History of Air Pollution
• Humans first felt health effects from air pollution
when they built fires in poorly ventilated caves.
• Throughout most of history, air pollution problems
have been local and minor because of the earth’s
ability to absorb and purify pollutants
• Since the mid-1700’s the industrial revolution, cars,
and a huge boom in the population have caused a
more widespread pollution problem
• One of the worst cases of air pollution occurred in
London in 1953 when smog rolled over the city and
killed 8,000 people over a six month period.
• Today, it is believed that burning fossil fuels cause
the greatest health risks.
Benzene and Acrolein
•The EPA monitors 177 different pollutants. Two
major pollutants are benzene and acrolein.
•“From a national perspective, benzene is the
most significant air toxic for which cancer risk
could be estimated.”
•“Of the 40 air toxics showing the potential for
respiratory effects, acrolein is the most
significant, contributing 91 percent of the
nationwide average noncancer hazard identified
in this assessment.”
Symptoms caused by Benzene:
•drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, and
unconsciousness
•vomiting, convulsions (ingestion)
•skin, eyes, respiratory tract irritation
•blood disorders (bone marrow)
•Possible infertility in women
•increased incidence of leukemia (benzene is a
recognized carcinogen)
Symptoms caused by Acrolein:
•High concentration = death
•Respiratory congestion
•Eye, nose, throat irritation
•Skin burns
Top Sources By Percentage
Benzene
Mobile Onroad 49%
Mobile Nonroad 19%
Open Burning 14%
Acrolein
Major Sources Open Burning 61%
• Sources of air pollution can be divided into
two categories: anthropogenic sources (human Mobile Onroad 14%
activity) and natural sources.
• The most prevalent anthropogenic sources of Mobile Nonroad 11%
air pollution are smoke stacks of power plants
and factories, motor vehicles, and aerosol What is being done?
sprays.
• The most egregious natural sources of What more can be done?
pollution include naturally produced dust, Clean Air Act- originally implemented in 1970-revised in
methane emitted by animals, smoke and CO 1990 by (EPA) Environmental Protection Agency - goals:
from forest fires, and sulfur, chlorine, and ash •reducing outdoor, or ambient, concentrations of air
produced by volcanic activity pollutants that cause smog, haze, acid rain, etc.
•reducing emissions of toxic air pollutants that are known
to cause cancer or other serious health effects (such as
Acrolein); and
•phasing out production and use of harmful chemicals
•Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit applies to hybrid
vehicles purchased after January 1, 2006. The credit is
worth up to $3,000 for the most efficient models. This
credit should significantly reduce Benzene production.
•The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
has a long-term exposure (8-hour shift) limit of 1 part per
million (ppm) and a short-term (15 minutes) exposure
limit of 5 ppm for Benzene.
•As for Acrolein, the administration has limits of 0.1ppm
over a 10 hour work shift and 0.3ppm over any 15 minute
period