Air Pollution by Photochemical Oxidants: Formation, Transport, Control, and Effects on Plants

✍ Scribed by Professor Dr. Robert Guderian (auth.), Professor Dr. Robert Guderian (eds.)

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
• Year: 1985
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 354
• Series: Ecological Studies 52
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Photochemical oxidants are secondary air pollutants formed under the influence of sunlight by complex photochemical reactions in air which contains nitrogen oxides and reactive hydrocarbons as precursors. The most adverse components formed by photochemical reactions in polluted air are ozone (0 ) 3 and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), among many other products such as aldehydes, ketones, organic and inorganic acids, nitrates, sulfates etc. An analysis and evaluation of the available knowledge has been used to characterize the relationships among emissions, ambient air concentrations, and effects, and to identify the important controlling influences on the formation and effects of photochemical oxidants. The biological activity of photochemical oxidants was first clearly manifested during the early 1940's, when vegetation injury was observed in the Los Angeles Basin in the United States. Since that time, as a consequence of the increasing emissions of photochemical oxidant precursors, the photochemical oxidants have become the most important air pollutants in North America. In other parts of the world, for example South and Central America, Asia, and Australia, photo­ chemical oxidants threaten vegetation, particularly the economic and ecological performance of plant life. According to my knowledge, the first observations of ozone and PAN injury to vegetation in Europe were made by Dr. Ellis F. Darley (Statewide Air Pollution Research Center, University of California, Riverside, California) during a study visit (1963/64) to the Federal Republic of Germany.

✦ Table of Contents

Front Matter....Pages I-XI
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Introduction....Pages 3-3
Oxidants, Precursors, and Concomitant Species....Pages 4-10
Emissions and Ambient Air Concentrations....Pages 11-67
Air Chemistry and Dispersion....Pages 68-96
Surveillance of Ambient Air Quality....Pages 97-104
Abatement Strategies....Pages 105-106
Summary and Final Conclusions....Pages 107-108
Appendix....Pages 109-110
Back Matter....Pages 111-125
Front Matter....Pages 127-127
Introduction....Pages 129-131
Mode of Action....Pages 132-169
Diagnosis, Surveillance, and Estimation of Effects....Pages 170-204
Factors Influencing Plant Responses....Pages 205-245
Effects of Pollutant Combinations....Pages 246-275
Dose-Response Relationships....Pages 276-296
Back Matter....Pages 297-333

✦ Subjects

Ecology; Ecotoxicology; Agriculture; Forestry; Geoecology/Natural Processes; Nature Conservation