Air Pollution Problems Along Mexico-U.S. Border

The problem of air pollution along the international border between Mexico and the United States was examined. The focus was on the El Paso, Texas area.

Pollution is introduced into the air by both natural and artificial contaminant particulates. Typical natural contaminants include salt particles from the oceans, and dust and gases from volcanoes. Typical artificial contaminants are wastes and gases that emanate from industrial, power generation, municipal, household, aircraft, rocket, and automotive combustion processes.

In the El Paso area, air pollution is responsible for health problems ranging from skin rashes to anencephalic babies. In addition to anencephalic births, a wide range of other birth defects are attributed to air pollution in El Paso. High lead levels in the blood of children in the El Paso area are also attributed to the region's severe air pollution. High rates of infant mortality and low birth weights are additional problems associated with air pollution in the El Paso area. While air pollution problems have abated in some metropolitan areas in the United States, they continue to become more severe in El Paso.

Respiratory problems associated with air pollution in the El Paso area include bronchitis, pneumonia, respiratory stress syndrome, and other respiratory diseases. Bronchitis is one of the most common ailments rep

. . .
xists with the discharges into the air from a smelter in El Paso. Open burning by households on the Mexican side of the border is also a contributor to the region's air pollution problem. Effects of Air Pollution Atmospheric sulfuric acid is also produced from the release of sulfates in smoke caused by the burning of fossil fuels. Evidence indicates that the pH of rain is decreasing the Northern Hemisphere because of the sulfates in smoke caused by the burning of fossil fuels. Man-made sulfate emissions are estimated to exceed natural sulfate emissions. The sulfur oxide (SO4) content of acid rain is 25 times greater than that of ordinary rain. Acid rain has dramatic ecological effects. The worst of these effects are those associated with the changing chemical composition of lake water. Such changes cause the lakes to become inhabitable for marine life, and damaging to animal life. Several studies have found that acid rain has detrimental effects on plant life. Iron-based (Fe) structures are also damaged by acid rain. SO42 forms solid compounds with Fe3+, leading to materials degradation. In the El Paso area, air pollution is responsible for health problems ranging from skin rashes to anencephalic
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
El Paso, Massachusetts Bronchus, Outlook Future, Pollution Pollution, Paso Texas, United Societal, Northern Hemisphere, Air Act, Protection Agency, Texas Pollution, air pollution, el paso, acid rain, environmental protection, air pollution el, pollution el, pollution el paso, lung cancer, sulfur dioxide, bronchus lung, environmental contamination, bronchus lung cancer, el paso air, utility company operations, paso air,
Approximate Word count = 2402
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)