Types of Air Pollution

Air pollution isn't just smog. Several pollutants exist which can contaminate air, both indoors and out, making it difficult and even harmful to breathe. Smog, harmful emissions from industrial plants and cars, is just one type of air pollution. Other types include particle pollution, wherein particles from burned fuel pollute the air; lead; off-gassing of building materials, paint and furniture; and noise pollution, the result of unwanted sounds that can annoy and cause hearing damage and stress.

Smog
A hazy mixture of many different pollutants, smog is most often found hovering in large clouds above cities and industrial centers. Smog can come from industrial emissions like the release of smoke from coal-burning factories. This smoke contains sulfur dioxide, which can lead to acid rain. Acid rain is contaminated with sulfuric acid and falls to the earth, damaging plants, harming soil and polluting rivers and lakes. Motor vehicle exhaust pollutes the air in the same way as coal-burning factories, releasing smoke from the consumption of fossil fuels. These emissions of various types mix together, causing smog.

Particle Pollution
Similar to smog, particle pollution can result from the burning of fuel. However, particle pollution isn't just smoke. As the name suggests, particle pollution consists of small particles of matter, so small as to be invisible to the naked eye. In addition to small particles of fuel emissions, particle pollution can also come from organic chemicals, metals or even dust. Inhaled, particle pollution can cause health problems to the lungs and heart.

Lead
Sources of lead pollution include motor vehicle gasoline, airplane fuel, ore and metal processing, incinerators and lead-acid battery manufacture. Once inhaled, lead accumulates in the body and can affect the kidneys and the nervous, immune, cardiovascular, reproductive and developmental systems leading to problems like neurological dysfunction, high blood pressure, heart disease and behavior and learning problems in children.

Off-gassing
The release of potentially harmful chemicals from non-metallic materials is called off-gassing. Common building materials like paint, varnish, carpet, insulation and plywood can produce off-gassing, leading to indoor air pollution. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found that indoor air is sometimes more polluted than outdoor air. Off-gassing can lead to a wide range of health problems like headaches, asthma, respiratory diseases and cancer.

Noise Pollution
Just as gasses or particles can pollute the air, unwanted sound can be an invasive and harmful environmental pollutant as well. Unwanted sound can disturb sleep and conversation and decrease the quality of life. Sources of noise pollution include traffic, airplanes, garbage tucks, construction equipment and gardening equipment. According to the EPA, studies show that noise pollution can lead to health problems like stress, high blood pressure, lack of sleep and hearing loss.

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About Air Pollution

Air pollution refers to the presence of chemicals and natural substances in the air which cause a significant alteration of the air's property, especially when it relates to its breathability. While environmental pollution can happen anywhere, air pollution is mainly a problem of urban areas, especially large cities in heavily industrialized countries such as the U.S., China and Russia.

Evolution
Air pollution is mainly a modern problem. Up until a century ago, the major cause of air pollution was sulfur dioxide, caused by volcanic eruptions. Since the industrial age, however, man-made pollutants have become the main problem. This is especially due to the combustion of fuels, the widespread use of toxic metals (especially lead) and the production of chemical and industrial products.

Effects
Cardiopulmonary disease kills over a million people each year in the U.S. alone. Of those cases, almost a 100 percent are somewhat related to air pollution and the effects of the environment. This is especially true in children, which have reported increased levels of asthma attacks, and the elderly, who frequently show signs of toxins accumulation in their lungs and throat. Air pollution also increases the number and severity of bronchitis and respiratory allergy cases, as well as worsening cardiac conditions and emphysema.

Identification
Air pollution can be invisible, as many of the gases are odorless and colorless, caused by issues such as radioactive decay or toxic metals. However, most places with serious pollution problems reached that position due to the heavy emission of nitrogen oxides, which produces the hazy, grayish look that has become associated with large cities.

Geography
When it comes to air pollution in cities, China definitively holds the worst spots. In fact, 16 of the top 20 most polluted cities in the world are in China, with Linfen, in the Shanxi province, taking the first place. Several cities in Russia (and former USSR countries) also make the list, with Chernobyl and Sumgayit taking prominent place. In the U.S., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania takes the lead, followed by several Californian cities.

Type
There are several types of air pollutants, some of which people are barely aware of. The most common is smog, usually a concentration of carbon dioxide, mehane and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). All three pollutants, known as greenhouse gases, are caused directly by human activity, including the burning of fossil fuels, the use of refrigerants and the overuse of aerosol propellants. Sulfur dioxide is another common air pollutant. It is mainly brought into the air by various industrial processes, including substance discoloration, refrigeration and as a solvent.

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