Transcript Lecture 13 Air Quality

Lecture # 19
Interior Air
Quality
Florida Cities
Urban Density/60 Cities
City
Density
people / sq. mile
Ft. Lauderdale 4,747
St. Petersburg 4,059
Orlando
2,148
Jacksonville
837
Range 23,369  714
Rank
19
24
48
59
Florida Cities and Rank:
75 Largest Metro Areas
Metro Area
Population Rank
Miami-Ft. Laud.Hollywood
3,192,582
11
Tampa- St. Pet.Clearwater
2,067,959
20
Orlando
1,072,748
35
Jacksonville
906,727
46
West Palm BeachBoca Raton Delray Beach
863,518
49
Range
17,953,372  659,864
Florida Cities and Rank:
Moderate Air Pollution Days/75
Cities
City
Number of Days
Tampa
119
Jacksonville
84
Orlando
79
Miami
51
West Palm Beach 29
Range 304  3
Rank
46
64
66
72
74
What Is Air Pollution ?
The presence of chemicals /
physical particles in the
atmosphere that exceed harmless
levels.
* Acid rain, smog, toxic air pollutants,
suspended particles.
Examples of Air Pollutants
1 . Ethylene (C2H2)
2. Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
3. Ozone (O3)
4. Carbon monoxide (CO)
5. Carbon dioxide (CO2)
6. Nitrogen oxides (Nox)
7. Ammonia (NH3)
8. Peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN)
9. Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs)
10. Particulates (Dust)
Gases and
Interiorscape Plants
The
essential gases (O2, CO2, NO2) are
involved in plant metabolism.

Interiorscape plants may purify air and
remove harmful gases from the
environment.
Gases and
Interiorscape Plants

Some gaseous pollutants are highly
toxic to plants.

Plants are potential air polluters and
emit gases into the atmosphere.
Air Pollutants Affecting
Interiorscape Plants

Injury can range from visible damage
on foliage to reduced growth, yield,
quality, life, and usefulness of the
plant, and to premature death.
Air Pollutants Affecting
Interiorscape Plants
 The
severity of the injury depends on:
 concentration of air pollutant
 duration of exposure
 plant’s genetic makeup
 plant species and age
 stage of plant development
 plant’s nutritional status
 abiotic factors
 humidity
 light levels
 temperature
 season of year
Air Pollutant: Sulfur dioxide
Injury:
Chronic - does not usually kill the
tissues; results from low levels of
pollution.
Acute - kills all or a portion of the leaf;
results from a short - term, high levels
of pollution.
Air Pollutant: Sulfur dioxide
Symptoms:
Bleached spots, bleached areas
between veins, giving the “classic” SO2
symptom of tan-to-ivory brown areas
between green veins; needle-like leaves
turn yellow to brown if injury is acute.
Sulfur Dioxide Emissions (USA)
Million tons per year
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1970
1980
1990
Air Pollutant: Nitrogen Oxides
Injury:
Irregular white or brown collapsed lesion
on interveinal tissue and near leaf
margin.
Air Pollutant: Nitrogen Oxides
Sources:
High temperature combustion of coal,
oil, gas, and gasoline in power plants and
internal combustion engines.
Toxicity Levels (ppm): Plants - 0.50 25.0
People - 5.0
Nitrogen Oxides Emissions (USA)
Million tons per year
25
20
15
10
5
0
1970
1980
1990
Examples of Volatile Organic
Chemicals (VOCs)
1. Methanol - used as solvent, cleaner
and as a fuel.
2. Toluene - used in making perfumes,
dyes, medicine, explosives, detergents,
and in airplane gasoline.
3. Ammonia - used in making fertilizers,
plastics, dyes, and textiles.
Examples of Volatile Organic
Chemicals (VOCs)
4. Acetone - used as a solvent.
5. Methyl chloroform - used as a
cleaning solvent.
6. Xylenes - used in making dyes, drugs,
insecticides, and gasoline.
7. Methylene chloride - used in food,
furniture and plastic processing.
Volatile Organic Compound
Emissions (USA)
Million tons per year
30
20
10
0
1970
1980
1990
Air Pollutant: Ozone
Injury and Symptoms:
Chronic - needle-like lvs. Show mottled
green and yellow patches of tissue on
the needle surface. Acute - the entire
needle may turn brown.
Broadleaved plants show very small
‘flecks’ or ‘stipples’ of dead (brown) or
pigmentd (red or purple) tissue on the
upper surface; there is seldom any
injury on the lower leaf surface.
Air Pollutant: Ozone
Toxicity Levels (ppm):
Plants - 0.08 - 0.55
People - 0.10 - 0.90
Air Pollutant: Ozone
Sources:
Natural component of upper atmosphere;
filters out UV radiation; lightning can
create it at ground level.
Major source is the urban environment hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen are
emitted from automotive exhaust
systems; these compounds undergo
photochemical reaction yielding ozone. In
interiors a common source is sparking or
arcing electric motors.
Carbon Monoxide Emissions (USA)
Million tons per year
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1970
1980
1990
Total Particulates Emissions (USA)
Million tons per year
25
20
15
10
5
0
1970
1980
1990
Air Pollutant: Carbon dioxide
Symptoms:
Temporary elevation of plant growth
rate.
Sources:
Combustion of hydrocarbons (wood, gas,
fuel oil).
Toxicity Levels (ppm): Plants - 20,000
People - 5,000
Air Pollutant:
Carbon dioxide
‘Greenhouse Effect’
Global Warming
Air Pollutant: Ethylene
Sources:
Man’s activities: incomplete combustion
of coal, gas, and oil for heating, and
automobile and truck exhaust. Natural
occurrence: injured tissues, ripened
fruits.
Toxicity Levels (ppm): Plants - 0.01 - 0.10
Observed Responses of
Nursery Crops to Ethylene
Exposure
 Abscission of flowers.
 Abscission of foliage.
 Chlorosis of foliage.
 Epinasty of foliage.
Ethylene
 Ethylene has an autocatalytic activity,
it induces the enzyme ACC synthase.
 Auxins also do this.
 Wounding increases ethylene
production by inducing formation of
ACC synthase.
METHIONINE
ENERGY
SAM
(S-adenosyl
methionine)
ENERGY
(ATP)
ACC 1-Amino-
Endogenous
Ethylene
ETHYLENE
cyclopropaneSynthesis of 1-carboxylic
acid
ACC
Synthase
Leaf Abscission
Air Pollutant: Ammonia
Sources: Biological processes;
industry and urban activities,
refrigerators.
Injury: Blackened and collapsed tissue.
Initially, leaves may develop water-soaked
appearance. Lower concentrations of NH3
produce light tan to dark brown bronzing
on upper leaf surface and dark brown
irregular, interveinal lesions extending
through the leaf.
Air Pollutant: Ammonia
Toxicity Levels (ppm): Plants - > 1.25
Air Pollutant: Chlorine (Cl)
and Hydrogen Chloride
Sources: Chlorinating equipment
for swimming pools; sewage and industrial
operations.
Symptoms: General leaf yellowing, stippling,
scorching of leaf tips and margins, necrosis
and leaf drop. Injury is first observed on
the mature leaves.
Toxicity Levels (ppm): Plants - 0.05 - 0.10
Air Pollutant: Fluorine (F),
Hydrogen Fluoride (HF), Silicon
Tetrafluoride (SiF4)
Sources: Growing media,
superphosphate (fertilizer), perlite.
Industry, coal combustion, volcanic
eruptions, refineries, plastic manufacturing.
Injury:Dependent on the accumulation of
fluoride to toxic levels. Gray or light green
water-soaked lesions which turn tan to
reddish brown.
Toxicity Levels for HF: Plants - 1 ppb
Air Pollutant:
Peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN)
Sources: The action of sunlight on
hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides
released from automobile exhaust.
Air Pollutant:
Peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN)
Injury: Plant tissue surrounding the
stomates plasmolyzes and dies.
Enlarged, air-filled spaces develop
beneath the lower epidermis resulting in
a silvery appearance known as “silver
leaf” or “leaf banding”.
Air Pollutant: Peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN)
Continued:
Early maturity, growth suppresion,
heavy leaf abscission, bleaching,
streaking, speckling, or anthocyanin
formation may also occur.
Air Pollutant:
Mercury (Hg) Vapors
Sources: Greenhouse paint containing
di-(phenylmercuric)
dodecenylsuccinate; fungicides mercury bichloride, organic and
inorganic mercury compounds.
Symptoms: Yellow, brown, purplish and
black leaves; curving downward and
severe abscission of older leaves.
Pollutant : Benzene
Symptoms:
Skin and eye irritant, may be a
contributing factor to chromosomal
aberrations and leukemia in humans;
chronic exposure to even relatively
low levels causes headaches, appetite
loss, drowsiness, nervousness,
psychological disturbances, anemia,
bone marrow disease; it is considered
a carcinogenic.
Pollutant : Benzene
Sources:
Inks, oils, paints, plastics, rubber,
dyes, detergents, gasoline,
pharmaceuticals, tobacco smoke,
synthetic fibers.
Pollutant : Formaldehyde
Symptoms:
Irritates mucous membranes of the
eyes, nose, throat, can cause contact
dermatitis; irritation of upper
respiratory tract and eyes and
headaches; can cause asthma and is
suspected of causing a rare type of
throat cancer.
Pollutant : Formaldehyde
Sources:
Foam insulation, plywood, particle
board, pressed-wood products,
grocery bags, waxed papers, facial
tissue; water repellants, fire
retardants, carpet backing,
permanent press clothing; cigarette
smoke, natural gas, kerosene.
Pollutant : Trichloroethylene
Symptoms:
Considered a potent liver carcinogen
by the National Cancer Institute.
Sources:
Primarily used in the metal degreasing
and dry-cleaning industries; also in
printing inks, paints, lacquers,
varnishes, adhesives.
Synergistic Effect of Air
Pollutants Can Cause More
Severe Injury Than Any
Pollutant Alone
Vegetation Injury From
Other Agents Can Be
Confused with Air
Pollutant Injury
Now You Are Convinced That Air
Pollutants Is Having An Adverse Effect
On Plants. How Can You Be Certain?
Answer One:
Look for some of the same sort of
symptoms associated with diseases and
physiological problems you are familiar.
Answer Two:
Let some of your more sensitive plants act
as ‘biological indicators’.
SICK BUILDING SYNDROME
Occurrence: Tightly sealed, energy -
efficient buildings; recently constructed
buildings.
Symptoms: Headaches, watery eyes,
nausea, skin disorders and fatigue.
Signs of sick building: Musty, stuffy
smell and other lingering odors.
SICK BUILDING SYNDROME
Causes: Excessive moisture or humidity,
improper location of vapor retarders,
poor HVAC design and maintenance, poor
duct design, improper carpets, and poor
air circulation.
Persistence: Symptoms usually disappear
a few hours after the person leaves the
building.
Building Related Illnesses


Result in serious indoor air quality
( IAQ ) problems.
Persist even after the person is
removed from the causal factors.
Building Related Illnesses

Causal factors may be in the form of
pathogens such as mold, mildew,
bacteria, mites, or other agents such
as radon, volatile organic compounds
(VOCs), secondary smoke, dust,
chemicals such as formaldehyde and
carbon dioxide.
Example : Legionnaires' Disease
Sources of Indoor Pollutants
1. Humans - 'Bioeffluents'
2. Furniture ( Resins )
3. Carpeting
4. Copy machines
5. Fax machines
6. Computers
7. Paneling ( Resins )
8. Aerosols
BIOEFFLUENTS
Emission Rate
Chemicals ug/Day/Person
Acetone
50,700
Methyl Alcohol 74,400
Ethyl Acetate 25,400
How Plants Do It?
Interior plants remove various
chemical compounds by:
1. Absorption.
2. Translocation.
3. Biodegradation.
LIVING AIR PURIFICATION
SYSTEM
HCHO
Absorption
Translocation
Biodegradation
RHIZOSPHERE :
A zone or volume of soil / potting media
influenced by the plant root system.
Pothos ssp.
Aloe ssp.
Opuntia ssp.
* Each plant has its own distinctive
rhizospheric inhabitants due to
differences in root exudates.
* Dominant bacteria is Pseudomonas.
Weights of Various
Microorganisms per 8" Pot
Bacteria
- 0.08 oz
Fungi
- 0.176 oz
Actinomycetes - 0.128 oz
Protozoa
- 0.032 oz
Algae
- 0.032 oz
CAM Plants - Crassulacean Acid
Metabolism
* 18 plant families including
Crassulas, Cacti, Orchids and
Bromeliads.
Orchids
Bromeliads
Plants Used:
Dendrobium Aechmea fasciata
Phalaenopsis Cryptanthus
Guzmania
Neoregelia
Chemicals Used:
Bioeffluents and
Outgassing compounds
Air
samples
Gaseous
pollutants
Liquid
pollutants
Air Sealed Chamber 2x2x3 ft
Carbon Dioxide Removal
Rates of Different Plants
Dracaena marginata
Aechmea fasciata
0
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
Dendrobium orchid
Time in hours
25
Removal of Chemicals by the
Dendrobium Orchid
ug Removed Emission Rate
Chemicals
Per Hour ug/Day/Person
Acetone
Methyl Alcohol
Ethyl Acetate
Ammonia
Formaldehyde
Xylene
Chloroform
90,000
11,889
9,180
3,057
756
333
269
50,700
74,400
25,400
HOW TO ACHIEVE A POLLUTANT
- FREE HEALTHY INDOOR
ENVIRONMENT WHILE
MAINTAINING ENERGY
EFFICIENCY IN MODERN
BUILDINGS ?