Air: Climate and Pollution

Outline:
Climate and Pollution
Kinds of Pollution Sources Transport

Effects of Air Pollution Air Pollution Control

Climate and Air Pollution

Over the past 20 years, developed countries have made progress in improving air quality. Unfortunately, air quality in the developing world has been getting worse.

Primary and Secondary Pollutants, Natural and Human

Air pollutants occur either as gases or particulate matter Primary air pollutants: emitted directly into the air Secondary pollutants: reactions between primary pollutants and atmospheric compounds

Major Air Pollutants: Problems

Sulfur dioxide - acid rain, health damage, visibility reduction Nitrogen oxides - acid rain, eutrophication, growth of weedy species Carbon monoxide - inhibited respiration Lead and mercury - neurological damage Chlorofluorocarbons - ozone depletion Particulate matter - lung damage, cancer Volatile organic compounds (isoprenes, terpenes, methane, & benzene, chloroform, etc) oxidized to CO, CO2 in the atmosphere; carcinogens?

Los Angeles

The International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) is a research program that studies the phenomenon of Global Change

Indoor Air Pollution

Smoking - diseases related to smoking responsible for 20% of deaths in the U.S. In less-developed countries, poorly ventilated heating and cooking fires represent the greatest source of indoor air pollution. The Silent Killer
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Indoor Pollutant Sources

Indoor air pollutants come from: underground diffusion, combustion, and chemical emissions.
Most indoor air pollution can be reduced by increasing building ventilations. Radon gas (a radioactive decay product of uranium) is the most harmful indoor pollutant when found in high concentrations.

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Interactions Between Climate Processes and Air Pollution

Long range transport Stratospheric ozone depletion Montreal Protocol - 1987

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Jet Streams & Jet Streaks

http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/ mtr/cyc/upa/jet.rxml

http://sd.znet.com/~aringler/jet.htm

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Long range transport of pollutants

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Circumpolar winds transport air pollution from heavily industrialized regions to the Arctic, where high levels of smog accumulate.
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Ozone Depletion
Stratospheric Ozone Destruction by Chlorine Atoms and UV Radiation

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Production of chloroflurocarbons (CFCs)

Montreal Protocol passed in 1987

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NASA projections of stratospheric ozone concentrations if chlorofluorocarbons had not been banned.
From the historical record we know that total column ozone values of less than 220 Dobson Units were not observed prior to 1979.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Future_ozone_layer_concentrations.jpg

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Effects of Air Pollution

Human health Plant pathology Visibility reduction Acid deposition

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Ecosystem damage caused by sulfur dioxide emissions and acid rain. (near Sudbury Ontario)

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Acid Precipitation, 2000

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Frazier fir stand on Mount Mitchell in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina

Acid Rainfall affects:

Plants - directly (weakens or kills plants)

Plants - indirectly (lower soil nutrients, insects attack weak trees) Soils - directly (leaching of base cations eg, Ca & Mg)
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Air Pollution Control

Early approach: Dilution is the solution to pollution
Particulate removal - air filters Sulfur removal - scrubbers Nitrogen oxide reduction - catalytic converters Hydrocarbon controls - afterburners
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Automobile Emission Control System

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CLEAN AIR LEGISLATION

Clean Air Act (1963) - First national air

pollution control. (using incentives, eg

federal grants to states)

Clean Air Act (1970) rewrote original Act. Identified critical pollutants Established ambient air quality standards.
Primary Standards - Human health Secondary Standards - Materials, environment, aesthetic and comfort.
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 US Clean Air Act designated seven major (conventional or criteria) pollutants for which maximum ambient air levels are mandated.
Sulfur Dioxide Carbon Monoxide Particulates Hydrocarbons Nitrogen Oxides Photochemical Oxidants Lead

Conventional Pollutants

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Clean Air Act

Revision (1990) - Included provision for:
Acid Rain Urban Smog Toxic Air Pollutants Ozone Protection Marketing Pollution Rights Fugitive emissions of volatile organics Ambient ozone, soot, and dust. NOx emissions

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Clean Air Act

Clear Skies ( 2002) didnt pass market-based
approach, tried to eliminate new source review of 1977 which was pollution controls on old equip as well as new equip

Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR 2005)

Eliminated new source review, Set emission standards for SO2, NOx, PM Depends upon cap-and-trade (can buy credits from nonpolluting)
OK nationally but can create hot spots of pollution locally

Interstate rule because pollution can drift across state borders affecting ambient pollution levels
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Current Conditions and Future Prospects

Developed vs. Developing Countries

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Total Suspended Particulates (TSP)

Tend to be much higher in large cities in developing countries than in developed countries

CURRENT AND FUTURE CONDITIONS

In the United States, air quality has improved dramatically in the last decade in terms of major large-volume pollutants.
Cities where pollution is largely from traffic still have serious air quality problems.

Major metropolitan areas of many developing countries are growing at explosive rates, and environmental quality is very poor.
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Some Good News: U.S. Trends

U.S. emissions of six major air pollutants in 1970 compared with 2002.

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Summary:
Atmosphere and Climate Climate Change
El Nino Human Causes

Climate and Pollution

Kinds of Pollution Sources Transport

Effects of Air Pollution Air Pollution Control

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