Air Quality and Health

 Air is a basic requirement for life.

 No element of the natural environment is more essential to

life than air , and no environment task more critical than
keeping it clean.

 The atmosphere in which we live has physical

characteristics, mainly related to atmosphere, humidity,
pressure, and light.

 The physical quality is important for our comfort and well

being. Changes in physical quality beyond tolerable levels
result in specific health problems .
 At the surface of the globe the air composition is:
nitrogen 76%, oxygen 23%, with traces of other
gases ( argon 1%, carbon dioxide 0.03%, plus a
variety of other gases in lesser amounts ) and
variable amounts of water vapor depending on the
relative humidity.
 What is Pollution?
 Refers to the introduction of substances
into the environment that results in
unpleasant or damaging effects on
people, animals, plants and buildings.
 Pollution: A Silent Killer
 People are exposed to harmful Pollutants in the air they
breathe, the liquids they drink, the food they eat, the
surface they touch, and the products they use.
 When the environment can not process the load of
pollutants, pollution takes place.
 Every environmental system has a carrying capacity.
 What is Air Pollution?
 Occurs when substances such as dust, smoke
or harmful gases are released into the
environment.
 Definitions of Air Pollution
 Air pollution refers to the presence of suspended
particulate matter and vapors (in various degrees that
arise from natural and anthropogenic sources) in
concentrations that interfere with comfort, safety, or
health, in a way that may induce hazards.

 Concentration of foreign matter in the air which

adversely affect the health and welfare of the people or
their enjoyment.

The most severe pollution is the chemical pollution.

 Components of Air Pollution

 The term "criteria air pollutants" is used to

describe a group of common air pollutants
regulated by the environmental protection
agency (EPA)on the basis of information on
their health and/or environmental effects.
 Criteria Air Pollutants
 Criteria air pollutants are widely
distributed and include; ozone, nitrogen
dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
particulate matter, and lead as well as
volatile organic compounds and smog.
 Primary vs. Secondary Pollutants
 Primary- put directly into
air from polluting source.

 Secondary- when primary

combines with other
substances in air and
creates something more
hazardous (acid rain,
smog)

 Sun often provides energy.

 Criteria Air Pollutants and Their Effect on Health
Name of Air Sources Health Effects
pollutant

Ozone (o3) Chemical reactions as •Breathing impairment

product of combustion
of fossil fuel e.g. gasoline •Exacerbation of allergic
respiratory diseases

•Reduced ability to fight

off colds

•Eye irritation
 Name of Air Sources Health Effects
Pollutant

Nitrogen dioxide Burning fuels e.g. Damage to the lungs

(NO2) gasoline, coal and and respiratory
Nitrogen Oxides natural gas and diesel oil system
(NOX)

Carbon Monoxide Incomplete burning of •Reduction in the

(CO) carbon based fuel e.g. oxygen carrying
gasoline, oil, wood capacity of the blood
•Aggravates CHD and
respiratory diseases
 Name of Air Sources Health Effects
Pollutant
Particulate Include dust, soot and other •ENT irritation
matter finely divided solid and
(PM10) liquid materials. •Respiratory
irritation, bronchitis
(PM25 Produced by burning of
diesel fuel, incineration of •Lung damage
garbage, mixing and
application of fertilizers and
pesticides.

Sulfur dioxide Burning sulfur contaminants Asthma, bronchitis

(SO2) in fuel, coal & some
industrial processes e.g.
paper production
 Name of Air Sources Health effects
Pollutant

Lead (Pb) Leaded gasoline, paint, •Brain / CNS damage

batteries especially in children

•Digestive problems

Volatile organic Burning fuels, solvents, •Irritation of

compounds (VOC) paints, glues respiratory system

•Eye irritation

•Possible carcinogen
 Classification of Air Pollution
 Outdoor air pollution : can originate from
a mixture of pollutants. The most prevalent sources
include traffic and industry.

 Indoor air pollution :can arise from a number of

sources e.g. tobacco smoking, combustion
emissions and emissions from indoor material as
VOC, lead, radon, asbestos, as well as biologic
sources such as pollens, mites, moulds, pet
allergens and insects.
 Outdoor Air Pollution
 The major chemical pollutants identified to be
important for monitoring air quality and outdoor air
pollution include: carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
nitrogen oxides, particulate, hydrocarbons,
photochemical oxidants, lead, and ozone.

 Outdoor air pollution has resulted in a number of

problems including global warming and ozone
depletion.

 The air pollution carries real hazards to a large number

of the population.
 Sources of Outdoor Air pollution
 Dust and sand from nearly hills and land or from
traffic agitation dust from unpaved or poorly paved
roads.

 Emission from power plants which are important

sources of pollution by sulfur dioxide, nitrogen
oxides and particulate.

 Industry : in addition to industrial wastes, industry

consumes petroleum and electricity.
 Inefficient burning of fuel results in smoke, in
addition to carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide
and nitrogen oxides.

 Motor vehicles, specially the gasoline driven

and the old cars.

 Garbage incineration and burning.

 Monitoring Air Quality
 Air is monitored through a national air
monitoring network.

 Routine measurements are taken for smoke,

total suspended particulate matter (TSPM)
and sulfur dioxide.

 There is a need to include lead in the

routine monitoring.
 Health Hazards of Outdoor Air
Pollution
 The health hazards depend on the type, size
of the particle, concentration, and period of
exposure.

 The effects can be classified as symptoms,

impaired pulmonary function, respiratory
disease, and mortality.
 Air pollution result in:
Immediate or short term effects:
 Acute symptoms include eye irritation, respiratory
irritation of nasal congestion and air tightness,
increased respiratory infections e.g. bronchitis and
pneumonia.

 Other symptoms include headache, fatigue, nausea

and allergic reaction.

 Short-term air pollution can aggravate medical

condition e.g. asthma.
Long term effects include:
 Respiratory morbidities include chronic
bronchitis, emphysema, asthma and fibrosis.

 Carcinogenic effects

 Abortion and reproductive hazards e.g. congenital

anomalies

 Psycho-somatic diseases, depression

 Other non-communicable diseases

 Environmental effects of air pollution include:

 Global warming

 Ozone depletion
 Global Warming
 The phenomenon of global climate change is
one of the most prominent features that has
recently been recognized as an unfamiliar
hazards to human health.

 Is refers to the gradual steady increase in the

average temperature of the earth's surface
over the past 100 years.
 It is due to continuing build up of green house gases
(GHG'S) in the atmosphere.

 These gases include; carbon dioxide, methane,

nitrogen oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons(CFC).

 These gases enhance the troposhere's heat- trapping

capacity by allowing incoming solar radiation,
which heats the earth, to pass but traps some heat
that is being radiated back to space from earth
forming the greenhouse effect.
 Although predicted changes are minor, the
consequences of global warming are dramatic.

 Both ambient temperatures and rainfall are

expected to increase with increased
frequencies of "heat waves" and decreased
winter cold spells.
 This would result in alteration of the
geographical range and incidence of vector-
born disease, especially malaria, as well as
the transmission of other infectious diseases
sensitive to climate or weather conditions.
 According to the WHO, malaria is highly likely to
spread into new areas away from the tropics due to
global warming.

 A 3 degrees increase in the Earth's mean

temperature would increase the number of new
cases of malaria per year by 50 million to 80 million.

 Similarly, the spread of schistosomiasis, filariasis,

African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), and
yellow fever are very likely.
 Recent estimates of climate change upon agriculture
indicate that yields of cereal grains would increase
in some areas but decrease in others.

 This would lead to increasing the number of people

at risk of hunger to 80 – 100 million by the year
2080.

 Air pollution and global warming can be reduced

through the use of more efficient energy
technologies, by limiting population growth, and by
conserving energy.
 Ozone Depletion
 The ozone molecule is formed by three oxygen
atoms(O3).

 It is found at an altitude of 20- 25 Km in the

stratosphere.

 Although the amount of ozone is small, its presence

in the stratosphere is vital to life on earth.

 It provides a protective screen which keeps out

most of the sun's harmful ultra- violet radiation.
 Tropospheric ozone is different from
stratospheric ozone.

 Tropospheric ozone occurs because of fuel

combustion, and contributes to smog and
poor air quality.

 This ozone can cause respiratory and other

health problems.
 The "good" ozone is in the stratosphere.

 Ozone molecules are constantly formed and

destroy in the stratosphere.

 The total amount, however, was relatively

stable.
 Recently, it has been shown that the ozone
shield is being depleted.

 The area where ozone is spread very sparsely

is called an "ozone hole".

 Therefore, it is more accurate to use the

term "ozone depletion".
 Chlorofluorocarbons(CFC) are accused for
being responsible for such depletion.

 Several international agreements (Vienna

convention 1985 & montreal protocol 1996)
have addressed the phasing out of CFC (to
which 160 countries has signed).
 Effects of Ozone Depletion
 Continued depletion of ozone layer will result in
an increase in exposure to UV radiation which
would increase the occurrence of skin cancers, and
other skin problems, cataract, and immune system
suppression.

 Agriculture will also be affected, reducing crop

yields.

 UV radiation can also penetrate clear water

disrupting the marine food chain.
 Temperature Inversion
 Solar radiation caused the earth's surface to
become heated, and warms the air nearer to it.

 The usual temperature gradient(hot air below

and cool air above) allows convection of warm
air from the earth's surface into the upper
atmosphere, thus removing pollutants from
the breathing zone of people.
 A temperature inversion is the reverse of the
usual situation.

 The term temperature inversion refers to an

atmospheric condition during which warm
layers of air stands above a layer of cool air
that is closer to the surface of the earth.
 During a temperature inversion, pollutants
can build up when they are trapped close to
the earth's surface.

 Continuous release of pollutants, from

motor vehicles and other sources (burning
rice field), during an inversion period
exacerbates air pollution and lead to the
"black smog or cloud".