Air pollution human health impacts

Since the onset of the

industrial revolution, there
has been a steady change
in the composition of the
atmosphere mainly due to
the combustion of fossil
fuels used for the
generation of energy and
transportation
Air pollution is a major
environmental health
problem affecting the
developing and the
developed countries
alike.

Introduction
Air pollution is the addition of chemical and particulate
matter into the atmosphere, that basically cause harm to
living organisms.
These are of two types
Natural (volcanic eruptions, forest fires, etc.)
Anthropogenic Industrial
Residential
Transport

An air pollutant is such a substance that is introduced

into the atmosphere that causes harm to the components
of the biosphere or causes imbalance in the eco-system


Every day, the average person inhales about 20,000 liters of air.
Every time we breathe, we risk inhaling dangerous chemicals
that have found their way into the air.
Air pollution includes all contaminants found in the
atmosphere. These dangerous substances can be either in the
form of gases or particles.
Air pollution can be found both outdoors and indoors.
Pollutants can be trapped inside buildings, causing indoor
pollution that lasts for a long time.
The effects of air pollution are diverse and numerous. Air
pollution can have serious consequences for the health of
human beings, and also severely affects natural ecosystems.
Because it is located in the atmosphere, air pollution is able to
travel easily. As a result, air pollution is a global problem and
has been the subject of global cooperation and conflict.

Anthropogenic Sources
(basically comes from burning different
kinds of fuel
Stationary sources
(industrial emissions, power
plants, waste incinerators,
residential fuel combustion, agroemissions, etc.)
Mobile sources (all transport, like
vehicles, aircrafts, etc.)
Solvents (like aerosol sprays,
fumes from paint, varnish, etc)
Agro-emissions (e.g. methane
from paddy) and Forest
controlled-fires

Natural Sources
Volcanic activity (producing
primarily CO2 sulfur, and
ash/PM)
Emissions from wildfires (CO,
CO2, PM, etc.)
Radon Gas emitting from
radioactive decay from the earth

The Pollutants

CO & CO2
NOx
SOx
Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOCs) and Aerosols
Methane (CH4)
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Particulate Matter (PM)
Ground O3
Peroxyacetyl Nitrate (PAN)
Toxic Metals (Lead, Cadmium,
Copper, etc.)

Indoor pollution

Causes

Combustion of fuel
Pesticides
Aerosol sprays, soaps and detergents
Building materials (e.g. asbestos)
Radon emission
Tobacco smoking
Lack of ventilation indoors

Pollutants
CO from combustion of fuel and cigarette smoking
CH4 & H2S from garbage
Radon from the soil & wells
VOCs from paint, paint strippers, aerosol sprays,
disinfectants etc.
Asbestos as building material for insulators, roofs etc.
Biological Contaminants
(like bacteria, moulds, viruses, animal dander, pollen,
urine proteins of rats/mice etc.)

Reasons for High Air Pollution in India

Poor Quality of fuel (coal, petrol, diesel, etc.)
Use of high ash coal in power generation
Inadequate pollution prevention and control systems
plus poor compliance of standard in small-tomedium scale industry
Large no. and growth of polluting agents in the
commercial area
Uncontrolled growth of vehicle population and poor
inspection/maintenance for current vehicles

Effects of air pollution on Human Health

Polluted air contains one, or more, hazardous substance, pollutant,

or contaminant that creates a hazard to general health. It is usually
measured in terms of "particulate matter.
Particulate matter includes a wide range of pollutants road dust,
diesel soot, fly ash, wood smoke, nitrates in fertilizers, sulfate
aerosols, lead, arsenic, etc. The principal source of such particle
emission is the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, gasoline,
and wood.

Pollutants in the air cause health defects ranging from unnoticeable

chemical and biological changes .
The severity of a person's reaction to pollution depends on a number
of factors, including the composition of the pollution, degree and
length of exposure and genetics.

Individuals at Risk
While everyone can potentially suffer from air
pollution, there are individuals who are more
susceptible than others.

In general, living in an urban setting where there are

lots of cars and buildings releasing pollutants
increases a person's risk of health problems.

Joggers and bikers who exercise on smoggy days

expose their bodies to vast amounts of pollution
each time they go out.

Both the elderly and children seem to be especially

sensitive to pollutants in the air

Pyramid of Health Effects

The Human Body Under Attack

The human body is an amazingly
complex defense and self-healing
system.

The body has its own fight or

flight mechanism that engages
quickly when danger is near.

Air pollution -- toxins, particulate

matter and ozone -- is the invader
that can break down the body's
defenses, or at least contribute to
the burden that defense system
bears.

The Nose, Mouth and Throat

The main route for air pollutants is
through the nose, mouth and throat.
The pollutants that accumulate in the
nose can cause problems in the nose
or be absorbed in mucus membranes,
resulting in a number of harmful
effects on the body.
The cell damage puts the body's
defense system on alert and initiates
an inflammatory response, similar to
an allergic response.

The skin
One of the main concerns for the
health of the skin related to air
pollution is skin cancer.

Research shows that for a 1

percent decrease in stratospheric
ozone (not to be confused with
ground-level ozone), there will be a
2 percent increase in UVB
irradiance and therefore, a 2
percent increase in skin cancer is
likely.

THE BLOOD
Some air pollutants interfere with
the function of blood, which
results in detrimental effects on
all organs of the body.
For example, hemoglobin is the
part of the red blood cell that
carries oxygen from the lungs to
the tissues of the body. Carbon
monoxide, a product of
incomplete combustion, binds
over 200 times more firmly to
hemoglobin than oxygen,
seriously interfering with blood's
oxygen-transport capability.

The Lungs
causes inflammation and make
cells more vulnerable to cancer.

Severe inflammation can cause

significant damage including
scarring of lung tissue, called
fibrosis, and abnormal
thickening. These disorders
make breathing more difficult.

exacerbates asthma

The Cardiovascular System

some researchers are reporting that
the worst effects of air pollution are
on the cardiovascular system.

According to the American Heart

Association, air pollutants can
cause the blood to become thick,
increasing its tendency to clot,
damaging arteries and promoting
atherosclerosis - a buildup of fatty
deposits in vessel walls.

The Brain
It is now known that ultrafine
particles are small enough to get
past the blood-brain barrier, the
membrane between circulating
blood and the brain that prevents
damaging substances from
reaching brain tissue and
cerebrospinal fluid.
brain tumors and nervous system
tumors have been linked to
environmental carcinogens.

Alzheimer's Disease

Health impact of specific air pollutants

Tobacco smoke.
Tobacco smoke generates a wide
range of harmful chemicals and is a
major cause of ill health, as it is
known to cause cancer, not only to
the smoker but affecting passive
smokers too.
burning sensation in the eyes or
nose, and throat irritation, to cancer,
bronchitis, severe asthma, and a
decrease in lung function.

Volatile organic compounds

Volatile compounds can
cause irritation of the eye,
nose and throat. In
severe cases there may
be headaches, nausea,
and loss of coordination.

In the longer run, some of

them are suspected to
cause damage to the liver
and other parts of the
body.

Formaldehyde
Exposure causes irritation to the eyes,
nose and may cause allergies in some
people.

Lead
Prolonged exposure can cause damage
to the nervous system, digestive
problems, and in some cases cause
cancer. It is especially hazardous to small
children.

Radon.
A radioactive gas that can accumulate
inside the house, it originates from the
rocks and soil under the house .
Exposure to this gas increases the risk of
lung cancer.

Ozone
Exposure to this gas makes our eyes itch, burn, and
water and it has also been associated with increase
in respiratory disorders such as asthma. It lowers
our resistance to colds and pneumonia.

Carbon monoxide.
combines with haemoglobin to lessen the amount of
oxygen that enters our blood through our lungs.
affects organs such as the brain and the
cardiovascular system, and also the developing
foetus
It can impair our concentration, slow our reflexes,
and make us confused and sleepy.

Sulphur dioxide.
SO2 (sulphur dioxide) in the air is
caused due to the rise in
combustion of fossil fuels.
It can oxidize and form sulphuric
acid mist. SO2 in the air leads to
diseases of the lung and other lung
disorders such as wheezing and
shortness of breath.

Long-term effects are more difficult

to ascertain as SO2 exposure is
often combined with that of SPM.

SPM (suspended particulate matter

Suspended matter consists of dust, fumes, mist and
smoke. The main chemical component of SPM that is
of major concern is lead, others being nickel,
arsenic, and those present in diesel exhaust.

These particles when breathed in, cause lung

damage and respiratory problems.

The importance of SPM as a major pollutant needs

special emphasis as a) it affects more people
globally than any other pollutant on a continuing
basis; b) there is more monitoring data available on
this than any other pollutant; and c) more
epidemiological evidence has been collected on the
exposure to this than to any other pollutant.

MAJOR INDOOR AIR POLLUTANTS and

their HEALTH EFFECTS

 By-products of combustion (such as CO, CO 2 , NO x )

Eye, nose, and throat irritation, impaired lung function

and respiratory function in children, bronchitis, lung
cancer, flu-like symptoms.

Formaldehyde

Eye, nose, and throat irritation, coughing, fatigue,

rashes, and allergic reactions. Causes cancer in
animals. Death at very high concentration.

Environmental tobacco smoke

Eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, pneumonia.
Increased risk of respiratory and ear infections in
children. Lung cancer and increased risk of heart
disease.

Other volatile organic compounds

Eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, loss of
coordination; nausea, damage to kidney and central
nervous system. Some cause cancer in animals.
Some may cause cancer in humans.

Radon
Lung cancer, possibility of stomach cancer

Pesticides
Eye, nose, and throat irritation, damage to central
nervous system and kidney, cancer

Asbestos
Cancer and lung diseases

Heavy metals

Headaches, irritation in mouth, rash, excessive

perspiration, kidney damage

case studies
Bhopal Gas Tragedy
Bhopal Gas tragedy is a catastrophic tragedy, that
happened in the city of Bhopal, in central India. The
tragedy occured in December 1984 .
There are families in Bhopal which are still suffering
the after effects of the tragedy.

Bhopal Gas Tragedy and Health

According to experts, MIC is considered to be an
extremely reactive chemical and is used to produce
insecticides
Since the gas leaked out from a 30 meter chimney, it
was not high enough for the people to escape the
effects.

The death toll rose to more than 20,000 people with more than
5,00,000 people being affected directly and indirectly and many more
thousands of families were permanently affected for generations.

Two decades later, more than a few lakhs of people are still suffering
from the debilitating effects of the gas which includes respiratory
problems,cancer, congenital birth defects, blindness and many other
diseases

Some of the symptoms of Methyl Isocynate contamination include

cough, dyspnea or disorder of the lungs, chest pain leading to acute
lung failure, cardiac arrest and death.

It has resulted in many children being born with genetic defects and
mutations and mental retardation.

It has also had a long term impact on the reproductive cycle of

affected women and the quality of their breast milk.

The effects of Agent Orange

During the second Indochina War, between 1961 and
1971, millions of litres of toxic chemicals, including a
herbicide called Agent Orange - which contained dioxin
- were sprayed over large parts of Vietnam.

According to U.S. defense records, the U.S. Air Force

sprayed 72 million litres of toxic chemicals, of which 44
million were Agent Orange - the most toxic chemical
discovered so far.

Health effects
Epidemiological studies have shown an elevated
rate of diseases and disorders in people exposed to
dioxin.
These include high rates of cancers, abnormalities
during pregnancies, neurological and metabolic
disorders, and especially birth defects.
Most noteworthy are the levels of dioxin in breast
milk. The high level of dioxin in nursing mothers
shows how contamination spreads and bioacumulates from mothers to their children.

Mitigation Efforts
Basic measures
Control at source
Install control devices
Dust Cyclones for PM
Scrubbers for acid gases (NOx and SOx)
Adsorption Systems for VOCs

Plantation of trees
Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS)

Zoning
High-stack chimneys

Social measures (Generating Awareness)

Promotion of Greener Fuels
Use of Public Transport
Use of Energy Efficient Appliances (CFL, etc.)
Community Drives (Afforestation, etc.)
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Environmental Education

Conclusion
Earths atmosphere extremely vulnerable
Causes are clear and human contribution is
immense
Mitigation is necessary
Need of action is required , both from administrative
authorities and the people
If technology is the cause, simple fact is that it is
also the solution.

THANK YOU
SAVE CHILD. SAVE TREES.. SAVE
NATIONSTOP POLLUTION !!!!