What are the six criteria pollutants that are defined by Clean Air Act? Briefly discuss how each is linked to the production of greenhouse gases.

            As per Clean Air Act, there are six criteria pollutants, which include sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead, ground-level ozone as well as small particulates. Each criteria pollutant is linked with the production of greenhouse gases. For instance, sulfur dioxide is linked with greenhouse gases, as it is indirectly a greenhouse gas, so produces greenhouse gas effect in the atmosphere and nitrogen dioxide & carbon monoxide are also the indirect greenhouse gas. These gases come up with reactions, which are made with other kind of chemical compounds, so when chemical transformation occurs; they make an impact on the atmosphere. The ground-level ozone produces greenhouse gas because it is greenhouse gas concentration, and its pollution plays a part in polluting the environment. The small particulates play their part in carbon cycle, which results in production of greenhouse gases.

            Give at least five methods to generate electricity, where enough electricity is produced to allow for commercial sales. Based on your given list, rank order them as contributors to producing smog(1 means very little smog produced; 5 means lots of smog may be produced). Discuss your reasoning for the ordering or ranking you have given.

             It is a fact that there are so many methods to produce electricity and each method can be ranked in its order for contributing smog in the air. Here is the list of five electricity generation methods based on smog contribution rank order, where 1 means very little smog is produced:

1.      Solar Power

2.      Wind Power Plant

3.      Hydroelectric Power Plant

4.      Fossil Fuel Power Plants based on petroleum or natural gas

5.      Coal-Fired Power Plants

        In this rank order, the first three methods are at the same rank, just number is changed, and they all produce no smog at all. On the other hand, thermal power station running on petrol or natural gases do produce lot of smog, and the most pollutants of all is Coal-Fired Power Plants, as in all other fossil fuels, it is considered the most intensive to carbon.

Discuss three methods for controlling or remediating particulate materials in the smokestack gases emitted from a solid-waste incinerator. 

            It is a fact that solid-waste incinerators do emit particulate materials in the smoke stack gases and there are ways to control or at least remediate these particulate materials. One of the methods is called bag houses or fabric filters, the other considerable method is using cyclones, and third viable method is electrostatic precipitators. All these methods are very effective in controlling particulate materials.

List at least two components or contributors to poor indoor air quality. Discuss at least two methods that can be used to improve indoor air quality.

            There are various contributors to poor indoor air quality, and two most common ones are ventilation as well as humidity. The humidity level should be optimal in indoor air, otherwise low or high humidity both can contribute to poor indoor air quality. Moreover, if an indoor place is not properly aired and it has no ventilation, then air quality will be extremely poor. The best method to deal with poor indoor air quality is making indoor environment properly aired so that indoor air pollutants can be reduced. To keep humidity at an optimal level, one can use dehumidifiers to keep balance of humidity in indoor place for better air quality, otherwise bad indoor air quality can cause various health issues.

For the list of items given below, discuss how each one can be used to help treat or clean groundwater before it is used as drinking water:

Sand filter

Carbon filter

Ultraviolet light treatment

Bleach

Ozone

Aeration

Sedimentation

Floccing chemical agents

            There are various methods to clean ground water so that it can be used for drinking purposes. Here are few methods to clean ground water:

            Sand filter: A sand filter has the ability to clean ground water by straining out the floc as well as particles, and numbers of bacteria are also reduced along with removal of solids. But it is important to keep in mind that sand filter cannot clean ground water which is chemically polluted.

Carbon filter: In conventional carbon filters, the carbon granules are used so that organic matter of water can stick to these granules. When such process happens in carbon filters, the organic matters along with odour, taste as well as color is eliminated, and water becomes drinkable.

Ultraviolet light treatment: It is one of the most important water treatment methods. With the help of Ultraviolet light, water is disinfected from any kind of viruses and bacteria, which means that water does not contain any harmful materials and can be used for drinkable purposes.

Bleach: If water is infected with any kind of bacteria, then it can be cleaned by regular bleach used in the house. The bleach has chlorine in it, which is good enough to destroy the bacteria contained by water. However, it is important to keep in mind that bleach should not have any additives such as detergent or scent.

Ozone: Ozone is considered to be one of the fastest as well as strongest anti oxidants, which helps in the process of remediation of ground water. Various water contaminants are mitigated by Ozone.

Aeration: In this process, the close contact of air and water is made so that dissolved metals and gases can be removed from the water. It is the first and foremost important process in a water treatment plant.

Sedimentation: The particles sedimentation is one of the simplest as well as oldest ways of water treatment. A sedimentation clarifier is a circular tank, which is used for holding the water for long time so that suspends solids in the water can settle out.