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Criteria Air Pollutants is a term used to describe a number of air pollutants that are responsible for causing harmful processes like smog, acid rain, and other hazards. Examples are carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide. The vast majority of criteria air pollutants are caused by human industrial activity. Mining, generating electricity, and chemicals used in agriculture all lead to criteria air pollutants
being emitted into the air, but the burning of fossil fuels in motor vehicles and factories is by far the greatest contributor to this problem. As mentioned before, criteria air pollutants can be quite damaging to human health due to the events they cause. Each type can be linked to a number of health issues making their reduction all the more important.
More than 75 percent of the earth’s carbon monoxide emissions come from transportation sources that burn fossil fuels. It can create a number of problems for the human body. Contact with carbon monoxide impairs the lungs’ and heart’s ability to deliver oxygen to the rest of the body. For this reason, those who have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease are the most at risk when it comes to carbon monoxide exposure. Carbon monoxide has the ability to impair the brain’s functions and cause loss of dexterity and impairment of vision as well.
Lead is another dangerous criteria air pollutant. Burning gasoline with lead additives, non-ferrous smelters, and battery plants are the biggest contributors to lead in the atmosphere. Exposure to lead can be very harmful and even fatal in some cases. It has been proven to be responsible for causing seizures and mental retardation and a number of behavioral disorders in humans who come in contact with a high concentration of lead. Infants and young children are the most at risk.
Nitrogen dioxide, which is an important cause of acid rain, is found mainly in city environments. It is also caused mainly by transportation vehicles. While not fatal, nitrogen dioxide is known to cause lung irritation which can lead to either bronchitis, pneumonia, or some other lung disease. Apart from humans, ecosystems and both plant and animal life are affected by the acid rain as a result of nitrogen dioxide emissions.
Particulate matter can include many things such as dirt, dust, water drops, smoke, and soot that are released into the air, usually by unnatural sources like factories and motor vehicles. However, natural occurrences such as fires and dust blown by the wind can cause particulate matter to enter the air. The presence of particulate matter in the air can cause a number of respiratory problems for humans and animals, it can affect the body’s ability to protect itself from other airborne risks, and it can permanently damage the lungs. The people most at risk to exposure are those with preexisting heart and lung disease.
The release of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere is caused by a number of stationary sources such as coal burning facilities, steel mills, and refineries. Sulfur dioxide is also a component of acid rain. Health concerns include mainly breathing issues, especially with those with preexisting conditions, such as asthma.
