Is water Vapour is a greenhouse gas?
Water vapor is the most important greenhouse gas. It controls the Earth’s temperature.” It’s true that water vapor is the largest contributor to the Earth’s greenhouse effect. Because these gases are not condensable at atmospheric temperatures and pressures, the atmosphere can pack in much more of these gases .
Is nitrogen dioxide harmful to humans?
Elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide can cause damage to the human respiratory tract and increase a person’s vulnerability to, and the severity of, respiratory infections and asthma. Long-term exposure to high levels of nitrogen dioxide can cause chronic lung disease.
What does nitrogen dioxide do to the human body?
Effects of NO Such exposures over short periods can aggravate respiratory diseases, particularly asthma, leading to respiratory symptoms (such as coughing, wheezing or difficulty breathing), hospital admissions and visits to emergency rooms.
Why is nitrogen dioxide less visible in the winter?
Third, a clear seasonal pattern is apparent. In the northern hemisphere winter, peak NO2 is much higher in all the northern hemisphere hot spots. This is attributed both to heavier use of combustion power plants for wintertime home heating, as well as the fact that NO2 stays in the air longer in the winter.
Why is NO2 dangerous?
NO2 can cause irritation of eyes, nose and throat and when inhaled might cause lung irritations and decreased lung function. In areas with higher levels of nitrogen dioxide, a greater chance of asthma attacks and an increase in hospital stays because of respiratory complaints are observed.
What level of NO2 is dangerous?
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)2, the permissible exposure limit for NO2 in homes and offices should not exceed 5 ppm (9 mg/m3). However, NO2 levels as low as 0.1 ppm have been shown to cause respiratory discomfort in vulnerable populations such as asthmatics.
How much NO2 is toxic?
Exposure above 150 ppm for 30 min to an hour results in fatal pulmonary edema or asphyxia and can result in rapid death (Lowry and Schuman 1956; NRC 1977; Mayorga 1994).
Why is NO2 high in house?
Road traffic is the principal outdoor source of nitrogen dioxide. The most important indoor sources include tobacco smoke and gas-, wood-, oil-, kerosene- and coal-burning appliances such as stoves, ovens, space and water heaters and fireplaces, particularly unflued or poorly maintained appliances.
What causes bad air quality in a house?
Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the area.