Introduction To Public Health

Lecture 8

Magda Khutsishvili, Pharm B, MPH

Lecturer in the University of Georgia
School of Health Sciences
magda.khutsishvili@ug.edu.ge
• Theme: clean air and clean water
• Reading Materials: Introduction to Public Health 5th Edition by Mary-
Jane Schneider (Author) chapters:21,22. pages:333-349, 349-367
 Clean air act of 1970
• The effects of air pollution were not so
dramatic, for most cities, but air quality was
noticeably deteriorating in the United States
during the 1950s and 1960s, due to
automobiles.
• The irritating effects of air pollution were
especially harmful to the health of children
and people with heart and lung diseases.
• The federal government began attacking the
problem in the mid-1960s
• The Clean Air Act of 1970 established:
1. Strict air quality standards
2. Set limits on several major pollutants
3. Mandated reduction of automobile and
factory emissions.
 Outdoor Air Pollutants
• The Clean Air Act requires:
monitoring and regulation of six
common air pollutants, called
criteria air pollutants:
1. Particulates
2. Sulfur dioxide
3. Carbon monoxide
4. Nitrogen oxides
5. Ozone
6. Lead
 Particulate Matter
• Particulate matter is the most visible form of air
pollution:
• Smoke
• Soot
• Ash
Particulate matter:
• Reduces visibility
• Forms layers of grime on buildings and streets,
• Corrodes metals

Early air pollution regulation focused on limiting

total particulate matter.
The smallest particles are the most dangerous
 Sulfur Dioxide
• Sulfur dioxide is produced by combustion of sulfur-containing fuels, especially coal.
• It irritates the respiratory tract and is a precursor to acid rain, a major threat to the
environment.
• Sulfur dioxide reacts with water vapor to form sulfuric acid.
• it also tends to stick to fine particulates in the air, both mechanisms that increase this
pollutant’s potential for causing respiratory damage.
 Carbon Monoxide
• Carbon monoxide is a highly toxic gas, most of which is produced in motor vehicle exhaust.
• It interferes with the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood and is therefore especially harmful
to patients with cardiovascular disease, who are more likely to suffer heart attacks.
• Carbon monoxide also affects the brain, causing headaches and impairing mental processes.
 Nitrogen Oxide
• Nitrogen oxides are the chemicals responsible for the yellowish-brown appearance of
smog.
• They are respiratory irritants that contribute to acid rain and contribute to the formation
of ozone.
• The main sources of nitrogen oxides are on-road motor vehicle exhaust, off-road
equipment, and power plant emissions
 Ozone
• Ozone is a highly reactive variant of oxygen,
which is produced by photochemical reactions
in which sunlight acts on other air pollutants
including nitrogen oxides.
• It is very irritating to the eyes and to the
respiratory system and chronic exposure can
cause permanent damage to the lungs.
• Ozone is an important protective component
of the upper atmosphere
• Ozone levels tend to be high in many urban
areas, many rural and wilderness areas may
also be affected, because the wind carries the
pollutants hundreds of miles from their original
source.
 Indoor Air Pollution
• Most people spend more time indoors than outdoors and concentrations of many pollutants
trapped inside a building may exceed those outdoors, except the most polluted cities.
• In the extreme, the lack of sufficient ventilation may lead to “sick building syndrome,” in
which building occupants develop an array of symptoms that disappear when they go
outdoors.
 Indoor Air Pollutants
• The most common indoor air
pollutants are:
1. Tobacco smoke
2. Radon gas
3. Products that release chemicals
into the air, including:
pesticides, dry-cleaning
solvents, paints and paint
thinners, carpet glues, hair
spray and air fresheners.
4. Biological pollutants, including:
bacteria, mold, dust mites and
animal dander.
 Tobacco smoke Indoors
• In the homes of smokers, tobacco smoke may be the most significant air pollutant, which
increases levels of carbon monoxide and is a source of benzene, which is toxic and
carcinogenic.
 Radon Gas Indoors
• Radon is a radioactive gas emitted
by the decay of radium and
uranium.
• Radon is a major health threat to
uranium miners, who have a high
risk of developing lung cancer.
• Radon enters homes by seeping up
from the soil and rock through dirt
floors, crawl spaces, cracks in
cement floors and walls, and
through holes and floor drains.
• It may dissolve in well water and
be released into the air during
showers or baths.
 Acid Rain
• Acid rain is produced when two air
pollutants—sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
dioxide—react with water to form
sulfuric acid and nitric acid.
• Acid rain damages forests and reduces
crop yields.
• It turns the water in lakes and rivers
acidic, killing freshwater shrimp, wiping
out bacteria on lake bottoms and
interfering with fish reproduction.
• Because metals, such as aluminum, lead,
copper and mercury, are soluble in acid,
the increasing acidity of water may lead
to toxic levels of metals in drinking water
supplies.
 The clean water act
• The Clean Water Act specifies that lakes and
rivers should be fishable and swimmable.
• It imposes controls on:
1. Point-source pollution, mainly discharges
from municipal sewage systems and from
industry. Laws set requirements for treating
wastewater before it can be discharged.
2. Nonpoint-source pollution, which is washed
into waterways from the air and the land.
Laws set requirements for treating
wastewater, before it can be discharged.
Nonpoint-source pollution is more difficult
to control.
 The safe drinking water act
• The Safe Drinking Water Act requires the EPA to set standards for local drinking water
systems and requires states to enforce the standards.
• Legislation requires that community water systems provide annual reports to their
customers on water contaminants, in hopes that public pressure will force better
compliance with the standards.
 Chlorine
• Chlorine is the most common disinfectant used to kill microbes in the water and also
itself cause harmful health effects, causing dry, itchy, and irritated skin. This drying
effect may even be a contributing factor to premature aging
 Water Shortage
• In many parts of the world, the supply of fresh water is inadequate for the demands of
the local population.
• Poor water is limited resource and it is an acute problem for public health
Thank You For Your Attention!