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Home > EMSC 100 Lessons > Energy and Mineral Engineering > Lesson 4a: Fossil Fuels and Products of Combustion > Secondary Pollutants

Secondary Pollutants

The pollutants that are emitted directly from a combustion process are called “primary pollutants.” When emitted into the atmosphere, these primary pollutants combine with other reactants and form “secondary” pollutants.

An example of a secondary pollutant would be ozone. When hydrocarbons are emitted and they react with NOx in presence of sunlight, they form ozone. Health and environmental effects of secondary pollutants are discussed in the next section: Global and Regional Effects of Pollutants.

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Ozone is a form of oxygen and also a poisonous gas. However, when in the earth's atmosphere, ozone acts as a protective shield against ultraviolet radiation in space.

 

Source URL: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/rocco/node/2063