Consequences of air pollution
Some pollutants, if they are present in excessive quantities, can produce chemical and physical alterations of the air, hampering its capacity to “work” correctly and guarantee our survival functions. Men’s activity usually originates pollutants (anthropogenic origin), although in some cases natural sources contribute significantly. Most of human-origin air pollution derives either from fossil fuels (their combustion is necessary to produce energy) or from industrial chemical processes. The environmental impact of air pollutants is variable: some compounds mainly act at local level, where they are produced and distributed, while others affect entire regions.
Some others have an impact on the whole planet. In fact, some atmospheric agents have a short life (a few hours or a few days) and after that they fall on the ground, while other pollutants keep active for long periods and can spread on a wider area. This type of pollutants can have an influence on environmental conditions at a continental, sometimes even planetary level, with a negative impact on human health, even in places that are far away from the source of pollution. In most cases, the type and quantity of pollutants emitted into the atmosphere depend on the nature of the energy sources that are used (see the corresponding section on natural resources) and on the raw materials that men use during production processes.
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The coral reef is one of the ecosystems with the richest biodiversity...
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Have you ever wondered how much space is taken up by an apple or a steak?...
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On Saturday afternoon in Glasgow, representatives of more than 200 countries attending the COP26 United Nations climate change conference reached…
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5 November 2021
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1 November was the first day of the summit, the opening ceremony of which began with a speech by British…
25 August 2021
Geo-engineering: a contribution to mitigate climate change?
Geo-engineering, the science to moderate global warming...
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10 February 2020
Coral turns pale!
The coral reef is one of the ecosystems with the richest biodiversity...
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From the Multimedia section
Facts
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What about the permafrost?
In Sub Arctic Swedish regions, some scientists studied the changes of permafrost...
CO2 “eating” trees
If a tree “eats” CO2 and produces oxygen it is easy to understand the importance it has in reducing the…
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Radars in meteorology
Radar (acronym for radio detection and ranging) monitoring techniques are used to...
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24 February 2011
What about the permafrost?
In Sub Arctic Swedish regions, some scientists studied the changes of permafrost...
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23 February 2012
CO2 “eating” trees
If a tree “eats” CO2 and produces oxygen it is easy to understand the importance it has in reducing the…
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7 April 2011
GOES meteorological satellites
The numerous civil and military satellites orbiting around us...
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24 February 2011
What about the permafrost?
In Sub Arctic Swedish regions, some scientists studied the changes of permafrost...
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23 February 2012
CO2 “eating” trees
If a tree “eats” CO2 and produces oxygen it is easy to understand the importance it has in reducing the…