Indoor Air Pollution Quiz

Indoor Air Pollution

• Air pollution can occur indoors and outdoors. It can be from natural or human sources.
• Coal combustion releases various air pollutants.
• One air pollutant released from coal combustion is sulfur dioxide.
• Other air pollutants include toxic metals (like mercury) and particulates.
• One method to reduce air pollutants from a power plant is installing baghouse filters to collect and remove particulate matter from exhaust.
• Electrostatic precipitators are another way to remove suspended particulate matter from exhaust.
• Wet scrubbers remove particulate matter and gases from exhaust using a liquid.
• Dry scrubbers remove acidic gases with a dry reagent.
• Regulating pollutant release (such as SOx and NOx) limits pollutant release into the atmosphere.
• Precombustion coal cleaning reduces impurities (e.g., sulfur) from coal.

Indoor Air Pollutants (sources)

• Household products (e.g., cleaning fluids, paints).

• Furniture, carpets, foam insulation, and pressed wood.

• Fireplaces, wood stoves.

• Tobacco smoke, old paint.

• Floor and ceiling tiles, pipes, and insulation.

• Leaky or unvented gas and wood stoves, and furnaces.

• Cars left running in the garage.

• Rocks and soil beneath a house.

• Fireplaces/wood stoves are a likely source of particulate matter.

• Indoor particulate matter can irritate eyes, nose, and throat.

• It can irritate airways, causing coughing, and breathing difficulties.

• Particulate matter can worsen chronic lung and coronary diseases, leading to heart attacks and lung disease.

• It can cause premature death in individuals with heart or lung conditions.

• Radon, released from the decay of uranium in soil and rocks beneath houses, is a source of indoor air pollution.

• Radon can enter houses through basements or cracks in walls and foundations.

Global Climate Change

• Anthropogenic sources of carbon dioxide contribute to global climate change.
• Two environmental problems, other than biodiversity loss, affected by global climate change are rising global temperatures, and rising sea levels.

CO2 Emissions (Additional Sources)

• Deforestation for farmland, grazing land, or timber.
• Lime and cement manufacturing (using calcium carbonate).
• Natural gas flaring/venting from oil wells.
• Livestock and agricultural activities.
• Waste disposal and treatment (releasing methane and CO2).

Timber Forests and Carbon Sequestration

• Timber companies plant and manage forests to generate timber.
• Managed forests sequester carbon in biomass, reducing atmospheric CO2.
• The amount of carbon sequestered varies between different tree species and time periods.
• Factors impacting carbon sequestration include the type of trees and the maturity of the trees.

Solutions to Decrease Atmospheric CO2

• Generate electricity using alternative fuels (not fossil fuels)
• Inject CO2 into depleted oil and gas wells.
• Alter driving habits (walking, biking, carpooling, hybrid/electric cars, public transport)
• Reduce business and leisure air travel (e.g., videoconferencing).
• Change eating habits (local food, less meat, dairy, backyard gardens).
• Use energy-efficient appliances and insulation.

Smog and Acid Rain

• Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are introduced into the atmosphere through the combustion of fossil fuels, forest fires and lightning.
• NOx reacts with oxygen (O2) and water (H2O) forming nitric acid (HNO3), a key component of acid rain.
• One method to reduce NOx emissions is decreasing the temperature during fossil fuel combustion.
• Other methods include using conservation measures (efficient engines) and switching to alternative fuels (like solar power).

Solar Radiation & El Niño

• Solar radiation drives Earth's climate and weather, and is most intense at the equator.

• The greenhouse effect is essential for life on Earth.

• Unequal heating of the Earth causes atmospheric circulation, distributing heat from the equator.

• El Niño events reverse warm surface water current direction, preventing upwelling of cold nutrient rich waters and making surface water warmer.

• El Niño event impacts like reduced drinking water, crop failures, food scarcity, flooding, increased thunderstorms, and potential collapse of fisheries.