What factors affect air pollution?
What factors affect air pollution?
Emission levels are not the only factor that determines concentrations of air pollutants. Factors like the weather, chemical transformations in the air, and transport of pollutants from outside Europe all play a role.
What impact does wind speed have on the amount of pollution in the air?
Pollutants tend to pile up in calm conditions, when wind speeds are not more than about 10kmph. Speeds of 15kmph or more favour dispersal of pollutants, which, literally, clears the air.
How does wind direction influence the pollution?
If the air is calm and pollutants cannot disperse, then the concentration of these pollutants will build up. On the other hand, when strong, turbulent winds blow, pollutants disperse quickly, resulting in lower pollutant concentrations.
Why is wind speed important?
Wind speed and direction are important for monitoring and predicting weather patterns and global climate. Wind speed and direction have numerous impacts on surface water. These parameters affect rates of evaporation, mixing of surface waters, and the development of seiches and storm surges.
How far can wind carry pollutants?
From our observations, it can be concluded that wind does not significantly influence gaseous pollutants and smaller particles (Dp < 100 nm) within the scale of a few tens of meters, because these pollutants are mainly governed by diffusion as their primary transport mechanism.
What type of pollution is Haze?
Haze is an air-borne mixture of pollutants that includes soot particles, carbon dioxide and other toxic gases. Haze pollution affects several Southeast Asian countries on a regular basis, notably Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, and to a lesser extent Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Is haze and smog the same?
Haze is the reflection of sunlight off air pollution, while smog is what happens when pollution causes low-lying ozone.
Where do air pollutants go?
Both mobile and station sources emit primary pollutants directly into the atmosphere. These include: oxides of nitrogen (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sulphur dioxide and particulate matter. Secondary pollutants, such as ozone and sulphates are generated when the primary pollutants react in the atmosphere.
Why do we need to prevent pollution?
Why is pollution prevention important? Pollution prevention protects the environment by conserving and protecting natural resources while strengthening economic growth through more efficient production in industry and less need for households, businesses and communities to handle waste.