![]()
m52. What causes air pollution?
Indoor air pollution is as dangerous as that outdoors. About 150 dangerous
chemicals in concentrations 10-40 times higher than in outdoor air occur in
homes. In 1990, the EPA listed indoor air pollution at the top of a list of
sources of cancer. Chemicals included in indoor air pollution are cigarette
smoke, radon-222 gas, asbestos, and formaldehyde (common in wall board,
furniture and permanent-press clothing). Motor vehicles cause outdoor pollution;
they are responsible for 80-88% of the air pollution in Los Angeles. Sulfur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides are transported as much as 600 miles.
If they combine to form secondary pollutants, they may also combine with
moisture and eventually become acid rain. Rain in the eastern US is about 10
times more acidic (pH of 4.3) to 100 times more acidic (pH of 3) than in the
rest of the US. Acid rain in these areas comes from coal and oil burning plants
in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri, West Virginia and Tennessee.
e13. What is biomass?
e20. What are environmental hazards and risks?
e21. What are chemical hazards?
g01. What was the second atmosphere like?
g02. What was the primitive atmosphere like?
g03. How did the atmosphere change after the Precambrian?
g08. What are the spheres that make up the earth?
g13. What makes up earth's climate?
g19. Where do you find air pollution?