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AmyHrdina_AirPollutants_2021E-_我们呼吸的空气中有什么？_
Take a deep breath. 深深吸一口气。
In that single intake of air, your lungs swelled with roughly 25 sextillion molecules , ranging from compounds produced days ago, to those formed billions of years in the past. 在吸这一口气的时候, 你的肺部就充满了约 25 乘以 10 的 21 次方个分子, 这些分子包括从几天前 到数十亿年前生成的化合物都有。
In fact, many of the molecules you’re breathing were likely exhaled by members of ancient civilizations and innumerable humans since. 事实上,你所吸入的那些分子 很可能是古文明及后续 无数人类所吐出来的。
But what exactly are we all breathing? 但我们大家吸入的到底是什么？
intake:n.摄取量;通风口;引入口;引入的量; swelled:adj.骄傲自大;自负的;v.膨胀;隆起;增大(swell的过去分词); roughly:adv.粗糙地;概略地; molecules:n.[化学]分子,微粒;[化学]摩尔(molecule的复数); compounds:n.混合物,化合物;大院(compound的复数形式); exhaled:vt.呼气;发出;发散;使蒸发;vi.呼气;发出;发散; civilizations:n.文明(civilization的复数形式); innumerable:adj.无数的,数不清的;
Roughly 78% of Earth’s atmosphere is composed of nitrogen generated by volcanic activity deep beneath the planet’s crust . 地球的大气组成大约有 78% 是氮, 由地壳下方深处的火山活动所产生。
The next major ingredient is oxygen, accounting for 21% of Earth’s air. 次多的成分是氧,占了地球空气的 21%。
While oxygen molecules have been around as long as Earth’s oceans, oxygen gas didn’t appear until ocean dwelling microorganisms evolved to produce it. 虽然地球有海洋的时候 就有氧分子了, 但要到海洋中的微生物 演化出生产氧气的能力之后 才有氧气出现。
atmosphere:n.大气;气氛;气压;风格; composed:adj.由…组成的; v.组成; (compose的过去分词和过去式) nitrogen:n.氮;氮气; generated:v.产生;引起;(generate的过去式和过去分词) volcanic:adj.火山的;猛烈的;易突然发作的;n.火山岩; beneath:prep.在…之下;adv.在下方; crust:n.壳;表面;厚颜无耻;[美国]雪壳;v.用外皮覆盖;结成硬皮;生痂儿;形成硬壳; ingredient:n.原料;要素;组成部分;adj.构成组成部分的; have been around:见识(很)多;世故(很)深;遍布全球;世故深;遍布各地; as long as:conj.只要;长达;如果;既然; dwelling:n.住处;住所;公寓;v.居住;栖身;(dwell的现在分词) microorganisms:n.[微]微生物,微生虫(microorganism的复数); evolved:v.(使)逐渐形成;进化;进化形成;(evolve的过去分词和过去式)
Finally , .93% of our air is argon , a molecule formed from the radioactive decay of potassium in Earth’s atmosphere, crust, and core . 最后,我们的空气有 0.93% 是氩。 氩是地球大气、地壳,及地核中的钾 经过放射性衰变产生的分子。
Together, all these dry gases make up 99.93% of each breath you take. 我们吸入的空气中, 99.93% 就是这些干燥气体。
Depending on when and where you are, the air may also contain some water vapor . 依据时间、地点的不同, 空气可能也含有一些水气。
But even more variable is that remaining .07%, which contains a world of possibilities. 但那剩下的 0.07% 才是更多变的, 充满各种可能性。
Finally:adv.终于;最终;(用于列举)最后;彻底地; argon:n.[化学]氩(18号元素); radioactive:adj.[核]放射性的;有辐射的; decay:v.(使)腐烂;破败;(力量、影响等)衰弱;n.腐烂;腐朽;衰退; potassium:n.[化学]钾; core:n.核心;要点;果心;[计]磁心;vt.挖...的核; vapor:n.蒸汽;烟雾;vt.使…蒸发;使…汽化;vi.蒸发;吹牛;沮丧; variable:n.变量;可变因素;可变情况;adj.多变的;易变的;变化无常的;可更改的;
This small slice of air is composed of numerous small particles including pollen , fungal spores , and liquid droplets , alongside trace gases like methane and carbon dioxide . 空气的这一小部分 包含了数种小型粒子, 包括花粉、真菌孢子、液态飞沫, 还有微量气体,如甲烷及二氧化碳。
The specific cocktail of natural and man-made compounds changes dramatically from place to place. 空气中混有哪些天然及人造化合物, 会因地点而有很大的差异。
But no matter where you are, .07% of every breath you take likely contains man-made pollutants— potentially including toxic compounds that can cause lung disease , cancer , and even DNA damage. 但不论你身在何处, 你所吸入的每一口气中有 0.07% 可能是会造成肺部疾病、癌症, 甚至损害 DNA 的有毒化合物。
slice:n.片; v.切成片; (很容易地)切开; numerous:adj.许多的,很多的; particles:n.微粒,粒子;粒子系统;碎木料(particle的复数形式); pollen:v.传授花粉给;n.[植]花粉; fungal:adj.真菌的(等于fungous); spores:n.[生物]孢子(spore的复数);v.形成芽孢(spore的三单形式); droplets:n.[流]液滴(droplet的复数);飞沫; trace:追溯,追踪 methane:n.[有化]甲烷;[能源]沼气; carbon dioxide:二氧化碳; specific:adj.特殊的,特定的;明确的;详细的;[药]具有特效的;n.特性;细节;特效药; cocktail:n.鸡尾酒;开味食品;n.混合物;adj.鸡尾酒的; man-made:adj.人造的;人工的;合成的; dramatically:adv.戏剧地;引人注目地;adv.显著地,剧烈地; potentially:adv.可能地,潜在地; toxic:adj.有毒的;中毒的; disease:n.病,[医]疾病;弊病;vt.传染;使…有病; cancer:n.癌症;恶性肿瘤;
There’s a wide variety of known pollutants but they all fall into two categories . 已知的污染物有很多种, 但全都可以分为两类:
The first are primary pollutants. 第一类是初始污染物。
These toxic compounds are directly emitted from a man-made or naturally occurring source . 这些有毒化合物是从人造 或天然的来源直接释放出来的。
However, they don't always come from the places you'd expect. 然而,它们的来源 不见得是你所预期的。
variety:n.多样;种类;杂耍;变化,多样化; pollutants:n.[环境]污染物(pollutant的复数); categories:n.(人或事物的)类别,种类(category的复数) directly:adv.直接地;立即;马上;正好地;坦率地;conj.一…就; emitted:adj.射出的;v.排放(emit的过去分词);发散; naturally:adv.自然地;自然而然地;轻而易举;天生地;大方地; occurring:n.事件;事故;事变; source:n.来源;水源;原始资料;
Some large factories mostly generate water vapor, with only small quantities of pollutants mixed in. 一些大型工厂释放的主要是水气, 里面只掺杂了少量的污染物。
Conversely , burning wood or dung can create polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; dangerous compounds that have been linked to several types of cancer, as well as long-term DNA damage. 相反地,燃烧木头或粪肥 会产生多环芳香烃; 它们是危险的化合物, 和多种癌症和长期的 DNA 损伤有关。
quantities:n.数量;数目;大量;大宗;(quantity的复数) Conversely:adv.相反地; dung:vt.施粪肥于;n.粪; polycyclic:adj.多轮的;多环的; aromatic:adj.芳香的,芬芳的;芳香族的;n.芳香植物;芳香剂; as well as:也;和…一样;不但…而且; long-term:adj.长期的;从长远来看;
In all cases, pollutants interact with regional weather patterns and topography , which can keep compounds local or spread them kilometers away. 不论哪一种情况,污染物都会 受各地的天气型态及地形影响 而被局限在当地 或散播至数公里之外。
When these molecules travel through the air, a transformation occurs . 在空气中移动时,这些分子会发生变化。
Natural compounds called oxidants , formed by oxygen and sunlight , break down the pollutants. 氧气和阳光会形成叫做 「氧化剂」的天然化合物, 氧化剂会分解污染物。
interact:v.互相影响;互相作用;n.幕间剧;幕间休息; regional:adj.地区的;局部的;整个地区的; topography:n.地势;地形学;地志; transformation:n.转变;(用于南非)民主改革; occurs:v.重现(occur的第三人称单数); oxidants:n.[助剂]氧化剂(oxidant的复数); sunlight:n.日光;
Sometimes, these reactions make pollutants more easily washed out by rain. 有时,这些反应会导致 污染物更容易被雨水冲洗掉。
But in other cases, they result in even more toxic secondary pollutants. 但在其他的情况下, 会产生毒性更强的衍生性污染物。
For example, when factories burn coal, they release high concentrations of sulfur oxides . 比如,工厂在烧煤时, 会产生高浓度的硫氧化物。
reactions:n.反应;回应;抗拒;生理反应;副作用(reaction的复数) washed out:adj.褪色的;被冲蚀的;筋疲力尽的; secondary:adj.第二的;中等的;次要的;中级的;n.副手;代理人; release:v.释放;发射;让与;允许发表;n.释放;发布;让与; concentrations:n.关注点;[土壤]浓聚物(concentration的复数); sulfur:vt.用硫磺处理;n.硫磺;硫磺色; oxides:n.[化学]氧化物(oxide的复数);
These molecules oxidize to form sulfates , which condense with water vapor in the air to form a blanket of fine particles that impair visibility and cause severe lung damage. 这些分子会氧化,形成硫酸盐, 并与空气中的水气结合,形成厚厚一层微粒子, 降低能见度并造成严重的肺部损伤。
This so-called sulfurous smog was well-known in 20th century London and continues to plague cities like Beijing. 众所周知在 20 世纪, 伦敦出现过所谓硫酸烟雾, 后续也让北京等城市为之所苦。
Since the advent of cars, another secondary pollutant has taken center stage. 从汽车出现以来, 硫酸盐汙染物的风头 就被另一种衍生性污染物抢走了。
oxidize:vt.使氧化;使生锈;vi.氧化; sulfates:n.[无化]硫酸盐(sulfate的复数); v.变成硫酸盐; condense:vi.浓缩;凝结;vt.使浓缩;使压缩; impair:vt.损害;削弱;减少; visibility:n.可见性;能见度;能见距离 severe:adj.极为恶劣的;十分严重的;严厉的;苛刻的; so-called:adj.所谓的;号称的; sulfurous:adj.硫磺的;含有硫磺的; well-known:adj.著名的;众所周知的;清楚明白的; plague:n.瘟疫;灾祸;麻烦;讨厌的人;vt.折磨;使苦恼;使得灾祸; advent:n.到来;出现;基督降临;基督降临节;
Exhaust from fossil fuel-burning vehicles releases nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons which react to form ozone . 化石燃料汽车的废气会释放 氮氧化物及碳氢化合物, 它们会发生反应,形成臭氧。
And while some ozone in the upper atmosphere helps shield us from ultraviolet rays, on the ground, this gas can form alongside secondary particles and create photochemical smog. 虽然高层大气中的臭氧 能幫我们阻挡紫外线, 在地面,这类气体可能会 和衍生性粒子一起形成,
Exhaust:v.耗尽; n.(车辆、发动机或机器排出的)废气; fossil:n.化石;老人;老古董;adj.从地下发掘出来的;化石的;属于旧时代的;陈腐的; vehicles:n.车辆;飞行器;运行工具;(vehicles是vehicle的复数) releases:n.释放; vt.释放; hydrocarbons:n.烃类(hydrocarbon的复数);[有化]碳氢化合物; ozone:n.[化学]臭氧;新鲜的空气; upper:adj.上面的;内陆的;n.靴面;兴奋剂; shield:n.盾;防护物;保护者;v.遮蔽;包庇;避开;保卫; ultraviolet:adj.紫外的;紫外线的;n.紫外线辐射,紫外光; photochemical:adj.光化作用的;光化学的;
This brown fog can be found covering densely packed cities, making seeing difficult and breathing hazardous . 这种褐色雾气可能会覆盖 人口密集的城市, 让视线变差,呼吸也会有危险。
It also contributes to climate change by trapping heat in the atmosphere. 它也会将热困在大气当中, 因而促成气候变迁。
In recent decades, industrial activity has contributed to a huge spike in various trace gas emissions , fundamentally changing the air we all breathe. 近数十年,工業活动造成 各种微量气体的排放暴增, 从根本上改变了我们所呼吸的空气。
densely:adv.浓密地;密集地; hazardous:adj.有危险的;冒险的;碰运气的; contributes:[图情]投稿;[经]捐助;[经]捐献(contribute的第三人称单数); trapping:v.使陷入困境;卡住;夹住;收集;吸收;(trap的现在分词) industrial:adj.工业的,产业的; n.工业股票; contributed:v.捐献,捐赠(尤指款或物); (contribute的过去式和过去分词) spike:n.长钉,道钉;钉鞋;细高跟;vt.阻止;以大钉钉牢;用尖物刺穿; emissions:n.(光、热、气等的)发出,排放;排放物;散发物;(emission的复数) fundamentally:adv.从根本上;基础地;重要地
Many places have already responded with countermeasures . 许多地方已经有对策来因应。
Most cars produced since the 1980′s are equipped with catalytic converters that reduce the emission of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. 在 1980 年代制造的大部分汽车 都配有触媒转化器, 减少一氧化碳和氮氧化物的排放。
And today, places like Beijing are battling smog by electrifying their energy infrastructure and limiting automobile emissions altogether. 现今,北京等地对抗烟雾的方式 是将能源基础设施电气化, 同时限制汽车的排放。
responded:v.回答,回应;作出反应;响应;反应灵敏;(respond的过去式和过去分词) countermeasures:n.对策;[军]对抗措施(countermeasure的复数); catalytic:adj.接触反应的;起催化作用的;n.催化剂;刺激因素; converters:n.[计][电子]转换器(converter的复数); carbon monoxide:n.一氧化碳; electrifying:adj.令人振奋的; n.毛绒电光整理; v.使充电; infrastructure:n.基础设施;公共建设;下部构造; automobile:n.汽车;v.开汽车;坐汽车;adj.自动的;
But while moving away from fossil fuels is essential , there's no universal remedy for air pollution. 虽然减少化石燃料的使用 是十分重要的事, 但要处理空气污染, 没有任何通用的补救方式。
Different regions need to respond with unique regulations that account for their local pollutants. 不同地区必须要用 各自适用的法规来因应, 处理他们当地的污染物。
Because no matter where you live, we all share the same air. 因为不论你住在哪里,
essential:n.要点;要素;实质;必需品;adj.完全必要的;必不可少的;极其重要的;本质的; universal:adj.普遍的;全体的;全世界的;共同的; remedy:vt.补救;治疗;纠正;n.补救;治疗;赔偿; regions:n.地区;地域;行政区;左近;(region的复数) unique:adj.独特的,稀罕的;[数]唯一的;n.独一无二的人或物; regulations:n.章程;规则;法规;管理,控制;(regulation的复数) account for:对…负有责任;对…做出解释;说明…的原因;导致;(比例)占;