Air Contaminants

Carbon Monoxide usually comes from motor vehicles and is the most abundant air pollutant in North Carolina. It is very harmful because it reduces the ability for the blood to carry oxygen. People with anemia and lung and heart disease are sensitve to carbon monoxide.

Nitrogen Oxide occurs naturally as a result of lightning. However, higher levels can result from incomplete burning of fossil fuels in vehicles and power plants. Nitrogen Oxide are key contributors to the formation of ozone pollution and acid rain.

Hydrocarbons are produced when fossil fuels are burned. They are also released naturally from vegetation. Hydrocarbons react with other chemicals to form smog.

Ozone is formed when hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide are mixed in the air. There are two types of ozone. Good ozone is the upper atmosphere, high above the Earth. Bad ozone forms the smog found in the lower atmosphere where people live and breathe. The two kinds of ozone, generally, never mix. The ozone affects the respiratory system and can be harmful to people with asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema. It also reduces the effect the immune system has on animals. Ozone also damages crops, plants, trees, and vegetables, as well as building and other man made structures.

Sulphur Dioxide is a by-product burning coal and oil. Sulphur dioxide can cause respiratory problems in people, and can inflame and irritate body tissue. It can also harm plants. Sulphur dioxide mixes with other chemicals in the air to form acid rain. Acid rain can kill fish, pollute water injure plants, make soil more acidic, and damage buildings.

Particulates are small pieces of material in the air that are similir in size to very fine ash. They are released in the air from burning fuel, or plowing soil. They also occur naturally in the form of ash from forest fires, pollen, and dust.

Tips on how to Protect Air Quality


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