Isoprene
Simon Cotton explores nature’s building block
The Blue Ridge Mountains conjure a romantic vision of the central Appalachian Mountains on the east coast of the US, immortalised by Dolly Parton, John Denver and the Grateful Dead, among others. They take their name from the bluish haze that hangs over them, but they are not the only mountain range that experiences this atmospheric mist: the Blue Mountains north of Sydney, Australia, also take their name from this phenomenon.
We are well aware of air pollution caused by cars and industry, but this effect is natural air pollution. Trees give out a range of small organic molecules, and the one emitted in greatest amount, comparable with natural emissions of methane, is called isoprene. Worldwide, trees and shrubs emit around 500 million tons of isoprene into the air each year.
Simon Cotton explores isoprene.
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