Images from a NASA satellite show that America has reduced the amount of nitrogen dioxide in its atmosphere.
Ten years ago, NASA’s Aura satellite began its orbit with the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) attached to it in order to assess the quality of our air. The results of the initiative are images from the instrument showing a marked reduction of nitrogen dioxide in our atmosphere.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), nitrogen dioxide is one of the six common pollutants that adversely affects human health. What makes this pollutant especially dangerous is that though on its own it can cause respiratory problems, nitrogen dioxide also contributes to the formation of other pollutants including ground-level ozone and particulates. The significance of the discovery is that the gas is primarily supplied through the combustion of gasoline in vehicle engines and coal in power plants, meaning that its reduction indicates a positive change in American air pollution overall.
What may be most interesting is that the decrease in pollution has occurred in the face of more cars being present on new roads. However, new climate regulations, economic shifts and technological improvements have contributed to the outcome, according to Phys.org.
Conversely, though the news is generally positive, roughly 142 million people still live in parts of the United States exhibiting unhealthy levels of pollution. Air pollution remains a global burden, negatively affecting the health of millions, especially children and the elderly.
Bryan Duncan, an atmospheric scientist with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, was quoted by Phys.org as saying that “while our air quality has certainly improved over the last few decades, there is still work to do – ozone and particulate matter are still problems.”
The progress being made with regard to the reduction of air pollution is beneficial to all of us. Remember that home air purifiers and office air purifiers can also improve your indoor air quality. Contact US Air Purifiers Direct 2U today. We have the most extensive list of the best available products at affordable prices.