What is an air pollutant

The air of our planet contains many substances and elements that can be found naturally. However, it can also contain a lot of elements, compounds and forms of energy that are harmful, both for the human species and for the rest of life. The presence of these polluting elements is what endangers our health and the balance of the planet, and it is what we commonly refer to when we talk about the air or atmospheric pollution.

Learn more about air pollution, its causes, consequences and solutions with this other post.

So, as we have just said, a air or air pollutant pollutant It is one of the materials or forms of energy that is present in the air and is negative for the environment and that can be of unnatural origin (for example the gases that originate from the combustion of fossil materials), or to be but that it is in a higher concentration than adequate for the natural balance (for example the gases that occur when there is a volcanic explosion).

There are various types of air pollutants or air pollutants, as we will see below, but mainly we can indicate that there are Gaseous pollutants and suspended particlesalso called aerosols.

However, talk without more than Atmospheric pollutants It can be excessively general, since there is a great variety in the ways in which they can be found. The main classification divides them into primary and secondary pollutants.

A primary pollutant is one that is issued to the atmosphere directly and in its composition without altering. They are products that are harmful to natural life or human being in themselves, for the simple fact of being and getting into contact with us. An example of primary pollutant is sulfur dioxide, SO2.

On the other hand, a secondary pollutant is generated in the atmosphere from chemical processes that affect, or primary pollutants, or non -polluting elements. One of these most dangerous pollutants is sulfuric acid, H2SO4.

We can also differentiate polluting elements depending on whether they are gaseous contaminants or suspended particles.

The Gaseous pollutants They are gas vapors and compounds that can be found in the atmosphere in variable concentrations. The best known of them is carbon dioxide or CO2, which has a great role in the greenhouse effect.

The suspended particles or aerosols They are mixtures of solid or liquid state particles that are floating in some gas. When they are big enough, we can see them with the naked eye as with smoke, but many others are smaller and invisible to the human eye.

To expand this information, we recommend reading this other article about what are the pollutants of the air.

The origin of the Atmospheric pollution that comes from artificial, anthropic or human sources It goes back to the beginnings of the industrial revolution, in the 18th century. Its main causes are heavy factories and industries and the use of fossil fuels in all types of areas, whose combustion throws large amounts of pollutants into the atmosphere. At present, the majority of societies and countries are aware to a different extent from the danger that so many pollutants implies to the atmosphere, and more and more measures are taken to reduce emissions, such as the recent announcement of the intention of eliminating cars with gasoline or diesel engines in Europe by 2050.

There are also, however, Atmospheric pollutants that come from natural sources. This is the case of forest fires, volcanoes, or methane that is created in the decomposition of organic matter or is found in underground natural gas bags.

Discover more about the pollutants of the atmosphere reading about the causes in this post in which we expose why the air is contaminated.

The Effects of air pollution They are very varied, but the main results of the high presence of some air pollutant They are the greenhouse effect and the damage received by the ozone layer.

The greenhouse effect It occurs when the accumulation of air pollutants causes the atmosphere to retain a greater amount of heat than the sun’s rays. This occurs because pollutants form a layer that prevents that heat from escaping again to space after bouncing against the earth, now there are many scientists who consider this the cause of global warming. Global warming can have disastrous effects that could do the planet or many of its uninhabitable areas.

The ozone layer, which is actually an O3 oxygen form, is responsible for repelling an important part of the ultraviolet rays that arrive from the sun. Some compounds such as CFC cause destruction of the ozone layerand makes those UV more incidence to the surface of the planet, endangering both animal and plant life. Know more about the destruction of the ozone layer: definition, causes and consequences in this other article.

In addition to these two major effects, the presence of some kind of air pollutant in high concentrations It is very harmful to the health of the human being, as well as a large amount and variety of species.

If you want to read more articles similar to What is an air pollutantwe recommend that you enter our pollution category.