Brian Barton
A pollutant is a substance or energy introduced into the environment that has an undesired effect or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource. Pollutants can be naturally forming, such as minerals or extracted compounds like oil, or anthropogenic in origin, such as manufactured materials or byproducts. They can be categorized in various ways, such as stock pollutants and fund pollutants, or grouped according to specific properties like organic, particulate, or pharmaceutical. Pollutants harm the environment and human health, decreasing the quality of air, water, soil, and food. They can be released into ecosystems by human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, industrial processes, and agricultural practices, or they can be naturally occurring substances that are extracted by humans, such as heavy metals. The effects of pollutants include reduced air quality, reduced water quality, ecological degradation, and negative impacts on the health of human and non-human populations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A substance or energy introduced into the environment that has an undesired effect or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource. |
| Types | Stock pollutants, fund pollutants, light pollution, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, criteria air pollutants, hazardous air pollutants, greenhouse gases, etc. |
| Sources | Industrial activities, power plants, construction sites, waste burning, fires, traffic and transportation, etc. |
| Impact | Health issues (respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, asthma, etc.), environmental damage, property damage, etc. |
| Prevention | National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), Clean Air Act, Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, etc. |
| Agencies | WHO, EPA, CDC, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
- Particulate matter: Inhalable particles composed of sulphate, nitrates, black carbon, etc
- Nitrogen dioxide: A reddish-brown gas, soluble in water, from fuel combustion
- Light pollution: Artificial light's impact on the night sky and ecosystems
- Greenhouse gases: Global pollutants like carbon dioxide, fluorinated refrigerants, and methane
- Health effects: Pollutants can cause cancer, respiratory issues, brain damage, and more
Particulate matter: Inhalable particles composed of sulphate, nitrates, black carbon, etc
Particulate matter, or PM, is a mixture of solid airborne pollutants composed of many chemical species. PM is categorised by aerodynamic diameter, with PM10 and PM2.5 being the most common in the regulatory framework and relevant for health. PM10 refers to particles with a diameter of 10 microns or less, which are inhalable into the lungs and can induce adverse health effects. PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter, which are particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less. These particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and facilitate the transport of toxic compounds into the bloodstream.
PM is composed of solids and aerosols, including small droplets of liquid, dry solid fragments, and solid cores with liquid coatings. Its chemical composition varies widely and may contain inorganic ions, metallic compounds, elemental carbon, organic compounds, and compounds from the earth’s crust. Common substances found in PM include nitrates, sulfates, elemental and organic carbons, absorbed metals, and organic compounds such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Black carbon is a major component of PM2.5 and is sometimes referred to as soot. It is formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuels, biomass, wood, waste, and other sources. Black carbon contributes to regional environmental disruption, accelerates glacier melting, and has been associated with cardiovascular health effects and premature mortality. It also affects the health of ecosystems by settling on plant leaves, increasing plant surface temperature, diminishing sunlight, and interfering with rainfall patterns.
Scientific studies have shown that PM can reduce visibility and adversely affect climate, ecosystems, and materials. It can alter the way light is absorbed and scattered in the atmosphere, with some constituents promoting climate warming (e.g. black carbon) and others having a cooling influence (e.g. nitrate and sulfate). PM can also adversely affect ecosystems, including plants, soil, and water, through deposition and subsequent uptake by plants or deposition into water, affecting water quality and clarity.
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Nitrogen dioxide: A reddish-brown gas, soluble in water, from fuel combustion
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a reddish-brown gas with a pungent, acrid odour above 21.2 °C (70.2 °F; 294.3 K) and becomes a yellowish-brown liquid below 21.2 °C. It is a chemical compound composed of nitrogen and oxygen and is one of a group of related gases called nitrogen oxides (NOx). Nitrogen dioxide is a paramagnetic, bent molecule with C2v point group symmetry. It is poisonous and can be fatal if inhaled in large quantities.
Nitrogen dioxide is formed when fossil fuels such as coal, oil, methane gas (natural gas), diesel, and other fuels are burned at high temperatures. NO2 is also produced during the combustion of gas while cooking on a gas stove, leading to poorer indoor air quality and increased health risks. Additionally, NO2 can form indoors when fuels like wood or gas are burned without proper ventilation, causing a build-up of unhealthy levels of NO2.
Nitrogen dioxide is introduced into the environment by natural sources, including entry from the stratosphere, bacterial respiration, volcanic activity, and lightning. These sources make NO2 a trace gas in the Earth's atmosphere, where it plays a role in absorbing sunlight and regulating the chemistry of the troposphere, particularly in determining ozone concentrations.
NO2 is also produced through human activities, with trucks, buses, cars, and other vehicles being the largest sources of NO2 emissions. Other human-made sources include industrial processes such as oil and gas production, power plants, and the combustion of fuels for heating and electricity generation.
Nitrogen dioxide is a significant air pollutant that contributes to particle pollution and the formation of acid rain. It damages the human respiratory system, causing adverse health effects such as increased hospital admissions, asthma in children, and harm to heart and lung function. Due to its harmful effects, nitrogen dioxide emissions are regulated through air quality standards to limit their levels in the outdoor air.
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Light pollution: Artificial light's impact on the night sky and ecosystems
Light pollution is the human-made alteration of outdoor light levels from those occurring naturally. It is a side effect of industrial civilization, caused by the inefficient or unnecessary use of artificial light. Light pollution can come in several forms, including light trespass, over-illumination, glare, light clutter, and skyglow.
Skyglow is the bright haze above cities produced by excessive artificial lighting at night. This type of light pollution is created when artificial light reflects in the sky and bounces off different types of particles in the atmosphere. Skyglow can be worsened by clouds, which reflect light back downward and increase scattering. It can also be enhanced by aerosols from haze, dust, and air pollutants.
Light pollution disrupts the natural patterns of light and dark in ecosystems, impacting both wildlife and humans. For nocturnal species, darkness or very low light levels are important, and exposure to artificial light can have unwanted ecological consequences. For example, artificial lights can disrupt the nighttime breeding rituals of amphibians such as frogs and toads. Artificial lights can also attract insects, leading to declining insect populations that negatively impact species that rely on them for food or pollination.
Light pollution also impacts the night sky, competing with starlight and reducing visibility of the Milky Way and other celestial objects. It is estimated that 83% of people, including 99% of Europeans and Americans, live under light-polluted skies that are more than 10% brighter than natural darkness. Efforts to address light pollution include the development of standards for outdoor lighting and the use of shielded, light-efficient fixtures that prevent light from escaping into the sky.
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Greenhouse gases: Global pollutants like carbon dioxide, fluorinated refrigerants, and methane
Greenhouse gases are a significant contributor to global pollution and climate change. Carbon dioxide (CO2), fluorinated refrigerants, and methane are three key greenhouse gases with far-reaching impacts on the planet.
Carbon dioxide is one of the most well-known and prevalent greenhouse gases. Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, have significantly increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The annual rate of increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide is alarming. Since the Industrial Revolution, the levels have risen by 50%, and the recent annual increase has been 100 times faster than previous natural increases. The primary human activities contributing to carbon dioxide emissions include burning fossil fuels, industrial processes, deforestation, and certain agricultural practices. The consequences of elevated carbon dioxide levels are significant. For example, the ocean has absorbed enough carbon dioxide to increase its acidity by 30%, impacting marine ecosystems. Additionally, higher carbon dioxide concentrations and warmer temperatures contribute to longer pollen seasons and increased pollen production, exacerbating allergic respiratory diseases such as asthma.
Fluorinated refrigerants, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs), are commonly used in air conditioning, refrigeration, and heat pumps. However, these refrigerants have a high global warming potential. Many HFCs, including R-134a and R-125, can degrade in the atmosphere and form trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a persistent and harmful degradation product. The good news is that alternatives to fluorinated refrigerants exist, and a transition to non-fluorinated options is already underway in many sectors.
Methane is another potent greenhouse gas contributing to global pollution. While natural sources like wetlands, lakes, and thawing permafrost account for 40% of methane emissions, human activities are responsible for an estimated 60%. The largest sources of methane emissions from human activities include agriculture, fossil fuels, and the decomposition of landfill waste. The concentration of methane in the atmosphere has more than doubled over the past 200 years, contributing to 20-30% of climate warming since the Industrial Revolution. NASA has been using various methods and tools, such as the Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer, to track methane emissions and identify "super-emitters."
Addressing these greenhouse gases is crucial in mitigating their impact on global pollution and climate change. While carbon dioxide and methane have received more attention due to their prevalence and natural sources, fluorinated refrigerants are also significant contributors with high global warming potential. The transition to non-fluorinated alternatives and the reduction of methane and carbon dioxide emissions are essential steps in combating the harmful effects of these global pollutants.
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Health effects: Pollutants can cause cancer, respiratory issues, brain damage, and more
Environmental pollutants are chemicals that are harmful to human health and have entered the environment due to human activity or natural events. The three main ways that contaminants reach the human body are through inhalation, oral absorption, and ingestion. The "dose" of a pollutant refers to the amount consumed, which is dependent on exposure duration and intensity. Different health effects may result depending on the exposure level.
Short-term exposure to pollutants can cause eye, skin, nose, and throat irritation, coughing, headaches, nausea, dizziness, and severe conditions like asthma, bronchitis, and lung and heart problems. Long-term exposure can lead to neurological, reproductive, respiratory issues, and cancer. Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) is of particular concern as it can be inhaled deep into the lung tissue and contribute to serious health problems. It is primarily composed of chemicals such as sulfates, nitrates, carbon, or mineral dusts, and is found in vehicle and industrial emissions, cigarette smoke, and burning organic matter.
Air pollution has been linked to millions of deaths each year, and it is the second-leading risk factor for early death after high blood pressure. It can cause inflammation in the lungs and other body parts, and it can reach the heart, brain, and other organs through the bloodstream. Pollutants have also been linked to bone damage, particularly in postmenopausal women.
Indoor air pollution can also be a significant issue, with concentrations of some pollutants being two to five times higher indoors than outdoors. Common indoor air pollutants include radon, smoke, lead dust, carbon monoxide, mold, and volatile organic compounds. Biological pollutants such as mold, pollen, animal dander, dust mites, and cockroaches can trigger breathing problems, allergic symptoms, or asthma attacks.
Overall, pollutants have a wide range of health effects, including respiratory issues, brain damage, reproductive problems, and cancer. The specific health impacts depend on the types, sources, and concentrations of the pollutants, as well as the duration and level of exposure.
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Frequently asked questions
A pollutant is a substance or energy introduced into the environment that has an undesired effect or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource. They can be naturally forming, such as minerals or extracted compounds like oil, or anthropogenic in origin, such as manufactured materials or byproducts.
Pollutants can be defined by their zones of influence, both horizontal and vertical. Local pollutants cause damage near the emission source, whereas regional pollutants cause damage further away. Surface pollutants damage by accumulating near the Earth's surface, and global pollutants concentrate in the atmosphere.
Pollutants can also be categorised as stock pollutants or fund pollutants. The environment has a low absorptive capacity for stock pollutants, whereas it has a moderate absorptive capacity for fund pollutants. Carbon dioxide is an example of a fund pollutant as it is absorbed by plants and oceans.
Examples of pollutants include:
- Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
- Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
- Carbon monoxide
- Sulfur oxides
- Particulate matter (PM)
- Benzene
- Methylene chloride
- Lead
