Criteria Pollutants

Colorless, odorless gas that is emitted from burning fossil fuels. Can replace oxygen in the bloodstream and cause death.

• Lead

• Sulfur Dioxide SO2

• Carbon monoxide CO

• Carbon dioxide CO2

Criteria pollutant that has been reduced the MOST by actions taken after the Clean Air Act was passed. Removing this from gasoline had the biggest impact.

• Sulfur dioxide SO2

• Lead Pb

• Carbon monoxide CO

• Nitrogen dioxide NO2

Sizes of this air pollutant of 2.5 micrometers or smaller, is more dangerous, leading to severe respiratory problems and heart disease.

• Lead Pb

• Sulfur dioxide SO2

• Nitrogen dioxide NO2

• Particulate matter

Sources of this air pollutant include construction sites, forest fires, fields and smoke stacks.

• Particulate matter

• Sulfur dioxide SO2

• Lead

• Carbon monoxide CO

These devices are used to remove Sulfur dioxide from smoke stacks.

• Electrostatic precipitators

• Reverse osmosis

• Scrubbers

• fabric filters

These devices are used to help reduce particulate matter from smoke stacks.

• Electrostatic precipitator

• Reverse osmosis

• Scrubbers

• heat transfer

Secondary pollutant created after nitrogen oxides are emitted into the atmosphere and interact with sunlight and other chemicals. Only secondary criteria air pollutant.

• Sulfur dioxide SO2

• Tropospheric or ground level ozone

• Nitrogen dioxide NO2

• Lead Pb

Air pollutant that comes from the combustion of primarily coal in factories and power plants. Major contributor to acid precipitation.

• Sulfur dioxide SO2

• Lead Pb

• Particulate matter

• Tropospheric ozone

Air pollutant that is emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels mostly from automobiles and other transportation. Precursor to tropospheric ozone formation.

• Sulfur dioxide SO2

• Nitrogen dioxide NO2

• Particulate matter

• Carbon monoxide CO

Catalytic converters are used to reduce these specific gases from the exhaust of vehicles.

• CO and SO2

• SO2 and NO2

• CO and NO2

• SO2 and Lead