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Sources of air pollution refer to the various locations, activities or factors which are responsible for the releasing of pollutants in the atmosphere. These sources can be classified into two major categories which are: Anthropogenic sources (human activity) mostly related to burning different kinds of fuel * “Stationary Sources” include smoke stacks of power plants, manufacturing facilities (factories) and waste incinerators, as well as furnaces and other types of fuel-burning heating devices * “Mobile Sources” include motor vehicles, marine vessels, aircraft and the effect of sound etc.
Chemicals, dust and controlled burn practices in agriculture and forestry management. Controlled or prescribed burning is a technique sometimes used in forest management, farming, prairie restoration or greenhouse gas abatement. Fire is a natural part of both forest and grassland ecology and controlled fire can be a tool for foresters. Controlled burning stimulates the germination of some desirable forest trees, thus renewing the forest. * Fumes from paint, hair spray, varnish, aerosol sprays and other solvents * Waste deposition in landfills, which generate methane.
Methane is not toxic; however, it is highly flammable and may form explosive mixtures with air. Methane is also an asphyxia’s and may displace oxygen in an enclosed space. Asphyxia or suffocation may result if the oxygen concentration is reduced to below 19. 5% by displacement, * Military, such as nuclear weapons, toxic gases, germ warfare and rocketry. Emission factors * Air pollutant emission factors are representative values that attempt to relate the quantity of a pollutant released to the ambient air with an activity associated with the release of that pollutant.
These factors are usually expressed as the weight of pollutant divided by a unit weight, volume, distance, or duration of the activity emitting the pollutant (e. . , kilograms of particulate emitted per anagram of coal burned). * Such factors facilitate estimation of emissions from various sources of air pollution. In most cases, these factors are simply averages of all available data of acceptable quality, and are generally assumed to be representative of long- term averages. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has published a compilation of air pollutant emission factors for a multitude of industrial sources. C] The Ignited Kingdom, Australia, Canada and many other countries have published similar compilations, as well as the European Environment Agency. [ consequences Smog * One of the most visible effects of air pollution is smog. A fog-like smoke (hence the term, "smog”) that blankets many cities, it can be seen as a disclosed haze that obscures the view of skylines around the world.
It comes from car exhausts and other emissions put out by a modern city such as furnaces, incinerators, and surrounding industries. * This effects not only the people who breathe it but also all systems that rely on circulating air. When it is particularly heavy, the dust and grime can adversely impact machinery by clogging filters, and gears. Acid rain Acid rain is caused when chemicals from pollutants enter the atmosphere and become bound to rain droplets. * The chemical composition of the water then changes and becomes acidic. When it falls to earth it has numerous consequences.
Aside from polluting the existing water table, the acid also affects plants and trees. Acid rain can kill a forest by affecting not only the leaves and bark, but also by raising the acidity of the soil. * Acid rain affects human constructions as well, especially any item made of stone. This includes monuments and statures, but also building structures which are eaten away by the acid. Health Issues * Air pollution causes numerous health consequences for people. Like the filters in machinery and buildings, a person’s lungs can become coated with the particulate matter in the pollution. This can lead to any number of respiratory problems, depending on the levels of exposure. At the very minimum, people who suffer from asthma or respiratory issues may have more difficulty. * Long term exposure can lead to health concerns similar to long term smoking, such as cancer and emphysema. This is in addition to any contamination caused by toxic chemicals that may be in the pollution, which homeless carry numerous health risks. Global Effect * One of the biggest effects of air pollution is it’s global reach.
Even areas that don’t have vehicles or industry, such as the arctic, are still affected by air pollution as global currents carry chemicals and particles around the world. * Another aspect of air pollution is also global warming, which is caused by excess carbon dioxide. Although ICC is a gas, and not a particle, because more of it is being put into the atmosphere through human activities, it counts as a pollutant. So does changes to the ozone levels, both the higher atmospheric ozone layer (affected by CUFF’S) and also ground level ozone which is similar to smog.
Effects on children * Cities around the world with high exposure to air pollutants have the possibility of children living within them to develop asthma, pneumonia and other lower respiratory infections as well as a low initial birth rate. * Protective measures to ensure the youths’ health are being taken in cities such as New Delhi, India where buses now use compressed natural gas to help eliminate the "pea-soup” smog. ICC] Research by the World Health Organization shows there is the greatest concentration Of particulate matter articles in countries with low economic world power and high poverty and population rates.