What are the Effects of Air Pollution on Human Health?

Air pollution can significantly impact health, leading to various diseases when clean air is compromised. Factors such as population growth, urbanization, poor urban planning, and low-quality fuel consumption contribute to the increasing levels of air pollution.

What is Air Pollution?

Air pollution occurs when foreign substances in the air exceed certain thresholds. Typically, air is composed of 78% nitrogen, 20.9% oxygen, and smaller amounts of gases like carbon dioxide, argon, neon, methane, helium, hydrogen, and krypton. When the composition of air changes in a way that negatively affects human health, or when substances that shouldn’t be in the air are introduced, air pollution becomes a concern.

What Substances Cause Air Pollution?

Foreign substances that pollute the air include:

• Nitrogen oxides released by industrial activities and vehicles running on gasoline.
• Sulfur dioxide emitted by coal-burning plants and facilities.
• Gas clouds from volcanic eruptions.
• Carbon monoxide from incomplete combustion of fuels.
• Thick sand layers carried by winds and storms.
• Harmful gases released during forest fires.
• Exhaust gases from vehicles.
• Radiation and gases from nuclear and thermal power plants.
• Emissions from coal used for heating.

How Does Air Pollution Affect Human Health?

Foreign substances in the air can cause diverse adverse effects on human health, varying based on:

• The environment where exposure occurs.
• The physical, chemical, and biological properties of the pollutants.
• The condition of the ecosystem.
• The age, gender, current health, and medical history of the individual exposed.
• Whether the pollutants are pure or mixed with other substances.
• The route through which the pollutants enter the body (inhalation, ingestion, contact).
• The duration of exposure.
• The concentration of pollutants in the air.

Air pollution primarily affects the respiratory system. People exposed to polluted air often experience impaired respiratory functions. The circulatory system is also highly susceptible to the effects of air pollution.

Diseases commonly linked to air pollution include:

• Asthma
• Allergies
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Cancer

Existing respiratory conditions may worsen with exposure to air pollution. However, the respiratory system has certain defense mechanisms. Nasal hairs act as the first line of defense by blocking foreign particles. Structures called “cilia” within the trachea and bronchi provide a secondary barrier against particles that manage to bypass the nasal hairs. Nevertheless, pollutants that reach the lungs can still cause significant harm.

Although air pollution affects people of all ages and genders, its effects are more pronounced in children, the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with chronic illnesses.

Reducing motor vehicle usage is one of the most effective measures against air pollution. For short-distance travel, consider using BinBin scooters to take your first step towards cleaner air!