Activity 3.3.1 Air Pollution Core Activity

 Air pollution basics:

    Air pollution is the presence of dangerous substances in the air contributes to detrimental health and environmental effects. There are three categories for these substances. There are sulfur pollutants, nitrogen pollutants, and hydrocarbon and volatile organic compound pollutants.

  • Sulfur Pollutants
        Sulfur pollutants are a significant component of air pollution. They include sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. These pollutants are primarily emitted from sources like fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes. When released into the atmosphere, SO2 and H2S undergo oxidation and eventually form sulfate ions, which are negatively charged. Sulfates can combine with various cations to create compounds, such as ammonium sulfate, contributing to fine particulate haze and reduced visibility, especially in urban areas. Sulfur pollutants can have severe environmental and health consequences, including the formation of acid rain, which harms aquatic ecosystems and corrodes infrastructure. Sulfur pollutants are associated with respiratory problems in humans. Natural sources like volcanic eruptions and wildfires also contribute to sulfur emissions, but the majority of sulfur pollution is anthropogenic, originating from fossil fuel combustion, manufacturing processes, and agricultural activities. (Freedman, 2018).
  • Nitrogen Pollutants
        Nitrogen pollutants, encompassing nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrous oxide, and ammonia, are prominent contributors to air pollution, often grouped as NOx. Ammonia emissions, stemming from natural sources like wetlands and anthropogenic activities such as fossil fuel combustion and animal husbandry, coexist with nitrogen dioxide emissions from microbial denitrification and industrial processes. Meanwhile, NOx, with natural sources including bacterial denitrification and biomass nitrogen oxidation, sees significant anthropogenic contributions, particularly from vehicle and power plant emissions. The primary environmental concerns with NOx involve its involvement in ozone production through photochemical reactions and its role in acidifying precipitation and ecosystems. Occupational exposure guidelines define safe nitric oxide and, nitrogen dioxide levels, with different standards for long-term and short-term exposures, while intense NOx exposure in occupational settings can lead to impaired pulmonary function in humans. (Freedman, 2018).
  • Hydrocarbon and Volatile Organic Compound Pollutants
        Hydrocarbon and volatile organic compound (VOC) pollutants constitute a diverse group of chemicals in the atmosphere, with methane as the simplest example. Natural methane emissions primarily stem from anaerobic microbial fermentation in wetlands and the digestive processes of certain animals, while anthropogenic emissions result from fossil fuel deposits and various human activities. Non-methane hydrocarbons, both natural and anthropogenic, are emitted as gases and vapors from living vegetation and fossil fuel sources, contributing to atmospheric pollution. The environmental significance of these pollutants primarily lies in their role in photochemical reactions that generate toxic ozone, while methane is a potent greenhouse gas with implications for global warming. (Freedman, 2018).

AQI:
    AQI stands for air quality index. It is for determining how good or bad the air quality is on a daily basis. It is determined on a scale from 0-500. 0 being the best and 500 being the worst. 0-50 is good, 51-100 moderate, 101-150 unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151-200 is unhealthy, 201-300 is very unhealthy, and 301-500 is hazardous.

Location

Time of Day

AQI Current

AQI Forecast

PM2.5

O3

St. Louis, MO

3:00 pm

151

Moderate

84

N/A

Schertz, TX

3:00 pm

27

Good

27

24

Los Angeles, CA

1:00 pm

50

46

49

32


The AQI in these locations is vastly different. In St. Louis, The AQI is extremely high and is unhealthy for sensitive groups. The PM2.5 is 84 which is also very high. Where I live, the AQI is very good at 27. and the PM2.5 was also 27 with an O3 of 24. This location has the best AQI of all three that I looked at. LA has good AQI today as well right at 50. It is almost at a moderate level but was just under. the PM2.5 is 49 which is a bit on the high side, but in a bog busy city like LA, that is expected. The 03 is not too high compared to where I live at a 32.

Comparison of Current PM2.5 and O3 to EPA Standards:

  • PM2.5 are inhalable fine particles that measure 2.5 microns or smaller that are detrimental to respiratory health. 
  • 03 is the layer of ozone that is at ground level and is very harmful to be inhaled. 

National Standard

San Antonio Current measured over 1 hour

Time of Day

PM2.5 

Average measured over 24 hours - 35 μg/m3

5.9 µg/m3

4:30  pm

O3 

Average measured over 8 hours - 70 ppb (137 µg/m3) 

11 ppb

4:30 pm



    Resources:

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

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

    Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. (2021). Latest Hourly PM-2.5 Levels.  https://www.tceq.texas.gov/cgi-bin/compliance/monops/select_curlev.pl?user_param=88502.

    Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. (2021). Current Ozone 1-Hour Levels.  https://www.tceq.texas.gov/cgi-bin/compliance/monops/select_curlev.pl.
     Environmental Protection Agency. (2019). Air Quality Index Basics. Air Now. https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi.

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