http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/air_pollution/ Air pollution articles. Read scientific research on air pollution including pollution sources, health effects, and ways to reduce air pollution. Full text, images. en-us Mon, 12 May 2008 03:05:01 EDT Mon, 12 May 2008 03:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/air_pollution/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507133259.htm The Amazon rainforest, so crucial to the Earth's climate system, is coming under threat from cleaner air say prominent climate scientists. The new study identifies a link between reducing sulphur dioxide emissions from burning coal and increasing sea surface temperatures in the tropical north Atlantic, resulting in a heightened risk of drought in the Amazon rainforest. Thu, 08 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507133259.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506100329.htm Using sophisticated unmanned aircraft, research scientists hope to assess Southern California's potential for climate change and better understand the sources of air pollution. Thu, 08 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506100329.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506105139.htm Fallow agricultural land and steppe-formation processes are evidently capable of having a much greater effect on global air quality than was previously assumed. This is the conclusion drawn by researchers after examining a dust cloud that formed over parched fields in southern Ukraine and led to extremely high concentrations of particulate matter in Central Europe. On March 24, 2007, the dust cloud spread across Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic to Germany. Thu, 08 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506105139.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506163915.htm A recent study shows that mercury releases from products in the US declined dramatically between 1990 and 2005, but that they continue to be a significant source of environmental contamination. Mercury released from products contributes nearly one-third of total mercury emissions to the air in the US The findings offer a new view into the relative magnitudes of the different sources of mercury release. Wed, 07 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506163915.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080503071646.htm Free radical pollution in the air could be a cause of asthma. Chemists have discovered that the atmospheric nitrate radical irreversibly damages amino acids, which are the building blocks for proteins in the human body. This, they suggest, could be a cause of some respiratory diseases. Mon, 05 May 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080503071646.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422135728.htm Short-term exposure to current levels of ozone in many areas is likely to contribute to premature deaths, says a new National Research Council report, which adds that the evidence is strong enough that the US Environmental Protection Agency should include ozone-related mortality in health-benefit analyses related to future ozone standards. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422135728.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415185019.htm A new study reports that inner-city children with asthma may be particularly vulnerable to air pollution at levels below current air quality standards. The study analyzes the short-term effects of outdoor pollution levels on asthma symptoms and lung function in children. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415185019.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080414193025.htm Engine exhaust fumes are linked to excess deaths from pneumonia across England, suggests new research. Calculations revealed that pneumonia, peptic ulcer, coronary and rheumatic heart diseases, lung and stomach cancers, and other diseases, were all associated with a range of emissions, as well as deprivation, smoking, binge drinking and a northern UK location. Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080414193025.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408163231.htm Air pollution in the world's busiest ports and shipping regions may be markedly worse than previously suspected, according to a new study showing that industrial and shipping pollution is exacerbated when it combines with sunshine and salty sea air. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408163231.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410140531.htm In a world without human-produced pollution, biological productivity controls cloud formation and may be the lever that caused supergreenhouse episodes during the Cetaceous and Eocene, according to paleoclimatologists. Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410140531.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410170413.htm Air pollution from power plants and automobiles is destroying the fragrance of flowers and thereby inhibiting the ability of pollinating insects to follow scent trails to their source, a new study indicates. This could partially explain why wild populations of some pollinators, particularly bees -- which need nectar for food -- are declining in several areas of the world, including California and the Netherlands. Fri, 11 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410170413.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409114631.htm Children exposed to high levels of air pollution during their first year of life run a greater risk of developing asthma, pollen allergies, and impaired respiratory function. However, genetic factors are also at play. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409114631.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407132120.htm Scientists are now flying through springtime Arctic pollution to find out why the region is warming -- and summertime sea ice is melting -- faster than predicted. Some 35 NOAA researchers are gathering with government and university colleagues in Fairbanks, Alaska, to conduct the study. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407132120.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401165017.htm This month, NASA begins the most extensive field campaign ever to investigate the chemistry of the Arctic's lower atmosphere. The mission is poised to help scientists identify how air pollution contributes to climate changes in the Arctic. Fri, 04 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401165017.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331122552.htm Could combustion without flames be used to build industrial gas turbines for power generation that are much more efficient than current models and produce almost no polluting emissions? Researchers in the Middle East now provide a possible answer in the International Journal of the Environment and Pollution. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331122552.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326164430.htm The US public, while aware of the deteriorating global environment, is concerned predominantly with local and national environmental issues. A strong majority of the public expressed general concern about the environment. According to the survey, the top three issues that the public wants the government to address are protecting community drinking water, reducing pollution of U.S. rivers and lakes, and improving urban air pollution issues like smog. In the survey, global warming ranks eighth in importance. Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326164430.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326201751.htm Pollution from coal mining may have a negative impact on public health in mining communities. "Residents of coal-mining communities have long complained of impaired health," and researchers say "This study substantiates their claims. Those residents are at an increased risk of developing chronic heart, lung and kidney diseases." Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326201751.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080320150032.htm Chemists have discovered that a chemical reaction in the atmosphere above major cities long assumed to be unimportant in urban air pollution is in fact a significant contributor to urban ozone -- the main component of smog. Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080320150032.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080323210225.htm Black carbon, a form of particulate air pollution most often produced from biomass burning, cooking with solid fuels and diesel exhaust, has a warming effect in the atmosphere three to four times greater than prevailing estimates. soot and other forms of black carbon could have as much as 60 percent of the current global warming effect of carbon dioxide, more than that of any greenhouse gas besides carbon dioxide. The researchers also noted, however, that mitigation would have immediate societal benefits in addition to the long term effect of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080323210225.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080319085406.htm Scientists know that air pollution particles from mid-latitude cities migrate to the Arctic and form an ugly haze, but a new study finds surprising evidence that polar explorers saw the same phenomenon as early as 1870. Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080319085406.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080317164336.htm In a new NASA study, researchers taking advantage of improvements in satellite sensor capabilities offer the first measurement-based estimate of the amount of pollution from East Asian forest fires, urban exhaust and industrial production that makes its way to western North America. Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080317164336.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311102319.htm Most diggers and construction machines discharge unfiltered exhaust fumes into the air. This is because special vehicles are made in small batches, and each requires a different filter geometry. Diesel soot filters of varying shapes can now be produced at competitive prices. Modern diesel cars are not only quieter than their predecessors but also release considerably fewer exhaust fumes into the atmosphere. The filters for heavy-duty, construction and off-road vehicles are not yet state-of-the-art. A new diesel particulate filter technology will soon teach even these vehicles to give up smoking. Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311102319.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311075339.htm If the smell of diesel exhaust isn't enough to make you avoid getting a lungful, new research now shows that even a short exposure to the fumes can affect your brain. Even an hour of sniffing exhaust induces a stress response in the brain's activity. Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311075339.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080307224040.htm Interactions between the stratospheric ozone chemistry and atmospheric air flow lead to significant changes of airflow patterns from the ground up to the stratosphere. Scientists at the Research Unit Potsdam of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research have investigated this fundamental process for climate interactions in the Arctic, and for the first time, incorporated it into climate models. Until now, it was not known what caused the natural variations of atmospheric air flow patterns which have played an important role for climate changes in the last decades. Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080307224040.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080226135421.htm Rising carbon dioxide levels from burning fossil fuels have been linked to sea level changes, snowmelt, disease, heat stress, severe weather, and ocean acidification. Yet because it does not affect respiration directly, carbon dioxide is not considered a classic air pollutant. Noting that increasing levels of carbon dioxide cause temperature and water vapor content to rise, researchers analyzed how this could harm lung function and irritate the respiratory system. They found that each one degree Celsius rise in temperature may increase U.S. annual air pollution deaths by about 1000. Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080226135421.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080225090826.htm In a finding that could help ease concerns about the potential environmental impact of manufacturing solar cells, scientists report that the manufacture of solar cells produces far fewer air pollutants than conventional fossil fuel technologies. Solar energy has been touted for years as a safer, cleaner alternative to burning fossil fuels to meet rising energy demands. However, environmentalists and others are increasingly concerned about the potential negative impact of solar cell (photovoltaic) technology. Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080225090826.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080216095731.htm A NOAA scientist reported on a previously unrecognized threat to human health from a ubiquitous class of air pollutants. He reported on how one type of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, a compound found in oil, damaged the developing hearts of Pacific herring and pink salmon embryos after the Exxon Valdez spill of 1989. Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080216095731.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080213133256.htm Aerosols influence global climate by scattering incoming solar radiation, causing a cooling effect. Much of this effect results from organic aerosols, which are classified as "primary" or "secondary." Primary organic aerosols are emitted directly into the atmosphere and are thus relatively easy to monitor. Secondary organic aerosols, those which form from reactions of precursor gases in the atmosphere, are more elusive. Mon, 18 Feb 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080213133256.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080205115810.htm The European Environment Agency has finalized an agreement with an ESA-led consortium to provide unparalleled information on air pollution, which contributes to the premature deaths of hundreds of thousands of Europeans annually. The service includes data on ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter (the sum of all particles suspended in air, including dust, smoke, pollen, etc.). Exposure to these pollutants can cause adverse health effects such as decreased lung function, increased respiratory symptoms and allergic responses, according to the World Health Organization. Wed, 13 Feb 2008 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080205115810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080206111244.htm Ecologists have found that excess nitrogen in tropical forests boosts plant growth by an average of 20 percent, countering the belief that such forests would not respond to nitrogen pollution. Faster plant growth means the tropics will take in more carbon dioxide than previously thought, though long-term climate effects are unclear. Over the next century, nitrogen pollution is expected to steadily rise, with the most dramatic increases in rapidly developing tropical regions such as India, South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080206111244.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080206192436.htm Scientists are at sea studying the Saharan dust that blows off the coast of Africa - triggering huge plankton blooms in the eastern Atlantic. Saharan dust is rich in nitrogen, iron and phosphorus and acts as a fertilizer on the production of plankton. Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080206192436.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080201215416.htm Rainfall data from a NASA satellite show that summertime storms in the southeastern United States shed more rainfall midweek than on weekends. Scientists say air pollution from humans is likely driving that trend. Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080201215416.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080126083601.htm Agricultural scientists are developing an add-on device to control dust emissions from nut harvesters. Researchers are testing a prototype device that uses centrifugal force to trap soil and bits of leaves and sticks so the harvester emits cleaner air. Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080126083601.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123173146.htm Researchers are working to improve even more the performance of air-source heat pumps -- which already typically deliver up to three times more heating energy to a home than the electric energy they consume -- by providing engineers with computer-based tools for optimizing heat exchanger designs. Tue, 29 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123173146.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080121084718.htm Patients prone to heart disease may one day be told by physicians to avoid not only fatty foods and smoking but air pollution too. A new academic study has revealed that the smallest particles from vehicle emissions may be the most damaging components of air pollution in triggering plaque buildup in the arteries, which can lead to heart attack and stroke. Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080121084718.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080117102119.htm Europe must adopt the World Health Organization standard on fine particulate matter pollution if it is to significantly curb needless premature deaths, concludes new research. Fine particulate matter has been associated with an increase in death from all causes, and particularly respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Tue, 22 Jan 2008 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080117102119.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080116202023.htm Old wood floor finishes in some homes may be an overlooked source of exposure to the now banned environmental pollutants polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PCBs are persistent organic pollutants identified worldwide as human blood and breast milk contaminants. PCBs were banned in the 1970s because of their high toxicity. Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080116202023.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080110144758.htm Purdue University researchers are collaborating with Chrysler LLC in a project to use poplar trees to eliminate pollutants from a contaminated site in north-central Indiana. Tue, 15 Jan 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080110144758.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080114112945.htm Air quality in the UK has improved significantly over the last 25 years according to a new report. Monitoring at 17 testing sites around the UK shows a fall in the presence of harmful heavy metals such as lead, iron and copper in the air we breathe. Results show a 70% reduction in the average presence of all heavy metals tested over the period. Tue, 15 Jan 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080114112945.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080107094944.htm Exposure to air pollution significantly reduces fetus size during pregnancy, according to a new study. While some people may think there is no air pollution because the air looks clean, most air pollutants are not visible to the naked eye. Birth weight is a major predictor of later health. Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080107094944.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080109173741.htm Scientists have found potentially dangerous levels of mercury and arsenic in Lake Baiyangdian, the largest lake in the North China Plain and a source of both food and drinking water for the people who live around it. Thu, 10 Jan 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080109173741.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080103135757.htm Scientists have spelled out for the first time the direct links between increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and increases in human mortality, using a state-of-the-art computer model of the atmosphere incorporating scores of physical and chemical environmental processes. The new findings come to light just after the Environmental Protection Agency's recent ruling against states setting specific emission standards for this greenhouse gas. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080103135757.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217141419.htm Detecting pollution, like catching criminals, requires evidence and witnesses; but on the scale of countries, continents and oceans, having enough detectors is easier said than done. A team of air quality modelers, climatologists and air policy specialists may soon change that. They have developed a new way to close the gaps in the global pollution dragnet by using NASA satellite data to detect precursors to ozone pollution. Wed, 19 Dec 2007 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217141419.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213101348.htm Weather broadcasts have long been a staple for people planning their day. Now with the help of NASA satellites, researchers are working to broaden daily forecasts to include predictions of air quality, a feat that is becoming reality in some parts of the world. Wed, 19 Dec 2007 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213101348.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213000427.htm Dust from the Gobi and Taklimakan deserts in China and Mongolia is routinely present in the air over the western United States during spring months, a researcher has found. He found that in years with large Asian dust storms there was an increase in particles of 2.5 microns or less in the air over the western United States. Particles that small can be inhaled more deeply into the lungs and are a health concern. Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213000427.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205122527.htm Mechanical engineers are using laser technology to develop advanced sensors capable of analyzing the combustion inside engines, power generators and heating systems. The sensors will be used to study -- and potentially improve -- the combustion of alternative fuels. Fri, 14 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071205122527.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071130200158.htm Researchers in the Netherlands, have shown that a drop in atmospheric nitrogen deposition will slow down forest growth. At the same time they expect that a lower tree growth implies less carbon sequestration and thus a decrease in the sequestration of the main greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. This may have a significant impact on the targets set in the Kyoto protocol. Sun, 02 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071130200158.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071121144957.htm Over the last 20 years lakes and streams in remote parts of the UK, southern Scandinavia and eastern North America have been increasingly stained brown by dissolved organic matter. Now researchers demonstrates that the color change is indicative of a return to a more natural, pre-industrial state following a decline in the level of acid rain. Fri, 23 Nov 2007 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071121144957.htm