The Presence of Nitric and Sulfur Oxides In New York City

Ashley Chang, Danielle Schwetz, Raina Kirshnitz, and Daniel Varghese

Part of what the Clean Air Act did was set air quality standards for air pollutants, particularly we’re looking at Nitrogen and Sulfur Oxides for the purposes of this study. Nitrogen and Sulfur Oxides are particularly important to monitor as they are key ingredients to creating acid rain. In the right conditions, they would mix with water in the air, create acid rain, and cause issues such as building erosion and public health concerns. Because of the acid rain concern, Nitric and Sulfur oxides have the capacity to be detrimental in high concentrations.
Most Importantly, we’d like people to remember three things:
-There is a greater concentration of oxides in areas with more housing and power plants.
-NYC residents should remember the disparities between communities in dense, industrial areas versus regions with more open space.
-Take action towards environmentally friendly and safer energy sources