M2s3 Air Pollution Flashcards
Types of air pollution
-ultra fine airborne pollutants in atmosphere are result of smoke and fumes emitted through human activity
-due to small size, these particles can easily enter the irritate children’s lungs, cross the blood-brain barrier and affect cognitive development and cross the placenta affecting fetal development
Magnitude of the indoor and outdoor air pollutant problem
-2 billion children live in areas where air pollution levels exceed WHO standards (10 mcg / m3)
-of these, 300 million children live in areas with “extremely toxic” levels of air pollution (>60 mcg / m3)
-air pollution classified into outdoor and indoor air pollution
Outdoor air pollution
-majority of research focus on
-worse in lower income urban communities
-outdoor air pollutants and industrial waste
- highest particulate matter includes North Africa, Middle East, and Southern Asia
Indoor air pollution
-worse in lower income rural communities
-includes solid biomass fuels, used for heating and cooking
Note: substantial overlap between rural and urban areas, and the air pollution they face
-means still serious air pollution in both settings indoor and outdoor
- refer to goodnotes for map
Major urban and outdoor air pollutants
-air quality in urban centres and cities indicated by certain air pollutants
Particulate Matter
-is less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10) can block and inflame nasal and bronchial passages
-particulate matter of less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) is even more dangerous - it can penetrate lungs and enter the bloodstream
Other pollutants:
-ozone (O3)
-nitrogen oxides (NOx)
-sulfur dioxide (SO2)
-carbon monoxide (CO)
-ammonia (NH3)
-lead (Pb)
-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
-volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Indoor pollutant sources and health risks
-majority admitted through human activities like burning solid fuels indoor for heating and cooking purposes.
-solid fuel refers to solid material that can be used to generate energy
-a subset of solid fuel is biomass fuel, which refers specifically to any material derived from plants or animals that can be used to generate energy
-excess smoke with certain types of fuels over others. Further, the use of animal dung as a biofuel is not clean fuel source and women and children are especially vulnerable
Health risks of burning solid fuels indoor
-incomplete combustion, leaving behind breathable particles, gases and chemicals
-smoke that can result in conjunctivitis, upper respiratory irritation, and acute respiratory infections
-carbon monoxide, which can cause acute poisoning
-long-term health effects from smoke exposure such as cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, cancer, adverse reproductive outcomes, etc.
Thus, indoor cooking stoves with inadequate ventilation clearly contribute to air pollution
Solid fuels
-different types of solid material that can be burnt to release energy
-through the process of combustion this provides light and heat
-solid fuels are distinct from gaseous fuels and liquid fuels
Global population using solid fuels
-indoor use of solid fuels as source of cooking and heating is increasing
-severity impacts over 1 billion children that live in homes that use solid fuels in cooking and heating
Ex. In Europe, less than 5% of the population uses solid fuels for cooking and heating, exposing fewer than 3 million children
In Africa, over 95% of the population uses solid fuels for cooking and heating, which exposes more than 352 million children
- refer to goodnotes for a map
Health effects of indoor air pollution
-largely caused from cooking and heating fires
-disproportionately affects women and children
-a 2016 unicef report outlined three key findings on the effects of air pollution on women and children
Issues in birth
- increased exposure causes miscarriages, early delivery and low birth weight
Child mortality
- increased exposure is responsible for up to 10% of mortality of children under 5 years old
Issue in brain development
- increased exposures is responsible for up to 10% of mortality of children under 5 years old
Deaths linked to outdoor and indoor air pollution
-can be strongly linked to death of children under age 5
-populations in low- and middle-income countries bear the greatest burden with 88% of all outdoor air pollution deaths and 99% of all indoor air pollution deaths occurring in these regions
-Asia currently accounts for most deaths but Africa has increasing industrialization, urbanization and motor vehicle traffic so it share is rising
- refer to goodnotes for graph
Air pollution exposure and health inequalities
-certain populations remain at higher risk of air pollution than other populations
Urban populations
-increased exposure to industrial sites, smouldering dumps, and electrical generators
Rural populations
-increased exposure to unventilated homes and smoke-producing cook stoves
Refugees and migrant families
-increased exposure to tents filled with wood smoke and lack of adequate housing, heating systems and healthcare while in migration or resettlement
- all these populations at risk include children
Aggravating and intersecting factors for air pollution
-refer to factors that further contribute to or exacerbate the issue at hand
Lack of access to healthcare
-makes children from low SES at even greater risk for adverse health effects caused by exposure to air pollution
Ex. Pneumonia and asthma are more likely to be fatal
Climate change
-contributes to greenhouse gas production and threatens economic livelihoods
