AIR & AIR POLLUTIONChapter 12, Section 2: Air, Noise & Light Pollution
Standards: SEV3a
WHO IS MOST AFFECTED BY AIR POLLUTION?
Very young Very old People with heart or
lung problems People who have
asthma
WHAT ARE THE SHORT TERM EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION ON HEALTH?
Headache Nausea Irritation of eyes,
nose, throat Coughing Upper respiratory
infections- bronchitis, pneumonia
Worsen effects of asthma & emphysema
WHAT ARE THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION?
Emphysema Lung cancer Heart disease
CASE STUDY: HEALTH EFFECTS OF GROUND LEVEL OZONE (AKA- BAD OZONE)
Good ozone is in the stratosphere over Earth’s atmosphere & protects us from UV rays
Ground Level (bad) Ozone = VOC’s + NOx + sunlight
Mostly from cars, gas vapors & power plants
Short term effects: irritation of respiratory system, increased asthma
Long term effects: reduced lung function (especially kids who live in urban areas and are outside often)
WHAT ARE SOME TYPES OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION?
Sometimes indoor worse than outdoor because more concentrated & more exposure.
Tobacco smoke Tetrachloroethylene- dry cleaning
fluid Paradichlorobenzene- moth balls
& air freshener Bleach, NaOH- cleaners NOx- unvented gas stoves, wood
stoves Fungi & bacteria- dirty air
conditioning ducts CO- faulty furnace, cars left
running Formaldehyde- furniture, carpet,
particle board Radon- radioactive soil under
foundation
WHAT IS RADON? Odorless,colorless Radioactive When home is built, radon
can be “uprooted” If basement or floors develop
cracks, radon can seep in If you live in this
environment for many years can develop lung cancer.
2nd leading cause of lung cancer in US
How do you fix it? Establish ventilation system in
basement to release radon so it doesn’t build up in house
WHAT IS ASBESTOS?
Long, thin fibers that are able to resist heat
Insulator, fire retardant Brakes & building
materials Banned in school
buildings now. Inhaling asbestos can
cut & scar lungs Leads to type of lung
cancer called mesothelioma
Cross section of a lung afflicted with mesothelioma
WHAT IS SICK BUILDING SYNDROME? Common in well air
conditioned buildings that are closed tight to keep in cool air.
Cause headaches, nausea that are alleviated by going outside
Martin county, Florida- $11 million courthouse closed down due to mold created by air conditioning system with no ventilation. LA Times- Florida's Plagu
e: Sick Building Syndrome
WHAT IS NOISE POLLUTION? Unwanted sounds Irritating to ears & damages
cells in ears Hearing loss has doubled in US
in last 30 yrs 12% teens have permanent
hearing loss Measured in decibels (dB)
See table 120 dB is threshold of pain Europe MP3 players cannot
produce more than 100 dB of noise
National Institute of Health sets safe threshold at 85dB for 8 hours
US does not regulate personal listening devices.
WHAT IS LIGHT POLLUTION?
Does not present direct danger to human health.
Problems with light pollution: Aesthetic reasons-
can’t see stars at night Wasted energy when
shines upward Shield light so it is
focused downward Use timer controls Use low pressure
sodium light sources to save energy
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO…
Describe the long term and short term effects of air pollution on health.
Describe two ways in which indoor air pollution can be prevented
Describe some of the human health problems caused by noise pollution
Describe several solutions to the energy waste associated with light pollution.