Is it true that trees pollute the air? (video)
image: Methane is the most famous volatile organic compound (VOC) in our atmosphere. This week, our host George Zaidan follows up on a Reactions subscriber’s question about the 600 teragrams of a less famous VOC released every year: isoprene. Used in the biosynthesis of a staggering number of molecules, isoprene is also released from plants, including many species of trees. And they release exponentially more isoprene as the temperatures climb. In large cities, isoprene can react with nitrogen oxides from fossil-fuel combustion to create ground-level ozone. Join George as he explores whether this should change how we think about trees.
Credit: The American Chemical Society
WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2024 — Methane is the most famous volatile organic compound (VOC) in our atmosphere. This week, our host George Zaidan follows up on a Reactions subscriber’s question about the 600 teragrams of a less famous VOC released every year: isoprene. Used in the biosynthesis of a staggering number of molecules, isoprene is also released from plants, including many species of trees. And they release exponentially more isoprene as the temperatures climb. In large cities, isoprene can react with nitrogen oxides from fossil-fuel combustion to create ground-level ozone. Join George as he explores whether this should change how we think about trees.
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