Atmospheric pollution - smoke and smoke smog

• concentration of atmospheric particulates produced by incomplete combustion of carbon

• combustion of coal, diesel, wood etc

• aluminum • lead • acids

• respiratory illnesses - asthma • chemicals can be carcinogenic - lung cancer • visibility

• reduced photosynthesis - blocks sunlight • animal respiratory illnesses • leaf cuticle damage

• damage to buildings - acids • requires sand blasting - expensive • adsorption

• reduced temperatures - high albedo • remain suspended in the atmosphere for a long time (persistent) • ozone depletion in the stratosphere

• when smoke and fog are present together

• requires fog • cold air reaches its duel point - moisture content is too high to be held as vapor • temperature inversions

• layer of warm air above layer of cold air in the troposphere - smoke trapped at low levels

• cold temperatures • clear night skies • valleys • low wind velocities

• trapped closer to ground level - more dense than the air above

• pollutants trapped closer to the surface > harmful chemicals are more likely to be inhaled • may react synergistically (water and chemicals)

• clean air act (1956) • change in domestic behaviour • improvements to vehicles • electrostatic precipitator • cyclone separator • scrubber • coal treatment • bag filters • improved combustion efficiency

• series of laws • banned emissions of black smoke • introduced smokeless fuels • mostly in large urban areas

• change the way we eat and cook • less reliance on coal and diesel at home • mostly homes rely on gas and electricity

• diesel particulate filters (diesel vehicles) • remove up to 80% of particulates upon combustion • move away from diesel cars • move to electric cars

• effluent gases from combustion of coal etc are passed through an electrostatic precipitator • metal plates inside are charged • plates attract particulates - waste gases continue and are released to the atmosphere

• like a vacuum • air sucked into it • rotates - things with high mass or density are forced to stick to the outside wall of the CS - they stick and collect at the bottom • air released at the top

• water sprays • remove particulates

• treated by heating coal • remove tarr like substance • tarr contains the particulates • makes the coal smokeless

• passing waste gases through a membrane/filter • small enough to collect particles in the bag and air passes through • produces clean air

• incomplete combustion of fuel • turbo charges - ^ O2 to engine, leads to full combustion of fuel • driver educations/behaviour > fast acceleration

• air pollution that happens when sunlight reacts with certain pollutants like car exhausts