Air Pollution Basics
Energy is essential for all our lives as, without the consumption of nonrenewable resources the industrial revolution would never have begun and life as we know would not look the same. However, the process of turning coal and oil into energy is not a clean one. In fact, when burned coal and oil release air pollutants. As "people became more numerous and industrialized, air pollution increasingly developed into a much bigger problem" (Freedman, 366). As such, problems stemming from these emissions today are becoming a major cause of concern not just for the air quality here in the US but everywhere on Earth. The three main chemicals emitted when burning coal and oil are sulfur pollutants, nitrogen pollutants, hydrocarbon and volatile organic compound pollutants. When sulfar is burned it turns into a dioxide, meaning a gas and goes up into our atmosphere, typically staying there for "SO2 in the atmosphere is about four days" (Freedman, 368). This for one is bad as it decreases the level of air quality to the area and is typically seen in cities and factories. "SO2 in cities and near industrial sources are often high enough to injure wild and cultivated plants" (Freedman, 371). It is of course important to keep vegetation alive as plants make the air we breathe. Sulfur dioxide typically affects plants more "humans and most other animals are much less sensitive to SO2 than plants are" (Freedman, 372). However, nonetheless it can still very much affect people "people are relatively sensitive to SO2...may cause them to suffer asthma or other distresses related to impaired lung function" (Freedman, 372). So while plants are mostly affected by sulfur dioxide, it still very much affects a smaller group of people in this world causing respiratory issues. Next, Nitrogen oxide is emitted however this time being a lot less harmful to plants and humans directly but its more harmful to "environmental damage associated with NOx is focussed on the photochemical reactions by which ozone" (Freedman, 374). The ozone is a very important layer in the earth's atmosphere. The earth's atmosphere is a group of gases made up together that protect the earth from harmful energy emitted from the sun that would kill all life on earth. Finally, there are the Hydrocarbon and Volatile Organic gases rather know nas organic gases. While organic gases are not usually toxic to plants or humans other than rare cases organic gases are dangerous because "their role in the photochemical reactions that produce toxic ozone. In addition, CH4 is an important greenhouse gas that affects global warming" (Freedman, 375). This specifically is terrible because global warming is the process in which gases like hydrocarbons are emitted through the burning of gas and oil for energy. Over time as more of these toxic chemicals enter the atmosphere they break down the earth's atmosphere letting in more harmful rays from the sun killing plants and animals that cannot adapt fast enough to the changes in temperature in the seasons.
Comparison of Current AQI
AQI stands for the term air quality index. These charts show certain precentages of specific harmful gases found in that locations air. The AQI then lists the air quality at the current time and prjects what it will be later like a forecast.
Currently in Mission Harlingen, Texas there does seem to be concerning low quality of air recording a number of 166 AQI. Compare that to San Antonio, Texas with 93 AQI with both cities being in the same state and in the timezone, this AQI difference is most likely not the cause of traffic possibly there is fire going on. However, when looking at the differences in the city. Mission Harlingen is on the border and could be seeing increased operations from government officials. However, there is a clear difference in population as Mission Harlingen has only about 100k residents living in the city compared to the 1.5 million living in San Antonio. PM2 is in fact air that can be viewed through the human eye and is the statistic found in abundance in Mission Harlingen.Looking at cities that have more normal statistics currently, Los Angeles, CA is currently experiencing great air conditions. While looking at both cities' populations Los Angeles does have more keeping in mind city layout could put into perspective the difference in AQI. Los Angeles does allow for people to travel a lot more on foot rather San Antonio is a car-dependent city. Along with this, looking at the time at 3:00 people begin to get out of work compared to 1:00 and with San Antonio using more cars there could be a correlation in the increased AQI. This can also be supported by the forecasts for tomorrow because just as today San Antonio is forecasted a higher AQI to Los Angeles. Which could allude to this being the norm rather than just an acceptance today.
Comparison of Current PM 2.5 and O3 (Ozone)
PM2.5 is a carbon emission coming from the burning of materials such as gasoline, oil, and diesel fuel which pollutes the air we breathe. The three elements that make up PM2.5 are sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX), and certain organic compounds. Longer-term exposure to pollutants causes respiratory issues and leads to increased chances of lung-related diseases. O3 is a pollutant gas not found in nature. This element is made when a car burns gasoline, letting out fumes which is the element Nitrogen dioxide (NO2). From there, UV sunrays then break down the NO2 where the remains of the broken NO2 combine with oxygen which causes the dangerous non-nature-made element O3. This element can commonly be referred to by many people as smog. Dirty air such as O3 can cause permanent lung tissue damage and increase the chance of premature death by way of disease.
Work Cited
“System Alerts.” AirNow.Gov, www.airnow.gov/?city=Los+Angeles&state=CA&country=USA. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025. “Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.” Go to TCEQ Web Page, www.tceq.texas.gov/cgi-bin/compliance/monops/select_curlev.pl?user_param=88502. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025. Freedman, Bill. Environmental Science: A Canadian Perspective. 6th ed., Dalhousie University Libraries Digital Editions, 2018.
Energy is essential for all our lives as, without the consumption of nonrenewable resources the industrial revolution would never have begun and life as we know would not look the same. However, the process of turning coal and oil into energy is not a clean one. In fact, when burned coal and oil release air pollutants. As "people became more numerous and industrialized, air pollution increasingly developed into a much bigger problem" (Freedman, 366). As such, problems stemming from these emissions today are becoming a major cause of concern not just for the air quality here in the US but everywhere on Earth. The three main chemicals emitted when burning coal and oil are sulfur pollutants, nitrogen pollutants, hydrocarbon and volatile organic compound pollutants. When sulfar is burned it turns into a dioxide, meaning a gas and goes up into our atmosphere, typically staying there for "SO2 in the atmosphere is about four days" (Freedman, 368). This for one is bad as it decreases the level of air quality to the area and is typically seen in cities and factories. "SO2 in cities and near industrial sources are often high enough to injure wild and cultivated plants" (Freedman, 371). It is of course important to keep vegetation alive as plants make the air we breathe. Sulfur dioxide typically affects plants more "humans and most other animals are much less sensitive to SO2 than plants are" (Freedman, 372). However, nonetheless it can still very much affect people "people are relatively sensitive to SO2...may cause them to suffer asthma or other distresses related to impaired lung function" (Freedman, 372). So while plants are mostly affected by sulfur dioxide, it still very much affects a smaller group of people in this world causing respiratory issues. Next, Nitrogen oxide is emitted however this time being a lot less harmful to plants and humans directly but its more harmful to "environmental damage associated with NOx is focussed on the photochemical reactions by which ozone" (Freedman, 374). The ozone is a very important layer in the earth's atmosphere. The earth's atmosphere is a group of gases made up together that protect the earth from harmful energy emitted from the sun that would kill all life on earth. Finally, there are the Hydrocarbon and Volatile Organic gases rather know nas organic gases. While organic gases are not usually toxic to plants or humans other than rare cases organic gases are dangerous because "their role in the photochemical reactions that produce toxic ozone. In addition, CH4 is an important greenhouse gas that affects global warming" (Freedman, 375). This specifically is terrible because global warming is the process in which gases like hydrocarbons are emitted through the burning of gas and oil for energy. Over time as more of these toxic chemicals enter the atmosphere they break down the earth's atmosphere letting in more harmful rays from the sun killing plants and animals that cannot adapt fast enough to the changes in temperature in the seasons.
Comparison of Current AQI
AQI stands for the term air quality index. These charts show certain precentages of specific harmful gases found in that locations air. The AQI then lists the air quality at the current time and prjects what it will be later like a forecast.
Comparison of Current PM 2.5 and O3 (Ozone)
Work Cited
“System Alerts.” AirNow.Gov, www.airnow.gov/?city=Los+Angeles&state=CA&country=USA. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025. “Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.” Go to TCEQ Web Page, www.tceq.texas.gov/cgi-bin/compliance/monops/select_curlev.pl?user_param=88502. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025. Freedman, Bill. Environmental Science: A Canadian Perspective. 6th ed., Dalhousie University Libraries Digital Editions, 2018.
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