IB Environmental systems and societies Topic 8.3A Urban Air Pollution Revision Notes (SL/HL)

IB Environmental systems and societies Topic 8.3A Urban Air Pollution Revision Notes (SL/HL) | RevisionDojo

Written by official IB examiners

Urban Air Pollution: Pollutants From Burning Fuel That Harm Health and Ecosystems

Definition

Air pollution

Contamination of the indoor or outdoor atmosphere by chemical, physical, or biological agents that modify the natural characteristics of the air.

Urban air pollution comes mainly from burning fossil fuels in vehicles, power plants, industry and homes.
It damages human health and the environment, and hits dense, traffic-heavy cities hardest.

Note

Primary pollutants are emitted directly, such as $NO_x$, $SO_2$, CO, particulate matter and VOCs.
Secondary pollutants form by reactions in the air, such as tropospheric ozone and photochemical smog (covered in 8.3C and 8.3D).

Primary Pollutants: Sources and Effects

Nitrogen oxides ($NO_x$)
1. Source: high-temperature combustion in vehicles, power plants and industry.
2. Effect: irritates the airways and drives acid rain (8.3B) and smog (8.3C).
Sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$)
1. Source: burning sulfur-rich coal and oil in power plants and industry.
2. Effect: irritates the lungs and is the main cause of acid rain (8.3B).
Carbon monoxide (CO)
1. Source: incomplete combustion of fuel, mainly vehicle exhaust.
2. Effect: binds to haemoglobin and starves the body of oxygen, causing headaches, dizziness and death at high doses.
Particulate matter (PM)
1. Source: combustion, construction and agriculture, plus natural dust and wildfires.
2. Effect: lodges in the lungs, causing respiratory and heart disease, and cuts visibility.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
1. Source: fuel evaporation, solvents, paints and industry.
2. Effect: react with $NO_x$ in sunlight to form smog and ozone (8.3C).

Particle Size Decides the Danger: PM2.5 vs PM10

PM2.5 (fine particles, 2.5 micrometres or less)
1. About one-thirtieth the width of a human hair, from vehicles, power plants and wildfires.
2. Penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, raising the risk of heart disease, stroke and lung cancer.

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Note

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Tip

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Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

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Urban Air Pollution: Pollutants From Burning Fuel That Harm Health and Ecosystems

Definition

Air pollution

Contamination of the indoor or outdoor atmosphere by chemical, physical, or biological agents that modify the natural characteristics of the air.

Urban air pollution comes mainly from burning fossil fuels in vehicles, power plants, industry and homes.
It damages human health and the environment, and hits dense, traffic-heavy cities hardest.

Note

Primary pollutants are emitted directly, such as $NO_x$, $SO_2$, CO, particulate matter and VOCs.
Secondary pollutants form by reactions in the air, such as tropospheric ozone and photochemical smog (covered in 8.3C and 8.3D).

Primary Pollutants: Sources and Effects

Nitrogen oxides ($NO_x$)
1. Source: high-temperature combustion in vehicles, power plants and industry.
2. Effect: irritates the airways and drives acid rain (8.3B) and smog (8.3C).
Sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$)
1. Source: burning sulfur-rich coal and oil in power plants and industry.
2. Effect: irritates the lungs and is the main cause of acid rain (8.3B).
Carbon monoxide (CO)
1. Source: incomplete combustion of fuel, mainly vehicle exhaust.
2. Effect: binds to haemoglobin and starves the body of oxygen, causing headaches, dizziness and death at high doses.
Particulate matter (PM)
1. Source: combustion, construction and agriculture, plus natural dust and wildfires.
2. Effect: lodges in the lungs, causing respiratory and heart disease, and cuts visibility.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
1. Source: fuel evaporation, solvents, paints and industry.
2. Effect: react with $NO_x$ in sunlight to form smog and ozone (8.3C).

Particle Size Decides the Danger: PM2.5 vs PM10

PM2.5 (fine particles, 2.5 micrometres or less)
1. About one-thirtieth the width of a human hair, from vehicles, power plants and wildfires.
2. Penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, raising the risk of heart disease, stroke and lung cancer.

Definition

Paywall

(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Note

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Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Tip

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

Topic 1: Foundation 3 subtopics

Topic 2: Ecology5 subtopics

Topic 3: Conservation and biodiversity3 subtopics

Topic 4: Water4 subtopics

Topic 5: Land2 subtopics

Topic 6: Atmosphere and climate change4 subtopics

Topic 7: Natural resources3 subtopics

Topic 8: Human populations and urban systems3 subtopics

HL lenses 3 subtopics

IB Environmental systems and societies 8.3A Urban Air Pollution Notes

Topic 1: Foundation 3 subtopics

Topic 2: Ecology5 subtopics

Topic 3: Conservation and biodiversity3 subtopics

Topic 4: Water4 subtopics

Topic 5: Land2 subtopics

Topic 6: Atmosphere and climate change4 subtopics

Topic 7: Natural resources3 subtopics

Topic 8: Human populations and urban systems3 subtopics

HL lenses 3 subtopics

Urban Air Pollution: Pollutants From Burning Fuel That Harm Health and Ecosystems

Primary Pollutants: Sources and Effects

Particle Size Decides the Danger: PM2.5 vs PM10

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account

Urban Air Pollution: Pollutants From Burning Fuel That Harm Health and Ecosystems

Primary Pollutants: Sources and Effects

Particle Size Decides the Danger: PM2.5 vs PM10

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account