Nitrogen air pollution affects atmosphere, forests, water

With every gas-powered car and every traditional wastewater treatment plant, a little nitrogen pollution gets released into the atmosphere. Scientists say it settles into the soil and may even lead to toxic algae blooms that kill fish.

Satellite images detect air pollution in the Great Lakes region

Satellite images recently showed air pollution from Ontario fires in the Great Lakes region. Nitrogen dioxide, which forms when nitrogen combines with oxygen during combustion, appears in NASA satellite images taken from July 15 to July 18. The fires caused thousands of Canadian residents to evacuate. The image was created with NASA’s Ozone Measuring Instrument. It measures the number of nitrogen dioxide molecules in a cubic centimeter.