Introduction -
Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in
the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause
damage to the climate or to materials. Air pollution can cause diseases, allergies, and even
death to humans; it can also cause harm to other living organisms such as animals and food
crops, and may damage the natural environment (for example, climate change, ozone
depletion or habitat degradation) or built environment (for example, acid rain). Both human
activity and natural processes can generate air pollution.
Air pollution is a risk factor for a number of pollution-related diseases, including respiratory
infections, heart disease, stroke and lung cancer. Growing evidence suggests that air pollution
exposure may be associated with reduced IQ scores, impaired cognition,[2] increased risk for
psychiatric disorders such as depression[3] and detrimental perinatal health. Principally air
pollution affects the body's respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. Individual
reactions to air pollutants depend on the type of pollutant a person is exposed to, the degree of
exposure, and the individual's health status and genetics.[5] Outdoor air pollution alone causes
2.1[6][7] to 4.21 million deaths annually, making it one of the top contributors to human death.[1]
[8]
Overall, air pollution causes the deaths of around 7 million people worldwide each year, or a
global mean loss of life expectancy (LLE) of 2.9 years,[9] and is the world's largest single
environmental health risk
Importance of Air –
We all need oxygen for respiration. The animals that live both on land and even the
aquatic animals need oxygen to exist otherwise they would all perish. Air is the
fundamental building block, apart from which life itself would not exist. Bubbles in
water only occur due to the small concentration of air, that gets trapped in the small
bubbles.
If we take a lump of dry soil and add water to it, bubbles will be observed which
indicates the presence of air molecules. Water displaces the air present in the soil
and hence bubbles are formed. The organisms living in the soil respire through
oxygen present in this air. Animals living in soil form holes and burrows. These
burrows make space for air molecules to move in. When it rains, water fills up the
vacant spaces and this is the reason why we see organisms like earthworms coming
up the soil for air during the rainy season.
We use oxygen all the time but it is still not exhausted because trees return this
oxygen to the atmosphere during the process of photosynthesis. Plants also
consume oxygen but their consumption is very less than compared to their
production. Hence, the net effect is that they add oxygen to the atmosphere.
Animals and plants are interdependent on each other for their survival, plants
produce oxygen and animals produce carbon dioxide as a by the process, thus they
exist with one other forming an ecosystem of their own. However, due to man-made
contributions to the environment and ecosystem such as deforestation and factories
that release smog, smoke, and other chemical components into the air, thereby
polluting the air. This is called Air Pollution.
Man-made Sources
While looking at the man-made contributions towards
air pollution, it can be further divided into:
1. Outdoor pollution sources
2. Indoor pollution sources
Outdoor Pollution Sources
The major outdoor pollution sources include power
generation, vehicles, agriculture/waste incineration,
industry and building heating systems. Smoke
features as a prominent component. The smoke
emitted from various forms of combustion, like
in biomass, factories, vehicles, furnaces, etc.
Waste dumped in landfills generates methane, which
is harmful in several ways. The reactions of certain
gases and chemicals also form harmful fumes that
can be dangerous to the well-being of living
creatures.
Indoor Pollution Sources
In low- and middle-income countries, mostly burning
fuels such as dung, coal and wood in inefficient stoves
or open hearths produces a variety of health-
damaging pollutants. These include carbon monoxide,
methane, particulate matter (PM), polyaromatic
hydrocarbons (PAH) and volatile organic compounds
(VOC).
Even burning kerosene in simple wick lamps also
produces significant emissions of fine particles and
other pollutants. Exposure to smoke from cooking
fires causes 3.8 million premature deaths each year.
Various Causes of Air pollution
1. The Burning of Fossil Fuels
2. Agricultural Activities
3. Waste in Landfills
.
4. Exhaust From Factories and Industries
5. Mining Operations
6. Indoor Air Pollution
7. Natural Events
Ways to reduce air pollution –
1. Using public transports
Using public transport is a sure short way of contributing to less air
pollution as it provides with less gas and energy, even carpools
contribute to it. In addition to less release of fuels and gas, using a
public transport can also help in saving money.
2. Turn off the lights when not in use
The energy that the lights take also contribute to air pollution, thus less
consumption of electricity can save energy. Use energy saving
fluorescent lights to help the environment.
3. Recycle and Reuse
The concept of recycle and reuse is not just conserve resources and
use them judicially but also is helpful for air pollution as it helps in
reducing pollution emissions. The recycled products also take less
power to make other products.
4. No to plastic bags
The use of plastic products could be very harmful to the environment
as they take a very long time to decompose, due to their material
made up of oil. The use of paper bags instead is a better alternative as
they decompose easily and are recyclable.
5. Reduction of forest fires and smoking
The collecting of garbage and getting it on fire in dry seasons or dry
leaves catching fires is a huge factor for causing air pollution,
moreover smoking also causes air pollution and causes the air quality
to worsen along with obviously damaging one’s health.
6. Use of fans instead of Air Conditioner
The usage of AC’s takes a lot of energy and emits a lot of heat which is
bad for the environment. AC’s also take a lot of power and energy to
work as compared to fans.
7. Use filters for chimneys
The gas that is emitted from fireplaces in homes and factories are
extremely dangerous for air pollution and harms the air quality
severely. The use of filters should be used at least if the consumption
couldn’t be lessened, this will help to reduce the effect of harmful
gases absorbing in the air.
8. Avoid usage of crackers
The use of crackers during festivals and weddings is sadly one of the
biggest contributors to air pollution, leading to a layer of smog which is
extremely harmful for health. So, practice of no crackers should be
implemented.
9. Avoid using of products with chemicals
Products that use the chemicals in their usage or smell strongly, like
paints or perfumes should be used less or outside the house. There can
also be an alternative to use products with low chemical content and
organic properties.
10. Implement Afforestation
Last but not the least, plant and grow as many trees as possible. The
practice of planting trees provides a lot of benefits to the environment
and helps with the release of oxygen.
CONCLUSION
While the effects of air pollution on materials, vegetation, and
animals can be measured, health effects on humans can only be
estimated from epidemiological evidence. Most of the evidence
comes from occupational exposure to much higher concentrations
of pollutants than the general public is exposed to. Moreover, the
health effects of smoking and other lifestyle characteristics and
exposures confound the observations of air pollutant effects. Ethical
considerations preclude deliberate exposure of human subjects to
concentrations of pollutants that might produce adverse effects, so
evidence from sources other than epidemiology is virtually
impossible to obtain. All of the evidence we have suggests that air
pollutants threaten human health and well-being to an extent that
control of these pollutants is necessary.
