Air Pollution : The Causes Of Chemistry Behind Air Pollution

Arizona is on the rise as one of the fastest metropolitan areas in the United States of America. In fact, in 2015 Forbes Magazine ranks Phoenix, Arizona as the 11th fastest growing city in the U.S.1 This growth is due the unprecedented resources and growing opportunities in the state of Arizona. With all of these opportunities come more production, which means more emissions from various industries and cars, more fossil fuels burned, and household and farming chemicals added to the sky. All of these are examples of pollution; which is one the sacrifices that comes with being a large city that is emerging. Pollution is defined as the action or process of making land, water, air, etc., dirty and not safe or suitable to use.2 We understand that Phoenix is a rapidly growing city, but they should be able to grow without being a detriment to the environment and health of their citizens. The purpose of my report is to examine the problem of air pollution in Phoenix, Arizona and look at solutions to fix this problem.

A major source of air pollution in Los Angeles is diesel engines. Diesel engines are an “internal combustion engine having fuel injected into the combustion chamber near the end of the combustion stroke. The fuel is ignited by the heat of compression only” (Hoffman, 2002). Diesel fuel is created from refined crude oil. There is a three

For the past few years, the American Lung Association has been releasing its annual reports on the “State of The Air” that lists the most polluted cities in the United States. For instance, in 2014, out of the seven cities ranked to have the worst air quality, six of them are in California. The two major air pollution culprits in California are from the transportation sources such as trucks and cars, or from the stationary sources such as industrial facilities and refineries (Ierodiakonou, et al. 392). However, the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association includes other pollutants in their reports such as Sulphur(IV) oxide, Carbon(II) Oxide gas and Nitrogen(IV) Oxide from chemical industries, which also causes harm to human beings and the environment at large.

To help minimize the risk of people living in the city getting sick, because small amounts of soot in the air can trigger heart attacks and contribute to lung cancer, diabetes, and other deadly illnesses, the EPA has started issuing more strict regulations that are forcing people to use cleaner fuel and engines in diesel trucks and buses, because the city can not regulate privately owned trucks so they have begun replacing old buses and trucks with new, cleaner buses. Under the EPA’s new rule, communities will have to meet a much more strict annual average for how much soot can be in the air. The new target will be about 20 percent tighter than the old one. About 66 counties - mostly in the East and California - would fail the test today. The EPA estimates that by 2020, these rules will improve air quality enough so the only places in the country that will violate the soot standard will be seven counting in Southern California. The EPA believes the soot limit will save much more than it costs. To implement this soot limit it would cost tens of millions of dollars. Industry officials warn that the new standard will get in the way of economic recovery in some areas. The United States already has made a lot of progress in cleaning up fine particles over the decades. Recent epidemiological studies show that is

Epidemiologic studies have determined that the following are the major air pollutants contributing to respiratory diseases: sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and particulate matter (PM) less than 10 mm and less than 2. 5 mm in diameter (PM10 and PM2.5, respectively) (Baldi et al., 1999; Chew et al., 1999; McConnell et al., 1999; McDonnell et al., 1999; Neukirch et al., 1998; Ostro et al., 1998; Sheppard et al., 1999; Taggart et al., 1996). Particulate matter is the product of solid and liquid particles being directly emitted into the air from such things as diesel engine soot, road and agricultural dust, and manufacturing processes, while SO2, NO2, and O3, are predominately byproducts of fuel combustion.

In addition, diesel exhaust increases cancer risks, and a 2000 California study found that “diesel exhaust is responsible for 70 percent of the cancer risk from air pollution” (vi). In fact, recent studies have linked diesel exhaust with asthma. Major air pollutants from diesel engines at ports that can affect human health include; particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur oxides (SOx). (Harboring Pollution)

Carcinogens are substances that can cause cancer, and the exposure of this poses a high risk to people. Car exhaust fumes and cigarette smoke are the main forms of exposure and by breathing in this air, becomes a huge problem. People can also be exposed to benzene in the environment from factory emissions, and waste water from certain industries (American Cancer Society, 2016). Petroleum is used in automobiles, and the fumes released from the car into the atmosphere are trapped and circulated. Due to it's high volatility, it evaporates quickly in the air, and can absorb into low-lying areas (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013). Benzene irritates the linings of the airways and subjection to low concentration vapour can cause

In areas where air pollution is often dangerously high, many suffer from respiratory illness. The “poor air quality increases respiratory ailments like asthma and bronchitis, heightens the risk of life threatening conditions like cancer and burdens our health care system with substantial medical costs” (Scientists). There has even been a “20% increase in ER and hospital admissions of patients with heart and lung diseases when particulate pollution peaks” (Roppolo). Since there are many contributors to increased illness from particulate matter, the government should impose a change. When such effects begin to burden the lives of many individuals, there has to be some course of action to resolve the issue. The government should require that all car companies begin manufacturing vehicles that are more fuel efficient, which would certainly limit the emissions by vehicles. If there are nearly “30,000 premature deaths each year” (Scientists) from vehicular pollutants, then there should be more “fuel-efficient technologies” (Lott). Though there are steps being taken, more progress needs to be

Epidemiologic studies have indicated that air pollution can induce COPD exacerbations. The increased concentration of dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in particulate matter up to 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter, and black smoke particulate matter can increase respiratory mortality in patients with COPD [113, 114]. Some clinical studies showed that air pollution may account for approximately 6 to 9% of admissions, depending on the time of year [114]. Patients with COPD have also been shown to be at increased risk of death associated with urban particle air pollution [115]. Studies in vitro have shown that diesel exhaust particles stimulated production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as GM-CSF and IL-8. These cytokines may be involved

Air, is one of the most substantial source to mankind and our planet. While it exists, so does everything else along. However, in today’s epidemic, there has been certain factors that have increased in understanding whether the air we breathe today is healthy or not? Is it doing more harm than we thought? In other words, the health risks against air pollution have risen in the past few decades; all from what you may ask? Well, it could be for various factors and evaluations; either environmental or materialistic. Pollution is a major public health crisis in the world. (Friis, 2012). This is one of the conflicts that contribute to various aspects of an individual’s life, whether they may realize it or not. In this paper will include the sources that cause pollution with the effects it cause as well as policies on the regulation of air pollution.

Almost everybody owns a car. These vehicles are pumping pollution straight into the air and filling it with harmful pollutants. However, vehicles are not the only cause of air pollution. One of the other contributors to the burning of fossil fuels are industries. Air pollution consists of particles and gases that are emitted from both natural and manmade sources. The particles that specifically affect people are the ones that are small enough to go down into their airways. These are called fine-particulates (PM2.5), and they are the most critical form of air pollution (Gold and Samet 2013). With air pollution comes a whole array of health problems, predominantly focused on the nose, throat, and lungs. Both rural and urban environments contain different pollutants, such as infections, chemical

Scientists all over the world have been widely researching to find out ways in which the ozone layer is being destroyed through human actions. The ozone layer is gradually being destroyed by ozone depleting chemicals. These chemicals include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydroflourocarbons (HFCs), methyl bromide, halons, methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride among others (Ryding 173). These chemicals are used locally in coolants, fire extinguishers, solvents, pesticides, aerosol propellants and foaming agents.

Air pollution levels have a large existence in big cities in Indonesia like Jakarta, Bandung, and so on. This problem happens because the number of motor vehicle use that is not limited [1]. Exhaust smog are the cause of air pollution which has the dangerous effects for people’s health. Exhaust smog is a result of burning fuel oil every motor vehicle. There are two types of burning fuel oil: the first is complete burning [2] and incomplete burning [3]. These types of burning have the differentiation in producing the remainder. Complete burning produces carbon dioxide as a result of remaining while incomplete burning produces carbon monoxide as a result of the rest. Carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are gases that are harmful to people’s health and could decrease ozone layer [4] [5]. Exhaust smog is hazardous to people’s health. Exhaust smog is a result of burning fuel oil [6]. Consequently, exhaust smog has possibility to contain carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide gas. These harmful gases affect human respiration. Carbon monoxide makes the respiratory system becomes worse. Carbon monoxide will interfere with the process of hemoglobin in breathing [7]. As a result, people will not only feel lack of oxygen but also often feel dizzy and weak. In the other hand, carbon dioxide causes dizziness and fatigue to the sufferer [8]. In the prevention and reduction of the impact of exhaust smog, the Indonesian government decided all motor vehicle users have to check

The Automobiles are a necessary requirement, they have made living easy and convenient, they have also made human life more complicated in case of toxic emissions and an increased risk of accidents. Due to non-perfect combustion control in the combustion chamber, the exhaust contains significant amounts of pollutants which need to be transformed into harmless compounds[3].These pollutants have negative impact on

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s): CFC’s are lowering the average concentration of ozone in the stratosphere. “Since 1978 the use of CFC’s in aerosol cans has been banned in the United States, Canada and most Scandinavian countries. Aerosols are still used around the world and accounts for 25% of global CFC’s use”. (Miller 448). Spray cans discarded or leaking refrigerator and air conditioning equipment and the burning plastic foam products release the CFC’s into the atmosphere. Depending on the type, CFC’s stay in the atmosphere from 22 to 111 years.” Chlorofluorocarbons move up to the stratosphere gradually over several decades. Under high energy ultra violet (UV) radiation break them down and release chlorine atoms, which speed up the breakdown of ozone (O3) into oxygen (O2). Chlorofluorocarbons, also known as Freons, are green house gas that contributes to global warming. Photochemical air pollution is commonly referred to as “smog”. Smog is the contraction of the words smoke and fog, smog has been caused by water condensing on smoke particles, usually from burning coal. With the introduction of petroleum to replace coal economies in countries, photochemical smog has become predominant in many cities, which are located in sunny warm and dry climates with many motor vehicles. The worst episodes of