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Air Quality Effects On Humans

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1.1 Air Quality Effects on Humans Air quality in America is a very important topic. Humans breathe every day, approximately 3,000 gallons of air. Without it, we cannot live1. Breathing air, which contains pollutants, can be harmful to human health. Minimally, polluted air can cause burning eyes and noses along with an irritated throat and difficulty breathing. Additionally, for people with asthma, which includes over 30 million Americans, pollutants can aggravate respiratory problems. Elderly people and those with heart or respiratory conditions are extremely vulnerable to the adverse effects of breathing polluted air. Toxic chemicals in the air can cause cancer, birth defects, lung injury, and brain and nerve damage. In a worst case scenario, breathing pollutants can cause death1. The air pollutants can be divided into two categories, which are primary pollutants and secondary pollutants. Primary pollutants are those pollutants, which can be directly traced to the pollution source. Meanwhile, secondary pollutants are those, which are produced as a result of reaction by the primary pollutants. Unfortunately, both types of pollutants have the ability to cause chemical changes in the atmosphere2. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has put together a list of 187 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). In metropolitan areas, there are thirty HAPs identified by the EPA to threaten human health3. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) affect in social and

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