Major Outdoor Air Pollutants
Chemical Names and
Formulas
Carbon Oxides
Nitrogen Oxides
Sulfur Dioxide
Particulates
Ozone
VOCs
What produces it?
Human/Environmental Health
Problems
Major Outdoor Air Pollutants - KEY
Chemical Names and
Formulas
What produces it?
Human/Environmental Health
Problems
Carbon
Oxides
Carbon monoxide CO,
Carbon dioxide CO2
CO = incomplete combustion of carbon
compounds (gas, coal, wood). Mostly from
cars
CO2 = combustion of fossil fuels, natural
carbon cycling
Nitrogen
Oxides
Nitric oxide NO
Nitrogen dioxide NO2
NO = Auto engines, coal power plants,
lightening and soil bacteria (mostly from
cars though)
Health: CO = reacts with hemoglobin
in blood, oxygen can’t be transported.
Chronic low-level: heart and asthma
attacks
High level: headache, dizziness, coma,
death
Human: Respiratory/mucus
membrane irritant. Aggravate preexisting lung issues like
asthma/bronchitis.
Sulfur
Dioxide
NO produced in auto
combustion, reacts in
atmosphere to make
NO2
SO2
NO2 = From NO reacting in atmosphere
(secondary pollutant).
Burning coal with sulfur impurities (most
coal). Also oil refining and smelting
Enviro: Photochemical smog, acid rain
Human: Respiratory/mucus
membrane irritant. Aggravate preexisting lung issues like
asthma/bronchitis.
Enviro: Industrial smog, Acid rain
Particulates
PM 2.5
PM 10
Natural: Dust, fires, sea salt (62%)
Man-made: coal-burning, cars, plowing
fields, construction, unpaved roads,
tobacco
Ozone
O3
Produced as a secondary pollutant from
NO2 and sunlight
VOCs
Also called
Hydrocarbons
(benzene C6H6)
Methane CH4
Trichloroethylene (TCE)
Methane- cows, landfills, rice paddies,
wetlands, termites
Benzene, TCE – industrial solvents, drycleaning fluids, tobacco smoke
*Very important in production of
secondary pollutants (O3, photo smog)
Health: Mucus membrane and lung
irritant. Aggravate asthma and
bronchitis, actually damage lungs,
shorten life (60,000 to 70,000
premature U.S. deaths a year).
Accumulation in lungs interferes with
gas exchange.
Health: Major respiratory irritant,
coughing and irritate eyes, nose, and
throat. Increased susceptibility to
respiratory infection. Can aggravate
heart and lung conditions (asthma,
bronchitis)
Enviro: Photochemical smog
Health: Leukemia, blood disorders,
immune system damage.
High concentrations = dizziness and
death