The Truth about your breathed in Air
Hey, do you know that the Air that you are breathing in right now, may be the major reason behind your health problems OR at worst cases it may be killing you ?
Yes, this is shocking but True
The Air that you are inhaling to keep you alive, is also Killing you.
The Air , that you are breathing in right now while reading this page, contain various components including oxygen.
They are called as Air Pollutants.
What are Air Pollutants
Air Pollutants are those components of the Air, which are harmful to humans and the environment.
There are mainly 6 (six) types of major Air Pollutants :
- Carbon Monoxide
- Ozone
- Nitrogen Oxide
- Sulphur Dioxide
- Air Toxics
- Metals
- Particles
Details of the concerned Air Pollutants
Carbon Monoxide :-
Source and Nature : Carbon Monoxide (CO) is the is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and toxic air pollutant. The major source of CO is vehicle emission. CO gets generated whenever carbon-based fuel gets burned from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles due to low air-to-fuel ration of the fuel combustion in its cylinder(s).
Risk, Symptoms & Health issues : All people are at risk for CO poisoning. Unborn babies, infants, the elderly, and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or respiratory problems are generally more at risk than others.
Breathing CO can cause headache, dizziness, vomiting, and nausea. If CO levels are high enough, you may become unconscious or die. Exposure to moderate and high levels of CO over long periods of time has also been linked with increased risk of heart disease. People who survive severe CO poisoning may suffer long-term health problems.
Ozone :-
Source and Nature : At ground level, elevated concentrations of ozone are produced by chemical reactions between sunlight and certain air pollutants. Ozone is a colorless, highly reactive gas with a distinctive odor.
Risk, Symptoms & Health issues : At ground level, elevated ozone concentrations can cause health and environmental problems.
Ozone can affect the cardiac system and irritate the respiratory tract when present at concentrations significantly above natural levels. Symptoms of exposure include :
- Itching and watery eyes
- Sore throats
- Swelling and congestion of the nasal passages.
At elevated levels, ozone can also:
- Reduce vegetation growth
- Damage materials such as rubber, fabric, masonry and paint
- Reduce visibility.
Nitrogen Oxides :-
Source and Nature : The term nitrogen oxides (NOx) describes a mixture of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which are gases produced from natural sources, motor vehicles and other fuel burning processes.
Nitric oxide is colorless and is oxidized in the atmosphere to form nitrogen dioxide. Nitrogen dioxide has an odor, and is an acidic and highly corrosive gas that can affect our health and environment.
Nitrogen oxides are critical components of photo-chemical smog. They produce the yellowish-brown color of the smog.
Risk, Symptoms & Health issues : Elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide can cause damage to the human respiratory tract and increase a person’s vulnerability to, and the severity of, respiratory infections and asthma.
Long-term exposure to high levels of nitrogen dioxide can cause chronic lung disease.
It may also affect the senses, for example, by reducing a person’s ability to smell an odor.
High levels of nitrogen dioxide are also harmful to vegetation—damaging foliage, decreasing growth or reducing crop yields.
Nitrogen dioxide can fade and discolor furnishings and fabrics, reduce visibility, and react with surfaces.
Sulphur Dioxide :-
Source and Nature : Sulphur dioxide is a colorless gas with a sharp, irritating odor. The anthropogenic sources of sulphur dioxide emission arise mainly from combustion of fuels because of trace amount of inorganic and organic sulphur contained in the fossil fuels and ores.
It has been estimated that about one third of the sulphur dioxide emission in the atmosphere arises from the activities of man chiefly the combustion of fossil fuels. Significant quantities of sulphur dioxide are emitted by oil refineries, automobiles, thermal power plants, acid plants, smelters, incinerators, etc.
Risk, Symptoms & Health issues : Sulphur dioxide affects the respiratory system, particularly lung function, and can irritate the eyes.
Sulphur dioxide irritates the respiratory tract and increases the risk of tract infections. It causes coughing, mucus secretion and aggravates conditions such as asthma and chronic bronchitis.
Particulate Matter (PM) :-
Source and Nature : PM10 and PM2.5 particles are invisible to the naked eye. By way of comparison, a human hair is about 60 micrometers in diameter.
Airborne particles can come from:
- combustion processes, such as engines, power stations, wood heaters, bush-fires and hazard reduction burning
- non-combustion activities, such as earthworks, unpaved roads, bulk material handling and windblown dust.
Risk, Symptoms & Health issues : PMs are capable of penetrating the lower airways of humans and can cause negative health effects.
Air Quality Index In India
Check out the Air Quality Index – AQI for over 95 cities and towns in India and these air pollutants are contributing towards making the atmosphere hard to live for all of us
Wrap Up
As these pollutants are created by us, we are the one who can also take them down and make this earth and its atmosphere more healthy to live in for all of us and for the generations after us.
So, we are calling this as a mass movement for healthy atmosphere.
We are joining hands to make it possible. Join us at TribeEV for the Mass Movement to make Indian atmosphere healthier with Electric Vehicles.