Transcript Air Quality - University of South Florida

Air Quality
a brief introduction
Definition of Air Quality
Attributes of the atmosphere that
make it able to sustain life
What is the atmosphere?
 The
gaseous envelope surrounding Earth
78% nitrogen (N2)
 21% oxygen (O2)

 Air
is the mixture of gases in the
atmosphere
 Adding gases changes the composition
of the atmosphere
Goals of Air Quality Research
 Understand
 Control
 Manage
Poor Air Quality Problems
 Urban Smog
 poor visibility, human health problems and death
 Acid Rain
 forest and crop depletion, deterioration of buildings,
destruction of lakes and rivers
 Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
 increased exposure to UV rays
 Global Climate Change
 changes in weather patterns
Correlated Health Effects
 Respiratory
disease
Asthma
 Pulmonary emphysema
 Chronic bronchitis
 Lung cancer
 Infections

 Eye
irritation
 Indirect cardiovascular disease
Regulation of Air Quality
 Clean Air Act
(CAA) and
Amendments were created to reduce
smog and atmospheric pollution
Uniform National Ambient Air Quality
Standards (NAAQS) for 6 criteria pollutants
 Hazardous air pollutant (HAP) regulations
based on control technologies
 Standards for the control of motor vehicle
emissions

Criteria Pollutants
 Ozone
(O3)
 Carbon
monoxide (CO)
 Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
 Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
 Particulate matter (PM-10 and PM-2.5)
 Lead (Pb)
Air Monitoring Networks
 Which
air monitors are placed where
 Provide a general overview of
regional air quality

Air Quality Index (AQI)
 www.airnow.gov
 Data
from monitors is how the
research is done
Hillsborough County’s Air
Monitoring Network
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Run by the Environmental Protection
Commission of Hillsborough County (EPC)
In 2004, 52 monitors in 23 locations
Monitored the criteria pollutants as well as
wind and some hazardous air pollutants (HAPs)
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Carbonyls
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Metals
Nitrate, sulfate, and ammonium
Air Monitor Locations and Sources
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Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
 Formed
from reactions within the air
at the high temperatures and
pressures of engines

nitrogen and oxygen
 Causes
health problems
 Once in atmosphere, forms ozone
and smog
Ozone (O3)
 Formed
in the atmosphere by NOx and
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in
the presence of sunlight
 NOx
 Major
and VOCs from vehicles
component of smog
 Causes health problems and
destruction of materials
Air Quality
Resources
Web Sites
 EPC
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of Hillsborough County
www.epchc.org
 Florida Air
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
Quality
www.dep.state.fl.us/Air/airquality.htm
EPA’s Ambient Monitoring Technology
Information Center (AMTIC)

www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/
 Current Air

airnow.gov
Quality Index (AQI)