Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound, composed of two oxygen atoms each covalently double bonded to a single carbon atom.
At the beginning of 2012, Mayor Boris decided in his infinite wisdom to introduce a 15 year age limit on London's Taxis. Unfortunately his decision wasn't evidence backed and he has been poorly advised by his so called experts. DREFRA and Kings reports show that the new Taxis Boris has promoted are more polluting, than the ones he has retired from service.
Ill informed cyclists, protesting that CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) is killing them, in central London.
Carbon dioxide (chemical formula CO2)
Co2 is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms each covalently double bonded to a single carbon atom. It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure and exists in Earth's atmosphere in this state, as a trace gas at a concentration of 0.039 per cent by volume.
As part of the carbon cycle, plants, algae, and cyanobacteria use light energy to photosynthesize carbohydrate from carbon dioxide and water, with oxygen produced as a waste product.
However, photosynthesis cannot occur in darkness and at night some carbon dioxide is produced by plants during respiration.
Carbon dioxide is produced by combustion of coal or hydrocarbons, the fermentation of sugars in beer and winemaking and by respiration of all living organisms. It is exhaled in the breath of humans and land animals. It is emitted from volcanoes, hot springs, geysers and other places where the earth's crust is thin and is freed from carbonate rocks by dissolution. CO2 is also found in lakes, at depth under the sea and commingled with oil and gas deposits.
NOx is a generic term for mono-nitrogen oxides NO and NO2
NOx reacts with ammonia, moisture, and other compounds to form nitric acid vapor and related particles.
Small particles can penetrate deeply into sensitive lung tissue and damage it, causing premature death in extreme cases. Inhalation of such particles may cause or worsen respiratory diseases, such as emphysema or bronchitis, or may also aggravate existing heart disease.
NOx reacts with volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight to form Ozone. Ozone can cause adverse effects such as damage to lung tissue and reduction in lung function mostly in susceptible populations (children, elderly, asthmatics). Ozone can be transported by wind currents and cause health impacts far from the original sources.
NOx destroys ozone in the stratosphere. Ozone in the stratosphere absorbs ultraviolet light, which is potentially damaging to life on earth. NOx from combustion sources does not reach the stratosphere; instead, NOx is formed in the stratosphere from photolysis of nitrous oxide.