Air pollution, in general, releasing the emissions (gases that come out with smoke) in industrial establishments to the atmosphere without taking adequate precautions, giving the exhaust gases from transportation vehicles to the atmosphere, particles (dust, particles), smoke, soot, especially fossil fuels burned in various industrial facilities and residences. , sulfur, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons.
In addition, the smoke of harmful substances such as cigarettes, cigars and hookahs smoked indoors, the burning of stubble (plant stems) in the fields and the smoke of arbitrarily burned waste also cause air pollution.
The most important event that pollutes the air is combustion, which warms individuals. The gases released during the burning of oil, gas and coal, which are known as fossil fuels, are one of the important causes of air pollution. Especially if this combustion work is not done properly, polluting gases are released to the environment more and become more harmful. In addition to artificial combustion events, which are seen in activities that are a necessity of modern life, such as obtaining energy, heating houses, and moving motor vehicles, air pollution is also experienced by fires that occur as a result of natural events.
The number of people per square kilometer in settlements is stated as population density. In a place that can serve a certain capacity and has limited natural resources, the population increases rapidly and condenses and forces the capacity. As distribution and consumption will increase, overpopulation is also seen as the cause of air pollution.
It is stated as a rapidly increasing population, increasing housing and more fuel, more pollution. In addition, the overcrowding of the population at certain points further increases this pollution event. The surface forms of a settlement, the structure of the land, its productivity, the width of green areas, the protection of natural life reduce or prevent air pollution that may occur there.
Industrialization
Rapid increase in urban population for social and economic reasons; It brings along rapid industrialization, unplanned and irregular developments. Problems such as rapidly increasing multi-storey reinforced concrete buildings, unplanned construction, scarcity of green areas, zoning of existing areas, unconscious site selection in building and factory construction and other problems brought about by these have become the common problem of humanity.
Since development is identified with industrialization, industrialization has become an inevitable goal. However, it has been observed that industrialization also causes environmental problems.
The reasons such as the wrong choice of the location of the factories, the use of backward technologies, and the release of flue gases to the atmosphere without treatment have increased the pollution of the air.
Motor Vehicles
Fuels such as gasoline and diesel (diesel) used in both internal and external combustion engines come out as waste gases from the exhausts after they are burned in the engine.
Hydrocarbons (HC): It may occur during fuel not burning well and filling the tank. It has a carcinogenic effect.
Carbon monoxides (CO): It occurs as a result of incomplete combustion of fuel, is colorless, odorless and tasteless, and is lethal at a rate of 0.3% in the air. Gasoline vehicles emit carbon monoxide when idling or indoors. It turns into carbon dioxide spontaneously in the atmosphere.
Nitrogen oxides (NOX): They are colorless, odorless and tasteless and occur due to high temperature in the engine. It turns into nitrogen dioxide in the air. Nitrogen dioxide has effects that destroy the blood structure that destroys the lungs.
Lead oxides (PbOX): It comes out of the exhaust of gasoline vehicles. Excess accumulates in the body. It damages the blood, brain, nerves and lungs.
Sulfur dioxide (SO2): The sulfur in the fuel turns into SO2 when burning. This SO2 also combines with water vapor. Sulfuric acid and sulfur compounds are very harmful to humans and the environment.
Atmospheric Features
Atmospheric events are also one of the factors that greatly affect air pollution.
The dispersal of the air pollutants after leaving their source by mixing with the atmosphere or remaining suspended in the air is directly and very closely related to meteorological events.
These meteorological events are temperature, fog, inversion, wind, humidity, precipitation and pressure factors. In addition, topographic features attract attention with their features that increase or decrease pollution.