A recently published report suggests that an average of two Indians are dying every minute as a direct consequence of air pollution. That’s over a million deaths per year.
Millions of preterm births are also associated with an increase in particulate matter in the air, adds the study.
While we’re sure that everyone generally agrees that air pollution is bad for our health and that it can cause any number of respiratory issues, the true gravity of the situation isn’t as well known.
Two people a minute might be dying of air pollution in India, which is bad enough, but the harsher reality is that air pollution significantly reduces life expectancy, promotes certain types of cancers and can permanently impair lung function. Young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with existing respiratory diseases are particularly vulnerable.
Image: Reuters
The presence of particulate matter in the air is signified by a unit called PMx, where x denotes the diameter of the particulate matter in microns. The measurement usually indicates the presence of particulate matter in micrograms per meter cube.
Particulate matter in the air includes dust, pollen, smoke, smog, etc. Of these, PM10 and PM2.5 are the most harmful to us. PM10 usually relates to particles like dust and pollen, while PM2.5 refers to particles like smoke and smog and the liquid ejected by aerosols.
The problem with PM anything less than PM10 is that these particles are too small to be filtered out by our body’s own filtration mechanisms. Worse still, these particles have a relatively large surface area and can easily carry toxic substances to our lungs, where they’ll further spread to the rest of our body via diffusion.
A World Health Organisation (Who) Study concluded that a higher density of PM2.5 and PM10 directly relates to the increase in mortality in a given region. The study also found that long-term exposure could significantly decrease your expected lifespan and that a region’s life expectancy could come down by as much as 8.6 months on average.
Promisingly, the same study concluded that average life expectancy can go up by as much as 20 months if long term PM2.5 concentration was reduced to Who recommended levels. In fact, a study conducted in the US concluded that the average lifespan was increased by 0.35 years for every 10 µg/m3 decrease of PM2.5. This study was conducted over a 7-year period.
Another study found that lung cancer risk went up by 8 percent and that mortality rates went up by 4 percent for every 10 µg/m3 increase of PM2.5. Studies in rats have shown that PM2.5 also vastly increases the strength of respiratory diseases like pneumonia, by as much as 35 times in some cases. The particles act as hubs for bacteria to flourish. This makes our lungs more prone to secondary infections and compromised immune systems as well.
After trips to New Delhi & Beijing this winter, good to know my senses weren’t deceiving me…https://t.co/EXgMgfcb0v
— Daniel Markey (@MarkeyDaniel) February 14, 2017
Other, lesser known effects of high air pollution include permanent damage to lung cell DNA due to increased free radical production. In other words, PM2.5 can cause cancer and mutation of lung cells. Abnormally high calcium concentration can occur, which can cause inflammation, which will, eventually, result in more lung damage.
The Who recommends (PDF) that PM2.5 levels not exceed a 10 µg/m3 mean in a yearly period and a 25 µg/m3 mean in a 24-hour period. PM10 levels aren’t to exceed 10 µg/m3 mean in a yearly period and 50 µg/m3 mean in a 24-hour period. In India, the permissible PM2.5 limit is 60 in a 24 hour period. On Diwali day last year, that number hit 785.
The real-time air quality index (AQI) map of India shows pollution levels at a staggering 420 in Faridabad, 319 in Delhi and a relatively low 224 in Mumbai. The recommended AQI in India is 0-50, with 101-140 being tolerable to the general public. Anything above 200 is a “health warning of emergency conditions”. These values are among the highest in the world, with only China showing up as a rival on this front.
Delhi Government should try it @ArvindKejriwal
‘Vertical Forest’ to be built in China to fight pollutionhttps://t.co/oEcGZqqGFc@inshorts
— Ajay Wadkar (@AJWadkar) February 7, 2017
If we’re to combat air-pollution in our country, there’s a lot that must be done. The primary sources of air pollution still include traffic and coal (from thermal power plants). The large-scale burning of crops, etc. also contributes to this.
The government needs to do a lot more if it expects to cut down on pollution levels in the country. The recent focus on solar power is one way of going about it, though even this is not happening as fast as one would hope. Another report adds that the Indian government is only spending Rs 7 crore annually on dealing with pollution. This is a pittance when you look at pollution in a nation the size of India.
What can the average Indian do about it?
Thankfully, protecting yourself from harmful particulates is not that expensive, it just requires a great deal of diligence.
A good idea is to always keep an eye on the aforementioned real-time AQI map of India and prepare accordingly. If you reside in a city like Delhi with a permanently polluted atmosphere, more pro-active measures will be needed.
Masks
The most basic protection can be afforded by a mask. Air pollution masks shouldn’t cost you more than Rs 50 each and should be available in packs of 3 or 4 on popular ecommerce sites like Amazon or Flipkart.
Whatever the brand of mask you buy, ensure that it is certified for PM2.5 filtration – it will be mentioned in the product description – and that it can filter out bacteria and other microbes. This is critical as PM2.5 is the most harmful size of particulate and is also the primary constituent of smog. A regular surgical mask won’t do, however. Most surgical masks aren’t designed to filter out fine particulate matter. However, N95 rated masks are sufficient protection, provide they form an adequate seal around your face. Even facial hair can break the seal. These masks will only last you a couple of days, but you can easily get a pack of 20 – enough for a month – for around Rs 1,000.
For a more permanent solution, you might want to consider a mask with replaceable cartridges or filters. As long as you get filters rated over N95, you’ll be fine. Examples include the 3M 6200 and the Atlas Healthcare Cambridge N99. Both these masks cost over Rs 1,000, but are very efficient at filtering out particulates.
Amazon and Flipkart both reported a strong growth in the sales of anti-pollution masks last year, particularly in the period following Diwali.
Air purifiers
These are more expensive options, but are very useful in a home or office environments. An air purifier will circulate a room’s air through itself, filtering out particulates and bacteria at large scale.
Cheaper air purifiers are available in the Rs 10,000 range and are ideal for smaller rooms (around 200 square feet). Options include the Mi Air Purifier 2 (for Rs 9,999), offerings from Octus, Kent and even Philips.
HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters rated at N95 or above are what you’re looking for. Noise levels and rate of air filtration are also important. A purifier capable of around 300 cubic metres per hour will do for a smallish room, but you’ll need a rating of over 500 cubic metres per hour for larger rooms.
More expensive options include the BlueAir range of purifiers that start at Rs 22,000 and can go as high as Rs 55,000 depending on capacity.
Some air purifiers, including the Xiaomi Air Purifier 2, will measure air quality in real time.
Till something concrete is done about dealing with air pollution levels in the country, these stop-gap solutions must suffice to keep you and your family safe from harm.
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