Definitions
Ozone: (O3-ground-level ozone is the principal component of smog)
- Source - chemical reaction of pollutants; VOCs and NOx
- Health Effects - breathing problems, reduced lung function, asthma, irritates eyes, stuffy nose, reduced resistance to colds and other infections, may speed up aging of lung tissue
- Environmental Effects - ozone can damage plants and trees; smog can cause reduced visibility
- Property Damage - damages rubber, fabrics, etc.
- Source - burning of wood, diesel and other fuels; industrial plants; agriculture (plowing, burning off fields); unpaved roads
- Health Effects - nose and throat irritation, lung damage, bronchitis, early death
- Environmental Effects - particulates are the main source of haze that reduces visibility
- Property Damage - ashes, soots, smokes and dusts can dirty and discolor structures and other property, including clothes and furniture
- Source - leaded gasoline (being phased out), paint (houses, cars), smelters (metal refineries); manufacture of lead storage batteries
- Health Effects - brain and other nervous system damage; children are at special risk. Some lead-containing chemicals cause cancer in animals. Lead causes digestive and other health problems.
- Environmental Effects - Lead can harm wildlife.
- Source - burning of gasoline, natural gas, coal, oil etc.
- Health Effects - reduces ability of blood to bring oxygen to body cells and tissues; cells and tissues need oxygen to work. Carbon monoxide may be particularly hazardous to people who have heart or circulatory (blood vessel) problems and people who have damaged lungs or breathing passages
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2 - One of the NOx); smog-forming chemical
- Source - burning of gasoline, natural gas, coal, oil etc. Cars are an important source of NO2.
- Health Effects - lung damage, illnesses of breathing passages and lungs (respiratory system)
- Environmental Effects - nitrogen dioxide is an ingredient of acid rain (acid aerosols), which can damage trees and lakes. Acid aerosols can reduce visibility.
- Property Damage - acid aerosols can eat away stone used on buildings, statues, monuments, etc.
- Source - burning of coal and oil, especially high-sulfur coal from the Eastern United States; industrial processes (paper, metals)
- Health Effects - breathing problems, may cause permanent damage to lungs
- Environmental Effects - SO2 is an ingredient in acid rain (acid aerosols), which can damage trees and lakes. Acid aerosols can also reduce visibility.
- Property Damage - acid aerosols can eat away stone used in buildings, statues, monuments, etc.
- Source - VOCs are released from burning fuel (gasoline, oil, wood coal, natural gas, etc.), solvents, paints glues and other products used at work or at home. Cars are an important source of VOCs. VOCs include chemicals such as benzene, toluene, methylene chloride and methyl chloroform
- Health Effects - In addition to ozone (smog) effects, many VOCs can cause serious health problems such as cancer and other effects
- Environmental Effects - In addition to ozone (smog) effects, some VOCs such as formaldehyde and ethylene may harm plants
* All VOCs contain carbon (C), the basic chemical element found in living beings. Carbon-containing chemicals are called organic. Volatile chemicals escape into the air easily. Many VOCs, such as the chemicals listed in the table, are also hazardous air pollutants, which can cause very serious illnesses. EPA does not list VOCs as criteria air pollutants, but they are included in this list of pollutants because efforts to control smog target VOCs for reduction.
(From http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/text_ - National Library of Medicine) Organic compounds are chemicals that contain carbon and are found in all living things. Volatile organic compounds, sometimes referred to as VOCs, are organic compounds that easily become vapors or gases. Along with carbon, they contain elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, sulfur or nitrogen.
Volatile organic compounds are released from burning fuel, such as gasoline, wood, coal, or natural gas. They are also released from solvents, paints, glues, and other products that are used and stored at home and at work.
Many volatile organic compounds are also hazardous air pollutants. Volatile organic compounds, when combined with nitrogen oxides, react to form ground-level ozone, or smog.
Examples of volatile organic compounds are gasoline, benzene, formaldehyde, solvents such as toluene and xylene, and perchloroethylene (or tetrachloroethylene), the main solvent used in dry cleaning.
Many volatile organic compounds are commonly used in paint thinners, lacquer thinners, moth repellents, air fresheners, hobby supplies, wood preservatives, aerosol sprays, degreasers, automotive products, and dry cleaning fluids.
Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs EPA definition) are substances that are known or suspected to cause serious health problems such as cancer. The Clean Air Act defined an initial list of substances, and EPA currently identifies 188 HAPs. The list includes relatively common pollutants such as benzene, chlorine, methanol, and asbestos, as well as numerous less common substances. For details, see the complete list of hazardous air pollutants in the NEI database. EPA's Air Toxics Web site has further information about the sources of HAPs, and a list of the 188 pollutants. ("Air toxics" and "toxic air pollutants" are synonyms for hazardous air pollutants.) EPA has identified a subset of the 188 HAPs that pose the greatest potential for adverse health effects to the majority of the U.S. population living in urban areas. These 33 pollutants are called urban HAPs.
(above from: http://www.epa.gov/air/data/neidb.html )
ACRONYMS:
MADEP: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
TRI: Toxics Release Inventory
TUR: Toxics Use Reduction
TURA: Toxics Use Reduction Act
TURI; Toxics Use Reduction Inventory
NEI: National Emissions Inventory
NATA: National Air Toxics Assessment
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