Coal - fired power plant emissions also
contain many other toxic elements and compounds, including sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrous oxides (NOx), particulate matter,
hydrogen chloride (HCl),
hydrogen fluoride (HF), arsenic, and heavy metals like chromium and cadmium.
Although molecules
containing two atoms of different elements such as carbon monoxide (CO) or
hydrogen chloride (HCl) absorb infrared radiation, these molecules are short - lived in the atmosphere owing to their reactivity and solubility.