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4.1 Introduction
Air is a mixture of gases necessary for the life of all living beings. The significance
of air quality is very important for the proper and undisturbed development of terrestrial and aquatic organisms. However, in the case of a qualitative or quantitative
change in the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of the air, which leads
to the violation and disruption of the known laws of ecosystem functioning, then it
is air pollution. Furthermore, if specific substances are released into the air, most
often from various processes of anthropogenic origin and which are not its integral
part, pollution occurs. Air pollution can also occur if the usual concentrations of
pre-existing substances in the air rise to a level higher than the upper point of the
amplitude of variation of a given substance. As a rule, air pollution is not a phenomenon of a local character as it can easily be transmitted over smaller or larger distances in relation to the place of the source of the pollution.
Air pollution can be natural and anthropogenic. The group of natural sources of
air pollution includes pollutants of biological origin, plant, animal, and microbial,
as well as inorganic pollutants: volcanic gasses, forest fires, thermal source gases,
electrical discharges in the atmosphere, etc. Anthropogenic sources of air pollution
are the result of various forms of human activities in the areas of industry, technology, transportation, and production of electricity (Caggiano et al. 2017).
The degree of air pollution is more or less directly or indirectly affected by climatic and meteorological conditions, urban solutions, terrain configuration, etc. as
well as the distribution of pollutants in the air, which changes spatially and temporally (Llop et al. 2012; Tilmes et al. 2017). The difference between natural and
anthropogenic air pollution is reflected in the amount and type of pollutants. In
addition, natural air pollution is occasionally localized, while anthropogenic air pollution is of permanent and global character (Marcilio and Gouveia 2007).
Anthropogenic air pollution has arisen and escalated in a short period of time and
has produced more or less significant consequences for the living world in general.
Anthropogenic pollution is characterized by the presence of some pollutants such as
carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), and nitrogen
oxides (NOx).
Carbon monoxide is one of the gasses whose emissions mainly originate from
traffic. Carbon dioxide is a gas whose amount has increased dramatically in recent
years, with a tendency for further growth. This increase in CO 2 comes from the
burning of fossil fuels (Pearson 2000). The increase in the amount of CO 2 in the
atmosphere plays a significant role in global warming and the formation of the
greenhouse effect. Global warming would have crucial consequences for all life on
the planet.
Sulfur dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere every year; however, with the
adoption of international legislations in recent years, the concentration of this gas is
significantly being reduced (Aas et al. 2019). Due to the increased combustion of
fossil fuels, the emission of this gas is significantly increased during the winter
months (Rubio-Salcedo et al. 2017). The presence of SO 2 in the atmosphere serves
as a cause for the appearance of acid rains.
S. Ristić et al.
4.1 Introduction
Air is a mixture of gases necessary for the life of all living beings. The significance
of air quality is very important for the proper and undisturbed development of terrestrial and aquatic organisms. However, in the case of a qualitative or quantitative
change in the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of the air, which leads
to the violation and disruption of the known laws of ecosystem functioning, then it
is air pollution. Furthermore, if specific substances are released into the air, most
often from various processes of anthropogenic origin and which are not its integral
part, pollution occurs. Air pollution can also occur if the usual concentrations of
pre-existing substances in the air rise to a level higher than the upper point of the
amplitude of variation of a given substance. As a rule, air pollution is not a phenomenon of a local character as it can easily be transmitted over smaller or larger distances in relation to the place of the source of the pollution.
Air pollution can be natural and anthropogenic. The group of natural sources of
air pollution includes pollutants of biological origin, plant, animal, and microbial,
as well as inorganic pollutants: volcanic gasses, forest fires, thermal source gases,
electrical discharges in the atmosphere, etc. Anthropogenic sources of air pollution
are the result of various forms of human activities in the areas of industry, technology, transportation, and production of electricity (Caggiano et al. 2017).
The degree of air pollution is more or less directly or indirectly affected by climatic and meteorological conditions, urban solutions, terrain configuration, etc. as
well as the distribution of pollutants in the air, which changes spatially and temporally (Llop et al. 2012; Tilmes et al. 2017). The difference between natural and
anthropogenic air pollution is reflected in the amount and type of pollutants. In
addition, natural air pollution is occasionally localized, while anthropogenic air pollution is of permanent and global character (Marcilio and Gouveia 2007).
Anthropogenic air pollution has arisen and escalated in a short period of time and
has produced more or less significant consequences for the living world in general.
Anthropogenic pollution is characterized by the presence of some pollutants such as
carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), and nitrogen
oxides (NOx).
Carbon monoxide is one of the gasses whose emissions mainly originate from
traffic. Carbon dioxide is a gas whose amount has increased dramatically in recent
years, with a tendency for further growth. This increase in CO 2 comes from the
burning of fossil fuels (Pearson 2000). The increase in the amount of CO 2 in the
atmosphere plays a significant role in global warming and the formation of the
greenhouse effect. Global warming would have crucial consequences for all life on
the planet.
Sulfur dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere every year; however, with the
adoption of international legislations in recent years, the concentration of this gas is
significantly being reduced (Aas et al. 2019). Due to the increased combustion of
fossil fuels, the emission of this gas is significantly increased during the winter
months (Rubio-Salcedo et al. 2017). The presence of SO 2 in the atmosphere serves
as a cause for the appearance of acid rains.
S. Ristić et al.