By Brenda WilliamsScientists are increasingly concerned about both the long and short-term effects of air pollution.
The short-term effects include eye, nose and throat irritations, headaches, nausea, and respiratory infections. Among the long term illnesses related to air pollution are lung cancer, emphysema and heart disease.
Air pollution is not new. In 1273 King Edward 1 enacted a law prohibiting the burning of a certain type of coal. This was an offense punishable by death and violators risked losing their heads.
Today, industries and automobiles are the major sources of air pollution. This pollution, which hovers above urban areas, is called smog. Automobiles contribute 1/3 of the substances polluting our air. Primary pollutants emitted from automobiles are carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
When the automobile expels exhaust, the exhaust combines with air and sunlight to produce ground level ozone. The ozone then reacts with the exhaust, forming smog.
In 1998, according to statistics collected by the United States Department of Transportation, Americans drove 2.6 trillion miles. Passenger vehicle miles accounted for over 90% of the
total mileage.
Today, in the United States, vehicle emissions are regulated under the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA). Since car exhaust is a primary source of pollutants such
as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, vehicles are required to be equipped with emission reducing devices such as catalytic converters. The catalytic converter has a material within that brings about a chemical reaction changing the exhaust emissions into less harmful substances.
However these devices reduce emissions but do not totally eliminate them. The current goal is to have zero emission vehicles, that is a vehicle, which has no tailpipe emissions, no emission control systems capable of breaking down and no gasoline emissions. Several states have adopted zero emission vehicle programs, which require that future vehicles sold in the state be ZEVs.
Major automakers are now developing ZEV's such as electric vehicles, and hydrogen fueled vehicles. The programs also include partial zero-emission vehicles such as hybrid-electric cars and methanol fuel cell powered cars.
The internal combustion engine that is used in most vehicles has only ten percent efficiency. The engine design has seen little change since 1900. And since gasoline prices were low for many years, there was little demand for fuel-efficient vehicles and little motivation to give up the
gasoline powered internal combustion engine.
By contrast, hydrogen powered fuel cells are 60% efficient and do not release pollutants. Our space shuttles have been powered by fuel cells for many years. The price of gasoline has risen
astronomically creating a climate for radical change.
Hybrid cars are appearing on the market. Although these cards do use a small gasoline engine, they are also equipped with an electric motor to deliver extra power when needed.
Electric vehicles are also available and automakers are working on advanced batteries. Vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel are in the developmental stage. Incentives are being offered by city
and state governments to encourage the use of these alternative vehicles. For example, the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power offers discounts on electricity used to recharge
electric vehicles.
As fuel prices rise, and the pollution problem escalates, the auto industry is now serious about developing alternative vehicles so the car of our future may differ dramatically from the car we have now.
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