Persistence: This is a measure of time that they remain in the atmosphere

Density: This will affect its dispersal. Denser requires more energy to remain suspended and deposited earlier

Synergism: this involves 2 or more pollutants having their effects interacting with each other

Energy form: The different pollutnats that are energy forms such as noise

State of matter: Whether or not the material is actually worth mining

Oxygen: Involved in aerobic bacterial decomposition in sewage. Oxidation of sulfide ores causing sulfur dioxide.

pH: pH can affect the solubility of substances. Many heavy metals such as lead are more soluble and therefore mobile under acidic conditions

Light levels: Light can provide the activation energy that drives chemical reactions for example photochemical smogs

Pollutant interactions: The behaviour of a pollutant may be affects by the presence of other pollunants such as:

• Interactions of NOx and hydrocarbons in photochemical smogs.
• Combined affects of phosphates and nitrates in eutrophication

Temperature inversions The higher temperatures above, the higher the pollutants can be allowed to go higher and dispersed.

The presence of adsorbent materials: Pollutants may absorb onto other materials such as radioactive calcium from chernobyl was absorbed by rain and then absorbed by soil

Wind: The velocity and direction of air and water currents will affect how they are dispersed

Critical group monitoring: Risk of public exposure to pollutants. It assesses the risk to members of public at risk. If the risk to the public is too severe, then they will reduce the exposure to the pollutant

Critical pathway analysis Predicting the movement of potential pollutants in the environment to assess the severity and location of a pollutant.

Control of emission location: The severity of pollution is affected by the location where the discharges are released/ Although the emission location is not normally determined by the location of the source

Control of emission timing Emissions released when the tide is going in, will result in the pollutant being carried upstream and vice versa. In addition during a temperature inversion, you could stop the emissions as they would not disperse

Smoke is made from atmospheric particulates produced from incomplete combustion. Smoke is categorised by particulate size. Toxic chemicals such as fluorides, aluminium, lead, acids and organic compounds. Smoke can act synergistically with other pollutants

Selection of method: There are several general approaches to fixing this behaviour

Precautionary Principle This is researching the wastes danger before its released

The polluter pays principle There is an obligation to reduce pollutants. If the costs are too high, then they wont stop

On other organisms: Reduced photosynthesis as smoke blocks light. Also some minerals in smoke are toxic

Fog tends to form when moist air is cooled until it reaches its dew point. This makes the temperature inversions more likely

Smoke has a very high albedo so the temperature inversion can last for long periods of time, allowing pollutant levels to rise to a large levels

Transport sources: Diesel particulate filters (DPF) fitted in exhaust pipes of diesel engines trap up to 80% of smoke particles

Electrostatic precipitators Effleunt gasses are passed through a chamber with many charged wires or plates. The smoke particulates are suspended here and fall into 'fly ash'

Domestic sources: Increased use of fuels that do not produce smoke

Legislation Clean air act (1956). This restricted the use of fuels that produce smoke

Bag filters: remove smoke particulates by trapping them in a cloth

Tropospheric ozone contributes to the production of PANS but is also toxic itself.

PANS are toxic at high concentrations, They cause eye irritation