Air Pollution is contamination of the atmosphere by gaseous, liquid, or solid wastes or by-products that can endanger the health and welfare of humans, plants and animals.

• All forms of motorised transport cause some environmental problems, but road vehicles are the most polluting.
• Exhaust fumes - a mixture of different gases, including carbon monoxide (a toxic has).
• In sunny conditions, the gases from exhausts form a photochemical smog.
• Smog - smoke + fog, and contains ozone (valuable high up in the stratosphere, but harmful near the ground).

• All forms of electricity generation have some effect on the environment
• The combustion of coal, oil accounts for much of the airborne pollutants (can cause acid rain).
• *The harmful fumes may be cleaned up.
• Wind and wave power have far less effect than generation from fossil
  fuels.

• Smokestacks do not remove pollutants but simply boost them higher into the atmosphere
• These pollutants may then be transported over large distances and produce adverse
  effects in areas far from the site of the original emission (acid rain).

Reduces the amount of oxygen that can be carried by the blood.

• Effects:

  
  

  slowing of reflexes and thinking

  
  

  death

  
  

• At risk:

  
  

  people with heart conditions

  
  

  young children

  
  

  the elderly

  
  

• Sources:

  
  

  Road transport - 85 per cent of the carbon monoxide in the UK.

a result of other polluting gases reacting together in the atmosphere.

ground-level ozone - pollutants from various sources come in contact in heat - a great part of smog (country areas, because by the time ozone has formed pollutants have drifted away from the towns).

Sources:
cars
power plants
factories

• Effects:

  
  

  serious damage to the lungs

  
  

  harm the body's defences against bacteria and viruses (the immune system).

  
  

  irritate the throat and lungs (coughing and choking)

  
  

• At risk:

  
  

  asthmatics

  
  

  those with bronchitis

  
  

  plants

  
  
  
  

When fuel is not completely burned, hydrocarbons (ex methane) are emitted (invisible particles present in smoke (particulates).

Affected areas - sites near main roads, areas close to polluting industries, or where domestic fires use coal.

• Sources:

  
  

  badly maintained diesel engines - fumes

  
  

• Effects:

  
  

  cause cancer

  
  

Agriculture:
90% ammonia emissions
80% methane emissions

Natural phenomena:
release pollutants into the atmosphere

• volcanic eruptions
• sand storms
  
  

Business, public buildings, households
50% carbon monoxide emissions