Air Pollution

Definition of Air pollution

Air pollution occurs when the air contains gases, dust, fumes or odour in harmful amounts. That is, amounts which could be harmful to the health or comfort of humans and animals or which could cause damage to plants and materials.The substances that cause air pollution are called pollutants. Pollutants that are pumped into our atmosphere and directly pollute the air are called primary pollutants. Primary pollutant examples include carbon monoxide from car exhausts and sulfur dioxide from the combustion of coal.Further pollution can arise if primary pollutants in the
atmosphere undergo chemical reactions. The resulting compounds are called secondary pollutants. Photochemical smog is an example of this.

Causes Of Air Pollution

There are several main causes of air pollution, the vast majority of them can be attributed to man. This article will give you a definition of air pollution and list some of the top causes and how each one contributes to the contamination in the atmosphere.Air pollution is the introduction into the atmosphere of chemicals, particulates, and biological matter that cause harm to humans, other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment. Stratospheric ozone depletion(contributed to air pollution) has long been recognized as a threat to human health as well as to the Earth’s ecosystems. The Earth is capable of cleaning itself of a certain level of pollution, but man-made pollutant have become too numerous for the Earth’s natural mechanisms to remove. We are seeing the results of this overload in the form of acid rain, smog, and the variety of health problems that can be contributed to our environment.One of the main causes of air pollution is manufacturing. This source of pollution spews particulate matter and chemicals into the atmosphere. The exhaust from a factory includes, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dioxide, as well as volatile organic compounds and particulates. There is not an area of the Earth’s atmosphere or an ecosystem that has not been altered by the long term effects of the pollution created by manufacturing. Strides have been made to filter the material coming from manufacturing plants, but it may take the Earth millenia to completely recover from the damage already done.As the list of causes of air pollution goes this next offender is number one. The burning of fossil fuels is a part of the everyday life of every human on the planet. We burn fossil fuels in our cars, fossil fuel is burned to extract fossil fuel from the Earth, and fossil fuel is used to process fossil fuel into its individual components. Every step of the way releases sulfur and nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, heavy metals, and particulates into the air. Each step in the process increases the number of asthma cases in the world, raises a person’s chance of having cancer, and increases the chance that your child will be born with congenital defects.

Historical explanation

In the days before the proliferation of large cities and industry,
nature's own systems kept the air fairly clean. Wind mixed and dispersed the gases, rain washed the dust and other easily dissolved substances to the ground and plants absorbed carbon dioxide and replaced it with oxygen.With increasing urbanisation and
industrialisation, humans started to release more wastes into the atmosphere than nature could cope with.Since then, more pollution has been added to the air by industrial, commercial and domestic sources. As these sources are usually found in major cities, the gases that are produced are usually concentrated in the air around them. The adverse effects of air pollution were graphically
illustrated in London in 1952 when, in just a few days, an estimated 4000 people died from effects of fine particle pollution.It is when these concentrated gases exceed safe limits that we have a pollution problem. Nature can no longer manage air pollution without our
help.

Solutions Of Air Pollution

• Avoid Second-Hand Smoke – Passive smoke is produced by smokers but can harm non-smokers as well.  Try to avoid areas that are filled with smoke and ask smokers to smoke outdoors.
• Check For Radon – Radon arises naturally from the ground and could cause fatal lung cancer.  Purchase a testing kit to find out if the radon level in your home is dangerously high.
• Don't Smoke – When you smoke, you not only harm yourself but also create problems for other people's health.
• Don't Use Wood Stoves – Wood stoves emit large amounts of CO indoors.  This can build up in your home and create a dangerous health risk.
• Drive Less – Cars are one of the largest sources of air pollution.  You should carpool or take public transportation whenever possible.
• Have Plants – Plants can absorb some dangerous chemicals that are polluting your air.  In doing so, they reduce your risk of getting sick.
• Look For Asbestos – Many old homes still contain asbestos from when they were built.  Asbestos can get into your lungs, stomach, and chest, causing problems that can prove fatal.  As a result, you should look around your home for asbestos that is crumbling or loose and remove it.
• Minimize Air Conditioning – If you can avoid air-conditioning, do so.  By keeping windows and shades shut, you may be able to avoid needing air conditioning, which will mean using less energy.