Glossary
This glossary provides definitions of common terms used in the context of air pollution.
You can navigate quickly to a term using the alphabetic links below; clicking on the terms will show their definition.
Glossary
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A
- Acid Deposition
- Acid Rain
- Air Pollution Bandings
- Air Pollution Bulletins
- Air Pollution Index
- Air Pollution Information Service
- Air Quality Management Area (AQMA)
- Air Quality Objectives
- Air Quality Standards
- Air Quality Strategy
- Ambient Air
- Annual Mean
- Automatic Monitoring
B
C
D
E
- EMEP (Co-operative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-Range Transmission ofAir pollutants in Europe)
- Emission Factor
- Emission Inventories
- EPAQS
- EU Directives
- Exceedence
F
G
H
L
M
N
O
- Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX)Combustion processes emit a mixture of nitrogen oxides (NOX), primarily nitric oxide (NO) which is quickly oxidised in the atmosphere to nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Nitrogen dioxide has a variety of environmental and health impacts. It is a respiratory irritant which may exacerbate asthma and possibly increase susceptibility to infections. In the presence of sunlight, it reacts with hydrocarbons to produce photochemical pollutants such as ozone. NO2 can be further oxidised in air to acidic gases, which contribute towards the generation of acid rain.
- Ozone (O3)