Air Pollution
Air pollution is a general term for a variety of substances and gases in our air that pose risks to health. Pollutants and irritants include nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), toxic substances such as mercury, and some naturally occurring substances such as pollen. The combination of nitrogen oxides and VOCs in the presence of sunlight forms ozone, the major constituent of smog. Ozone has been shown to exacerbate asthma and cause shortness of breath and lung damage.
Most air pollution comes from human-made sources such as fossil fuel combustion, transportation, power plant emissions and emissions from other industrial processes. Burning fossil fuels for electricity generation is the single greatest source of air pollution in the United States. Fossil fuel combustion produces many pollutants including nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, hydrocarbons, mercury and particulates. These pollutants can......
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Approximate Word Count: 3322
Approximate Pages: 13 (260 words per double-spaced page) |