Sources of Pollutants

  • Air pollutants - airborne substances that occur in concentrations high enough to threaten the health of people and animals, to harm vegetation and structures, or to toxify a given environment (from Ahrens).

    Natural Sources:

    wind picking up dust suspended particles
    volcanic eruptions dust, ash, gases like SO2, CO2
    forest fires smoke, ash, unburned hydrocarbons, CO2
    Vegetation VOCs, pollen
    Ocean Waves salt particles
       

Anthroprogenic Sources:

industry
  • paper mills
  • power plants
  • refineries
  • manufacturing
 particulate matter, SOx, NOx, ash
personal:
  • transportation
  • home furnaces
  • fireplaces
  • open burning of refuse
 CO, NOx, VOCs, particulate matter
forest fires smoke, ash, unburned hydrocarbons, CO2