Table 1.1 Sources of air pollution and consequence of pollutants on health
Pollutants
Sources
Health effects
Nitrogen oxides
Industries, vehicles
and power plants
Problems in the lungs, respiratory systems and
causes asthma and bronchitis
Carbon monoxide
Fossil fuels emission
Severe headache, irritation to mucous
membrane, unconsciousness and death
Carbon dioxide
Burning of fossil fuels
Vision problem, severe headache and heart
strain
Suspended
particulate matter
Vehicular emission
and burning of fossil
fuels
Lung irritation reduces development of RBC
and pulmonary malfunctioning
Sulfur oxide
Industries and power
plant
Irritation in eyes and throat, allergies, cough
etc
Smog
Industries and
vehicular pollution
Respiratory and eye problems
Hydrocarbons
Burning of fossil fuels
Kidney problems, irritation in eyes, nose and
throat, asthma, hypertension and carcinogenic
effects on lungs
Chlorofluorocarbons Refrigerators,
emission from jets
Ozone layer depletion, global warming
Table 1.2 Lifetimes of atmospheric pollutants (adapted from (GEO 4 2007))
Pollutant
Atmospheric lifetime
Scale of impacts
O 3
Weeks to months
Regional to hemispheric
NOx
Days
Local to regional
SO 2
Days to weeks
Local to regional
NH 3
Days to weeks
Local
Table 1.3 Ecological effects of air pollution and their impacts on ecosystem
Pollutant
Pollutant
ecological effect
Ecosystem service impact
Provisioning
Regulating
Supporting
O 3
Plant growth
reduced
Increased plant
susceptibility to
stress
Reduced plant and
biomass production
Altered climate
regulation through C
sequestration
Reduced net
primary
Productivity
Nox
Acidification
eutrophication
Altered nutrient cycling
and increased system
losses
Increased
net primary
Productivity
NH 3
Eutrophication
Reduced food
provision from
aquatic systems
Altered nutrient cycling
and increased system
losses
Increased
net primary
Productivity
SO 2
Acidification
Loss of
biodiversity
1 Environmental Pollution, Its Causes and Impact on Ecosystem
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