what damage can be done by hydrocarbons present in polluted air
Answers
Even with the large volume of hybrids and electric vehicles being driven around the U.S. every day, there are still millions and millions of hydrocarbon-based gasoline and diesel vehicles adding to our poor air quality. For example, these types of vehicles are reportedly responsible for about 60% of the air pollution in most major cities.
What causes these vehicles to create harmful emissions and polluting exhaust? It’s all in the combustion. The incomplete combustion of these fuels can cause the hydrocarbons to react with nitrogen oxides (often produced from high temperatures and oxygen in excess of the amount needed to burn the fuel). Then when the resultant gases hit the sunlight, they form ground-level ozone aka smog.
Now the volume of hydrocarbon-based fuels being used along with the efficiency, or inefficiency, of the cars’ engines will determine the amount of ground-level ozone/smog being produced. If you have ever been in a congested city you know how heavy the air can seem. That’s mostly ozone. Ozone is a very potent irritant and can not only cause eye or throat irritations, but potentially serious lung damage or respiratory trouble.