Sunil Seth
Air can be contaminated by a range of very different particles such as Dust, Pollen, Soot, Smoke and Liquid Droplets. The sum of all solid and liquid particles suspended in air, many of which are hazardous, can be termed as ‘Particulate Matter’, and can be categorized in many different sizes ranging from 2.5 to 10 micron or (coarse); < 2.5 micron(fine) and less than 0.1 micron(ultrafine).Most of the total mass of airborne particulate matter is usually made up of fine particles ranging from 0.1 to 25 micron. ‘Airborne Particulate’ matter represents a complete mixture of ‘Organic and Inorganic’ substances .Particulate Matter vary in ‘Composition and Origin’ also. Many of them can harm our ‘Health’, especially very small particles that can enter into the ‘Lungs’. Why is it important to know the shape and size of the particulate? More important is the ‘Aerodynamic’ properties of the particles ,as it determines how they are transported in air and how they can be removed from it. These properties also govern how far they get into the air passage of the ‘Respiratory System’. They provide the information on the chemical composition and the source of the particles also. Mass and composition in urban environment tend to be divided into two principal groups ‘Coarse and Fine’ particles .The larger particles usually contain ‘Earth Crust’ materials and fugitive dust from roads and industries. The smaller particles contain the secondarily formed AEROSOL (gas to particle conversion) combustion particles and re condensed organic and metal vapors. The fine fraction contains most of the acidity (Hydrogen ion) and ‘Mutagenic’ activity of particulate matter, although in fog some coarse acid droplets are also present. Ultra fine particles often contribute only a few percent to the mass, at the same time contributing to over 90% of the numbers. These properties are usually summarized by the “Aerodynamic diameter”, that is ,the size of a unit-density sphere with the same ‘Aerodynamic Characteristics’. These properties govern the transport and removal of particle from the air; their deposition within the respiratory system and are also associated with the chemical composition and source of particles. ‘Coarse’ particles are formed by the mechanical breakup of larger solid particles; ‘Fine’ particles are largely formed from gases and ‘Ultrafine’ particles up to 0.1 micron are formed by nucleation which being the initial stage in which the gas becomes a particle. These particles can grow up to a size of 1 micron either through condensation, when additional gas condenses on the particles or through coagulation, when two or more particles combine to form a larger particle. Particles produced by the intermediate reaction of gases in the atmosphere are called secondary particles. In context to ‘Human Beings’, particulate matter is categorized as ‘Inhalable Particles’, which pass into the upper airways i.e. ‘Nose & Mouth’ and ‘Thoracic Particles’, which deposit within the ‘Lower Respiratory Tract’ and ‘ Respirable Particles’, which penetrate into the gas exchange region of the lungs.
How does particulate matter affect human health:
‘Epidemiological and Toxicological’ studies on large populations have been unable to identify a threshold concentration below which ‘Ambient Particulate Matter’ has no effect on the health. It is likely that within any large human population, there is such a wide range in susceptibility that some subjects are at risk even at the lowest end of the concentration range. The ‘Threshold Concentration’ determines whether a threshold is seen at the level at which it can occur. ‘Exposure Response Curves’ depend on the age and gender of the subject; their health status; their level of exercise (Ventilation) and especially the health effect selected. For highly uniform population groups with a specific exposure pattern, a full range of concentrations and a specific health outcome, one could identify a specific ‘Threshold’. However, when there are different ‘Exposure Response Curves’ for different groups, threshold are harder to discern in ‘Population Studies’ and many ultimately disappear. In fact, it is very difficult to identify a ‘Threshold Concentration’ below which ‘Ambient Particulate Matter” has no effect on “Mortality & Morbidity”
How can we ensure that the planet does not degrade further?
Pollution has a significant impact on ‘Human Health’, the ‘Environment’ and even on how some of the ‘Earth’s System’ such as the ‘Climate’ is functioning. It is affecting our health through the ‘Food’ we eat, the ‘Water’ we drink and the ‘Air’ we breathe in . Approximately, 19 million premature deaths are estimated to occur annually, as a result of the way, we use natural resources to support global ‘Production and Consumption’, which impact the environment. Nine out of the ten people in the world are breathing air that is polluted beyond the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Pollution is not a new phenomenon; it is largely controllable and often avoidable, but still considerably neglected. Responses by the ‘Governments, Business & Citizen’ to pollution exist, but they remain limited in scope and scale. Meanwhile, the better knowledge of alternative ‘Production and Consumption’ models, as well as ‘Innovative Technological’ solutions, mean that many ‘Countries, cities and Businesses’, are already successfully tackling a series of serious pollution issues. ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ of the United Nations, provide an opportunity to accelerate the implementation of targeted and time bound actions on pollution, which has been hitherto limited and inadequate. Encouragingly also, more Governments, Industries and Citizens are moving towards ‘Sustainable Materials Management; Greater Resource Efficiency; Less Environmentally Damaging Chemicals; Clean Technologies and Circular Economies, as part of a more ‘Comprehensive Transformation’ towards a Sustainable Development damaging least of the ‘Environment’.
What action can be taken to make the world truly pollution free Solutions to help remove the ‘Pollutants’ and ‘Detoxify’ our environment, exists around us only. These need to be expanded, shared and scaled up in order to avoid risking further exposure of ‘Humans and Ecosystems,’ to current and future pollutions as well as ‘Increasing the Costs of Clean Up’. Improved ‘Risk Assessment’ of new pollution sources is also urgently needed. The ‘Implementation Gaps’, particularly due to ‘Lack of Resources and Inadequate Administrative, Financial, Institutional and Technical’ support, needs to be ‘Indentified and Plugged;. Above all, the absence of ‘Inter Ministerial Coordination and Political Will’, are the key reasons for ‘Why the Action does not Happen.’
‘Prevention’ than the ‘Contribution’ are to be given priority and for that each individual has to have an insight into the ‘Consumption Pattern of the Resources he is using.
‘Production Pattern’ has to be with an impetus on the ‘Sustainable Way’, with ‘Waste Reduction’ and ‘Reuse’ to be given the top priority.
‘Investment’ has to be enhanced in ‘Cleaner Production Technologies, with increased funding for ‘Pollution Monitoring Infrastructure Management Control’.’Multi Stake Holder Partnerships and ‘Collaborations’ are invited for the ‘Innovation, Knowledge Sharing and Trans disciplinary Research’ needed to develop ‘Technological and Ecosystem’ based solutions.
Above all, the ‘Environmental Governance’, needs to be strengthened at all levels as we as individuals , have different attitudes towards the response to the same problem, primarily ‘Production’ and ‘Consumption’, varying in the ‘Developed and Developing’ world.
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