ABSTRACT
The combustion of fossil fuels in stationary and transportation systems is the main source of air
pollution. Various boilers, furnaces, and engines burning fossil fuels emit gaseous pollutants, such
as SO
, NO
, CO, N
O, Hg, and volatile organic compounds (HC). Winds carry these pollutants
over great distances, sometimes creating transboundary pollution problems. Some gaseous
pollutants, such as SO
, enter complex chemical reactions with moisture, catalyzed by sunlight, to
form acids. These acids are then precipitated on the earth through rain as acid rain (Figure 5.1).
Besides these, fossil fuel-fired plants also emit greenhouse gases like CO
