Health Effects Of Air Pollution

The air contains 78% nitrogen and 20% oxygen, as well as a small amount of carbon dioxide, argon and water vapor.

What Is Air Pollution

Air pollution includes particles and gases present in the air, such as carbon monoxide, volatile organic compound (VOCs), nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and ozone. The particles present in the air are known as particulate matter (PM) and are a mixture of small particles and drops that include acid, organic chemicals, metals, and dust. The PM is measured by size: PM2.5 has a diameter 2.5 micrometer (μm). For comparison, the diameter of a human hair is 70 μm.

Where Does Air Pollution Come From

There are natural and anthropological sources of air pollution. Natural sources include volcanoes, forest fire, pollen, dust etc. Weather patterns such as temperature reversal maintains pollution. Human sources of air pollution include industries, power plants and vehicles such as car, trucks, trains, aircraft and ships. Major sources of particle pollution in the world include burning wood, cleaning land, transportation and industrial sources, especially power generation.

How Do We Study Health Effects

First of all, we have to decide which pollutants we want to study. There are four types of studies: Exposure assessment studies measure the amount of pollutants in the study studied. Poison science studies measure how poisonous a pollutant is for people or animals. Epidemology studies examine the relationship between pollutants and human diseases, finding out if a pollutant causes a disease. Controlled exposure studies in the laboratory test the toxic effects of pollutants on animals or cells.

How Does Air Pollution Affect Health

The World Health Organization estimates that PM2.5 per year contributes to 800,000 untimely deaths. A recent study conducted by the Washington Environment Protection Department estimated that 1,100 deaths per year are due to PM2.5. Pugat Sound has the largest source of PM vehicle exhaust and wooden smoke.

A few hours of exposure to PM2.5 or weeks can have cardiac effects such as atherosclerosis, heart failure, heart attack, stroke, aridmia, thrombosis and death. Staying in contact for a short time is more dangerous for the elderly, people with existing heart disease, diabetes or obesity and more dangerous for women. Prolonged contact with high concentrations of PM2.5 increases the risk of death. It is believed that exposure to particulate matter promotes arterial, high blood pressure, heart attack and development of diabetes. Other health effects include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, lung functioning and lung diseases like lung cancer. In children, air pollution is associated with asthma and bronchitis, increase in absence from school and increasing number of emergency chambers. Children living near diesel truck routes are more likely to suffer from lung function, bronchitis and allergies.

Studies have shown that prolonged exposure to traffic and living close to major roads increases the incidence of lung cancer. Studies also show that children who live near public transportation or go to school have a higher risk of asthma.

What Can You Do To Protect Yourself

We can make efforts to reduce air pollution. For example, the average American spends 55 minutes driving every day. Turn off your car engine when you are stuck in traffic. You can limit your exposure by reducing the time you spend stuck in traffic, avoiding secondhand and wood smoke, limiting the amount of particulate matter entering your home, and reducing exposure at work. Drive with the windows closed and adjust the ventilation in your car to circulate air. Filters, air purifiers, and air conditioners can help reduce fine dust indoors. More proactive measures include wearing a face mask, installing fine dust filters in your home, and traveling to less polluted areas. EPA Air Quality Indexes and media alerts alert people about air quality in their area. When air quality is unhealthy, people with heart or lung disease, the elderly and children should avoid prolonged or strenuous exercise. Everyone else should continue to exercise, but avoid polluted places. If you have a choice, don’t cycle next to busy roads or during rush hours. Reducing exposure has benefits: reducing particulate matter levels in an area reduces cardiovascular mortality within a few years.

Can Society Protect Everyone

There is growing evidence that air pollution from traffic has adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. Transportation is ubiquitous in modern society. Many people live less than 500 meters from a main road and are constantly exposed to air pollution. Many of these people live where they live because they cannot afford to live anywhere else. Pollutant concentrations are monitored throughout the United States and made available to the public through the Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov).

Ozone and PM2.5 often exceed government-set standards, triggering air quality warnings. Forty years ago, federal regulations on industrial and vehicle emissions with the Clean Air Act of 1970 significantly reduced levels of PM and other pollutants. Local, state, and federal policies regulating vehicle and industrial emissions help protect people from exposure to PM and other pollutants and protect public health.

Read Also:

1. Air Pollution: Health Effects
2. Effect Of Air Pollution On Human Health
3. Air Pollution And Your Health
4. Environmental Pollution: Causes, Effects, Solutions
5. Effects Of Air Pollution On Health And Environment