Acid rain releases aluminium from the soils into the water, an element which is highly toxic to many species of aquatic organisms. Sulfur dioxide itself is a pungent gas which causes breathing difficulties at low concentrations. Nitrogen dioxide can cause respiratory difficulties and damages organ tissue. Under the influence of sunlight, it produces ozone, photochemical smog. Carbon dioxide is an significant contributor to the enhanced greenhouse effect.
These gases increase around the time of an eruption. This is a feature of volcanic events but becomes a hazard when this affects the people around the area- for example the events of Lake Nyos. In 1985, Lake Nyos in Cameroon emitted large amounts of carbon dioxide in a short amount of time and suffocated around 1,700 people and 3,500 livestock overnight. This is an LEDC and it could be argued that if the area was wealthier, warnings could have been given to the local area and allow people enough time to evacuate; Therefore having a greater negative impact on the poorer people of Cameroon than an MEDC may suffer. Secondary effects include flooding, lahars and in severe cases- climate change.
Sulfuric Acid is a strong acid that exists as a colorless oily corrosive liquid and is made by reacting sulfur trioxide with water. This is most commonly found in batteries, manufacture of fertilizers, explosives, detergents, dyes and other different chemicals. Sulfuric Acid is very dangerous to humans as it can cause respiratory tracts of humans and other animals while doing some major damage to plants that helps provide oxygen for us. Ground-level ozone is a secondary air pollutant formed when sunlight triggers reactions between nitrogen oxides and volatile hydrocarbons. If a human inhales ground-level ozone it can cause chest pain, throat irritation, and congestion.
What is the percent of CO2 in the atmosphere that humans are emitting per year relative to preanthropogenic levels? (Hint: divide the rate of increase (2 ppm/year) by the amount of CO2 in 1850. and multiply by 100). 5. There were 600 gigatons (106 tons) of carbon in the atmosphere in 1850. How many gigatons accumulated in the atmosphere each year due to human activity?
“Their influence is known as the greenhouse gases, which are carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and water vapor”(“American Meteorological Society 2007”). These gases mixes with the sun ultraviolet rays, disburse into the earth atmosphere with harmful results. Carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels is one way the human activities effects the environment. Carbon dioxide from the exhaust of cars in heavily polluted cities, farming machinery such as tractors, and smokestacks of refinery companies are just some of the ways carbon dioxide gases are release into the atmosphere by human contributors. The nitrous oxide gases affect the aquatic ecosystem food web chains, which leads from the smallest phytoplankton up to the largest mammal, which is man.
In comparison, coal-fired power plants are a major source of air pollution, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. ‘Environmentalists also claim coal burning contributes to acid rain and
These industrial activities have raised atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide which contribute to greenhouse gases. The extra amount of these gases mean there is a thicker layer, meaning the gases absorb outgoing long-wave radiation which traps in too much heat. Increasing amounts of CO₂, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapour and ozone all contribute to this. The main cause in this rise is the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas and petrol. Since the industrial revolution the levels of atmospheric CO₂ have increased from 280 parts per million to 380ppm for the past 10,000.
Due to the enormous amount of CFC’s used, leakages in spray cans, refrigerants as well as general use, the CFC gases were released into the atmosphere. As CFC’s were so inert they did not react in the troposphere and gradually made their way to the stratosphere. This is where the ultraviolet energy separated the C-Cl bonds and as a result Cl free radicals were formed which reacted with ozone under UV light and thus destroying he ozone layer. When the chlorine atoms reach the stratosphere they undergo photodissociation. The chlorine radicals rapidly
While fewer people die each year as a result of natural hazards, these events are affecting more people than ever before. At the same time, they are taking a greater economic toll than in the past. Since 1980, the average annual economic cost of natural hazards has risen from less than $20 billion to more than $160 billion. In the same period, the number of people reported as being affected has risen from an annual average of 100 million to more than 2 00 million. Economic losses from disasters have grown exponentially, nearly tripling between1980-89 and 1990-99.
Fuel combustion and automobile transportation are two large factors of air pollution. Both factors release a production of heat and chemicals into the atmosphere causing for an excessive amount of wasted heat. Furthermore, the problem of extra heat leads to the production of a number of harmful health issues and environmental scrutiny. Global warming, global community has long been a vocal advocate and critic of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Hundreds of disease oriented and professional health provider organizations have provided pollution, smog, and ozone layer damaging are all results of air pollution.