Category: Pollutants

  • Radiation Basics

    Related Links Radiation is one of the ways that energy travels through space or matter. Radiant energy is emitted as either electromagnetic waves or subatomic particles. This energy runs along a continuum on the electromagnetic spectrum on the basis of its wavelength, frequency, or energy. The two major types of radiation—non-ionizing and ionizing—are differentiated by…

  • What is Ozone?

    Ozone is an odorless, colorless gas made up of three oxygen atoms (O3) and is a natural part of the environment. It occurs both in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, or stratosphere, and at ground level in the lower atmosphere, or troposphere. Approximately 90 percent of atmospheric ozone is located in the stratosphere, which begins about…

  • Frequently Asked Questions about Ozone and Your Health

    On hot, sunny summer days, ground level ozone can rise to unhealthy levels. Breathing ozone can trigger a variety of symptoms, including coughing, throat irritation, and chest pain. It is important to understand the health effects of ozone and the simple steps you can take to protect yourself. How can ozone affect health? Ozone affects…

  • 50 Summer Suggestions Regarding Ozone

    Drive Less Driving less doesn’t mean you have to stay home. Try any of these ways to get to where you want to go: Drive Smarter Driving smarter keeps pollution at a minimum. At Home At Work

  • Frequently Asked Questions: Lead in Drinking Water

    What is Lead? Lead is a toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around homes. Even at low levels, lead may cause a range of health effects including behavioral problems and learning disabilities. Children six years old and under are most at risk because this is when the brain…

  • Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPS)

    The increased awareness in recent years of the dangers of toxic air pollutants has caused Congress to design regulatory efforts to control toxic substances in the air. These hazardous air pollutants (HAPS) are air pollutants for which National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) do not exist. These pollutants may be expected to cause cancer, developmental…

  • 2015 Study:
    Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPS)

    Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) are air pollutants that are known to cause or suspected to cause serious, adverse health effects. They come from a wide variety of industrial, residential, and mobile sources. The Division of Air Quality (DAQ) conducted a year-long pilot study in 2015 to learn more about HAPs in the Salt Lake and…

  • Hexavalent Chromium (Chromium 6)

    Water systems in Utah have been required to test for total chromium since 1993. Total chromium measurement is an analysis of two types of chromium, both of which are soluble in water. These are hexavalent chromium (or chrome 6) and trivalent chromium. Trivalent chromium is an essential nutrient; hexavalent chromium is considered a dangerous contaminant.…

  • Utah DDW Response to the EWG Study on Hexavalent Chromium

    The analytical method used in the Environmental Working Group (EWG) study may be subject to interference by other metals present in the water, such as iron or other salts. The method is known to require the addition of buffers that have trace levels of chromium. Using a method which is susceptible to interference by naturally…

  • Carbon Monoxide

    Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless and odorless gas that can be lethal in high concentrations. The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for CO is 9 parts per million (ppm) on an eight-hour average or 35 ppm on a one-hour averaging period. CO occurs naturally by the decomposition of organic matter. The primary man-made…

  • Frequently Asked Questions:
    Asbestos

    What is Asbestos? Asbestos is a name given to a group of minerals which occur naturally as masses of long silky fibers. Asbestos is known for its unique properties of being resistant to abrasion, inert to acid and alkaline solutions, and stable at high temperatures. Because of these attributes, asbestos was widely used in construction…

  • Potassium Iodide (KI)

    What is it? Potassium Iodide is a salt, similar to sodium chloride (NaCI), normal table salt. KI is available in pill form or dissolved in water as a supersaturated potassium iodide (SSKI) solution. The pills contain a daily adult (children’s doses range from 16-65 mg depending on their size and age) dosage of 130 milligrams…

  • Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

    Background Sulfur oxides (SOx) are colorless gases that are the result of burning sulfur. All fuels used by man (oil, coal, natural gas, wood, etc.) contain some sulfur, and during the combustion process, sulfur reacts with oxygen to form SOx. The primary source of sulfur oxides is the burning of these fossil fuels, particularly coal,…

  • Mercury

    Advisories and Health Effects Mercury (Hg) is a naturally occurring metal found throughout the environment. It is a liquid at room temperature, combines easily with other metals and expands and contracts evenly with temperature changes. Because of these properties, mercury has been used in many household, medical and industrial products. Although mercury performs many useful…

  • Pollutants

    This page presents links to DEQ information about specific pollutants.

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