Enviropaedia | Environmental Encyclopedia

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1-10 of 42 for the Category : Air and the Subcategory : Air Quality

Aerosol

( Article Type: Explanation )

The word ‘aerosol’ describes the dispersion, through the air, of minute solid or liquid particles that are so light that they fall to the earth very slowly.

South Africa is plagued by a number of pressing and persistent air pollution problems in addition to facing various new emerging air pollution issues. High ambient sulphur dioxide and fine particulate concentrations experienced in many urban areas ar

Asbestos

( Article Type: Explanation )

Asbestos is the fibrous form of several silicate minerals. Its physical characteristics of being a good insulator, fire resistant and chemically inert have made it invaluable to many areas of commerce and industry. However, asbestos proves a serious

Carbon Dioxide

( Article Type: Explanation )

Carbon dioxide is a gas that occurs naturally in the air and is produced when animals breathe, vegetation rots and when material containing carbon is burnt or broken down. Carbon dioxide is a key component in photosynthesis, which is the major base s

Carbon Monoxide

( Article Type: Explanation )

Carbon monoxide is a colourless gas produced by incomplete combustion, mainly from motor vehicles and cigarettes. It is found naturally in the atmosphere in minute quantities.

Carcinogens

( Article Type: Explanation )

A carcinogen is any substance that is capable of causing cancer in animal tissues. Doctors and scientists do not fully understand how carcinogens cause cancer but much is known about the kinds of substances that cause the cancers.

Catalytic Converters

( Article Type: Explanation )

Certain metals have the property to act as catalysts. This is a characteristic, that enables them to promote, speed up or make more efficient, certain chemical reactions without being permanently changed themselves.

Cleaner Production

( Article Type: Explanation )

Cleaner Production (CP) is defined by the UN as ‘the continuous application of an integrated preventive strategy applied to processes, products and services so as to increase eco-efficiency and reduce risks to humans and the environment’.

Deforestation

( Article Type: Explanation )

The world’s forests, both temperate and tropical, are under enormous pressures from disease (often as a result of air pollution, notably from acid rain), felling for timber needs, clearing for agriculture, or loss under reservoirs through the dammi

Dilution

( Article Type: Explanation )

Dilution in the context of environmental management describes a strategy to deal with pollution. Certain liquid effluents are, for example, disposed of down sewers by being heavily diluted with clean or relatively clean water.