General Engineering
11 – Transfer of Pollutants between the Atmosphere and Surfaces
Abstract The atmosphere interacts with the Earth’s surface. Thus, air pollutants may be transferred toward surfaces and emitted (or reemitted) from surfaces toward the atmosphere. Atmospheric deposition processes are important…
8 – Gaseous Pollutants
Abstract Several gaseous chemical species may lead to adverse health effects and, therefore, several of those are regulated. Brief descriptions of those chemical species, including their major sources and atmospheric…
10 – Clouds and Acid Rain
Abstract This chapter describes the processes that lead to the formation of atmospheric pollutants in clouds and fogs via aqueous chemical transformations. Although the volume occupied by water droplets in…
6 – Atmospheric Dispersion
Abstract Atmospheric dispersion is a very important process in air pollution. The use of tall stacks to minimize the impacts of air pollutant emissions reflected the saying that “the solution…
9 – Atmospheric Particles
Abstract Atmospheric particles and, in particular, fine particles are one of the major components of air pollution. They lead to significant adverse health effects, degrade atmospheric visibility, are involved in…
12 – Health Effects
Abstract The health effects of air pollution are difficult to characterize because of the large number of air pollutants present in the atmosphere and the relatively small contribution of their…
7 – The Stratospheric Ozone Layer
Abstract The stratospheric ozone layer results from the photolysis of molecular oxygen by ultraviolet (UV) solar radiation in the high atmosphere. This large atmospheric layer is stable and, therefore, affects…
13 – Environmental Impacts
Abstract Air pollutants may be transferred via dry and wet deposition to other media such as soil, surface waters, vegetation, and buildings. These pollutants may then contaminate these surfaces and…
15 – Regulations and Public Policies
Abstract Improving air quality by decreasing air pollutant concentration levels requires promulgating regulations that protect public health, ecosystems, the agriculture, buildings, and atmospheric visibility. Then, public policies must be implemented…