Atmospheric Pollution: Global Warming and a Possible Use of Bio-Fuels in a Wide Scale

Abstract

Atmospheric Pollution is one of the most concerning problems faced by the modern society. The anomalous concentration of certain gaseous species can occasion dangerous environmental consequences, such as the degeneration of air quality, acid rain, photochemical smog, ozone layer depletion, health diseases and the global warming. Transport sector is responsible for a great part of the damaging pollutant emitted by anthropogenic sources, what justifies a serious preoccupation in the monitoring of gases emitted in the exhaust of automotive vehicles. In this paper, we discuss the main impacts of the atmospheric pollution, especially the global warming, on the environment and on the human society. We still analyze how biofuels can help to mitigate the global warming, beyond boosting Brazilian development. Finally, we present experimental data of pollutant gases emitted in the exhaust of diesel, natural gas, gasoline and alcohol powered vehicles. The measurements were made using photoacoustic and electrochemical techniques