Basics and Discovery of Atmospheric Chemicals - Air Pollution and Global Warming: History, Science, and Solutions - page 18

Figure 1.19. “The Arrest of Lavoisier.” Photograph of painting (1876) by L. Langenmantel. Edgar Fahs Smith
Collection, University of Pennsylvania Library.

his dissenting religious views. On July 14, 1791, he
lost his house, library, and laboratory in Birmingham,
England, to a fire set by a mob angry at his public sup-
port of the revolution (Figure 1.20). Priestley moved to
London, but further persecution led him to flee to Penn-
sylvania in 1794, where he lived until his death in 1804.

monoxide [CO(g)], and, in 1775, sulfur dioxide
[SO 2 (g), “vitriolic acid air”]. Additionally, he formed
gas-phase nitric acid [HNO 3 (g)], although Cavendish
uncovered its composition.
Today, NO(g), NO 2 (g), CO(g), N 2 O(g), and SO 2 (g)
are emitted significantly during fossil fuel, biofuel,
and biomass burning. Fossil fuel combustion is the
burning of coal, oil, natural gas, gasoline, kerosene,
and diesel for transportation, heating/cooling, indus-
trial processes, and energy production. Biofuel burn-
ing is the burning of liquid biofuels, such as ethanol and
biodiesel, for transportation, or solid biofuels, such as
wood, grass, agricultural waste, and dung, for heating
and cooking in homes or producing energy in power
plants. Biomass burning is the outdoor burning of veg-
etation, either naturally, such as with a forest fire, or
anthropogenically in order to clear land, stimulate grass
growth, manage forest growth, or satisfy a ritual.
N 2 O(g) is also produced from microbial metabolism,
and SO 2 (g) is emitted by volcanos. HCl(g) is emitted
by volcanos, evaporates from sea spray particles, and is

1.2.2.10. Additional Discoveries by Priestley
During his career, Priestley discovered several addi-
tional gases significantly relevant to air pollution.
Between 1767 and 1773, while working at Mill Hill
Chapel, in Leeds, Yorkshire, he isolated nitric oxide
[NO(g), “nitrous air”], nitrogen dioxide [NO 2 (g), “red
nitrous vapour”], nitrous oxide [N 2 O(g), “diminished
nitrous air”], hydrochloric acid gas [HCl(g),“marine
acid air”], and ammonia [NH 3 (g), “alkaline acid air”].
Nitrogen dioxide may have been previously observed
by Bernardo Ramazzini (1633-1714), an Italian med-
ical doctor and early pioneer in industrial medicine,
and ammonia was previously observed by Van Hel-
mont and Black. Priestley also discovered carbon