Types, Effects, and Controls of Air Pollution

Types, Effects, and Controls of Air Pollution Air pollution depending upon which source you use is broken down in a couple of ways. No matter how you look at it though, air pollution is still air pollution and it is both harmful to humans and the environment. One source breaks air pollution down into two categories or seven primary and two secondary pollutant types (Wright & Boorse, 2008, p. 487). The primary pollutants can more easily be broken down into four types of pollution which are based upon the reason or cause. These types are: accidental, industrial, transport, and dwelling (Types of Air Pollution, 2010). Accidental pollution is derived from forest fires, industry leakage and blasts, or petroleum transport truck accidents. Industrial air pollution comes from thermal power plants; industries of food, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and pharmaceuticals; other industries or steep, paper, sugar, cement, petroleum, textile and textile related industries; and atomic units. The transport pollution is due to urban, all types of terrestrial transports, and any other mode of transportation. The fourth type, dwelling related pollution, develops from aerosol use, waste disposal systems, and high density population. Out of these four, industrial and transport related pollutants are the two main contributors or air pollution (Types of Air Pollution, 2010). The secondary pollutants are broken down into ozone (O3) and peroxyacetyl nitrates (PAN); which come from photochemical smog. This photochemical smog is actually generated, “When [components from primary] pollutants like hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides combine in the presence of sunlight” (Types of Air Pollution, 2010). Plant and animal life can be damaged by ozone smog. With the PAN, photosynthetic efficiency reduction and plant growth occurs because of damage to chloroplasts from the PAN. When it comes to human health, all air pollutants are hazardous to our health, especially our respiratory systems.

References: Types of Air Pollution. (2010). Retrieved December 10, 2010, from TutorVista Global Pvt. Ltd.: www.tutorvista.com/contentbiology/biology-iv/environmental-pollution/air-pollution.php Which Air Pollution Control Method is Most Effective? (2009, February 17). Retrieved December 11, 2010, from Enviro News & Business: www.enviro-news.com/article/which_air_pollution_control_method_is_most_effective.html Wright, R. T., & Boorse, D. F. (2008). Environmental Science Toward A Sustainable Future 11th Edition. San Francisco, CA: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.