Air Pollution – Ozone, Carbon Monoxide, Lead

Ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfates, lead and fine particulate sources, effects, prevention, and control

Air Pollution and Health
Source: ARB Fact Sheet

Updated October 29, 2001

Where does air pollution come from? How does it effect people and the environment? How can we control, or better yet, prevent it?

The following table summarizes the sources, effects, and prevention and control methods for ten of the most important air pollutants in California.

Pollutant	Sources	Effects	Prevention and Control
Ozone (O₃)	Formed when reactive organic gases (ROG) and nitrogen oxides react in the presence of sunlight. ROG sources include any source that burns fuels (e.g., gasoline, natural gas, wood, oil);solvents; petroleum processing and storage; and pesticides	Breathing difficulties, lung tissue damage, damage to rubber and some plastics.	Reduce motor vehicle reactive organic gas (ROG) and nitrogen oxide emissions through emissions standards, reformulated fuels, inspections programs, and reduced vehicle use. Limit ROG emissions from commercial operations and consumer products. Limit ROG and NOx emissions from industrial sources such as power plants and refineries. Conserve energy
Respirable Particulate Matter (PM₁₀)	Road dust, windblown dust, agriculture and construction, fireplaces. Also formed from other pollutants (acid rain, NOx, SOx, organics). Incomplete combustion of any fuel.	Increased respiratory disease, lung damage, cancer, premature death, reduced visibility, surface soiling.	Control dust sources, industrial particulate emissions, wood burning stoves and fireplaces. Reduce secondary pollutants which react to form PM₁₀. Conserve energy
Fine Particulate Matter (PM_2.5)	Fuel combustion in motor vehicles, equipment, and industrial sources; residential and agricultural burning. Also formed from reaction of other pollutants (acid rain, NOx, SOx, organics).	Increases respiratory disease, lung damage, cancer, premature death; reduced visibility; surface soiling.	Reduce combustion emissions from motor vehicles, equipment, industries, and agriculture and residential burning. Precursor controls, like those for ozone, reduce fine particle formation in the atmosphere.
Carbon Monoxide (CO)	Any source that burns fuel such as automobiles,trucks, heavy construction equipment and farming equipment, residential heating.	Chest pain in heart patients, headaches, reduced mental alertness	Control motor vehicle and industrial emissions. Use oxygenated gasoline during winter months. Conserve energy.
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂)	See Carbon Monoxide	Lung irritation and damage. Reacts in the atmosphere to form ozone and acid rain	Control motor vehicle and industrial combustion emissions.Conserve energy.
Lead	Metal smelters, resource recovery, leaded gasoline, deterioration of lead paint	Learning disabilities, brain and kidney damage	Control metal smelters, No lead in gasoline. Replace leaded paint with non-lead substitutes.
Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂)	Coal or oil burning power plants and industries, refineries, diesel engines	Increases lung disease and breathing problems for asthmatics. Reacts in the atmosphere to form acid rain.	Reduce the use of high sulfer fuels (e.g., use low sulfer reformulated diesel or natural gas). Conserve energy.
Visibility Reducing Particles	See PM_2.5	Reduces visibility ( e.g., obscures mountains and other scenery), reduced airport safety, lower real estate value, discourages tourism	See PM_2.5
Sulfates	Produced by the reaction in the air of SO₂ ( see SO₂ sources), a component of acid rain	Breathing difficulties, aggravates asthma, reduced visibility	See SO₂
Hydrogen Sulfide	Geothermal power plants, petroleum production and refining, sewer gas	Nuisance odor (rotten egg smell), headache and breathing difficulties (higher concentrations)	Control emissions from geothermal power plants, petroleum production and refining, sewers, sewage treatment plants

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