Air pollution effects

It is impossible to describe the whole extent of potential and actual

damage caused by all forms of air pollution. But here are the main
consequences:

Photo by Pok Rie on Pexels

ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Air pollution has a major impact on the process of plant evolution by preventing
photosynthesis in many cases, with serious consequences for the purification of the
air we breathe. It also contributes to the formation of acid rain, atmospheric
precipitations in the form of rain, frost, snow or fog, which are released during the
combustion of fossil fuels and transformed by contact with water steam in the
atmosphere.
GLOBAL WARMING

On top of that, air pollution is a major contributor to global warming and climate
change. In fact, the abundance of carbon dioxide in the air is one of the causes of
the greenhouse effect. Normally, the presence of greenhouse gases should be
beneficial for the planet because they absorb the infra-red radiation produced by the
surface of the earth. But the excessive concentration of these gases in the
atmosphere is the cause of the recent climate change.

ON HUMAN HEALTH

Our continual exposure to air pollutants is responsible for the deterioration of human
health.

Air pollution is indeed a significant risk factor for human health conditions, causing
allergies, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases as well as lung damage.
Smokestacks

Smokestacks from pulp mills belch smoke above clouds near the coastal town of
Eureka, California. Smokestacks, formally known as chimneys, emit smoke, steam, and
other vapors into the atmosphere from an indoor fireplace, stove, boiler, or burner.
No Smoking

A man smokes a cigarette in front of a "Danger: No Smoking" sign at a gas station in

Venezuela. Cigarette smoke is a form of air pollution that can damage the lungs of non-
smokers as well as those of smokers. In places where flammable items are kept—such
as gas stations—lit cigarettes are also a major safety hazard.

Fires

Air pollution is often associated with industrial emissions from factories and vehicles.
However, smoke from wildfires, such as those that burned these homes near Lake
Arrowhead, California, can also pollute the atmosphere.
Home Fires

Smoke is a form of air pollution that can damage people's lungs and stick to clothing,
walls, and food. These men, in Papua, Indonesia, prepare a fire inside a tree house with
little ventilation for the smoke to escape.
Three Mile Island

Three cooling towers release steam from the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating
Station, near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Water is used to cool the working fluid in the
plant. Cooling towers, symbols of nuclear power plants, are used to emit excess heat (in
the form of steam and water vapor) created during the process. Cooling towers do not
emit nuclear radiation into the atmosphere.

Effects On Humans

People experience a wide range of health effects from being exposed to air pollution.
Effects can be broken down into short-term effects and long-term effects.

Short-term effects, which are temporary, include illnesses such

as pneumonia or bronchitis. They also include discomfort such as irritation to the nose,
throat, eyes, or skin. Air pollution can also cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea.
Bad smells made by factories, garbage, or sewer systems are considered air pollution,
too. These odors are less serious but still unpleasant.
Long-term effects of air pollution can last for years or for an entire lifetime. They can
even lead to a person's death. Long-term health effects from air pollution include heart
disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases such as emphysema. Air pollution can
also cause long-term damage to people's nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other
organs. Some scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defects. Nearly 2.5 million
people die worldwide each year from the effects of outdoor or indoor air pollution.

People react differently to different types of air pollution. Young children and older
adults, whose immune systems tend to be weaker, are often more sensitive to pollution.
Conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease can be made worse by
exposure to air pollution. The length of exposure and amount and type of pollutants are
also factors.

Effects On The Environment

Like people, animals, and plants, entire ecosystems can suffer effects from air
pollution. Haze, like smog, is a visible type of air pollution that obscures shapes and
colors. Hazy air pollution can even muffle sounds.

Air pollution particles eventually fall back to Earth. Air pollution can directly contaminate
the surface of bodies of water and soil. This can kill crops or reduce their yield. It can kill
young trees and other plants.

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles in the air, can create acid rain when they mix
with water and oxygen in the atmosphere. These air pollutants come mostly from coal-
fired power plants and motor vehicles. When acid rain falls to Earth, it damages plants
by changing soil composition; degrades water quality in rivers, lakes and streams;
damages crops; and can cause buildings and monuments to decay.

Like humans, animals can suffer health effects from exposure to air pollution. Birth
defects, diseases, and lower reproductive rates have all been attributed to air pollution.

Global Warming

Global warming is an environmental phenomenon caused by natural and anthropogenic

air pollution. It refers to rising air and ocean temperatures around the world. This
temperature rise is at least partially caused by an increase in the amount of greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat energy in the Earths
atmosphere. (Usually, more of Earths heat escapes into space.)

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has had the biggest effect on global warming.
Carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels (coal, gasoline,
and natural gas). Humans have come to rely on fossil fuels to power cars and planes,
heat homes, and run factories. Doing these things pollutes the air with carbon dioxide.
Other greenhouse gases emitted by natural and artificial sources also include methane,
nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. Methane is a major emission from coal plants and
agricultural processes. Nitrous oxide is a common emission from industrial factories,
agriculture, and the burning of fossil fuels in cars. Fluorinated gases, such
as hydrofluorocarbons, are emitted by industry. Fluorinated gases are often used
instead of gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs have been outlawed in
many places because they deplete the ozone layer.

Worldwide, many countries have taken steps to reduce or limit greenhouse gas
emissions to combat global warming. The Kyoto Protocol, first adopted in Kyoto, Japan,
in 1997, is an agreement between 183 countries that they will work to reduce their
carbon dioxide emissions. The United States has not signed that treaty.

Effects
Now that we know the culprits of air pollution, let’s start discussing the harmful effects.

There are many different types of effects that air pollutants can cause. For one, there’s
the human health factor to consider.

If humans are at risk, then other forms of wildlife and organic creatures are in danger
as well.

Then there are the effects on the planet and its atmosphere.

In the paragraphs to follow, we’ll take a closer look at all of air pollution’s effects.

1. Accelerated Global Warming.

This is a green energy discussion, so let’s tackle this one first.

Earlier on, you learned about the Ozone layer and its role in protecting our planet. Air
pollution directly accelerates the rate at which global warming happens by depleting the
Ozone layer.
Global warming refers to the increased temperatures Earth continues to experience.
These higher temperatures lead to the melting of the polar ice caps and icebergs, which
elevates sea levels and creates concern for the human race.

2. Human Respiratory and Heart Concerns.

Air pollution is known to cause irritation in the eyes, lungs, nose, and throat. It creates
respiratory problems and exacerbates existing conditions such as asthma and
emphysema.

When continually exposed to air pollution, humans become at higher risk for
cardiovascular disease. Air filled with toxins can have a number of adverse effects on
the arteries, and have even been a contributor to heart attacks.

3. Wildlife Endangerment.

Most diseases and conditions that humans are susceptible to, animals are as well. Air
pollution creates many of the same issues that humans face.

Heavily polluted areas force inhabitants to seek new homes, which can negatively
impact the ecosystem.

Toxic chemicals, which we’ll discuss in the next bullet, also deposit over surfaces of
water that can lead to the endangerment of marine life animals.

4. Acid Rain.

When air pollution, specifically sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides, are released into sky
through fossil fuel burning, it creates the phenomenon known as acid rain.

Water, high in the atmosphere, combines with these chemicals and becomes acidic in
nature. It then scatters the ground, disguised as normal rainfall.

Acid rain has been known to cause harm to humans and animals alike, and even
damage crops.
Effects of Air Pollution

“While we’ve made progress over the last 40-plus years improving air quality in the U.S.
thanks to the Clean Air Act, climate change will make it harder in the future to meet
pollution standards, which are designed to protect health,” says Kim Knowlton, senior
scientist and deputy director of the NRDC Science Center.

Smog and soot

These two are the most prevalent types of air pollution. Smog, or “ground-level ozone,”
as it is more wonkily called, occurs when emissions from combusting fossil fuels react
with sunlight. Soot, or “particulate matter,” is made up of tiny particles of chemicals, soil,
smoke, dust, or allergens, in the form of gas or solids, that are carried in the air. The
EPA’s “Plain English Guide to the Clean Air Act” states, “In many parts of the United
States, pollution has reduced the distance and clarity of what we see by 70 percent.”
The sources of smog and soot are similar. “Both come from cars and trucks, factories,
power plants, incinerators, engines—anything that combusts fossil fuels such as coal,
gas, or natural gas,” Walke says. The tiniest airborne particles in soot—whether they’re
in the form of gas or solids—are especially dangerous because they can penetrate the
lungs and bloodstream and worsen bronchitis, lead to heart attacks, and even hasten
death.

Smog can irritate the eyes and throat and also damage the lungs—especially of people
who work or exercise outside, children, and senior citizens. It’s even worse for people
who have asthma or allergies—these extra pollutants only intensify their symptoms and
can trigger asthma attacks.
Hazardous air pollutants

These are either deadly or have severe health risks even in small amounts. Almost 200
are regulated by law; some of the most common are mercury, lead, dioxins, and
benzene. “These are also most often emitted during gas or coal combustion,
incinerating, or in the case of benzene, found in gasoline,” Walke says. Benzene,
classified as a carcinogen by the EPA, can cause eye, skin, and lung irritation in the
short term and blood disorders in the long term. Dioxins, more typically found in food but
also present in small amounts in the air, can affect the liver in the short term and harm
the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems, as well as reproductive functions. Lead
in large amounts can damage children’s brains and kidneys, and even in small amounts
it can affect children’s IQ and ability to learn. Mercury affects the central nervous
system.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, are toxic components of traffic exhaust and
wildfire smoke. In large amounts, they have been linked to eye and lung irritation, blood
and liver issues, and even cancer. In one recent study, the children of mothers who’d
had higher PAH exposure during pregnancy had slower brain processing speeds and
worse symptoms of ADHD.

Greenhouse gases

By trapping the earth’s heat in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases lead to warmer
temperatures and all the hallmarks of climate change: rising sea levels, more extreme
weather, heat-related deaths, and increasing transmission of infectious diseases like
Lyme. According to a 2014 EPA study, carbon dioxide was responsible for 81 percent of
the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and methane made up 11 percent.
“Carbon dioxide comes from combusting fossil fuels, and methane comes from natural
and industrial sources, including the large amounts that are released during oil and gas
drilling,” Walke says. “We emit far larger amounts of carbon dioxide, but methane is
significantly more potent, so it’s also very destructive.” Another class of greenhouse
gases, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), are thousands of times more powerful than carbon
dioxide in their ability to trap heat. In October 2016, more than 140 countries reached an
agreement to reduce the use of these chemicals—which are used in air conditioners
and refrigerators—and find greener alternatives over time. David Doniger, director of
NRDC’s Climate and Clean Air program, writes, “NRDC estimates that the agreed HFC
phase-down will avoid the equivalent of more than 80 billion tons of CO2 over the next
35 years.”

Pollen and mold

Mold and allergens from trees, weeds, and grass are also carried in the air, are
exacerbated by climate change, and can be hazardous to health. They are not
regulated by the government and are less directly connected to human actions, but they
can be considered air pollution. “When homes, schools, or businesses get water
damage, mold can grow and can produce allergenic airborne pollutants,” Knowlton
says. “Mold exposure can precipitate asthma attacks or an allergic response, and some
molds can even produce toxins that would be dangerous for anyone to inhale.”

Pollen allergies are worsening because of climate change. “Lab and field studies are
showing that the more carbon dioxide pollen-producing plants—especially ragweed—
are grown in, the bigger they grow and the more pollen they produce,” Knowlton says.
“Climate change also extends the pollen production season, and some studies are
beginning to suggest that ragweed pollen itself might be becoming a more potent
allergen.” That means more people will suffer runny noses, fevers, itchy eyes, and other
symptoms.
Who is at risk from air
pollution?

People’s health risk from air pollution varies widely depending on age, where
they live, their underlying health, and other factors. Many studies show that
people with lower socio-economic status and minority populations are
disproportionately exposed to air pollution and are more vulnerable to adverse
health impacts. Data from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) show
disparities in heart and lung disease by age, race/ethnicity, income level, and
geography.
Populations most at risk of health problems related to air pollution:

 People with lung diseases, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis,

emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
 Infants and young children
 People who work or exercise outdoors
 Adults over 65
 People with a cardiovascular disease
 People in poverty; people who lack access to health care
 People who smoke or are exposed to second-hand smoke
 People working in occupations where there is high exposure to
contaminated air
 People who spend a lot of time near busy roadways

Air quality in Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro area currently meets
standards, but even low and moderate levels of air pollution can contribute to
serious health effects and early death for these groups.
Ozone
Ozone, unlike the other criteria pollutants, is not emitted directly into the air by
any one source. Ground-level ozone is a secondary pollutant – it is formed
through chemical reactions of other molecules already in the air, specifically
nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Ground-level
ozone, which exists in the atmosphere close to earth, is not the same as the
"ozone layer" in the earth’s outer atmosphere (the stratosphere), where ozone
helps to absorb ultraviolet radiation that would otherwise be harmful to
organisms on the earth’s surface.
Sources of the NOx and VOCs that contribute to the formation of ground-level
ozone include vehicles, lawn and garden equipment, paints and solvents,
refueling stations, factories, and other activities that result in the burning of
fossil fuels.
Health impacts of ground-level ozone
Ozone can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, and can aggravate asthma and
other lung diseases, including bronchitis. Exposure to high levels of ground-
level ozone can increase the risk of premature death in individuals already
suffering from heart or lung disease. Children, whose lungs are still forming
and many of whom spend a large amount of time outdoors, are at particular
risk under high ozone concentrations.
For additional information about the health impacts of air pollution in
Minnesota, you can check out our most recent air quality report, or visit the Air
quality and health webpage. You can also sign up for air quality alerts and
forecasts, and check out current air quality.

Air quality standards

The Clean Air Act regulates ozone as a criteria pollutant. The U.S. EPA sets
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone, including both
primary standards to protect public health and secondary standards to protect
the environment. In 2015, the EPA reviewed the science related to the health
and environmental impacts of ozone and revised the NAAQS to reflect the
most up-to-date information. The level of both the current primary and
secondary eight-hour standards for ozone is 0.070 ppm (70 ppb).
The state of Minnesota is currently in compliance with the national standards
for ozone. Ozone is a pollutant of particular concern to Minnesota because
levels in the state are relatively close to the national standards. To see the
MPCA’s monitoring data for lead and other criteria pollutants, explore
our Criteria Pollutant Data Explorer.

5 Deadly Effects of Air

Pollution
1. Hazardous to Human Health
Air pollution threatens the human health in various ways. It causes lung disease
and other respiratory problems. On numerous occasions, there is a proven huge
connection between human health and air pollution, especially about premature
deaths in many developing countries and even the developed world. According
to World Health Organization (WHO) report in 2013, it postulates that air
pollution causes about two million premature deaths annually. Furthermore, the
WHO report emphasizes that majority of the deaths are experienced in
developing countries.

In the United States, for example, about 40,000 people die prematurely owing to
air pollution annually, and the numbers are higher in developing countries. The
report indicated that in India, air pollution is responsible for more than 500,000
premature deaths annually. The premature deaths are caused by the air
pollutants in the form of particulate matter that people breathe in.

The effects on the body are usually dependent on duration of exposure and also the type and
concentration of the particles or chemicals. The immediate effects are upper respiratory
infections like pneumonia and bronchitis or irritation of the nasal cavity and eyes. The long term
effects are chronic respiratory disorders, heart diseases, lung cancer, and even serious harm to
the liver, kidney, nerves, and the brain. Long-term exposure to air pollution also adversely
affects the lungs of young and growing children and may worsen medical conditions among the
aged people. Perhaps, this is the reason air pollution is perceived as a relentless and quiet killer.
2. Acid Rain

When the particles, chemicals, and pollutant gasses present in the atmosphere
chemically react with water molecules and oxygen, they form acidic compounds.
These acid compounds cause damage to vegetations, buildings, and the
environment in general. In most cases, the air pollutants such as Nitrogen Oxides
(NOx) and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) reacts to create mild nitric and sulfuric acidic
respectively. These acidic chemical compounds then combine with various forms
of precipitation such as snow, fog, rain, or sleet to form “acid rain.”

When acid rain precipitates over an area, it causes serious environmental harm
and might as well kill aquatic life, animals, trees, and crops. Acid rain damages
the leaves of the plants and crops that are needed for photosynthesis thus,
destroying or killing crops and plants. It also makes surface waters such as lakes
and rivers acidic by altering their chemistry thereby harming or killing fish and
other aquatic life. Similarly, acid rain can alter the soil chemistry by means of
infiltration hence, hindering soil microbial activity. Throughout North America
and Europe, acid rain has for a long time adversely affected aquatic life in lakes.

3. Eutrophication

Eutrophication refers to the process whereby a water body acquires excessive

concentrations of nutrients, particularly owing to runoff deposits of nitrates and
phosphates. As a result, it usually encourages the dense growth of plant life and
algae. When the plant life and algae die and decompose, the resultant organic
matter quickly depletes the available oxygen in the water causing the death of
animal life such as fish.

On this basis, the chemical compounds formed by air pollution are carried by
rainwater runoff that is then deposited in water bodies and soils. These deposits,
in turn, increase the nutrient levels in water bodies and soils that result in the
growth of algae and which make the condition unfavorable for the survival of fish
and other aquatic animals.

4. Ground-level Ozone
Ground-level ozone, unlike the commonly known good protective ozone layer in
the atmosphere, refers to a harmful ozone layer created by chemical reactions
between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) catalyzed
by the presence of heat and sunlight. Oxides of nitrogen and VOCs are emitted
on a daily basis through air pollution.

The sources of NOx and VOC emissions include manufacturing industries, fossil
fuel combustions, chemical solvents, and paints. When these emissions are
released into the atmosphere combined with favorable weather, especially high
temperatures and heat of about 60 to 90 degrees, ground-level ozone forms.
Highest ground-level ozone formations are commonly realized during hot
months, mainly in summer.

Ground-level ozone is a recipe for climate change and global warming. Climate
change refers to the alteration of weather patterns while global warming pertains
to an extreme increase in the global atmospheric temperatures that can seriously
affect ecosystems and agriculture. Inhaling ozone can also cause a range of
health disorders especially for children, the elderly, and people with lung and
respiratory diseases like chronic bronchitis or asthma.

5. Other Effects

Apart from the widespread effects of human and animal health as well as the
damaging impacts to the environment and vegetations, air pollution also affects
our surrounding in several ways. At times when one takes a keen look at the
streets of big cities, it is easy to spot how blackened some of the buildings look.
The trend is widespread and evident even in places where power plants or
factories do not exist.
The blackening of the buildings is predominantly caused by exhaust and soot
from cars, buses, or heavy duty tracks. Accordingly, it usually necessitates the
need for repainting from time to time, further generating emissions from paints
and chemical solvents. Besides, exhaust fumes contribute to acid rain that leads
to weathering of buildings, corrosion of metals, and peeling of paints on surfaces.

Disastrous Effects of Air pollution

1. Respiratory and heart problems
The effects of air pollution are alarming. They are known to create several
respiratory and heart conditions along with Cancer, among other threats to the
body. Several million are known to have died due to direct or indirect effects of
Air pollution. Children in areas exposed to air pollutants are said to commonly
suffer from pneumonia and asthma.

2. Global warming
Another direct effect is the immediate alterations that the world is witnessing due
to global warming. With increased temperatures worldwide, increase in sea levels
and melting of ice from colder regions and icebergs, displacement and loss of
habitat have already signaled an impending disaster if actions for preservation
and normalization aren’t undertaken soon.
3. Acid rain
Harmful gases like nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides are released into the
atmosphere during the burning of fossil fuels. When it rains, the water droplets
combine with these air pollutants, becomes acidic and then falls on the ground in
the form of acid rain. Acid rain can cause great damage to human, animals, and
crops.

4. Eutrophication
Eutrophication is a condition where a high amount of nitrogen present in some
pollutants gets developed on sea’s surface and turns itself into algae and
adversely affect fish, plants and animal species. The green colored algae that are
present on lakes and ponds is due to the presence of this chemical only.

5. Effect on wildlife
Just like humans, animals also face some devastating effects of air pollution. Toxic
chemicals present in the air can force wildlife species to move to a new place and
change their habitat. The toxic pollutants deposit over the surface of the water
and can also affect sea animals.

6. Depletion of the ozone layer

Ozone exists in the Earth’s stratosphere and is responsible for protecting humans
from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Earth’s ozone layer is depleting due to the
presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere.
As the ozone layer will go thin, it will emit harmful rays back on earth and can
cause skin and eye related problems. UV rays also have the capability to affect
crops.
When you try to study the sources of Air pollution, you enlist a series of activities
and interactions that create these pollutants. There are two types of sources that
we will take a look at Natural sources and Man-made sources.

Natural sources of pollution include dust carried by the wind from locations with
very little or no green cover, gases released from the body processes of living
beings (Carbon dioxide from humans during respiration, Methane from cattle
during digestion, Oxygen from plants during Photosynthesis). Smoke from the
combustion of various inflammable objects, volcanic eruptions, etc along with the
emission of polluted gases also makes it to the list of natural sources of pollution.

While looking at the man-made contributions towards air pollution, smoke again
features as a prominent component. The smoke emitted from various forms of
combustion like in biomass, factories, vehicles, furnaces, etc. Waste used to
create landfills generate methane, that is harmful in several ways. The reactions of
certain gases and chemicals also form harmful fumes that can be dangerous to
the well being of living creatures.