Air Pollution

Air pollution arises from anthropogenic sources, such as industrial, utility, and transportation, and from natural sources, such as fires, deserts, volcanic activity, and forests. Air pollution can threaten the health of human beings, trees, lakes, crops, and animals by degrading air quality, can damage the ozone layer and buildings, and can also cause haze, reducing visibility.

Air Pollution Sources

This tutorial focuses on anthropogenic sources of air pollutants since these are linked to design decisions, which engineers have a responsibility to address.  Here, we primarily examine mobile sources, which emit pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter from the tailpipe.  Production of these pollutants results from combustion of organic fuels.  We will also explore the addition of stationary sources on ground level concentrations of these pollutants affecting the central campus airshed.