Table 1 Sources and
effects of selected air
pollutants discussed in this
article
Polluting agent
Major sources
Effects
Particulates (TSP)
Fuel use: coal, oil, peat,
biomass; construction
process dust emissions
Human health; nuisance
dust; soiling; ecosystem
degradation; reduced
crop quality and yield
Particulates (PM
)
Diesel vehicles; aerosols;
industry and land use
activities
Health effects; impact on
visibility
Particulates (PM
)
aerosols
Predominantly aerosols
of sulfate, nitrate and
ammonium
Health effects; impact on
visibility
CO
Energy use (combustion)
of fossil fuels or biomass
Health effects; climate
modification
NO
V
(including
nitrates from oxidation
in the atmosphere)
Energy use (any high
temperature combustion
causes N to be fixed from
the air) — any fuel,
particularly in transport
Health effects; ecosystem
acidification and
eutrophication; precursor
of photochemical
oxidants (e.g. O
)
SO
(and sulfate from
oxidation in the
atmosphere)
Energy use (combustion)
of coal, oil; industrial
processes (e.g. smelting)
Ecosystem acidification;
health effects; impacts on
crops, forests and natural
vegetation; corrosion
NH
/NH
>
Animal husbandry;
fertilizer production and
volatilization
Gaseous impacts on
vegetation (by NH
);
acidification (by NH
>)
and eutrophication
Volatile organic
compounds
Road transport; solvent
use; extraction and
distillation of fossil fuels;
non-combustion
processes
Health impacts; precursor
for photochemical
oxidant pollution
Buta-1,3-diene
Vehicle exhausts
Health (carcinogen)
Benzene
Vehicle exhausts
Health (carcinogen)
Heavy metals
Energy use (combustion)
of coal; metallurgical
industry emissions
Human health effects;
food chain effects;
impacts on vegetation
O
Photochemical reaction
between NO
V
and VOCs
in the presence of
sunlight
Impacts on human
health; impacts on crop
yield, tree vitality and
natural vegetation;
corrosion
J. C. I. Kuylenstierna, W. K. Hicks and M. J. Chadwick
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