OSU ENR 2100 Week 11 - Lecture notes 11 PDF

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Dr. Brian Lower...

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OSU ENR 2100 Week 11 Coriolis Effect  

Earth's rotation from west to east causes wind and water to swerve to right in Northern Hemisphere and to the left in Southern Hemisphere. Causes the formation of prevailing winds: polar easterlies, westerlies and trade winds and controls the migration of air pollution all over the globe.

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Air Pollution   

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Various chemicals (gases, liquids, or solids) present in the atmosphere in high enough levels to harm organisms or materials Can come from natural sources (forest fire, volcano) but we are going to talk about the anthropogenic (human made) air pollution. Primary air pollutant :(some type of material that when it enters the atmosphere it is immediately considered a toxin or pollutant) enter directly into the atmosphere. Dust particles, lead, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, benzene Secondary air pollutant: (something that enters the atmosphere form a source like a smoke stack and when it gets into the atmosphere it combines with other chemicals to form the pollutant) form in the atmosphere when primary air pollutant reacts chemically with other air pollutants or with natural components of the atmosphere (sulfuric acid, ozone, nitric acid).

Clean Air Act     

Passed in 1970 Updated and amended in 1977 and 1990 EPA oversees the act Focuses on 6 air pollutants: lead, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide, ozone The EPA can set limits on the amount of these air pollutants

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States can pass stronger pollution controls, but not weaker ones than the EPA Lead has decreased by 98% from 1970 to 2000 1990 amendments focused one: airborne toxic chemicals and motor vehicles. It required a 90% reduction in the atmospheric emissions of 189 toxic chemicals

Kids and Pollution  Pollution in the atmosphere is causing problems for children and elderly. There's a program in LA where kids participate in a program on how pollutants affect their health throughout the year  Asthma is one of the major bi-products of pollution in the United States. It is a respiratory ailment marked by inflammation and constriction of the narrow airways of the lungs. Link Between Air Quality and Illness  Recognized in the 30's when people in Belgium became sick and died as a result of trapped pollutants associated with a temperature inversion.  The World Heath Organization (WHO) recognizes air pollution as a major threat to human health. Deaths due to outdoor air pollution (2008)

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Air pollution comes from:  Vehicle exhaust  Industry emissions  Coal fired power plants  Indoor burning of solid fuels (charcoal, wood, animal waste)  Natural sources (sandstorms, volcanos, wildfires)  Primary and Secondary pollutants:

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When it comes to particulate matter size matters. Smaller particles are more dangerous for human health and the health of other organisms. Smaller particles can stay suspended for longer periods of time and propose a risk for longer periods of times and they can enter the blood stream and cells. They devise particle size by the PM.

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Acid Rain  

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Secondary air pollutant A broad term referring to a mixture of wet and dry deposition (deposited material) from the atmosphere containing higher than normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acid. These result from volcanos and decaying vegetation. But most comes from man made sources from burning fossil fuels, like coal. The smoke from the burning of the fossil fuels goes up into the atmosphere and the wind blows it away, it becomes a pollutant in the atmosphere and rains down and can affect people 10's or 100's of miles away. Acid rain is measured on the PH scale. Human blood is 7PH (neutral) and most organisms can live in 7PH. When you have too much sulfuric or nitric acid you have lower PH levels, making acid rain. Because of smoke stack scrubbers, implementations by the U.S. Clean Air act the levels of Acid rain throughout the united states are much better.

EPA   

Focuses on 6 criteria pollutants (listed above in the beginning of notes) The EPA also recognizes 187 hazardous air pollutants that can effect human health, in addition to the 6 criteria pollutants. After the enactment of the Clean Air Act mortality rates in cities are down.

Criteria Air Pollutants Carbon Monoxide  From incomplete combustion of any carbon based fuel  Vehicles, forest fires, volcanos  Interferes with red blood cells' ability to carry oxygen; causes headaches and can lead to death. Sulfur Dioxide  From burning fuel that contains sulfur, such as coal.  Industry, volcanoes, dust  Respiratory irritant; harms plant tissues and can be converted to sulfuric acid which damages plants, aquatic creates, and concrete structures (it can cause acid rain) Nitrogen Oxides  From the reaction of nitrogen in fuel or air with oxygen at high temperatures (usually during combustion of a fuel)  Vehicles, industry and the main sources  Respiratory irritant; can cause increased susceptibility to infection; can be converted to nitric acid (acid rain), which damages plants, aquatic organisms and even concrete structures. Can cause eutrophication  Produced as a result of fuel combustion (automobiles are mostly responsible)  Primary pollutant and can help create secondary pollutants  Inhibit plant growth, causes asthma when inhaled, production of smog, climate change, creates ground level ozone.

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The EPA efforts to reduce: require motor industries to produce cleaner vehicles (finalized in 1995 and aimed to reduce emissions by 400,000 tons). Reduce emissions from coal burning power plants. (began in 2000 and wanted to reduce emissions by 2,000,000 tons per year) Ground Level Ozone  Formed from reactions between nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds with oxygen in the presence of sunlight  Vehicles are the main source and can be released from manufactured products or be released directly by industry. Some are also released by trees and other plants  Respiratory irritant that reduces overall lung function; can reduce photosynthesis in plants  Not emitted directly into air, but created chemically when nitrogen oxide reacts with VOCs in the presence of sunlight, therefor it is a secondary pollutant.  Ground level ozone Is the primary constituent of smog  Major sources of NOx and VOCs are industrial facilities, electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, chemical solvents.  Breathing ozone can cause health problems such as bronchitis, asthma, reduced lung function, scarring of lung tissue  Ozone damages crops and is responsible for over 500,000,000 in reduced crop production each year in USA Particulate Matter (PM)  Tiny airborne particles or droplets (smaller than 44 micrometers)  The smaller the particle the more dangerous it is  Solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere (soil particles, soot, lead, asbestos, sea salt, sulfuric acid droplets.  Scatters and absorbs light  Sunlight urban areas receive < sunlight rural areas because urban air particulate > rural air particulate  Released during the combustion of any fuel or activity that produces dust; also produced by forest fires, dust storms, and even sea spray.  Respiratory irritant; can reduce respiratory and cardiovascular function; reduces visibility; particles can end up in aquatic or terrestrial ecosystem supplying nutrients or acids that can harm organism that live there. Lead    

Additive to gasoline, paint and other solvents. Phased out of U.S. gas supply in the 1970's and officially banned in 1996 Lead-based paint in older homes and from other countries; leaded gasoline; soil erosion and volcanos Damages nervous, excretory, immune, reproductive, and cardiovascular systems; can accumulate in soils and in the tissues of organisms and can bio magnify up a food chain. It has been phased out with a 98% reduction from 1970 to 2000 primarily due to unleaded gas.

Volatile Organic Compounds  Organic molecules (hydrocarbon) that easily evaporates  Solvents, paints, glues, and other organic chemicals; plants naturally release VOCs  Those from human sources can be directly toxic or disruptive to living organisms, including humans; contribute to ground-level ozone formation.

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Long term exposure to it can kill you Causes the formation of ground level ozone

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Naturally occurring element Burning coal; mining and smelting operations; forest fires and volcanos A major neurotoxin that can disrupt development in embryos and young children; can bio accumulate in individuals and bio magnify up the food chain. Top mercury releases in Ohio: Gavin, Conesville, Sammis. These come from companies like AEP and First Energy

Mercury

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Carbon Dioxide  Burning carbon based fules such as fossil fuels (coal); forest fires and normal decomposition  Nontoxic so no health effects at normal levels of exposure; greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, affecting ecosystems worldwide.

Electricity Generation  Electrical generator - converts mechanical energy into electrical energy usually by electromagnetic induction.  Electromagnetic induction - discovered by Michael Faraday in 1830's. Current is produced when a conductor is moved back and forth by a magnet and the magnet applies a force of the electrons in the copper causing them to move. As you move the copper wire back and forth past the magnet you produce an alternating current of electricity.  Unfortunately to turn this crank you have to burn fuel a lot of times. This is where coal comes into play. Clean Coal Technology  Scrubbers - desulfurization system that clean the power plant's exhaust

As polluted air passes through a scrubber, chemicals in the scrubber react with the pollution and cause it to precipitate, or settle out.  Fluidized-bed combustion - mixes crushed coal with limestone particles to neutralize acidic compounds produced during combustion. Produces fewer NOx and removes sulfur from the coal and you aren't producing the acid rain down-wind from the facility.  ISSUES: as you collect that waste it's not disappearing. The technologies are only removing the sulfur from the air. Now its in a solid form and you have to dispose of it. It is disposed of in coal ash waste ponds. It is stored there for thousands of years. There becomes a problem when the waste ponds fail and the material is released into the surrounding ecosystem and causes all sorts of damage because it contains so many heavy metals. Sulfur Oxides    

Sulfur dioxide: a colorless, nonflammable gas with a strong irritating odor, it is a primary pollutant Sulfur trioxide: is a secondary pollutant that forms when sulfur dioxide reacts with oxygen in air Sulfuric acid: is a secondary pollutant that forms when sulfur trioxide reacts with water in air. This creates Acid rain. This sulfur comes from the burning of fuel that contains sulfur (coal and oil). Electricity is the number one source.

Concerns:   

Sulfur dioxide contributes to respiratory illness, particularly in children ,elderly (asthma or people with heart or lung disease) Sulfur dioxide contributes to the formation of acid rain. Can be transported over long distances in the air because of the prevailing wind patterns.

Control: 

The EPA has a number of programs that aim to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions in the united states by about 10 million tons (half of what they were in 1980).

Controlling Air Pollutants

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Libby, Montana  A mine owned and operated by W.R. Grace mined vermiculite that also contained asbestos. Mine operated since early 1900's.  250 Libbians have died of asbestos related diseases in the past 60 years and 100's more have been sick

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A Superfund Site (400 million dollars)

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They are very small particles that can't be decomposed by your body. Once you ingest it and inhale it into your lungs its going to stay there for the rest of your life. You can develop cancer in your lung, scar tissue You will die prematurely, there's nothing you can do.

Asbestos

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Greenhouse Gasses  Trap heat in the atmosphere  Examples are Carbon Dioxide (our main problem), methane, nitrous oxide, fluorinated gases  They enter the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels, solid waste, trees and wood products (carbon dioxide). Transport of coal, natural gas, and oil, and livestock (methane). Agricultural and industrial activities as well as combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste (nitrous oxide). Industrial processes (fluorinated gases) What Pollutants are you Exposed to Indoors?  Volatile Organic Compounds released form paints  Chlorine released from structures inside the house  Molds, mildews, dust mites  Chemicals released form furniture and carpets  Damp basements can encourage fungus and other microorganisms that are dangerous to breathe  Radon can seep up through the foundation  Carbon Monoxide, from the fumes of your garage  Pesticides and cleaners

How to control Air Pollution

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Technology: smoke stack scrubbers, filters, electrostatic precipitators, catalytic converters The scrubbers are scrubbing the air that comes out of the stack. The dirty material is collected below and stored in landfills (coal ash ponds). You have much cleaner air being released into the atmosphere, but have to be very careful about leaks. Use Mass Transit that decrease the number of cars on the road will reduce air pollution Busses that run on compressed natural gas

Study Guide A. Coriolis Effect, global wind patterns, polar easterlies, westerlies, trade winds B. Atmospheric circulation and heat exchange

C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. U. V. W. X. Y. Z.

Air pollution, primary air pollutant and secondary air pollutant. The U.S. Clean Air Act, 6 pollutants it focuses on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lead (Pb), particulate matter, sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), Carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3) What types of pollution affects different countries around the world? Natural air pollution vs anthropogenic air pollution. Particulate matter, size, PM2.5 and PM10Acid rain, causes, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, how does burning coal lead to acid rain? How does an electric generator work, what is electromagnetic generation and how are copper and magnets used to generate electricity? How are scrubbers and limestone used to "clean" coal and lower the missions that come out of the smokestack at a coal fired power plant. What types of pollutants are in a coal ash waste pond, where do these pollutants come from and how are they stored? What is carbon capture and storage and how does it work? How does coal lead to carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? How is carbon dioxide and methane linked to global climate change? What is a greenhouse gas? How does the Greenhouse Effect work? What are the different types of greenhouse gases? Where do sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide pollutants come and from what problems do they cause? How does an electrostatic precipitator work? How do catalytic converters work in cars? What pollutants do they target? What is ground level ozone, what causes it, how is it different from the ozone that exists in the stratosphere in our ozone layer? Know about asbestos, Libby, Montana, health concerns associated with this pollutant. How do lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) get into the atmosphere? Know about volatile organic compounds. What are some of the problems associated with acid rain and acidified soils and waters? What are some indoor pollutants that you are exposed to each day?...