, biting odor and it is one of the most prominent air pollutants. Carbon monoxide is also a
primary pollutant. It is a colorless, odorless, non-irritating, and very poisonous gas. Carbon
monoxide is a product by incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, coal, or wood.
One example of this is vehicular exhaust. A fourth example of a primary pollutant is carbon
dioxide (CO2) which is a natural greenhouse gas in the atmosphere emitted from combustion.
CO2 is a gas vital to living organisms. One of the next examples of primary pollutants is
particulate matters which are natural or man-made tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in
a gas. Some examples of particulate matter are volcanoes, dust storms, and forest and
grassland fires. Living vegetation and sea spray are two more examples of particulate matter.
One part of particulate matter is aerosol which refers to particles and gas together. Human
activities such as burning of fossil fuels, power plants, and various industrial processes generate
a lot of aerosols. Did you know that increased levels of fine particles are linked to heart
disease, altered lung function, and lung cancer? Toxic metals such as lead and copper also
contribute to the amount of primary pollutants in our world. Then there is chlorofluorocarbon
(CFC) next on the list of major primary pollutants. Chlorofluorocarbons are extremely harmful
to the ozone layer. They are also emitted from products currently banned from use in United
States of America. Finally the last of the major primary pollutants is odors. Yes, odors. These
odors come from garbage and sewage. Industrial processes also produce an odor.
Now to secondary air pollutants. A couple of examples of secondary air pollutants are
smog and ground level ozone. Smog is pretty much smoke combined with fog in an unhealthy
way. Indoor air quality is affected by lack of ventilation and/or lack of air circulation.