How is air “filtered”/cleaned in nature?

Question

For example, plants help by taking in CO2 and putting out O2. How is pollution and other airborne “waste” eventually removed from the air we breathe?

In: 1

Answer 1

Ultimately it depends what you’re talking about.

Many things settle on their own to the ground
in the absence of wind to keep them airborne- soot from fires. Rain captures and carries particulates to the ground as well.

Gasses disperse into the air until they bind with other molecules – or don’t. The hole in the ozone layer caused by gasses like Freon are an example of that issue.