What are the substances in polluted air?

Major primary pollutants produced by human activity include:

* Sulfur oxides (SOx) especially sulfur dioxide

* Nitrogen oxides (NOx) especially nitrogen dioxide

* Carbon monoxide (CO)

* Carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas

* Volatile organic compounds (VOC), such as hydrocarbon fuel vapors and solvents

* Particulate matter (PM), such as smoke and dust. PM10 is used to describe suspended particles 10 microns in diameter and smaller, and PM2.5 has a maximum particle size of 2.5 microns.

* Metal oxides, especially those of lead, and to a lesser degree cadmium, copper, and iron

* Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), harmful to the ozone layer

* Ammonia (NH3)

* Odors, such as from garbage, sewage, and industrial processes

Secondary pollutants include:

* Particulate matter formed from gaseous primary pollutants and compounds in photochemical smog, such as nitrogen dioxide

* Ground level ozone (O3)

* Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN)

Minor air pollutants include:

* A large number of minor hazardous air pollutants listed by the Clean Air Act

* A variety of persistent organic pollutants, which can attach to particulate matter

The major forms of pollution are listed below along with the particular pollutants relevant to each of them:

Air pollution, the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere. Common examples include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and nitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. Photochemical ozone and smog are created as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react to sunlight.

Water pollution via surface runoff and leaching to groundwater.

Soil contamination occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground storage tank leakage. Among the most significant soil contaminants are hydrocarbons, heavy metals, MTBE[2], herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Radioactive contamination, added in the wake of 20th-century discoveries in atomic physics. (See alpha emitters and actinides in the environment.)

Noise pollution, which encompasses roadway noise, aircraft noise, industrial noise as well as high-intensity sonar.

Light pollution, includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference.

Visual pollution, which can refer to the presence of overhead power lines, motorway billboards, scarred landforms (as from strip mining), open storage of trash or municipal solid waste.

Thermal Pollution, is a temperature change in natural water bodies caused by human influence.

Major primary pollutants produced by human activity include:

Sulfur oxides (SOx) especially sulfur dioxide

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) especially nitrogen dioxide

Carbon monoxide (CO)

Carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas

Volatile organic compounds (VOC), such as hydrocarbon fuel vapors and solvents

Particulate matter (PM), such as smoke and dust. PM10 is used to describe suspended particles 10 microns in diameter and smaller, and PM2.5 has a maximum particle size of 2.5 microns.

Metal oxides, especially those of lead, and to a lesser degree cadmium, copper, and iron

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), harmful to the ozone layer

Ammonia (NH3)

Odors, such as from garbage, sewage, and industrial processes

Secondary pollutants include:

Particulate matter formed from gaseous primary pollutants and compounds in photochemical smog, such as nitrogen dioxide

Ground level ozone (O3)

Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN)

Minor air pollutants include:

A large number of minor hazardous air pollutants listed by the Clean Air Act

A variety of persistent organic pollutants, which can attach to particulate matter

The release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere. Common examples include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and nitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. Photochemical ozone and smog are created as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react to sunlight.

oh, and cow farts.

Plain English….Gas from cars, Burning Styrofoam, and other gases with big names.

1- Carbon monoxide:damages haemoglobin

2-Nitrogen oxides: contributes to acid rain

3-Lead oxide:damages the brain

I intended to state the danger of each to warn all people tying to destroy our only planet that if destroyed no other place will accept us……………………….

thanks,