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Anyone who follows the news in any of the many outlets available today has ever heard of air pollution. We all know that it is something undesirable, and that it has mainly to do with human activities and global warming. But you know what is an air pollutantWhat is air pollution and what are its main causes and consequences? Join us in this Green Ecologist article and learn about all these issues related to environmental pollution.
What is air or atmospheric pollution
The air of our planet contains a multitude of substances and elements that can be found in it naturally. However, it can also contain a large number of elements, compounds and forms of energy that are harmful, both for the human species and for the rest of life. The presence of these polluting elements is what endangers our health and the balance of the planet, and it is what we commonly refer to when we talk about the air or atmospheric pollution.
Learn more about Air Pollution, its causes, consequences and solutions with this other post.
What is an air pollutant - definition
So, as we just said, a air pollutant or air pollutant It is one of the materials or forms of energy that is present in the air and is negative for the environment and that can be of non-natural origin (for example, gases that originate from the combustion of fossil materials), or it can be but that this is in a higher concentration than adequate for the natural balance (for example the gases that occur when there is a volcanic explosion).
There are different types of atmospheric pollutants or air pollutants, as we will see below, but mainly we can indicate that there are gaseous pollutants and particulate matter, also called aerosols.
Types of air or atmospheric pollutants - examples
However, speaking without more than air pollutants it can be overly general, as there is a great variety in the forms in which they can be found. The main classification divides them into primary and secondary pollutants.
A primary pollutant is one that is emitted into the atmosphere directly and in its composition without altering. They are products that are harmful to natural life or the human being in itself, by the simple fact of being and coming into contact with us. An example of a primary pollutant is sulfur dioxide, SO2.
Instead, a secondary pollutant is generated in the atmosphere from chemical processes that affect either primary pollutants or elements that were initially non-polluting. One of these most dangerous pollutants is sulfuric acid, H2SO4.
We can also differentiate pollutants based on whether they are gaseous pollutants or suspended particles.
The gaseous pollutants They are vapors and compounds in gas form that can be found in the atmosphere in varying concentrations. The best known of them is carbon dioxide or CO2, which has a great role in the greenhouse effect.
The suspended particles or aerosols They are mixtures of particles in solid or liquid state that are floating in some gas. When they are big enough, we can see them with the naked eye like smoke, but many others are smaller and invisible to the human eye.
To expand this information, we recommend reading this other article on What are air pollutants.
Causes of air pollution
The origin of the air pollution that comes from man-made, man-made or human sources it dates back to the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution, in the 18th century. Its main causes are factories and heavy industries and the use of fossil fuels in all kinds of areas, the combustion of which releases large amounts of pollutants into the atmosphere. Currently, most societies and countries are aware to varying degrees of the danger involved in releasing so many pollutants into the atmosphere, and more and more measures are being taken to reduce emissions, such as the recent announcement of the intention to eliminate them. cars with gasoline or diesel engines in Europe by 2050.
There is also, however, air pollutants that come from natural sources. This is the case of forest fires, volcanoes, or methane that is created in the decomposition of organic matter or found in underground pockets of natural gas.
Find out more about air pollutants by reading about the causes in this post in which we expose Why the air is polluted.
Consequences of air pollution
The effects of air pollution are very varied, but the main results of the high presence of some air pollutant they are the greenhouse effect and the damage received by the ozone layer.
The greenhouse effect It occurs when the accumulation of atmospheric pollutants causes the atmosphere to retain a greater amount of heat than it should from the sun's rays. This occurs because pollutants form a layer that prevents that heat from escaping back into space after bouncing off the Earth, and today many scientists consider this the cause of global warming. Global warming can have disastrous effects that could make the planet or many of its areas uninhabitable.
The ozone layer, which is actually a form of oxygen O3, is responsible for repelling a significant part of the ultraviolet rays that come from the sun. Some compounds such as CFCs cause ozone layer destruction, and causes these UVs to reach the surface of the planet with greater incidence, endangering both animal and plant life. Learn more about the Destruction of the ozone layer: definition, causes and consequences in this other article.
In addition to these two great effects, the presence of some kind of air pollutant in high concentrations It is very harmful to human health, as well as to a large number and variety of species.
If you want to read more articles similar to What is an air pollutant, we recommend that you enter our Pollution category.
