Air pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Air pollution - Essay ExampleFrom this research it is clear that air pollution has bring a major environmental health problem affecting both developed and developing countries throughout the world. The consequence has been that air pollution is causing merciful health problems as well as damage to vegetation, crops, wildlife, materials, buildings and even the climate. In the U.S., the largest stems of air pollution, in order of importance, are 1) transportation, mainly automobiles and trucks 2) electric mightiness plants that bed coal or oil and 3) industry, for which the major sources include steel mills, metal smelters, oil refineries, and paper mills. The most common air pollution problem resulting from these firing sources is ground- direct ozone (O3), According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), non-attainment of EPA requirements for O3 is the most common air pollution problem facing large cities in the U.S. It is estimated that, 160 trillion peop le in the U.S. lived in areas that are in non-attainment of healthful O3 levels (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development OECD. In the past, efforts to reduce air pollution have consisted primarily of overlook and control programs that involve enforcement of government regulations designed to reduce toxic emissions. Such programs have proven highly effective in reducing industrial, point source pollution and causing auto manufacturers to produce cleaner burning automobiles.... The stratospheric level of the earths atmosphere lies directly above the troposphere, which extends from sea level to approximately 8-9 miles above the earths surface. It is in the troposphere that nearly all forms of life on earth reside. Within the stratosphere lies a highly concentrated level of ozone, commonly referred to as the ozone layer. The highest concentrations of O3 within the stratosphere occur surrounded by 11-15 miles above the earths surface. This stratospheric ozone layer is es sential to the maintenance of life on earth, protecting the earths inhabitants from the suns harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation (Buchholz 1). Thus, free of human interference, the stratospheric ozone layer is continually maintaining a dynamic equilibrium between ozone production and ozone destruction that maintains the earths protective ozone layer. While O3 also occurs naturally in very small amounts at ground level in the troposphere, in urban areas throughout the U.S., tropospheric O3 levels are rising to unhealthful levels (Buchholz 1). In affected urban areas, O3 air pollution reaches its highest level between the months of whitethorn and September when temperatures are high and sun fall down abundant. O3 forms at ground level when volatile organic compounds (VOCs) combine with nitrogen dioxides (NOx) in the presence of heat and light (Buchholz 1). NOx is formed via the burning of fossil fuels at high temperatures, and is the primary precursor to O3, NOx and VOCs, are emitted i nto the air by motor vehicles, electrical power plants and other industrial plants. Because the O3 molecule is highly reactive, it acts as a powerful oxidant. Consequently, ground-level ozone negatively affects human