Air Pollution
Environmental Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: The presence in the atmosphere of gases, particles, or biological agents at concentrations that harm human health, damage materials, or disturb ecosystems.
Example in context
“Winter air pollution in the valley worsens during temperature inversions, when cold stagnant air traps emissions close to the ground.”
“Vadideki kış hava kirliliği, soğuk ve durgun havanın emisyonları yere yakın hapsettiği sıcaklık terselmelerinde ağırlaşır.”
Where engineers use it
Engineers meet this concept in permitting, dispersion modelling, urban planning, and health impact assessment. It determines which control equipment is required on a plant and how stack height and siting affect ground-level concentrations.
Practice: can you use “Air Pollution” at work?
A new industrial estate is proposed upwind of a school. Identify the air pollution issues you would investigate and describe the assessment method you would follow.
Show a model answer
“Air pollution is harmful material released into the atmosphere.”
“Air Pollution” in 21 languages
| English | Air Pollution |
|---|---|
| Turkish | Hava kirliliği |
| French | Pollution de l'air |
| German | Luftverschmutzung |
| Spanish | Contaminación del aire |
| Chinese | 空气污染 |
| Arabic | تلوث الهواء |
| Portuguese | Poluição do ar |
| Russian | Загрязнение воздуха |
| Japanese | 大気汚染 |
| Italian | Inquinamento atmosferico |
| Vietnamese | Ô nhiễm không khí |
| Hindi | वायु प्रदूषण |
| Thai | มลพิษทางอากาศ |
| Indonesian | Pencemaran udara |
| Korean | 대기 오염 |
| Bengali | বায়ু দূষণ |
| Dutch | Luchtverontreiniging |
| Swedish | Luftförorening |
| Finnish | Ilmansaasteet |
| Ukrainian | Забруднення повітря |
Frequently asked questions
What does Air Pollution mean in engineering?
The presence in the atmosphere of gases, particles, or biological agents at concentrations that harm human health, damage materials, or disturb ecosystems. In Environmental Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Air Pollution?
Air Pollution is pronounced /eə pəˈluːʃn̩/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Air Pollution used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “Winter air pollution in the valley worsens during temperature inversions, when cold stagnant air traps emissions close to the ground.”
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