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Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances called pollutants in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to materials. [1] It is also the contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment either by chemical, physical, or biological agents ...
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. [1] Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the components of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or naturally occurring ...
Air pollution measurement is the process of collecting and measuring the components of air pollution, notably gases and particulates. The earliest devices used to measure pollution include rain gauges (in studies of acid rain ), Ringelmann charts for measuring smoke , and simple soot and dust collectors known as deposit gauges . [1]
An air quality index ( AQI) is an indicator developed by government agencies [1] to communicate to the public how polluted the air currently is or how polluted it is forecast to become. [2] [3] As air pollution levels rise, so does the AQI, along with the associated public health risk. Children, the elderly and individuals with respiratory or ...
National Ambient Air Quality Standards. US counties that are designated "nonattainment" for the Clean Air Act's NAAQS, as of September 30, 2017. The U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards ( NAAQS, pronounced / ˈnæks / naks) are limits on atmospheric concentration of six pollutants that cause smog, acid rain, and other health hazards. [1]
Indoor air quality ( IAQ) is the air quality within buildings and structures. Poor indoor air quality due to indoor air pollution is known to affect the health, comfort, and well-being of building occupants. It has also been linked to sick building syndrome, respiratory issues, reduced productivity, and impaired learning in schools.
Air pollution can cause health problems including, but not limited to, infections, behavioral changes, cancer, organ failure, and premature death. These health effects are not equally distributed across the U.S. population; there are demographic disparities by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and education. [1]
The Clean Air Act ( CAA) is the United States' primary federal air quality law, intended to reduce and control air pollution nationwide. Initially enacted in 1963 and amended many times since, it is one of the United States' first and most influential modern environmental laws . As with many other major U.S. federal environmental statutes, the ...