Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Air Pollution |
Air PollutionNoun1. Pollution of the air; "air pollution reduced the visibility". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
| Domain | Definitions |
Agriculture | Contamination of the atmosphere by substances that, directly or indirectly, adversely affect human health or welfare. Air pollution results from human activities, both deliberate releases (as from smokestacks) and fugitive emissions (as dust blown from streets or fields), and from natural sources, including sea spray, volcanic emissions, pollen, etc. The Clean Air Act authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate air pollution (see National Ambient Air Quality Standards). (references) |
Energy | The presence of contaminants in the air in concentrations that prevent the normal dispersive ability of the air, and that interfere with biological processes and human economics. (references) |
| Unwanted particles, mist or gasesput into the atmosphere as a result of motor vehicle exhaust, the operation ofindustrial facilities or other human activity. (references) | |
Environment | Degradation of air quality resulting from unwanted chemicals or other materials occurring in the air. See also air pollutant. (references) |
Science | The existence in the air of substances in concentrations that are determined unacceptable. Contaminants in the air we breathe come mainly from manufacturing industries, electric power plants, automobiles, buses, and trucks. (references) |
Weather | One or more chemicals or substances in high enough concentrations in the air to harm humans, other animals, vegetation, or materials. Such chemicals or physical conditions (such as excess heat or noise) are called air pollutants. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Air pollution is a broad term applied to all chemical and biological agents that modify the natural characteristics of the atmosphere.
Some definitions also consider physical perturbations such as noise pollution, heat, radiation or light pollution as air pollution. Some definitions include the term harmful as a requisite to consider a change to the atmosphere as pollution.
The sources of air pollution are divided in two groups: anthropogenic (caused by human activity) and natural.
Natural sources include:
Contaminants of air can be divided in particles and gases.
Particles are classified by their sizes. A usual division is in PM10 and PM2.5. PM10 are particles whose size is less than 10 microns (0.01 mm); they are dangerous to humans because they can be breathed and reach the lungs. PM2.5 are particles whose size is less than 2.5 microns (0.0025 mm), and they are even more dangerous because they can pass the alveoli and reach the blood.
Important pollutant gases include:
See also:
Causes
Anthropogenic sources are mostly related to burning different kinds of fuel. They include:
Contaminants
The worst single incident of air pollution to occur in the United States occurred in Donora, Pennsylvania in late October, 1948Further Reading
Sources
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Air pollution."
Synonyms: Air PollutionSynonyms: Air contaminants, Atmospheric pollution, Pollution of the air, Pollution of the atmosphere. (additional references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Lyrics | First come here keep talkin' bout the president, won't stop air pollution ("Respect Yourself"; performing artist: The Staple Singers) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Air pollution is a problem in many of the world's large cities.Credit: CDC. |  | Discoloration of air due to heavy air pollution.Credit: CDC. |
 | View of Istanbul, Turkey From Bosphorus. Air pollution is a problem in many large cities.Credit: CDC. |  | Smog over Chongqing, Peoples Republic of China. Air pollution.Credit: CDC. |
 | [Donora, Pa. - 1949 #7 Riverboat adds to air pollution on MonogahelaRiver.Credit: National Library of Medicine. |  | Railroads add to air pollution ... / [U.S. Public Health Service photo].Credit: National Library of Medicine. |
 | Let's fight air pollution. : Your Lung Association cares about every breath you take.Credit: National Library of Medicine. |  | Mrs. Margaret Klein and Mrs. Marvin Blumenfeld, wearing gas masks, as they pass out a health bulletin, "A woman's view of air pollution," in front of Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis.Credit: Library of Congress. |
 | Man holding up card with different shades in front of smokestack, in order to identify the extent of air pollution.Credit: Library of Congress. | ||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Avoid air pollution, including cigarette smoke, and curtail physical activities during air pollution alerts. (references) | |
Other risk factors include age, heredity, exposure to air pollution at work and in the environment, and a history of childhood respiratory infections. (references) | ||
For example, during periods of high pollen levels, people with pollen allergy should try to avoid unnecessary exposure to irritants such as insect sprays, tobacco smoke, air pollution, and fresh tar or paint. (references) | ||
Business | Of these, some 45 percent are listed as generating air pollution. (references) | |
The local air pollution control market is exceptionally competitive. (references) | ||
Air pollution control equipment has potential in the power plant sector. (references) | ||
Civil Liberties | Malaysia | The Government continued its policy of not allowing public disclosure of air pollution index-readings. (references) |
Economic History | Canada | The two governments also consult semiannually on transboundary air pollution. (references) |
Philippines | This project offers opportunities for both stationary and mobile air pollution control equipment vendors. (references) | |
Political Economy | CANADA | Cooperation dates back to the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty, and has grown to include collaboration on transboundary watersheds, flooding, air pollution, water use, and other common concerns. (references) |
Trade | Indonesia | ADB-financed social, physical and financial infrastructure projects in the public sector create commercial opportunities in many areas, such as: agriculture and natural resources (including disaster management); education and training (including distance learning); energy (including power generation, renewable energy and energy efficiency); environment (including water supply, waste treatment and air pollution control); financial services (including banking and insurance reform, small business finance, microfinance and capital markets development); healthcare (including telemedicine); infrastructure (including housing and urban redevelopment); and transportation (including rail, road and port projects). (references) |
Travel | Czech Rep | In winter, Prague air pollution can pose problems for those with respiratory conditions. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
Expressions using "air pollution": air pollution episode ♦ air pollution staff ♦ mobile air pollution laboratory ♦ mobile air pollution monitoring unit ♦ particulate air pollution. Additional references. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "air pollution"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | partikulær luftforurening (particulate air pollution), luftforureningskontrol (air pollution survey), luftforureningsepisode (air pollution episode, episode, pollution episode), langtransport af luftforurening (long range transport of air pollutants, long-distance transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollution, long-range transport of airborne pollutants, long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants), kontrol med luftforurening (control of air pollution), ISPS (ICP Forests, International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests), i den elektrokemiske gasanalysator til maaling af luftforurening ved hjaelp af en sniffer benyttes en maalecelle af en ny type (the electrochemical gas analyser measuring air pollution by means of a sniffling device uses a measuring cell of a new type), Genève-konventionen om grænseoverskridende forurening over store afstande (Geneva Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution), forbraending af affald,der indeholder bly,bidrager til luftforurening med bly (the burning of rubbish containing lead contributes to air pollution by lead), Det internationale samarbejdsprogram for vurdering og overvågning af luftforureningens virkninger på skove (ICP Forests, International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests), bortset fra ethylen har alphatiske carbonhydrider kun ringe betydning i den sekundaere luftforurening (aliphatic hydrocarbons, apart from ethylene, are not regarded as important in secondary air pollution). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | Air pollution index (Air pollution index), alifatische koolwaterstoffen,andere dan ethyleen,worden niet van belang geacht bij de secundaire luchtverontreiniging (aliphatic hydrocarbons, apart from ethylene, are not regarded as important in secondary air pollution), Afdeling Binnenlucht (Indoor Air Pollution Division), luchtverontreiniging (air-pollution, particulate air pollution), bestrijding van luchtverontreiniging (control of air pollution), Bijdragenbesluit provincies luchtverontreiniging (Air Pollution Grants(Provinces)Decree), de elektrochemische gasanalysator voor de meting van de luchtverontreiniging met behulp van een snuifklep maakt gebruik van een nieuw soort meetcel (the electrochemical gas analyser measuring air pollution by means of a sniffling device uses a measuring cell of a new type), heffing luchtverontreiniging (tax on air pollution), het verbranden van loodhoudend afval draagt bij tot luchtverontreiniging (the burning of rubbish containing lead contributes to air pollution by lead), Internationaal Samenwerkingsprogramma voor de evaluatie en de bewaking van de schade aan de bossen door luchtverontreiniging (ICP Forests, International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests), Wet inzake de luchtverontreiniging (Air Pollution Act), luchtvervuiling door partikels (particulate air pollution), meteorologische episode (air pollution episode, episode, pollution episode), Raad inzake de Luchtverontreiniging (Air Pollution Council), transport op lange afstand van atmosferische polluënten (long range transport of air pollutants, long-distance transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollution, long-range transport of airborne pollutants, long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants), Verdrag van Genève betreffende grensoverschrijdende luchtverontreiniging over lange afstand (Geneva Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution), verontreiniging (contaminant, contamination, impurity, impurity atom, input, particulate air pollution, pollution), vervuiling door partikels (particulate air pollution), weerkundige episode (air pollution episode, episode, pollution episode), ICP Forests (ICP Forests, International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | saaste-episodi (air pollution episode, episode, pollution episode), ilmansaastetutkimus (air pollution survey), ilmansaasteselvitys (air pollution survey), ilmansaasteiden kaukokulkeutuminen (long range transport of air pollutants, long-distance transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollution, long-range transport of airborne pollutants, long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants), hiukkaspäästöt (particulate air pollution), hiukkasmaiset ilman epäpuhtaudet (particulate air pollution), episodi (air pollution episode, episode, pollution episode). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | API (Air pollution index), pollution atmosphérique particulaire (particulate air pollution), épisode de pollution atmosphérique (air pollution episode), épisode météorologique (air pollution episode), Conseil de la pollution de l'air (Air Pollution Council), Convention de Genève sur la pollution atmosphérique (Geneva Convention on Air Pollution), Convention de Genève sur la pollution atmosphérique transfrontière longue distance (Geneva Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution), l'analyseur de gaz électro-chimique servant mesurer la pollution de l'air l'aide d'un reniflard utilise une cellule de mesure d'un nouveau type (the electrochemical gas analyser measuring air pollution by means of a "sniffling device" uses a measuring cell of a new type), les hydrocarbures aliphatiques,autres que l'éthylène,sont peu importants dans la pollution atmosphérique secondaire (are not regarded as important in secondary air pollution), l'incinération de déchets contenant du plomb contribue la pollution de l'air par le plomb (the burning of rubbish containing lead contributes to air pollution by lead), Loi sur la pollution de l'air (Air Pollution Act), éléments de pollution de l'air (component of air pollution), PIC Forêts (International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests), unité mobile de surveillance de l'air (mobile air pollution laboratory, mobile air pollution monitoring unit), pollution particulaire (particulate air pollution), programme de surveillance de la pollution de l'air (air pollution survey), Programme international concerté sur l'évaluation et la surveillance des effets de la pollution atmosphérique sur les forêts (International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests), seuil de toxicité (air pollution threshold), spécialistes de la pollution (air pollution staff), spécialistes de l'antipollution (air pollution staff), taxe sur la pollution de l'air (tax on air pollution), transport grande distance de la pollution atmosphérique (long range transport of air pollutants, long-distance transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollution, long-range transport of airborne pollutants), transport grande distance des polluants aéroportés (long range transport of air pollutants, long-distance transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollution, long-range transport of airborne pollutants), transport grande distance des polluants atmosphériques (long range transport of air pollutants, long-distance transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollution, long-range transport of airborne pollutants), transport grande distance des polluants de l'air (long range transport of air pollutants, long-distance transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollution, long-range transport of airborne pollutants), lutte contre la pollution de l'air (control of air pollution). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | Luftverunreinigung. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | μόλυνση της ατμόσφαιρας από σκόνη και καπνό (particulate air pollution), μετεωρολογικό επεισόδιο (air pollution episode, episode, pollution episode), μεταφορά αερίων ρύπων σε μεγάλη απόσταση (long range transport of air pollutants, long-distance transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollution, long-range transport of airborne pollutants, long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants), μεταφορά ατμοσφαιρικών ρύπων σε μεγάλη απόσταση (long range transport of air pollutants, long-distance transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollutants, long-range transport of air pollution, long-range transport of airborne pollutants, long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants), η καύση στερεών αποβλήτων που περιέχουν μόλυβδο συμβάλει στη μόλυνση του ατμοσφαιρικού αέρα με μόλυβδο (the burning of rubbish containing lead contributes to air pollution by lead), επεισόδιο ατμοσφαιρικής ρύπανσης (air pollution episode, episode, pollution episode), "ιεθνές ρόγραμμα Συνεργασίας για την Εκτίμηση και την αρακολούθηση των Επιπτώσεων της Ατμοσφαιρικής Ρύπανσης στα "άση (ICP Forests, International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests), " Σ "άση (ICP Forests, International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests), " Σ (ICP Forests, International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests), οι αλειφατικοί υδρογονάνθρακες,εκτός από το αιθυλένιο,δεν έχουν σημασία για τη δευτερογενή ρύπανση του αέρα (aliphatic hydrocarbons, apart from ethylene, are not regarded as important in secondary air pollution). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | légszennyezõdés. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | a parte l'etilene,gli idrocarburi alifatici hanno poca importanza nell'inquinamento atmosferico secondario (aliphatic hydrocarbons, apart from ethylene, are not regarded as important in secondary air pollution), programma di controllo dell'inquinamento atmosferico (air pollution survey), Programma concertato internazionale di valutazione e sorveglianza degli effetti dell'inquinamento atmosferico sulle foreste (ICP Forests, International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests), lotta contro l'inquinamento atmosferico (control of air pollution), l'incinerazione dei rottami contenenti piombo contribuisce all'inquinamento dell'aria da piombo (the burning of rubbish containing lead contributes to air pollution by lead), l'analizzatore di gas elettrochimico, che serve per misurare l'inquinamento dell'aria per mezzo di una"valvola di sfogo", utilizza una cellula di misurazione di nuovo tipo, inquinamento da aria polverosa (particulate air pollution), imposta sull'inquinamento atmosferico (tax on air pollution), ICP Foreste (ICP Forests, International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests), Convenzione di Ginevra sull'inquinamento atmosferico transfrontaliero a grande distanza (Geneva Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 空気汚" , 大気汚" . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | たいきおせ", くうきおせ". (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | airay ollutionpay poluição atmosférica (air-pollution). (various references) ensuciamiento de aire (air contamination). (various references) luftförorening. (various references) hava kirliliği. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Misspellings | |
"Air Pollution" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: air polution. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-i-i-l-l-n-o-o-p-r-t-u" | |
-2 letters: pollinator. | |
-3 letters: pollution. | |
-4 letters: antipill, antiroll, illation, optional, pliotron, pollinia, tornillo, trillion, troopial, troupial, unipolar, uprootal. | |
-5 letters: atropin, litoral, nauplii, nautili, nuptial, opuntia, oration, ortolan, outlain, outplan, outpoll, outroll, patroon, pillion, pilular, pinitol, pintail, platoon, polaron, portion, pronota, puritan, purloin, rainout, rollout, rolltop, tripoli, trollop, unplait, utopian. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-i-i-l-l-n-o-o-p-r-t-u" | |
+5 letters: interpopulational, opportunistically. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)41 69 72 50 6F 6C 6C 75 74 69 6F 6E |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
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Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)01000001 01101001 01110010 00100000 01010000 01101111 01101100 01101100 01110101 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 |
HTML Code (1990) (references)A i r   P o l l u t i o n |
ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)0041 0069 0072 0050 006F 006C 006C 0075 0074 0069 006F 006E |
Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)3575842508178788786758180 |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Slideshow 7. Images: Photo Album 8. Quotations: Non-fiction | 9. Expressions 10. Expressions: Internet 11. Translations: Modern 12. Derivations | 13. Anagrams 14. Orthography 15. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
