“Environmental Studies”

Term-Paper
Submitted to Ma’am Asma Mansoor
Submitted by Group 6
Members of group 6:
Unaiza Zulfiqar (LHR2078)
Said Ahmad (LHR2073)
Mahnoor Asif (LHR2058)

Topic:
“Effects of smog on the health of living organisms”
Abstract

Health plays most significant role in the existence of living organisms. Health is dynamic or subject
to constant change. Health at any moment is a point on the health continuum, which ranges from
a high level of health to premature deaths. 95.5 percent of students of university of south California
believe that personal health impacts their ability to be successful in college.99.5 percent students
of university of south California believe that their health and wellness is important. Therefore,
smog is a concerning issue in the lives of living organisms. However, in this epoch of time, smog
is not only effecting the health of humans but also it is damaging the health of plants and animals.
Smog is a type of air pollution which builds up with fog and smoke over a city. Although it contains
harmful gases like nitrogen oxide, Sulphur oxide, unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide.
Moreover, smog is, mainly composed of ozone. Ozone is another gas that causes health problems.

Keywords: air pollution, environment, health, public health, smog, contagion.

Introduction

Air pollution is a major problem of recent decades, which has a serious contagious impact on
human health and the environment. Hence, air pollution is linked with millions of death globally
each year. A recent study has revealed the association between male infertility and air pollution.
About 4.3 million people die from household air pollution and 3.7 million from ambient air
pollution, most of whom (3.3 and 2.6 million, respectively) live in Asia. Furthermore, smog is one
of the significant type of air pollution nowadays.

Background:

The word “smog” is a combination of the English words “smoke” and “fog”. This combination of
words has spread throughout the world, perfectly describing the phenomenon. It can be stated that
smog is just such an artificial fog that was created in an unnatural way as a result of human
activities and certain unfavorable circumstances of nature.

There are two main types of smog, distinguished according to the place and conditions of
formation. The first one is Los Angeles smog, which is formed primarily in the summer months
and can be found mainly in subtropical zones, and the second one is so-called London smog, more
characteristic of the temperate climatic zone and forming mainly from November to January

(Sometimes March). These 2 types of smog also differ in composition. London smog is primarily
a mixture of various particulate matters, enriched with Sulphur, nitrogen or carbon oxides, but also
with soot. Los Angeles smog consists mainly of gases, including carbon oxides, nitrogen oxides
and hydrocarbons.

The term "smog" was first coined more than three decades ago to describe a mixture of smoke and
fog in the air. Subsequently, smog was referred to almost exclusively as ground-level ozone giving
rise to ground-level ozone management programs in Canada, the United States and other countries
in the 1980's and 1990's. Smog is formed by mixing air with pollutants and exhaust gases resulting
from human activities. The factors which are responsible for this include factories, an increasing
number of cars, burning coal, wood and other solid fuels in stoves.

State of problem:

In recent years, due to environmental pollution and other problems, air quality has continued to
worsen, smog weather has increased, and the damage has intensified, which has had a great impact
on people's production and life. The effects of smog, however, are much more far-reaching than
some people think, it has a significant impact on human health, with long exposure leading to: the
development of allergies and asthma; the induction of respiratory failure; decreased immunity of
the body; the induction of circulatory system and heart disease; the development of neoplastic
diseases. The effects of air pollution can also be experienced indirectly, for example by eating
plants or meat from animals that were exposed to such conditions. This is because aggressive
chemical factors affect not only people, but animals, plants, and materials as well (including
building materials). The effects of air pollution are sometimes delayed, but in other cases visible
immediately. The best example is the famous Great London Smog in 1952. While it lasted for only
5 days, it caused 4,000 deaths related to respiratory complications. A further 8,000 people died in
the following weeks. The effects of the smog were so catastrophic that to this day, governments
wrestle with how to reduce its impact.

Let’s take an example of Pakistan as Pakistan's second-largest city is choking on smog, driven in
part by smoke from bricks kiln and steel mills, burning of rice stubble and garbage, growing
numbers of vehicles on the road and large-scale losses of trees as the expanding city makes way
for new roads and buildings. Many in the city of 11 million complain of headaches and burning
eyes and throats as air pollution levels this winter have on some days hit five times the legal limit,
according to a global air quality index. Air is full of dust and pollutants that can cause health
issues including asthma, lung damage, bronchial infections and heart problem. Those included
emissions from factories, brick kilns, and polluting vehicles and farmers burning rice stubble in
the winter.

Current trend:

The Air Quality Index, or AQI, is the system used to warn the public when air pollution is
dangerous. The AQI tracks ozone (smog) and particle pollution (tiny particles from ash, power
plants and factories, vehicle exhaust, soil dust, pollen, and other pollution), as well as four other
widespread air pollutants. "Good" AQI is considered from 0 - 50. Air quality is considered
satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk. "Moderate" AQI is 51 - 100. Our air quality
index is calculated based on averages of all pollutant concentrations measured in a full hour, a full
8 hours, or a full day. To calculate an hourly air quality index, we average at least 90 measured
data points of pollution concentration from a full hour (e.g. between 09:00 AM and 10:00 AM).
Top ten cities of Pakistan according to AQI are following:

Cities US AQI Status

Bahawalpur, Punjab 488 Hazardous

Faisalabad, Punjab 422 Hazardous

Lahore, Punjab 394 Hazardous

Mirpur Khas, Sindh 376 Hazardous

Gujranwala, Punjab 252 Hazardous

Muridke, Punjab 222 Hazardous

Raiwind, Punjab 211 Hazardous

Rawalpindi, Punjab 189 Hazardous

Karachi, Sindh 179 Unhealthy

Islamabad, Islamabad 169 Unhealthy

RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

What are the effects of smog on health of humans?

What are the effects of smog on health of animals and plants?

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:

Purpose of this case study is to find the effects of smog on the health of humans, animals and
plants?
Top Ten polluted countries of the world with their cities data and sources:

Ran Country/Regio
2020 AVG 2019 AVG 2018 AVG Population
k n

1 77.10 83.30 97.10 164,689,383

Bangladesh

2 59.00 65.80 74.30 220,892,331

Pakistan

1,380,004,38
3 51.90 58.10 72.50
5
India

4 46.60 62.00 58.50 3,278,292

Mongolia

5 46.50 58.80 61.80 38,928,341

Afghanistan

6 44.40 - - 5,106,622

Oman
 Ran Country/Regio
2020 AVG 2019 AVG 2018 AVG Population
k n

7 44.30 - - 2,881,060
Qatar

8 43.50 33.20 - 6,524,191

Kyrgyzstan

9 40.70 51.70 42.00 273,523,621

Indonesia

10 40.60 34.60 40.00 3,280,815

Bosnia Herzegovina

Bangladesh

Bangladesh is the most polluted country in the world, with an average PM2.5 concentration of
77.10, which is nonetheless a decrease from 83.30 in 2019 and 97.10 in 2018. The country's
primary environmental pollutants are air and water pollution, Dhaka City is one of the most
polluted cities in the world. In terms of air pollution, Bangladesh's largest source is
its brickmaking industry, which employs one million people and creates 23 billion bricks every
year. The kilns used in brickmaking burn wood or coal and create mass amounts of smoke and
dust. Due to increased demand for bricks, the brickmaking industry is only expected to grow more,
leading to more air pollution.
Pakistan

The second-most polluted country in the world is Pakistan, which has an average PM2.5
concentration of 59.00. AQI levels in Punjab were consistently between the "near unhealthy" or
"very unhealthy" ratings for most of 2019 and even reached as high as 484. Pakistan is
experiencing rising pollution from the growing number of vehicles on the roads, large-scale
losses of trees, smoke from bricks kiln and steel mills, and the burning of garbage. The Pakistan
minister for climate change blamed India for Pakistan's smog;

India
India the third-most polluted country in the world, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 51.90.
Of the 30 most polluted cities in the world, 21 of them are located in India. The most polluted city
in India and the world is Kanpur, where the city's medical college receives about 600 respiratory
illness patients per month. India's unhealthy pollution levels are from sources such as vehicles,
the burning of coal and wood, dust storms, and forest fires. Delhi, India's capital region, is
notorious for some of the worst air in India, forcing flight cancellations, causing traffic accidents,
closing of schools, and even turning the white marble walls of the Taj Mahal yellow and green.
Rural areas are also heavily affected by pollution in India, as people rely on fuels such as wood
and dung for cooking and heating and still practice the burning of crop stubble.

Mongolia

Mongolia is the fourth-most polluted country in the world. Mongolia's average PM2.5
concentration is 46.60. The largest pollution source in Mongolia is the burning of coal and other
biomass, such as wood or crop residue, in stoves. In Mongolia's capital, Ulan Bator, respiratory
infections have increased 270% over the last ten years, and children that live in the capital city
have a 40% lower lung function than those living in rural areas. About 70-90% of pregnant mothers
being treated at a family health center in Mongolia are negatively impacted by air pollution. Infants
as young as two days old are being diagnosed with pneumonia or other respiratory illnesses.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan is the fifth-most polluted country in the world, with an average PM2.5 level of 46.50.
In 2017, numbers show that air pollution was more dangerous than the war in Afghanistan. That
year, about 26,000 people lost their lives due to air pollution-related diseases while 3,483 people
lost their lives due to conflict. Sources of air pollution and smog in Afghanistan are industrial
pollution, vehicle emissions, and poor quality fuel. Pollution can increase during winter months
(December to February) due to increased use of polluting fuels (wood, coal, kerosene) and
inefficient technologies to heat homes

Oman

In accordance with the World Health Organization's guidelines, the air quality in Oman is
considered unsafe - the most recent data indicates the country's annual mean concentration of
PM2.5 is 41 µg/m3, exceeding the recommended maximum of 10 µg/m3.

Contributors to poor air quality in Oman include crude oil production and refining and vehicle
emissions. Available data indicates that Muscat and Sohar City have consistently high levels of air
pollution.

Qatar

Qatar has been named as one of the countries with the highest amount of air pollution, according
to the State of Global Air 2020 Report by the Health Effects Institute.

With over 76 micrograms of particulate matter for every cubic meter of air, Qatar has the highest
concentration of ambient fine particle air pollution in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Egypt was the second highest Arab nation named on the list.

The report was published by HEI, an independent scientific institution based in the US capital of
Washington, DC. The institute specializes in research on the health effects of air pollution
Contributors to poor air quality in Qatar include dust storms, vehicle emissions, and industrial
emissions. Available data indicates that Doha has consistently high levels of air pollution
Kyrgyzstan

In accordance with the World Health Organization's guidelines, the air quality in Kyrgyzstan is
considered moderately unsafe - the most recent data indicates the country's annual mean
concentration of PM2.5 is 23 µg/m3, which exceeds the recommended maximum of 10 µg/m3.

Sources of smog and air pollution in Kyrgyzstan are thermal power plants, construction, mining
and processing industries, and vehicle emissions. Available data indicates that Bishkek is a city
with consistently high levels of air pollution. The expert analysis determined that the main sources
of air pollution in Kyrgyzstan's major cities are vehicles, garbage burning landfills, and the use of
coal as a heating source

Indonesia

The latest annual IQAir quality report on the world’s most polluted countries in 2020 ranks
Indonesia 9th and is listed as having generally unhealthy air quality index (AQI).

The IQAir website, operated by the reputable Swiss company, elaborates that the average US AQI
figure this year was 141 with levels of PM2.5 being 5 times over the World Health Organization’s
(WHO) exposure recommendation.

An AQI figure is based on the measurement of five most abundantly found pollutants in the air.
Mainly the fine particulate matter of PM2.5, sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2),
carbon monoxide (CO) and ground-level ozone (O3

Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the main sources of air pollution are stationary and include
coal-power plants and industry. Large thermal energy (TE) facilities (TE Kakanj, TE Tuzla) have
relatively a high content of sulphur. Even though these facilities are usually located in the vicinity
of mines, equipped with tall stacks and modern filters for exhaust gases, they still emit considerable
quantities of sulphur dioxide, whose emission is not regulated
Top Ten Polluted Countries With their Most Polluted Cities

Country Average Polluted Air

PM2.5 Cities Quality
(µg/m³) Index
Bangladesh 77.10 Dhaka 196
Pakistan 59.00 Faisalabad 435

India 51.90 Delhi 416

Mongolia 46.60 158

Darhan, Darhan Uul

Afghanistan 46.50 Kabul 66

Oman 44.40 Bawshar , Muscat

Qatar 44.30 Doha 123

Kyrgyzstan 43.50 Osh 86

Indonesia 40.70 Depok 48

Bonsia & 40.60 Sarajevo 116

Hezegovina.
Impacts of smog (air pollution) on the health of animals , human, and plants

Smog can irritate human eyes, nose and throat. Or it can worsen existing heart and lung problems
or perhaps cause lung cancer with regular long-term exposure. It also results in early death. Studies
on ozone show that once it gets into your lungs, it can continue to cause damage even when you
feel fine.

The people most at risk are those who suffer from heart and lung problems. Many of these
problems are more common in seniors, making them more likely to experience the negative effects
of air pollution. Children can be more sensitive to the effects of air pollution because their
respiratory systems are still developing and they tend to have an active lifestyle. Even healthy
young adults breathe less well on days when the air is heavily polluted.

Air pollutants have a negative impact on plant growth, primarily through interfering with resource
accumulation. Once leaves are in close contact with the atmosphere, many air pollutants, such as
O3 and NOx, affect the metabolic function of the leaves and interfere with net carbon fixation by
the plant canopy. Air pollutants that are first deposited on the soil, such as heavy metals, first affect
the functioning of roots and interfere with soil resource capture by the plant. These reductions in
resource capture (production of carbohydrate through photosynthesis, mineral nutrient uptake and
water uptake from the soil) will affect plant growth through changes in resource allocation to the
various plant structures

The smog’s impact of altering the natural environment makes it difficult for animals to adapt or
survive in such toxic conditions, which can kill countless animal species or make them susceptible
to illness. Photochemical smog caused when nitrogen oxides react in the presence of sunlight is
established to destroy plant life and irritate sensitive tissues of both plants and animals.

Conclusion:

Smog pollution is a major problem that this planet is suffering from every day. It has affected our
homes, weather, and health. It is a very dangerous situation for us if we do not do anything about
it.

This research suggested that enhancing public environmental education and providing accessible
environmental knowledge towards tackling smog pollution is of great importance. The knowledge
provided by this paper may contribute to smog prevention especially from a public participation
perspective. Bottom line is that most people believe that they are not a contributing factor to this
problem. The nation’s government is blamed for not taking measures to control smog pollution
and improve the air quality. There will be no effect of any of government’s action plans till there
is an individual effort put in to control this issue. If the people on this planet do not do anything to
stop smog pollution we are going to have a BIG problem and it will hurt us in the future. We need
a plan and we need to put a stop to smog pollution. The American Lung Association (ALA) has
been trying to find ways to help stop and prevent smog pollution from hurting us and the
environment. If we can just do our part and find a way to prevent this problem from getting any
bigger, it will benefit us all. It includes something as small as taking public transport, drive less
whenever possible or using electricity and gas efficiently. This tiny bit of effort can help
controlling air pollution in the long run. There needs to be a shift towards greener sources of energy
to achieve sustainable development and have a good life quality.

The Earth is changing for the worse, and it's the fault of the human race. Now it's a race against
time to try to purify our planet before it is destroyed.
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