Just a few decades ago, almost no one would have thought that simple carbon dioxide would be considered a major pollutant.  After all, it’s important to nearly all life in some way.  However, this extremely common gas is also thought to be a major contributor to global warming.  It’s not alone in the possible contaminants of our air, too.  All kinds of air pollution keep occurring, and some of these pollutants are showing up more often.

Clean air is extremely important, with air pollution acting as a major threat to everyone and everything.  Air pollution in some areas kills more people yearly than automobile accidents.  In China, over sixty-five thousand people die each year due to air pollution, and there’s actually a visible brown cloud in the atmosphere above parts of Asia.  Air pollution is a real problem, and it’s affecting plants, animals, humans, agriculture, and even the weather.  Let’s take a look at some of the major types and sources of air pollution and the problems they cause.

Nitrogen Dioxide - One of the most common pollutants in the air, this is a reddish brown gas with a sharp smell and toxic by inhalation.  It’s produced primarily by vehicles, and can have a negative effect on respiratory functioning.  It can contribute to acid rain, as well, causing serious environmental effects.

Sulfur Dioxide - This is a substance produced in nature by volcanoes and other catastrophic events, but also by petroleum products and coal burning.  Mixtures of sulfur dioxide and water produce acid rain, which has a slow, detrimental effect on architecture and acidifies waterways, killing all kinds of plants and animals.  Even organisms in the soil can be destroyed by acid rain, disrupting entire ecosystems.

Carbon Monoxide - This toxic, invisible, odorless gas is also produced by motor vehicles, as well as coal, wood, and other combustion.  Natural sources of the gas include volcanoes.  Carbon monoxide elevates methane levels and can contribute to low level ozone formation.

VOCS - Volatile organic compounds are a common indoor air pollutant, and include many different chemicals.  Some common VOCs, all of which are known carcinogens, include formaldehyde, toluene, benzene and xylene.  Formaldehyde is particularly common, as it’s a frequent ingredient in solvents and adhesives.  Paints with an oil base may also contain VOCs, and any product containing these chemicals may offgas for years to come.

Heavy Metals - Heavy metals, despite the name, can still be present in the air.  The worst of these is probably mercury, produced by coal plants producing electricity.  All coal burning puts mercury into the air, even so-called “clean coal”.  The problem with this pollutant is that it eventually ends up in the water and soil, becoming one of the most toxic compounds around.  It’s absorbed by animals, and builds up over time.  Predators have the highest mercury concentrations.

Particulates - Dust and other particulates are a real problem.  Even dust storms can be attributed to us, too.  Deforestation and bad agricultural practices lead to choking storms and strip topsoil from the land.  Soot from heating, industry, and vehicles also enters the air, and has been linked with lung cancer and even heart disease.