Nitrogen monoxide belongs to a family (nitrogen oxides) of poisonous, highly reactive gases that form when fuel is burned at high temperatures. Nitrogen monoxide pollution is emitted by automobiles, various non-road vehicles such as boats and construction equipment. At Breeze Technologies, chemical formula of nitrogen monoxide is one of the common air pollutants included as a measurement parameter in our air quality sensor. Read on to find out why.

What is nitrogen monoxide?
Nitrogen monoxide (also called nitric oxide) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula NO that appears as a colorless gas with a sharp, sweet odor. Although known as a toxic air pollutant, NO also has many important functions in the human body. It is used as a signal in the cardiovascular system and the nervous system, playing an important role in blood pressure regulation. NO can also be produced in large amounts by white blood cells. NO is an extremely important intermediate (i.e. a molecule that is created during, but immediately reacts further into the directly observed products of a chemical reaction) in the chemical industry. It is a toxic air pollutant produced by automobile engines and power plants.

What are the sources of chemical formula of nitrogen monoxide?
Nitrogen monoxide is produced naturally by lightning and also to a small extent by microbial processes in the soil. The main sources of NO are combustion processes, partially from nitrogen compounds in fuel and from the direct combination of atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen in flames. While it is also produced in the human body, humans do not emit nitrogen monoxide. The primary indoor sources of chemical formula of nitrogen monoxide are unvented fuel burning appliances such as gas ranges (mostly during cooking) and kerosene space heaters. Heating appliances and tobacco smoking are also indoor sources that have an effect on overall indoor air quality.

How can nitrogen monoxide be lessened?
The best way to lower NO emissions is to set national and regional standards in state and local governments and enforce their adherence. However, this would not be possible without effective and area monitoring. One important clean air action to take is to track the NO levels to help identify those areas that do not meet the national standards and find the most suitable intervention to ensure a cleaner environment. At Breeze Technologies, our compact, lower-cost sensors can be easily deployed to measure NO levels on urban, rural, and industrial infrastructure. With these real-time data collected, our air quality sensors can form an effective air quality monitoring network enabled by our Environmental Intelligence Cloud.