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7.6 Reduction of Air Pollutants

4 min readjanuary 8, 2023

Joshua Nielsen

Joshua Nielsen

Joshua Nielsen

Joshua Nielsen

Vocabulary

  • Hydrofluorocarbons

  • Perfluorocarbons

Methods of Reduction

In order to reduce the amount of air pollution changes are necessary. These changes are in three main forms: regulations, conservation, and alternative fuels.

Regulations

The (1997) is an agreement signed by members of the United Nations. Its goal is to reduce the number of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere that causes global warming. The group agreed that the most likely cause of global warming was the . The protocol listed the six major that were to be reduced as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HCFs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and (SF6).

A separate agreement was signed in Paris, France known as the (2016). Its focus is to keep the increase in global temperature to below 2℃ of the pre-industrial average. This is to be achieved through the adaptation and mitigation of anthropogenic carbon dioxide.

https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2018/08/03/07/00/thermometer-3581190_960_720.jpg

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Vehicles

Have you ever noticed the rubber/plastic ring around the nozzle at the gas pump? It is a and it is meant to reduce the amount of VOCs released to the air when you fill up your tank. You should notice less of a strong odor when these are equipped. 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Gas_Pump_Handle_-_Fueling_Station_%2834825559585%29.jpg/1280px-Gas_Pump_Handle_-_Fueling_Station_%2834825559585%29.jpg

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia

Another item that is installed on gasoline and diesel vehicles along with kerosine heaters is the catalytic convertor. This device is attached to the exhaust pipe in order to convert toxic gases like CO, NOX, and hydrocarbons into less toxic compounds like CO2, O2, N2, and water. 

Industrial Methods

Due to certain EPA regulations, companies are required to reduce the number of various pollutants emitted through their ‘smoke-stacks’. The use of scrubbers removes gases and particulates from a building’s exhaust.

Wet scrubbers channel the exhaust through a chamber that is spraying scrubbing liquid (usually water). Particulates and dissolved gasses are caught in the liquid which is then filtered. The cleaned exhaust is then released to the atmosphere.

Dry scrubbers use dry reagents to neutralize or convert the exhaust gases. Converted materials fall out of the gas stream and are then collected. The cleaned gases are then released.

Coal-burning power plants use electrostatic precipitators. The waste gases are passed through a high voltage screen. This ionizes the particles. Now, the gases travel over charged plates (positive and negative). These plates attract the ionized particles and remove them from the gas stream. Occasionally the plates are cleaned. 

Conservation

Reducing our energy usage is key to reducing air pollutants. Carpooling and mass transit release fewer pollutants. Combine this with more compact cities and now you are traveling even less. Make the cities greener with more energy-efficient buildings, green roofs, and improved municipal waste management.

Cleaner alternative energy sources like solar, wind, hydro, and hydrogen reduce greenhouse emissions and eliminate particulates from combustion. Many buildings can be retrofitted for wind and solar. It will reduce their dependence on the power grid.

Important Laws

There are many acts and protocols that have been implemented to address air pollution. Here are a few examples:

  1. Clean Air Act: This is a federal law in the United States that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. The act sets National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for certain pollutants, and it requires states to develop plans to attain and maintain these standards.

  2. Montreal Protocol: This is an international treaty that aims to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. Many of these substances are also , so reducing their use can also help mitigate climate change and improve air quality.

  3. The European Union's Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution: This strategy is a comprehensive plan to reduce air pollution in the EU and its member states. It includes measures to reduce emissions from various sources, such as industry, agriculture, transport, and households.

  4. The : This is a plan developed by the government of Beijing to address the city's air pollution problems. It includes measures such as limiting the number of cars on the road, shuttering polluting factories, and promoting the use of clean energy.

🎥 Watch: AP Environmental Science Streams

Key Terms to Review (15)

Anthropogenic CO2 emissions

: Anthropogenic CO2 emissions refer to carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result of human activities, such as burning fossil fuels for energy production and deforestation.

Beijing Action Plan

: The Beijing Action Plan is a comprehensive strategy developed during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992. It aims to address global environmental issues, promote sustainable development, and set goals for international cooperation.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

: Carbon dioxide is a colorless gas naturally present in Earth's atmosphere. It is released through natural processes like respiration and volcanic eruptions but also through human activities such as burning fossil fuels. CO2 is a major greenhouse gas contributing to global warming.

Catalytic Converter

: A catalytic converter is a device in a vehicle's exhaust system that helps reduce harmful emissions by converting toxic gases into less harmful substances.

Dry Scrubber

: A dry scrubber is an air pollution control device that uses solid materials to remove pollutants from industrial exhaust streams without using any liquid.

Electrostatic Precipitator

: An electrostatic precipitator is a device used to remove particulate matter from industrial exhaust gases by using an electric charge to attract and collect the particles.

Greenhouse Gases

: Greenhouse gases are gases in the Earth's atmosphere that trap heat and contribute to the greenhouse effect, leading to global warming. They include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases.

Kyoto Protocol

: The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. It sets binding targets for developed countries to reduce their emissions below the levels of a specific base year.

Methane (CH4)

: Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is released during natural processes like decomposition of organic matter and human activities such as livestock farming and fossil fuel extraction. It has a much higher warming potential than carbon dioxide.

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

: NAAQS are the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate and limit the levels of pollutants in outdoor air that are harmful to human health and the environment.

Nitrous oxide (N2O)

: Nitrous oxide is another potent greenhouse gas that is released from agricultural activities such as fertilizer use and livestock waste management, as well as from industrial processes and combustion of fossil fuels. It contributes to both global warming and ozone depletion.

Paris Agreement

: The Paris Agreement is an international treaty signed by nearly all countries with the goal of limiting global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. It aims to enhance countries' efforts to combat climate change, adapt to its impacts, and provide financial support for developing nations.

Sulfur hexafluoride

: Sulfur hexafluoride is a potent greenhouse gas that is used in various industries, such as electrical transmission and semiconductor manufacturing. It has a high global warming potential and can stay in the atmosphere for thousands of years.

Vapor Recovery Nozzle

: A vapor recovery nozzle is a device used at gasoline stations to capture harmful gasoline vapors that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere during refueling. It helps reduce air pollution and prevent the escape of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Wet Scrubber

: A wet scrubber is an air pollution control device that uses water or other liquid to remove pollutants from industrial exhaust streams.

7.6 Reduction of Air Pollutants

4 min readjanuary 8, 2023

Joshua Nielsen

Joshua Nielsen

Joshua Nielsen

Joshua Nielsen

Vocabulary

  • Hydrofluorocarbons

  • Perfluorocarbons

Methods of Reduction

In order to reduce the amount of air pollution changes are necessary. These changes are in three main forms: regulations, conservation, and alternative fuels.

Regulations

The (1997) is an agreement signed by members of the United Nations. Its goal is to reduce the number of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere that causes global warming. The group agreed that the most likely cause of global warming was the . The protocol listed the six major that were to be reduced as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HCFs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and (SF6).

A separate agreement was signed in Paris, France known as the (2016). Its focus is to keep the increase in global temperature to below 2℃ of the pre-industrial average. This is to be achieved through the adaptation and mitigation of anthropogenic carbon dioxide.

https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2018/08/03/07/00/thermometer-3581190_960_720.jpg

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Vehicles

Have you ever noticed the rubber/plastic ring around the nozzle at the gas pump? It is a and it is meant to reduce the amount of VOCs released to the air when you fill up your tank. You should notice less of a strong odor when these are equipped. 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Gas_Pump_Handle_-_Fueling_Station_%2834825559585%29.jpg/1280px-Gas_Pump_Handle_-_Fueling_Station_%2834825559585%29.jpg

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia

Another item that is installed on gasoline and diesel vehicles along with kerosine heaters is the catalytic convertor. This device is attached to the exhaust pipe in order to convert toxic gases like CO, NOX, and hydrocarbons into less toxic compounds like CO2, O2, N2, and water. 

Industrial Methods

Due to certain EPA regulations, companies are required to reduce the number of various pollutants emitted through their ‘smoke-stacks’. The use of scrubbers removes gases and particulates from a building’s exhaust.

Wet scrubbers channel the exhaust through a chamber that is spraying scrubbing liquid (usually water). Particulates and dissolved gasses are caught in the liquid which is then filtered. The cleaned exhaust is then released to the atmosphere.

Dry scrubbers use dry reagents to neutralize or convert the exhaust gases. Converted materials fall out of the gas stream and are then collected. The cleaned gases are then released.

Coal-burning power plants use electrostatic precipitators. The waste gases are passed through a high voltage screen. This ionizes the particles. Now, the gases travel over charged plates (positive and negative). These plates attract the ionized particles and remove them from the gas stream. Occasionally the plates are cleaned. 

Conservation

Reducing our energy usage is key to reducing air pollutants. Carpooling and mass transit release fewer pollutants. Combine this with more compact cities and now you are traveling even less. Make the cities greener with more energy-efficient buildings, green roofs, and improved municipal waste management.

Cleaner alternative energy sources like solar, wind, hydro, and hydrogen reduce greenhouse emissions and eliminate particulates from combustion. Many buildings can be retrofitted for wind and solar. It will reduce their dependence on the power grid.

Important Laws

There are many acts and protocols that have been implemented to address air pollution. Here are a few examples:

  1. Clean Air Act: This is a federal law in the United States that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. The act sets National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for certain pollutants, and it requires states to develop plans to attain and maintain these standards.

  2. Montreal Protocol: This is an international treaty that aims to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. Many of these substances are also , so reducing their use can also help mitigate climate change and improve air quality.

  3. The European Union's Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution: This strategy is a comprehensive plan to reduce air pollution in the EU and its member states. It includes measures to reduce emissions from various sources, such as industry, agriculture, transport, and households.

  4. The : This is a plan developed by the government of Beijing to address the city's air pollution problems. It includes measures such as limiting the number of cars on the road, shuttering polluting factories, and promoting the use of clean energy.

🎥 Watch: AP Environmental Science Streams

Key Terms to Review (15)

Anthropogenic CO2 emissions

: Anthropogenic CO2 emissions refer to carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result of human activities, such as burning fossil fuels for energy production and deforestation.

Beijing Action Plan

: The Beijing Action Plan is a comprehensive strategy developed during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992. It aims to address global environmental issues, promote sustainable development, and set goals for international cooperation.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

: Carbon dioxide is a colorless gas naturally present in Earth's atmosphere. It is released through natural processes like respiration and volcanic eruptions but also through human activities such as burning fossil fuels. CO2 is a major greenhouse gas contributing to global warming.

Catalytic Converter

: A catalytic converter is a device in a vehicle's exhaust system that helps reduce harmful emissions by converting toxic gases into less harmful substances.

Dry Scrubber

: A dry scrubber is an air pollution control device that uses solid materials to remove pollutants from industrial exhaust streams without using any liquid.

Electrostatic Precipitator

: An electrostatic precipitator is a device used to remove particulate matter from industrial exhaust gases by using an electric charge to attract and collect the particles.

Greenhouse Gases

: Greenhouse gases are gases in the Earth's atmosphere that trap heat and contribute to the greenhouse effect, leading to global warming. They include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases.

Kyoto Protocol

: The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. It sets binding targets for developed countries to reduce their emissions below the levels of a specific base year.

Methane (CH4)

: Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is released during natural processes like decomposition of organic matter and human activities such as livestock farming and fossil fuel extraction. It has a much higher warming potential than carbon dioxide.

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

: NAAQS are the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate and limit the levels of pollutants in outdoor air that are harmful to human health and the environment.

Nitrous oxide (N2O)

: Nitrous oxide is another potent greenhouse gas that is released from agricultural activities such as fertilizer use and livestock waste management, as well as from industrial processes and combustion of fossil fuels. It contributes to both global warming and ozone depletion.

Paris Agreement

: The Paris Agreement is an international treaty signed by nearly all countries with the goal of limiting global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. It aims to enhance countries' efforts to combat climate change, adapt to its impacts, and provide financial support for developing nations.

Sulfur hexafluoride

: Sulfur hexafluoride is a potent greenhouse gas that is used in various industries, such as electrical transmission and semiconductor manufacturing. It has a high global warming potential and can stay in the atmosphere for thousands of years.

Vapor Recovery Nozzle

: A vapor recovery nozzle is a device used at gasoline stations to capture harmful gasoline vapors that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere during refueling. It helps reduce air pollution and prevent the escape of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Wet Scrubber

: A wet scrubber is an air pollution control device that uses water or other liquid to remove pollutants from industrial exhaust streams.


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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.