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SMOG - HOW WE INHALE DISEASES

Ondřej Brchaň — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 13:03:05 +0000

Every year, due to high air-pollution, several thousand people die prematurely in the Czech Republic and many people (including children) suffer from various diseases. We inhale toxins 200 days a year, especially during the heating season. In order to really improve the air quality, it is first necessary to locate the places with the greatest pollution. This requires specialized equipment such as perfect-Air sensors.

MEASURING SMOG

Ondřej Brchaň — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 13:02:07 +0000

In terms of health hazards, it is necessary to measure air quality in the immediate vicinity. The perfect-Air sensors are perfect for this. A network of technically advanced sensors will be deployed throughout the country to measure PM2.5 and PM10 dust emissions and also provide information on basic air parameters such as temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure.

BORROWED FROM WIKIPEDIA:

Solid particles or particulate matter (PM) are small solid particles dispersed in air that are so small that they can be entrained by air. Increased concentration can cause serious health problems. They also participate in important atmospheric events such as the occurrence of water precipitation and influence the temperature balance of Earth.

In most cases, the term solid particles is also synonymous with air dust.

From the point of view of health effects, different fractions of dust particles were defined depending on their size in micrometers.

PM10 - particles less than 10 μm,
PM2.5 - Particles less than 2.5 μm (not overall)
PM1 - particles less than 1 μm (less frequent)
PM0.1 - particles less than 100 nm (exceptional).

Observation has shown that the influence of solid dust particles on health depends primarily on their size. Larger particles are trapped in nasal hair and do not cause serious problems. Particles less than 10 μm penetrate through the larynx into the lower respiratory tract.

Here they can settle in the bronchi (PM2.5 - "fine particles"), penetrate into pulmonary cells (PM1) or to the bloodstream (nanoparticles) and cause health problems.

LONG LIST OF DISEASES

Ondřej Brchaň — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 12:58:50 +0000

Air pollution is usually identified as the main cause of respiratory diseases such as asthma, respiratory failure, bronchial diseases, or allergies. Harmful airborne dust in the air can cause other difficulties. There is no doubt that smog increases the risk of cancer. It is caused by benzopyrene, one of the most toxic components of smog. It is caused, among other things, by combustion of a poor-quality fuel, especially garbage and varnished old furniture. Benzopyrene does not cause immediate damage but is deposited in the body and causes chronic diseases over time. The interval between first contact with this substance and the occurrence of cancer may be as long as 5 years. Another harmful substance - nitrogen dioxide, causes burning of the eyes, suffocating cough, headaches and reduces the body's resistance and immunity.

Breathing of contaminated air is also dangerous for pregnant women. The harmful airborne dust PM10 and PM2.5 may induce abortion or cause premature birth. Inhalation of toxins can also have a negative impact on the child's intellectual development and cause memory problems. Smog causes frequent pneumonia and bronchitis in children. Diseases caused by inhalation of harmful substances often have a worse course and cause health problems even in the following stages of life. At high concentrations of pollutants, children should stay outside for as little time as possible, that is why monitoring the air quality around schools and nurseries is especially important.

WHAT IS SMOG AND HOW IS IT CREATED?

Ondřej Brchaň — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 12:57:25 +0000

The word smog itself came from a combination of two words - smoke and fog. Smog is the fog that occurs when air is polluted, by e.g. airborne dust PM10 and PM2.5 (which is the most harmful of all pollutants). Due to the conditions and place of occurrence, we can distinguish two types of smog - the London smog, consisting mainly of oxides of nitrogen, sulfur, heavy metals or aromatic hydrocarbons (including the carcinogenic benzopyrene) and photochemical smog observed in large agglomerations where smoke reacts with sunlight.

The smog with which we are dealing in the Czech Republic arises predominantly during the heating season, when the emissions of harmful substances produced by chimneys increase. The sources of pollution are mainly obsolete furnaces and boilers which are used in family and apartment houses. The quality of the used fuel is of key importance, and in many households the fuel becomes anything that comes along - from low-grade coal, to rubbish to old varnished furniture. The favorite fuel consists of PET bottles filled with sawdust and used engine oil!

Industrial installations and cars are also a major source of pollution. Cars do not only produce exhaust gases, they also create the so-called secondary dustiness, when they swirl the particles lying on the road.