Table of Contents
Aerosols
- Aerosols are tiny particles in the air that can be produced when we burn different types of fossil fuels — coal, petroleum, wood and biofuels — in different ways.
- They are suspended in the air.
- They reduce visibility.
- Sea salt, dust, and volcanic ash are three common types of aerosols
- Desert dust, volatile organic compounds from vegetation, smoke from forest fires, and volcanic ash are natural sources of aerosols.
Anthropogenic Sources-10%
- Fossil fuel combustion produces large amounts of sulfur dioxide, which reacts with water vapor and other gases in the atmosphere to create sulfate aerosols.
- Biomass burning, a common method of clearing land and consuming farm waste, yields smoke that’s comprised mainly of organic carbon and black carbon.
Is there a link between aerosols and climate change?
- Yes. Aerosols have a profound impact on the climate because, just like greenhouse gases.
- Most aerosols have cooling effect.
- There is only one aerosol — soot, also known as black carbon — that contribute to global warming.
Aerosols: Tiny Particles, Big Impact
- They also have very big, detrimental impacts on human health, and have been implicated in health problems such as lung damage.
- Aerosols also affect other parts of the climate system like rainfall — reducing rain in areas like India and China where it is desperately needed for food production.
Positives Associated
Better health – decreased risk of
- Heart diseases
- Stroke
- Lung disease
- Asthma
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