Pollutant Notes from Villains

Name: Sulfur Dioxide

SO2 Sources: coal, oil, gasoline (living things contain sulfur, therefore fossil fuels contain sulfur),
volcanoes, forest fires
Environmental/Health Effects: respiratory irritant, harms plant tissue, contributes to acid deposition
Pollution Control: scrubbers, calcium carbonate

Name: Nitrogen oxides

NOx Sources: fossil fuel combustion, wood, and biomass combustion, volcanoes, lightening
Environmental/Health Effects: respiratory irritant, contributes to tropospheric ozone and smog,
contributes to acid deposition
Pollution Control: catalytic converters

Name: Carbon monoxide

CO Sources: incomplete combustion (incomplete is important), natural gas heater exhaust indoors,
cooking fires, volcanoes
Environmental/Health Effects: inhibits oxygen transport; headaches in low concentrations, death in
high concentrations)
Control Measures: Ventilation and CO monitors in homes, catalytic converters

Name: Ozone
O3 Sources: presence of VOCs and NOX in the atmosphere (reacts with sunlight, water, and oxygen) –
considered a secondary pollutant
Environmental/Health Effects: respiratory irritant, harms plant tissues
Pollution Control: limit production of NOX and VOCs (contributors to smog)
“Good up high, bad nearby”

Name: Volatile Organic Compounds (formulas vary)

VOCs Sources: evaporation of hydrocarbons and things that smell strongly (think paints, gasoline, perfumes,
but also trees) as well as combustion of gasoline, building materials, furniture, glue, formaldehyde
(“off-gassing”)
Environmental/Health Effects: no ill effects from natural VOCs (trees), but anthropogenic sources
lead to ozone formation/smog, sick building syndrome
Pollution Control: limit use of hydrocarbon products that produce excessive VOCs (dry
cleaning/lighter fluid), ventilation

Formula: Hg
Mercury Sources: Coal and oil (especially coal), waste incinerators
Environmental/Health Effects: central nervous system toxin, bioaccumulation (in both water and air)
Pollution Control: reduce combustion (emissions standards)

Formula: Pb
Lead Sources: rocks and soils (natural), oil and coal, gasoline, paint
Environmental/Health Effects: central nervous system toxin (kids especially)
Pollution Control: lead mostly removed from gasoline and paint

Name: Carbon dioxide

CO2 Sources: fossil fuel combustion, biomass combustion (deforestation)
Environmental/Health Effects: altering climate and therefore ecosystems (range of tolerance with
climate/precipitation)
Pollution Control: limit combustion/fossil fuel use (deforestation, combustion engines, and industrial
processes)

Formula: Rn (radioactive gas)

Radon Sources: bedrock (particularly granite), soil, groundwater
Environmental/Health Effects: lung cancer
Control Measures: ventilation, sealing basements
 Formula: Chemical formula not necessary, variety of compounds
Tobacco Sources: cigarettes
Smoke Environmental/Health Effects: respiratory irritant, carcinogen
Pollution Control: smoking control mandates (restaurants), education campaigns, especially with
smoking indoors

Name: Chemical formula not necessary/varies

Biomass Sources: any derivative of living things that can be burned
Environmental/Health Effects: respiratory irritant
Pollution Control: ventilation, reduction of exposure

**Particulate matter is not included in this chart since you’ve already done a lab on it, but
control by scrubbers (physical removal with gravity and water) and electrostatic precipitators
(using charges to attract particles) is important