Affects Of Air Pollution

Polluted air in general contains one or more hazardous substances that create hazards for the
health of living individuals. Pollutants within the air are measured in terms of particulate
matter (PM); or the number of particles of potentially hazardous substances as a percentage
of air. Outdoor air pollutants can create acid rain, which affects the environment and
depletion of the ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's), which increases the risk of skin
cancer and cataracts in human individuals. Indoor air pollution seems to have more of a
significant affect on health than outdoor air pollution; considering the fact that most people
spend more of their time indoors than out (1).
  Many indoor pollutants include carbon monoxide, tobacco smoke, radon gas, animal dander,
mercury vapor, consumer products that release chemicals into the air, bacteria, mold and a
huge indoor pollutant; lead. Pollution of the air can affect our health in two ways which are
categorized as both short term and long term effects. Short term effects are irritation to the
eyes, nose and throat. Upper respiratory infections, like bronchitis and pneumonia as well as
having headaches, allergic reactions, nausea and aggravating individuals with asthma and
emphysema are all short term effects. An example of all these short term symptoms occurred
in London in 1952, four thousand people died in a few days due to the high concentrations of
pollution. This tragedy was called the "Smog Disaster"(2).
Long term affects of air pollution are; chronic heart disease, respiratory disease, lung cancer,
damage to the nerves, brain, liver and kidneys. The continued long term exposure of pollution
in the air can have drastic affects on the lungs of growing children and may aggravate or
complicate medical conditions in the elderly. Many different groups of individuals are
affected by air pollution in different ways. Some individuals are much more sensitive to
pollutants than others. For example, young children...

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Effects Of Air Pollution In Delhi

Introduction

Air is the ocean we breathe. Air supplies us with oxygen which is essential for our bodies to
live. Air is 99.9% nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor and inert gases. Human activities can release
substances into the air, some of which can cause problems for humans, plants, and animals.

There are several main types of pollution and well-known effects of pollution which are
commonly discussed. These include smog, acid rain, the greenhouse effect, and "holes" in the
ozone layer. Each of these problems has serious implications for our health and well-being as
well as for the whole environment.
One type of air pollution is the release of particles into the air from burning fuel for energy.
Diesel smoke is a good example of this particulate matter. The particles are very small pieces
of matter measuring about 2.5 microns or about .0001 inches. This type of pollution is
sometimes referred to as "black carbon" pollution. The exhaust from burning fuels in
automobiles, homes, and industries is a major source of pollution in the air. Some authorities
believe that even the burning of wood and charcoal in fireplaces and barbeques can release
significant quantities of soot into the air.

Another type of pollution is the release of noxious gases, such as sulfur dioxide, carbon
monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and chemical vapors. These can take part in further chemical
reactions once they are in the atmosphere, forming smog and acid rain.

The freshness of the air in one's environment has a direct impact on the quality and length of
one's life. Air is more of a necessity of life than food or water. Imagine you live in a city
where a grey-brown noxious haze of smog permeates the streets in your district. Imagine that
these streets are filled with jam-packed traffic, a slow moving assembly of automobiles which
blow out unhealthy exhaust fumes of carbon monoxide and other harmful chemicals. You
cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief to avoid excess exposure...
Causes And Effects Of Air Pollution.

Causes and Effects of Air Pollution.

    
                Earth is everybody's home and nobody likes to live in a dirty home. Of all the
changes swirling among us, those that affect the natural environment seems to hold the most
serious implication for human life. From a long period of time, people have been polluting
the earth surface, but because of earth's own ability to absorb and purify minor quantities of
pollutants, the problem has been minimal.

                It is significant to note that air pollution could be found in some residential and
commercial buildings. It causes poor ventilation and specific sources such as copy machines,
electrical and telephone cables, carpets etc. It has been found that air in some office buildings
is hundred times more polluted that the air outside. In many occupations however people
become aware of the risk only years after they worked at jobs that they thought were safe. For
e.g. several million people worked with asbestos during and after world war two. The Federal
Government estimates that one quarter of them will die of cancer from having breathed
asbestos particles as it had been a main air pollutant.
Industrialization increased the world's standard of living and brought better health to
hundreds of million of people. Ironically, industrialization threatens to disable the basic
environment of human race, posing what may be the greatest health hazard of all time.
Underlying today's environment decay is the globalization of capitalism which continues to
push for economic growth. Earth cannot withstand such an onslaught. Global economic
production creates global pollution, and faster paced production means faster paced
destruction of our environment. In short the message implies as to "Growth at any cost".
Industrial growth did come, but at a high cost to the natural environment. Burning fossil fuels
to run factories, motorized vehicles and power plant have been especially harmful. Motor
vehicles produce high...