Primary and secondary pollutants

Is air pollution secondary or primary? With industrialization and urbanization, lot of pollutants are released to the environment. It is important to know about the pollutants , their effects and how they are released to the environment in order to minimize their harmful effects. The main primary pollutants involved in the formation of secondary particulate matter are sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

A primary pollutant is an air pollutant emitted from a source directly into the atmosphere. Primary pollutants persist in the form they are released in the environment. A secondary pollutant is not directly emitted as such, but forms when other pollutants ( primary pollutants ) react in the atmosphere.

They are generally oxidizing. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. NOx for example is emitted from vehicles and power plants, yet it can also form in the atmosphere from other chemicals. Provide two examples of each type of pollutant.

However, secondary pollutants are often, made naturally. In contrast, secondary pollutants are produced by the reactions between primary pollutants and other molecules. Controlling the release of primary pollutants is easier than controlling the ways of secondary pollutant synthesizing. When emitted into the atmosphere, these primary pollutants combine with other reactants and form “secondary” pollutants. Motor vehicle emissions are a type of primary pollutant.

The pollutants that are emitted directly from a combustion process are called “primary pollutants. The best known of the secondary pollutants are certain gases that are synthesized by photochemical reactions in the lower atmosphere. The phenomena of photochemical smog (seen in high density cities, see Figure 1) is a result of the interactions of primary pollutants with other molecules in the air such as molecular oxygen , water and hydrocarbons. The primary emitted chemicals in these reactions are hydrocarbons and gaseous oxides of nitrogen such as nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide.

The secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. An example of a secondary pollutant would be ozone. The substance can be solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. A pollutant can be of natural origin or man-made. The EPA has set National Ambient Air Quality Standards for six principal pollutants , which are called criteria air pollutants.

Pollutants are classified as primary or secondary. The first are those that are emitted directly from a source, which can be natural (volcanic eruptions or fires, for example) or of anthropogenic origin (carbon monoxide from vehicles). Secondary pollutants , on the other han are not emitted directly. Another example is sulfur dioxide released in a power plant or factory from combustion of fossil fuel. A volcanic eruption releases smoke and ash which are considered primary pollutants.

Acid rain is a secondary pollutant. We just described these products earlier in the lesson, now we will look at their impact on the environment and human health. Compare and contrast primary vs. EPA calls these pollutants “criteria” air pollutants because it sets NAAQS for them based on the criteria, which are characterizations of the latest scientific information regarding their effects on health or welfare.

What causes acid rain? These pollutants are found all over the U.