Biology

I. Introduction
What is air pollution?
Human caused air degradation (something humans do to worsen air)
Natural vs. human-caused air degradation
II. 5 main types of air pollutants (of 7 designated in the U.S. Clean Air Act of 1970)
Particulate materials
What: tiny solid or liquid matter suspended in the atmosphere as aerosols
Examples: dust, smoke, pollen, spores
Sources: burning of coal, wood, and other organic materials, soils, volcanic ash
Effects: can lead to a variety of respiratory (breathing) problems such as bronchitis and emphysema
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
What: organic compounds that are in the form of a gas in the atmosphere
Examples: terpenes (why Christmas trees smell nice): toxic ones include benzene and formaldehyde
Sources: forests, gasoline, chemical plants
Effects: toxic VOCs can have serious effects on human health
(e.g. methyl isocyanate gas from a pesticide plant owned by a subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation killed several...