Air pollution

Air pollution

Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulates or biological materials into the atmosphere which cause damage to the natural environment and have adverse health affects on organisms.

Industry: Pollution control

Add a new term

Contributors in Air pollution

Become a Contributors

Air pollution

Unit risk number

Pollution control; Air pollution

The number of potential excess cancer cases from a lifetime exposure to one microgram per cubic metre (µ/m 3 ) of a given substance. For example, a unit risk value of 5. 5x10 -6 would indicate an ...

Thermosphere

Pollution control; Air pollution

The outermost layer of the Earth's atmosphere extending from about 60 miles to several hundred miles. The temperature of this layer varies from many hundreds to thousands of degrees Celsius.

Monitoring

Pollution control; Air pollution

The periodic or continuous sampling and analysis of air pollutants in ambient air or from individual pollution sources.

Inversion

Pollution control; Air pollution

A layer of warm air in the atmosphere that prevents the rise of cooling air and traps pollutants beneath it.

A layer of ozone in the lower portion of the stratosphere -- 12 to 15 miles above the Earth's surface -- which helps to philtre out harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. It may be contrasted with ...

Air basin

Pollution control; Air pollution

A land area with generally similar meteorological and geographic conditions throughout. To the extent possible, air basin boundaries are defined along political boundary lines and include both the ...