Activity 3.3.1 Air Pollution Core Activity

Air pollution basics

Air pollution: The influx of harmful substances into the atmosphere, stemming from natural and human sources, posing health and environmental risks. Although being less “harmful” during ancient times, it turned into a bigger issue with the development of human societies and industrial advancement such as coal or fossil fuels.

Sulfur pollutants: Due to population growth and industrialization, air pollution became a significant issue. Mainly due to coal usage, resulting in heightened air pollution. This pollution notably involved sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions and soot in industrial areas across Europe and the Americas.

Nitrogen pollutants: This pollution results from reactions involving hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, producing ozone and other harmful gasses. Oxidizing smog or “nitrogen pollution”, harms both plants and humans by affecting the respiratory system and eyes, more common in sunny conditions with increased hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides from things like cars and industrial plants.

Hydrocarbons and VOC’s: Hydrocarbons are a group of chemicals with different combinations of hydrogen and carbon atoms. An example being methane, more complex forms can be vapors, liquids, or solids. VOCs on the other hand, contain carbon, hydrogen, and may include oxygen, nitrogen, and other light elements. Examples being alcohols, aldehydes, and phenols.

Comparison of Current AQI

AQI: Is a measuring system that assesses air quality by considering various pollutants, including ground-level ozone(O3).

It classifies air quality into categories like "Good" to "Hazardous," It is especially helpful particularly for those affected by pollutants such as ground-level

ozone.

	Time of Day*	AQI Current	AQI Forecast	PM2.5**	O3**
New London, CT (highest)	10:00 p.m	37	Good	37	N/A
San Antonio, TX	11:00 p.m	39	Good	39	16
Los Angeles, CA	6:00 p.m	39	Moderate	31	39

National Standard	San Antonio Current measured over 1 hour	Time of Day
PM2.5 Average measured over 24 hours - 35 μg/m3	11.7 µg/m3	11:00 p.m
O3 Average measured over 8 hours - 70 ppb (137 µg/m3)	19 ppb	11:00 p.m

Works Cited

Freedman, B. (2018). Environmental science: A Canadian perspective. Halifax, Canada: Dalhousie University Libraries.

US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2019, June 18).Air quality index basics. Air Now. https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi

“Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.” Go to TCEQ Web Page, www.tceq.texas.gov/cgi-bin/compliance/monops/select_curlev.pl. Accessed 26 Oct. 2023.