'' AIR POLLUTION AND HEALTH ''

Health impacts of various pollutants that are now common in most industrial Towns and Metropolitan cities. Air pollution affect the different parts of our body respiratory system and result respiratory diseases. Various kind of pollutants generated from the many industry get mixed in the air. Rough breathing in such an environment are exposed to very potential risk to our health. Million of people die annually due to Occupational diseases in the world. Stress is still another sense arising out of the Surrounding our Environment. It contributes towards Many Chronic health problems. Among the Environmental hazards the most Dangerous is Radiation. People all over the world are in fear of man-made Radiation, Which may arise from Nuclear Power Plants and Nuclear Weapons.

Nowadays many different types pollution is a growing threat to health Throughout The world. It was contemplate a great threat after the severe terrible Incidence of epidemics of Asthma in USA and JAPAN in 1955 and death About 4,000 People In UK-LONDON in-1952. BHOPAL-INDIA, GAS TRAGEDY alerted the country to the very dangers of air pollution. we have already Read about some of the Consequences of this tragedy in Block one Unit of This course and No amount Of money in Compensation from union Carbide reverse the ill impacts on the health of affected people.

Air pollution reduces the quality of air we breath the availability of Oxygen. Apart from, we are forced to breathe in materials that are harmful to our lungs. We often many experience that exposure to smoke or fine dust immediately causes of irritation to Eyes, Nose, Throat etc. While other pollutants may cause Watering of Eyes, Burning in and Blocking of nose, Sneezing and Headache. This may be followed by Irritation in throat , Change in voice , Dry cough and So on. Some gases on very deeper Penetration cause Irritable Cough and difficulty in breathing , increased rate of respiration system and other severe problems that may be fatal. These are the acute effects which are immediately manifested after Exposure to pollutants. Long exposure may result in diseases like as- '' Emphysema, Bronchitis, Chronic Cough and Asthma ''.

Smoggy polluted air also contributes to serious health problems such as '' ALLERGIES and HEART '' diseases. One of the components of fumes is Carbon monoxide which on breathing obtrusive with the binding of oxygen to haemoglobin in red blood cells. Generally people may have been experienced an after headache when stay in a traffic jam or travelling on a busy road for a long time. This is due to the increase in the levels of carbon monoxide in heavily congested traffic. The levels may be increased indoors due to Cigarette Smoking. That is why smoking is harmful also to the people around the Smoker because '' The second hand smoke '' is inhaled by them. We are well known with many other air pollutants such as- Oxides of Nitrogen, Lead, Hydrocarbons, Particulate matter produced by Automobile exhaust and Sulphur dioxide produced on burning of coal or oil containing Sulphur. Many Health effects of these pollutants such as-

1. OXIDES OF SULPHUR :

Highly reactive gases cause can affect COUGH, CHOKING, IRRITATION TO MUCOS, LINING OF LUNGS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, TISSUE FLUID ACCUMULATION, CHRONIC BRONCHITIS, PULMONARY FIBROSIS, ACUTE , CHRONIC ASTHMA and EMPHYSEMA.

2. OXIDES OF NITROGEN :

Cause infuriation TO EYES, REDUCE THE OXYGEN CARRYING CAPACITY OF BLOOD, DIMINISH PULMONARY FUNCTION and EDAMA OF RESPIRATORY TRACT.

3. CARBON MONOXIDE :

ASPHYXIATION, HEART and BRAIN DAMAGE, IMPAIRED PERCEPTION, INCREASED RESISTANCE TO BLOOD FLOW, WEAKNESS, FATIGUE and HEADACHE.

4. PHOTOCHEMICAL OXIDANTS :

SORE EYES, COUGHING and SORENESS IN CHEST, DECREASED PULMONARY FUNCTION, EMPHYSEMA, FIBROSIS, AGING OF LUNGS, RESPIRATORY TISSUE and RIGHT HEART FAILURE

5. BENZOPYRENE : DEATH DUE TO CANCER

6. TOBACCO SMOKE : CAUSES CANCER

7. PARTICULATE MATTER :

The effect depends upon the nature and size of particulate matter. Cause Irritation, Alter Immune defense, Decrease in Pulmonary function, Stress on Heart and affect Lungs.

DEFENCES AGAINST POLLUTANTS :

The respiratory tract is all along equipped with a built-in defense mechanism Which guards against particulate and gaseous pollutants, These are-

* NASAL HAIR and NASAL PASSAGE

*Mucous membrane lining the respiratory tract

* Reduced hair lining the upper and lower portions of our body respiratory tract

* The engulfing cells in the alveoli. Lower respiratory tract is important for Respiratory functions and is safeguarded by the upper respiratory tract.

BODY'S RESPONSE TO POLLUTANTS :

When a toxic gas enters the nose it crosses these Barriers before it finally settles in the lung, While passing through, It may Irritate, Inflame or Damage the area of contact. At first is obstructed in our Nose by Nasal hair then which function like an air filter used in cars, Air- Conditioners, Furnaces etc. These particles are later blown out from the nose Or are consumed. If a hurtful gas is breathed in, it may be absorbed very quickly by our nasal passage so as to prevent the entry further down to more delicate And important parts like Bronchioles. In dangerous attacks the mucous in our respiratory tract helps to wash away the irritants. Running Nose, Cough and Sneezes, blown out sputum and even tears from eyes are thrive up to expel the irritant. In addition the cilia lining the respiratory tract work to carry Mucous and trapped particles up and out of the respiratory tract. These are Eventually expelled or Swallowed. Finally, If the conqueror succeeds in reaching The bronchioles or alveoli, then the engulfing cells digest it or push it back to The respiratory tract. Engulfing cells can kill bacteria only. But the particulate Insoluble matter like- Dust, Carbon, Asbestos is deposited in the lungs, Whereas the soluble matter like metal fumes enter the blood and is carried to Other sites, where it may accumulate. In either case, the pollutants many damage or kill many cells.

CONSEQUENCES :

The suddenly death of cells in a short period leads to secondary impacts. The Dead cells release is very harmful substances that cause blood capillaries to expand And Water to come out of the capillaries. The water accumulates in the Nearby tissues, making them swollen. If it accumulates in bronchioles or Alveoli, the rate of gas exchange by lungs reduces. Lesser amount of oxygen reaches the lungs for delivery to the body. If the heart is affected because it has to work harder to cope with our oxygen stress. It Must be pointed out that decrease in exchanges of air by lungs or any Obstruction in exhaling or Inhaling of air results in respiratory diseases.

However, The all parts of the respiratory system work hard to eliminate a Pollutants, Long-term exposure or excess give rise to acute and Chronic Irritation, Inflammation, excessive mucous production and impairment of Lung function. The symptoms of manifest themselves in many diseases such as Bronchospasm, Chronic bronchitis, Aggravated Asthma, Emphysema and the pneumoconiosis.

1. BRONCHOSPASM :

When the muscles of bronchioles are inflammed due to excessive irritation By pollutants, Bronchioles get obstructed, Hence the expulsion of air from the lungs is obstructed. This condition is called Bronchosopasm.

2. CHRONIC BRONCHITIS :

This is due to the inflammation and edema of the lining of bronchi. The symptoms are increased mucous production and chronic Coughing. In severe cases small bronchioles are destroyed. Chronic bronchitis can lead to Emphysema.

3. EMPHYSEMA :

The walls of alveoli is breakdown and individually alveoli join together into a larger Sacs. This decreased the total surface area is available for the exchange of gases in the lungs.

4. PULMONARY FIBROSIS :

Since dust cannot be eliminated by the macrophages in alveoli, it tends to Stay in place over many years and some fibrous tissue is deposited around it. This is termed as fibrosis which decreases the function of the lungs.

5. CHRONIC and AGGRAVATED ASTHMA :

Asthma is an allergic condition is usually triggered by our foreign substances and Some emotional overlay and caused by Bronchospasm. So the air is literally trapped in the lungs because It can't be expelled. Pollutants particulate matter such as- Flour, Coal, Talc, Asbestos dust , Aggravate Asthma. They eventually lead to a Chronic Condition.

DISEASES CAUSES

SILICOSIS SILICON

BYSSINOSIS- BROWN LUNG COTTON FIBRE, FLAX, HEMP

BAGASSOSIS SUGARCANE FIBRE

ASBESTOSIS ASBESTOS FIBRE

ANTHROCOSIS- BLACK LUNG COAL DUST

TALCOSIS TALC

If dust stays in the respiratory system for many years , fibrosis of tissue results which decreases the function of lungs. This in turn puts stress on the Heart. In its advanced stage, the patient suffers breathlessness all the time and eventually dies, such effects depend on -

* CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF DUST

* FINESS OR DUST PARTICLE SIZE

* CONCENTATION OF DUST IN THE AIR

* PERIOD OF EXPOSURE

* HEALTH STATUS OF THE PERSON EXPOSED

So, we can conclude that health effects of air pollution are very severe and prolonged exposure to toxic pollutant may be fatal. Diseases like- Chronic Bronchitis, Bronchospasm, Chronic Cough, Emphysema, Aggravated- Asthma, Pulmonary fibrosis, Lung Cancer etc. Cause a lot of misery as long As the person lives and he is relived only after death.