Air Quality and Pollution Quiz

Chemistry of the Hydrosphere

• The hydrosphere is the Earth's water, including bodies of water and water vapor.
• Water exists in three physical states: solid (glaciers, icebergs), liquid (freshwater, saltwater, brackish water) and gas (water vapor).
• Glaciers are large, thickened ice masses that cover valley floors in mountain ranges.
• Icebergs are pieces of glaciers that break off when temperatures warm up.

Classification of Water

• Water is classified according to:
  • Physical state (solid, liquid, gas)
  • Salt content (freshwater, saltwater, brackish water)
  • Dissolved mineral content (hard water, soft water)
  • DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) Standards

Salt Content

• Saltwater is found in the Earth's oceans and seas; average salinity is 3.5%.
• Freshwater is found in lakes, rivers, and streams.
• Brackish water is a mixture of freshwater and saltwater, usually where a river or stream drains into a saltwater body.

Dissolved Mineral Content

• Hard water contains a significant quantity of dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium.
• Soft water is treated water where the only ion is sodium.

DENR Standard

• DENR Administrative Order No. 2016-08 covers Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standards of 2016. This document details standards for freshwater and marine waters based on intended usage (i.e. drinking, recreation, agriculture). Specific guidelines for parameters like BOD, Chloride, Color, Dissolved Oxygen, Fecal Coliform, Nitrogen, and Phosphate, are set forth for different water classes.

Water Cycle

• The water cycle is a dynamic and complex process involving evaporation, condensation, precipitation, transpiration, surface runoff, and infiltration.
• These processes constantly move water between the atmosphere, surface of the earth, and groundwater.

Properties of Water

• Water is a highly polar molecule, important in dissolving various substances.
• Water expands when it freezes.
• Water has a high specific heat, meaning it takes a lot of energy to change its temperature.
• Water has a high heat of vaporization, meaning it takes a substantial amount of energy to change it from a liquid to a gas state.

Philippine Clean Air Act (RA 8749)

• The Philippine Clean Air Act (RA 8749) is an act that provides a comprehensive policy framework for air pollution control in the Philippines.
• It articulates the principles behind air quality management.
• It introduces a comprehensive system for managing air quality.

Air Quality

• The act classifies areas based on their air quality characteristics, including specifying standards and measures for air quality.
• Air quality is monitored through measures of different pollutants emitted from different sources (like industry, transportation and residential areas).
• The regulatory framework dictates responsibility of certain actions and/or organizations.

Air Pollutants Analysis

• Air quality indices (AQI) are calculated to determine degrees of pollution, including concentrations of particulate matter, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.
• Flue gas analysis is related to gaseous emissions collected from the combustion of fuels to determine the pollutants emitted, such as CO, NOx, and SOx.
• Ambient air monitoring refers to evaluation of air quality at a specific location and/or area away from direct sources of pollution.

Major Air Pollutants

• A summary of major pollutants is given, including their sources, chemical formulas, and impacts on human health and the environment.

Chemical Safety

• Chemical safety information, including chemical hazards, hazard communication (related to material safety data sheets/labels), and control of hazards, is provided.
• The section defines what a chemical hazard is, including types of chemical hazards such as health hazards and physical hazards, and the different factors influencing the behavior of chemicals.
• Different warning labels for different chemical hazards are mentioned.

Soil Fertility and Productivity

• Soil fertility is defined as the measure of soil's ability to offer nutrients in proper quantities and optimum pH.
• Soil productivity describes the capacity of soil in its natural environment to support plant growth.
• Different factors affecting soil fertility like water infiltration, soil structure, active soil life, organic matter content, prevalent minerals, and pH are described.
• Examples of factors that may decrease soil fertility are listed and discussed.
• Different chemical fertilizers (NPKs) and its components and uses are discussed, including its pros and cons.
• Chemical fertilizers are typically made from water-soluble substances and include macronutrients (N, P, K), secondary macro nutrients (Ca, Mg, S) and occasionally significant micronutrients (Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn, B, Si, Co, V).

Chemistry of Soil

• Soil colloids are described as the most active portion of soil and influence its chemical and physical properties.
• Different types of colloids are described, including crystalline silicate clays, non-crystalline silicate clays, iron and aluminum oxides, and organic (humus) colloids.
• The different types of phyllosilicates like talc (soapstone), mica group which includes muscovite and biotite, and chlorite groups are discussed.
• Other types of soil collides are described that include, but aren't limited to Andisols and Histosols.

Wastewater Treatment

• Wastewater treatment methods, including primary, secondary, and advanced treatments are described; including disinfection techniques, anaerobic digester, and desalination technologies are detailed and their respective role discussed.
• The section also describes methods like charcoal filtration and reverse osmosis to further treat water.

Desalination

• Methods for removing salts from ocean water and brackish water to produce usable water, such as distillation and reverse osmosis are discussed.
• Disadvantages of desalination methods, mainly high energy requirement and production of salty wastewater, are mentioned.

Water Analysis

• Various procedures for assessing water quality are included, like techniques for measuring dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD).
• Details on the different variables that influence the concentration of oxygen and other components in various bodies of water are given, including but not limited to microorganisms, and the environmental conditions, like temperature.

Test your knowledge on air quality regulations, pollutants, and their health impacts. This quiz covers key concepts including Radon exposure, the Philippine Clean Air Act, and the effects of various air pollutants on health and the environment.