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Studies show that some fruits can protect us from the dreadful <keyword id="3387733" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="effects-of-air-pollution">effects of air pollution</keyword>. These studies also reveal us that the antioxidants contained in some fruits can significantly reduce the harmful impact of <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword> in most people. Here are the recommendations of some top studies related to this topic. List of five fruits that will help you fight the effects of air <keyword id="13001" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="pollution">pollution</keyword> The list of five fruits recommended by some studies to fight the <keyword id="583574" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="harmful-effects">harmful effects</keyword> of air pollution include pink grapefruit, watermelon, tomatoes, citrus fruits like lemons and oranges, and avocados. Fruits and phytochemicals Phytochemicals are a large group of compounds that plants produce and store in some fruits and vegetables. Substances like antioxidants, flavonoids, phytonutrients, and other types of phytochemicals can have a profound effect on our immune system and also strengthen our muscular, circulatory and other systems in the body. For example, lycopene, the phytochemical seen in fruits like pink grapes, tomatoes, red pepper and watermelon can significantly improve lung health and heart health. Though there are around 4,000 phytochemicals, the effects of only a few have been studied well so far. Antioxidants and air pollution Antioxidants found in fruits can help save the cells from the dreadful effects of free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that are produced when substances like air particles, smoke, some foods and tobacco particles are broken down in the body. These free radicals bombard the body cells causing them severe damage. Hence it is very essential to keep the antioxidants level in the body as high as possible to fight these invaders. Studies suggest that free radicals might be causing heart diseases, pulmonary disorders, cancers and others. How these five fruits can help you fight air pollution? Pink grapefruit, watermelon, tomatoes, citrus fruits like lemons and oranges, and avocados have high levels of antioxidants and phytochemicals in them. Hence as per the studies conducted in the areas of fighting air pollution, these fruits have been recommended to be more beneficial to health than ever before, especially when we are confronting the severe effects of air pollution. Yet another study conducted recently suggests that those patients suffering from COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder) and other kinds of respiratory problems can benefit a lot by eating these fruits. Recommendations by new studies A new study involving people with COPD and asthma tell us that those diagnosed with lower levels of some antioxidants especially vitamin C in their blood are more susceptible to damage due to harmful air pollutant particles. Combustion of fossil fuels and the smoke produced from traffic pump a lot of particulate matter into the air. Especially at a time when the concentration of these pollutants is high in the air around us, people with COPD and asthma are most likely to suffer alarming complications demanding hospitalization. The easy way to combat this condition is to consume the fruits recommended in this discussion that are rich in phytochemicals and anti-oxidants.

These five fruits will help you reduce the harmful effects of air pollution

People exposed to higher levels of <keyword id="55910" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="Orion">air pollution</keyword> before the pandemic are likely to have lower antibody responses to Covid-19 vaccines, suggests a study. In particular, exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and blank carbon (BC) was associated with about a 10 per cent decrease in IgM and IgG antibody responses in people without prior infection, said researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), and the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) in Spain. The fact that previous infections lead to higher vaccine responses could explain why the effect of pollutants was only observed in people without a prior infection. However, the role of long-term exposure to air pollution on hybrid immunity (infection plus vaccination) deserves further investigation, the researchers warned, in the study published in Environmental Health Perspectives. "Air pollution can induce chronic inflammation, which has been associated with a negative effect on vaccine efficacy," said Carlota Dobano, researcher from ISGlobal. "Our findings are consistent with evidence that persistent organic pollutants reduce vaccine responses in children," she added. Air pollutants have been shown to affect immune responses. Previously it has been linked to adverse health outcomes, including lung cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and diabetes. The team analysed data from 927 participants (aged 40 to 65 years), who answered questionnaires and gave blood samples in the summer of 2020 (right after the first lockdown) and in 2021 (after the start of Covid-19 vaccination). All had received one or two doses of the main Covid-19 vaccines administered in Spain (made by AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna). The research team measured IgM, IgG and IgA antibodies to five viral antigens (three of them on the Spike protein contained in the vaccine). Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) was estimated for each participant based on his or her address before the pandemic. The results show that in uninfected individuals, pre-pandemic exposure to PM2.5, NO2 and BC was associated with a 5 per cent to 10 per cent reduction in vaccine-induced Spike antibodies. The decrease in antibodies was shown both for early IgM responses and late responses measured by IgG. The IgG response after the first dose peaked later in participants exposed to higher air pollution levels, and lower IgG levels persisted for several months after vaccination. Results were similar for the three vaccines. The study did not look at whether the reduction in antibody responses led to an increased risk of breakthrough infections and their severity. However, the findings add to the growing body of evidence on the adverse effects of air pollution even at the relatively low levels observed in Western Europe, the researchers said, while calling for stricter air pollution limits. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ipl-2023-to-drive-fantasy-sports-companies-to-2900-3100-crore-revenue/articleshow/99285556.cms">IPL 2023 to drive fantasy sports companies to ₹2,900-3,100 crore revenue, fueled by Tier-2 cities and exciting prizes</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-makes-it-easier-for-users-to-delete-their-account-and-data-from-applications/articleshow/99289621.cms">Google makes it easier for users to delete their account and data from applications</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/9-out-10-tvs-sold-in-india-in-2022-were-smart-tvs-and-nearly-all-of-these-tvs-are-assembled-locally/articleshow/99262205.cms">9 out 10 TVs sold in India in 2022 were smart TVs, and nearly all of these TVs are assembled locally</a>

Air pollution can affect your Covid vaccine efficacy: Study

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">VCG/VCG via Getty ImagesCyclists wearing masks ride along a road in heavy smog on December 23, 2015 in Zhengzhou, China. According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China, more than 50 cities, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Guangzhou, were affected by severe air pollution on Wednesday.</div></div></div><ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/air-pollution">Air pollution</a> isn't just bad for health, it also harms the brain and is linked to worse math and verbal test scores, according to a new study.</li><li>We already knew pollution made kids score worse on tests, but this new study shows the effect getting stronger throughout life.</li><li>If <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/china">cities in China</a>, where the study was conducted, met US EPA air quality regulations, residents would likely score significantly higher on math and verbal tests.</li><li>By not talking about effects on cognition, we may be ignoring some of the negative effects of air pollution.</li></ul> In polluted cities and towns around the world, it gets harder and harder to breathe.Cars fill streets with exhaust and tiny particles. Smoke from factories and power plants fills the skies. On some days, sunny summer days especially, particles get <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-atmospheric-carbon-dioxide-affects-health-2018-5">converted into dangerous ozone</a>.All this air pollution - smog, soot, and ozone - does more than choke the lungs of everyone breathing it in. It's also taxing and harming their brains.According to a <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/08/21/1809474115">study newly published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, chronic exposure to air pollution appears to cause detrimental effects on cognition that get worse throughout life, potentially increasing risk factors for degenerative diseases like <a href="http://businessinsider.com/category/alzheimers">dementia and Alzheimer's</a>.We already knew that being exposed to bad air cuts lives short and is bad for kids, harming their developing bodies and brains, according to the study's authors. But the new study shows for the first time that the effect doesn't stop, but instead gets worse as people age, with an especially strong effect on less-educated men.As the study authors note, this could be making dealing with end-of-life brain illnesses even more expensive, and could ultimately make care for the elderly more complex for society.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Kevin Frayer/Getty ImagesSmog in Beijing.</div></div></div><h2>Bad air throughout life</h2>For this latest study, the research team examined data from a national survey that was conducted in 162 random counties throughout China between 2010 and 2014, and compared these results with official air quality data.By using multiple years of data, the researchers were able to see how particularly polluted times affected verbal and math test scores (Hot summer days tend to have particularly bad pollution, for example). They were also able to see how living in a polluted area changed test scores over time. This cumulative effect was significant.All in all, the study authors found that air pollution takes a bigger toll on verbal test scores than on math scores, though it has an effect on both. There's also a bigger effect on men than on women. The authors attribute this to the fact that air pollution tends to have a stronger effect on areas of brain that are relied on in verbal tests, which the authors wrote tend to be better-developed in women in the first place.Overall, if residents of these cities in China lived in places that met US EPA standards for air pollution, the authors estimate that it would significantly improve their test scores. To show how much better people might do, the authors explain that these improvements would be significant enough to take someone who scored at median (50th percentile levels) to the 58th percentile on math tests and the 63rd percentile on verbal tests. In the most affected groups, like less-educated men over age 64, this change would be even more significant.China, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/countries-highest-death-rates-air-pollution-2018-4">like many developing countries</a>, has a large number of <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-pollution/china-includes-more-cities-in-air-pollution-rankings-to-pressure-local-officials-idUSKBN1KD0YQ">cities with serious air quality problems</a>. In the study, the authors wrote that 98% of cities with populations above 100,000 in low- and middle-income countries fail to meet World Health Organization air quality guidelines.That makes these findings applicable to cities with pollution problems around the world.We know that there are plenty of reasons to be concerned about air pollution in general, ranging from increased likelihood for lung and heart disease to the fact that air pollution helps drive climate change, potentially causing a number of serious health effects.But when talking about the negative effects of bad air, we clearly can't neglect the way this air could change people's ability to think. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fearsome-predators-never-expect-2018-8">5 animals you wouldn't suspect are actually fearsome predators</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Exposure to air pollution has harmful effects on the brain that get worse over time, according to a new study

<keyword id="55910" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution" source="Orion">Air pollution</keyword> is a pressing global issue that affects both developed and developing nations. Using data from the IQAir 2022 World Air Quality Ranking we will examine the <keyword id="19039904" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="most-polluted-countries-in-the-world" source="Orion">most polluted countries in the world</keyword> from 2018 to 2022, shedding light on the sources of <keyword id="13001" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pollution" source="Orion">pollution</keyword> and the impacts on public health and the environment. 1. Chad Chad tops the list as one of the <keyword id="13437378" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="most-polluted-countries" source="Orion">most polluted countries</keyword>, with alarming levels of particulate matter (PM2.5). The sources of pollution primarily stem from various factors, including industrial activities and vehicular emissions. 2. Iraq Iraq is the second most polluted country on our list. The rise in air pollution can be attributed to increased industrial activities and a growing number of vehicles on the road. 3. Pakistan Pakistan has consistently faced severe air pollution, and the data indicates fluctuations in pollution levels. Major sources of pollution include vehicular emissions, industrial discharges, and crop burning. 4. Bahrain Bahrain, despite its small size, faces significant air pollution challenges primarily due to industrial activities and oil refineries. The government has initiated measures to combat this issue. 5. Bangladesh Bangladesh has been grappling with air pollution, mainly driven by vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, and construction activities. The health impacts are severe, leading to respiratory diseases and other health issues. 6. Burkina Faso Burkina Faso, with limited available data, experiences air pollution challenges. The lack of comprehensive data makes it difficult to identify specific sources of pollution. 7. Kuwait Kuwait's air quality is affected by factors such as industrial activities, oil refineries, and construction dust. The hot and arid climate exacerbates pollution issues, leading to health problems. 8. India India, with its rapid urbanization and industrialization, has faced significant air pollution challenges. Major cities like New Delhi often experience hazardous air quality due to vehicular emissions, industrial discharges, and construction activities. 9. Egypt Egypt's air quality is affected by emissions from vehicles and industrial activities. The political situation in the country has hindered environmental regulations and enforcement. 10. Tajikistan Tajikistan has faced fluctuations in air pollution levels, driven by factors such as vehicular emissions and industrial activities. The lack of consistent data makes it challenging to track long-term trends. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Impact on Health and the Environment" comment="subhead" text="Impact on Health and the Environment">Impact on Health and the Environment</cmsannotation> The consequences of air pollution in these countries are severe, with a high incidence of respiratory diseases, cardiovascular problems, and other health issues. Long-term exposure to <keyword id="6489235" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Polluted-Air" source="Orion">polluted air</keyword> can lead to more severe conditions such as lung cancer. In addition to its effect on human health, air pollution also damages the environment, including contributing to climate change, impairing ecosystems, and harming agricultural productivity. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Efforts to Combat Pollution" comment="subhead" text="Efforts to Combat Pollution">Efforts to Combat Pollution</cmsannotation> Many of these countries have recognized the urgent need to address air pollution and have taken measures to mitigate its effects. These efforts include improving public transportation, implementing stricter emission standards, and promoting clean energy alternatives. However, challenges such as limited resources, rapid urbanization, and political instability continue to hamper progress. International cooperation and support are crucial in addressing the problem of air pollution. Multilateral agreements and partnerships can help countries access technology, financing, and expertise to combat pollution effectively. Air pollution is a global concern, and the data from 2018 to 2022 highlights the persistent challenges faced by the most <keyword id="19165516" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="polluted-countries" source="Orion">polluted countries</keyword>. These nations must continue their efforts to improve air quality, protect public health, and safeguard the environment. The path to cleaner air involves a combination of government initiatives, international collaboration, and individual actions to reduce emissions and protect the planet for future generations.

The most polluted countries in the world: A global environmental concern

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image">AP Photo</div></div>Now that we know <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/china-pollution-is-blanketing-americas-west-coast-2014-1">China's air pollution problem is impacting the air here in the United States</a>, it's important to understand what that pollution is doing to public health in China.
According to a new study, it could be taking up to 16 years off people's lives.
The study was published in the journal <a href="http://www.bmj.com/about-bmj">BMJ (a journal formerly known as the British Medical Journal),</a> and conducted by a group of doctors and professors at the University of Queensland, Brisbane; the Department of Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing; the Peking University School of Public Health, Beijing, China; and the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, China.
Instead of focusing on the number of air pollution-related deaths, the group decided to focus on the number of years of life lost due to pollution (YLL). In other words, what pollution is doing to future, rather than present public health.
Here's how the study worked - the group collected mortality data from eight different districts in Beijing dated from 2004 to 2008.
They also monitored air quality on the main campus of Peking University, which is located in the city in residential/commercial (not industrial area). That allowed them to know what kinds of chemicals filled the air during more polluted days and less polluted days.
They then compared YLL over time with "the percentage change in daily mortality associated with changes in air pollutants."
What they found was that increases of certain toxic chemicals were "related to YLL increases of 15.8, 15.8, 16.2, and 15.1 years, respectively. The effects of air pollutants on YLL appeared acutely and lasted for two days..."
According to the group's findings, pollutants hurt women and young people more than they hurt men and those aged over 65 years-old.
In other words, increased pollution is having an adverse effect on an entire generation of young Chinese people that have grown up in the country's relatively new, industrialized economy.
From the study:
One crucial finding was that the estimated effects of air pollution were greater on the younger group of people than older group for YLL. The potential reason is that the measurement of YLL takes into account those conditions afflicting young people or children. Giving the same weight to deaths occurring at different ages could distort policy priorities and resource allocation.22 Most studies report that mortality risks related to air pollution are greater for older people than younger people.23 24 Our study suggests that focusing on death counts only could underestimate the burden of air pollution on young people.
 If that isn't a problem, not sure what is.

STUDY: Beijing's Air Pollution Is Shaving Up To 16 Years Off Chinese People's Lives

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11893294" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="new-delhi" source="Orion">New Delhi</keyword>'s first-ever 'smog tower' uses 40 giant fans to purify the air in a 0.4 square mile radius.</li><li>Air quality is a major problem in New Delhi, and the city's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called it <a href="https://twitter.com/arvindkejriwal/status/1190124368241795073?lang=en">a "gas chamber" in 2019</a> due to the overwhelming <keyword id="11932995" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pollution" source="Orion">pollution</keyword> there.</li><li>Critics say the government should focus on reducing emissions instead of building smog towers.</li></ul>The Indian capital of New Delhi opened the country's first "smog tower" on Monday in a bid to purify air in the world's most polluted capital city, but experts aren't convinced that it's effective, reported local <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">news</keyword> outlets. Using 40 giant fans and 5,000 filters, the 82-foot tower sucks in polluted air from the top, filters it, then pumps it out from the bottom, per <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/indias-first-smog-tower-inaugurated-in-delhi-2516569">local news NDTV.</a> According to <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/indias-first-smog-tower-inaugurated-in-delhi-7466677/">The Indian Express</a>, the tower covers a radius of 0.4 square miles, and filters around 35,000 cubic feet of air a second."Today is a big day for Delhi in its fight for clean air against pollution," the city's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210823-indian-capital-opens-first-smog-tower">said at the opening, per AFP.</a>Kejriwal <a href="https://twitter.com/arvindkejriwal/status/1190124368241795073?lang=en">called New Delhi a "gas chamber" in 2019</a> due to the overwhelming pollution there, but air pollution continues to be a major problem across <keyword id="11892747" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>. <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(20)30298-9/fulltext">A 2020 Lancet study</a> found that 1.67 million deaths were attributable to air pollution in 2019.New Delhi has been the world's most polluted capital for the last three years, according to reports from <a href="https://www.iqair.com/world-air-quality-report">IQAir, a Swiss group that monitors air quality levels</a>. IQAir measures air quality <a href="https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution/particulate-matter-pm-basics">based on PM2.5</a>, fine airborne particles that cause inflammation in the lungs and respiratory tract and can lead to serious health problems.New Delhi air regularly exceeds PM2.5 safe levels by up to 20 times, according to IQAir, and experts have said that the city will need at least <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-needs-213-smog-towers-will-build-1-in-cp-on-trial-basis-govt-in-sc-6154599/">213 smog towers</a> to resolve the pollution issue.The single tower unveiled on Monday is a pilot program, and authorities will study it for two years to determine its effectiveness, reported NDTV.But critics have maligned the smog towers as a costly distraction from what they say is the real solution - curbing emissions. "Let's just be clear that this is futile, an absolute waste," Karthik Ganesan, a research fellow from the Council on Energy, <keyword id="11901561" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="environment" source="Orion">Environment</keyword> and Water, told AFP.Tanushree Ganguly, a programme lead from the council, said there is no scientific evidence to show that the towers can effectively reduce pollution levels, per NDTV.The tower's $2 million price tag was another concern for Dipankar Saha, a former additional director for India's Central Pollution Control Board, per The Indian Express."The tower is localized. How many such installations are required for Delhi at such a high investment cost?" he told The Express. In 2018, China built a similar smog tower - <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2128355/china-builds-worlds-biggest-air-purifier-and-it-seems-be-working">a 328-foot air purifier</a> - in the city of Xian. Authorities are still assessing its effectiveness, but said that preliminary results were promising.

India installs its first 'smog tower' - a giant purifier made out of 40 fans that filters out deadly pollution in New Delhi

<ul><li>The national capital region is choking under a thick blanket of smog with pollution levels as high as 1,000 units. </li><li>Last week, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority issued a ‘public health emergency,’ considering the ill-effects of <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword> on health. </li><li>Over 4 million people die of poor air quality indoors, gobally, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).</li></ul>The national capital region is choking under a thick blanket of smog with pollution levels as high as 1,000 units. Government agencies and environmental groups are insisting that people lower their exposure to pollution and work remotely. "Public and private organisations in Delhi/NCR should allow people to work from their homes," said Ajay Mathur, TERI Director General. Last week, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority issued a ‘public health emergency,’ considering the ill-effects of air pollution on health. Over four million people die of poor air quality indoors, gobally, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). However, the toxic air exists when indoors as well. Here are the ten houseplants that can help combat air pollution. Aloe Vera 
	
 <div type="image" title="Aloe vera" msid="71888638" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Flickr&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 Aloe Vera, which is known to cure skin burns and irritation is easy to grow indoors. Keeping it helps to filter out chemical compounds such as benzene that is produced from carpets and boards. However, Aloe Vera requires plenty of sunlight as it helps removing air pollutants. Rubber Plant 
 
 <div type="image" title="rubber plant" msid="71888668" hostid="261"></div>



 Rubber plants make for a good indoor air cleansing option as they can grow in dim light too. However, it does not tolerate over-watering. It absorbs harmful chemicals, thereby improving indoor air quality. It can in fact absorb other harmful gases such as carbon dioxide. Peace Lily 
 
 <div type="image" title="peace lily" msid="71888669" hostid="261"></div>



 Peace Lily can work as both <keyword id="1606234" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Purifier">air purifier</keyword> and humidifier too. It cleans the air off alcoholic elements and acetone. The plant is known to improve indoor air quality by nearly 60% due to its absorption capacity. It absorbs dust particles and consumes them as food. Money Plant 
 
 <div type="image" title="money plant" msid="71888670" hostid="261"></div>



 Money plant removes toxic chemicals from the air, thereby cleaning away the air pollutants. It removes harmful organic compounds that originate from synthetic paints and carpets. Spider Plant 
 
 <div type="image" title="spider plant" msid="71888735" hostid="261"></div>



 It is also commonly referred to as air plant and treated as an antioxidant. It filters the carbon monoxide present in the air. According to studies, this plant can remove over 90% of air pollutants in a span of two days. Areca Palm 
 
 <div type="image" title="areca palm" msid="71888736" hostid="261"></div>



 Areca palm, also known as butterfly palm releases a large amount of water vapor into the air, which in turn removes toxins from the atmosphere. It filters chemicals like acetone, xylene and toluene, which are present in cosmetics and detergents. English Ivy 
 
 <div type="image" title="ivy" msid="71888737" hostid="261"></div>



 English Ivy is beneficial for people with breathing problems. It is known to stimulate mucus glands. The leaves of this plant is used to medicate blockages and swelling in the body. It also helps to cure headaches. Bamboo Palm The Bamboo palm is very effective in removing benzene from the air — which is used to make dyes, lubricants and detergents. It does not require over watering. It is good for areas having high levels of humidity.

These 8 houseplants can save you from plummeting air quality levels

New Delhi, Noting that air pollution is a silent killer, Randeep Guleria, Director at <keyword id="7683594" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-All-India-Institute-of-Medical-Sciences">the All India Institute of Medical Sciences</keyword> (<keyword id="40458" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="AIIMS">AIIMS</keyword>), said that it contributes to up to 40 per cent deaths in patients with chronic illnesses and neonatal fatalities. "The global burden disease published in Lancet shows that in 2019, air pollution was the fourth leading cause of mortality and third for disability-adjusted life years. Air pollution is a silent killer which makes it difficult for the policymakers to understand," he said. "We must focus more on the chronic effects of pollution such as diabetes, lower respiratory tract disease, lung cancer, stroke or neonatal deaths - there is enough data to say that around 20 to 40 per cent of deaths in these diseases are caused by air pollution," Guleria said. He was speaking at the second Good Air Summit organised by the Integrated Health &amp; Wellbeing (IHW) Council. Guleria also said that more than smoking tobacco, pollution contributes to developing diseases such as lung cancer, <keyword id="73190" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="COPD">COPD</keyword> and heart disease. "These are acute effects," he added. The AIIMS chief also shared that within a few days of spike in air pollution levels, the influx of patients increased in the hospital's OPDs. "Experience in AIIMS shows that whenever there is a spike in air pollution, the number of patients in OPDs increases in the next 5-6 days," Guleria said. Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar, also attended the summit. Accepting that pollution is a sensitive issue and a serious challenge, he expressed hope that the newly-constituted <keyword id="10260083" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="commission-for-air-quality">Commission for Air Quality</keyword> will reduce pollution in the national capital. "We introduced the idea of measuring air quality and brought the concept of AQI. The Sameer app of the Central Pollution Control Board provides hourly update of the national Air Quality Index (AQI). I am hopeful that the Commission for Air Quality Management will reduce pollution further," Javadekar stated. Meanwhile, Kamal Narayan, CEO, IHW, complained that air pollution did not receive the kind of response it required either from the government or the citizens, despite being an evident health emergency. "The data from 'State of Global Air 2020' shows that 1.67 million or 17 lakh people die annually due to air pollution that comes to around 4,700 deaths per day. Which means around half a million more people fell prey to air pollution last year than the number of lives claimed by Covid-19 virus till date, globally. However, despite being a super-killer and an evident health emergency, air pollution did not get the emergency response either from the system, or from the people," he said. Commenting on the issue, Swatanter Kumar, retired Supreme Court judge and former chairperson of <keyword id="2462566" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-National-Green-Tribunal">the National Green Tribunal</keyword> (NGT), said that protection of the environment is a constitutional obligation of both the government and the citizens. "Protecting the environment is a constitutional obligation for the citizens and a constitutional duty of the governments. We don't need more laws but better implementation of the existing frameworks. We need holistic, pragmatic and practical solutions for intergenerational equity and examine the sources of cleaner energy as well," he said.

Air pollution causes 40% deaths in patients with chronic illnesses: AIIMS Director

<keyword id="74753" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-environment">Green environment</keyword> can provide the cleanest and safest place for humans to live. <keyword id="8294240" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="trees-and-plants">Trees and plants</keyword> are oxygen generating factories that cleanse air, absorb carbon dioxide and supply oxygen for animals and humans to breathe. Deforestation and urbanization have left us with lesser number of plants to combat the <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword> around us. While increasing rate of air pollution poses serious health risks for humans, these <keyword id="8294241" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="outdoor-plants">outdoor plants</keyword> can help beat the detrimental effects of air pollution and purify the air around us to a great extent. How do trees and plants help beat air pollution? Polluted air contains particles, odors and harmful gasses like nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and ammonia. These pollutants settle on the leaves of trees and plants. The leaves and plant surface absorb these pollutants and through their stomata (pores) and filter these harmful substances from the air. Trees also trap heat and reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. They also reduce the ground level ozone level and enrich the air around us with life giving oxygen. For combating a variety of respiratory troubles and other illnesses caused by air pollution, there can be no better way than planting some chosen varieties of plants that can cleanse the air and make our environment better. Here is a list of 10 outdoor that can improve the air quality around us by beating pollution. Wall flower plant Wallflower is a kind of ornamental plant highly suitable for outdoors. This plant can fight air pollution by filtering air. It can effectively filter pollutants of different sizes from the air like soot and dust and thus clean the air. Common Ivy plant This plant has leaves with large surface. This fact makes this plan the ideal choice for air purification. This plant pumps a good amount of oxygen into the atmosphere thereby freshening the air. Lady’s mantle plant Lady’s mantle has hairy leaves. This plant reduces the levels of nitrogen dioxide in the air and also traps harmful particles and hence this is yet another ideal choice for cleansing the air around us. Aster and Osmanthus plant Both these plants are known as bioindicator plants that can change their appearance when the air around them is polluted beyond a particular level. Thus you can get to know that the air quality is deteriorating and take the necessary steps to protect yourself. Mediterranean Hackberry plant It has a high degree of carbon dioxide absorbing nature and hence this is a highly sought after choice for fighting air pollution. Littleleaf Linden plant This plant can reduce smog easily and also can clear the air from excess levels of CO2. Norway Maple plant When it comes to cleaning the carbon dioxide in the air, this plant is a clear winner than many other options. This maple tree can absorb five tons of CO2 within 30 years. Turkey Oak plant This is one of the most favorite choices for parks. This tree can absorb high amounts of CO2 and freshen the air. Ginkgo biloba plant This plant is also called as living dinosaur. This plant has excellent CO2 cleaning capabilities. Living walls plant Living walls created with plants like sedum, hedera, thyme, vinca, carex and juga can act as pollution barriers especially in the urban areas and vicinity of busy roads. Final word plant Plant some chosen varieties of plants in your outdoors to see that you do your bit to save the environment and combat air pollution.

These 10 outdoor plants can save you from air pollution

New Delhi, Exposure to <keyword id="55910" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="Orion">air pollution</keyword>, even at relatively low levels, is associated with women giving birth to smaller babies, according to a study. The research, to be presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Milan, Italy from September 9-13, also shows that women living in greener areas give birth to bigger babies and this may help counteract the effects of pollution. There is a strong relationship between birthweight and lung health, with low birthweight children facing a higher risk of asthma and higher rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) as they grow older, the researchers said. There is a need to reduce air pollution and make towns and cities greener to help protect babies and their developing lungs from potential harm, they said. The study was based on data from the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) study and presented by Robin Mzati Sinsamala, a researcher at the University of Bergen (UiB), Norway. It included 4,286 children and their mothers living in five European countries -- Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Estonia. The researchers gauged the greenness of the areas where the women were living during pregnancy by measuring the density of vegetation on satellite images. This vegetation includes forests and farmland as well as parks in urban areas. They also used data on five pollutants: nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone, black carbon, and two types of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10). The average levels of air pollution were within European Union standards. Researchers compared this information with the babies' birthweights, taking account of factors that are known to affect birthweight, such as mother's age, whether the mothers smoked or had any other health conditions. They found that higher levels of air pollution were linked with lower birthweights, with small particulate matter PM2.5, relatively bigger pollution particles PM10, NO2 and black carbon associated with average reductions in birth weight of 56, 46, 48 and 48 grammes, respectively. When researchers took greenness into account, the effect of air pollution on birthweight was reduced. Women who lived in greener areas had babies with slightly higher birth weight -- 27 grammes heavier on average -- than mothers living in less green areas. "The time when babies are growing in the womb is critical for lung development. We know that babies with lower birthweight are susceptible to chest infections, and this can lead on to problems like asthma and COPD later on," Sinsamala said. "Our results suggest that pregnant women exposed to air pollution, even at relatively low levels, give birth to smaller babies. They also suggest that living in a greener area could help counteract this effect," the researcher added. The team noted that it could be that green areas tend to have lower traffic or that plants help to clear the air of pollution, or green areas may mean it is easier for pregnant women to be physically active.

Air pollution linked to lower birth weight in babies, says new European study

<ul><li>India’s national capital is implementing the ‘odd-even’ scheme to battle the city’s rising <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword>.</li><li>The scheme will be in effect from 4 November 2019 to 15 November 2019.</li><li>Anyone found skirting the law will be fined ₹4,000.</li></ul>India’s national capital Delhi is no stranger to air pollution. In fact, it’s one of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/gurgaon-is-the-most-polluted-city-in-the-world/articleshow/68267574.cms">most polluted</a> cities in the world. The city’s local government is implementing the ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/pollution-dipped-in-last-3-years-still-delhi-to-have-odd-even-scheme/articleshow/71145180.cms">odd-even</a>’ scheme, yet again, to try and battle the growing environmental threat. <keyword id="260213" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arvind-Kejriwal">Arvind Kejriwal</keyword>, Delhi’s chief minister, announced that the odd-even scheme will be in effect from 4 November 2019 to 15 November 2019. He also clarified that it will also apply to Delhi’s ministers and chief ministers. On the other hand, women-only vehicles, two-wheelers and cars carrying school children in uniform will be exempted. Violation of the rules under the odd-even scheme will result in a ₹4,000 fine for the offenders. Delhi is not the only one at fault According to Kejriwal, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/fed-up-of-pollution-more-than-35-of-residents-in-indias-capital-say-they-want-to-move-out-permanently-survey/articleshow/66630699.cms">rising level of air pollution</a> in Delhi can’t be wholly be blamed on the city. The crop burning after the harvest season in neighboring states is also a contributing factor. "It is unjustified to only blame the residents of Delhi," he stated. He also said that the <a href="http://safar.tropmet.res.in/">SAFAR reports</a> stating that only 10% of Delhi’s air pollution comes from stubble burning as inaccurate. This is because the right equipment to measure air quality and its sources accurately are still being imported and not currently in place, according to him. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/gurgaon-is-the-most-polluted-city-in-the-world/articleshow/68267574.cms">India accounts for 7 of the world’s 10 most polluted cities — with Gurugram ranked as the worst: Study</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/pollution-dipped-in-last-3-years-still-delhi-to-have-odd-even-scheme/articleshow/71145180.cms">Delhi to go ahead with odd-even scheme even as pollution dips by 25%</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/fed-up-of-pollution-more-than-35-of-residents-in-indias-capital-say-they-want-to-move-out-permanently-survey/articleshow/66630699.cms">Fed up of pollution, more than 35% of residents in India’s capital say they want to move out permanently: Survey</a>

India’s national capital is giving the ‘odd-even’ scheme another go to battle air pollution

<keyword id="151304" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Jefferies">Jefferies</keyword> analysts Laban Yu and Jack Lu argue in a note today that <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword>'s epic air <keyword id="13001" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="pollution">pollution</keyword> is actually saving lives.
Wait what?
Here's their case:
Yes, of course China's smog problems are very real — they lead the world in premature deaths caused by air pollution:
<table class="image-container" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"></div>Jefferies</td></tr></table>
But this massive pollution is actually a sign of rising living standards, they write:
The difference is that industrialization – with its incumbent air pollution – eliminates poverty. Among the top twenty nations with air pollution induced premature deaths are the US, Japan, the UK, Germany and Italy – all wealthy developed nations.
As it turns out, more people die prematurely in India from problems caused by a lacked of advanced infrastructure like diarrhea and poor ventilation or burning of coal and animal dung for heat (which they categorize as "indoor air pollution"):
<table class="image-container" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"></div>Jefferies</td></tr></table>
But a better measure of China's standing on public health is illness, disability and early death (DALY), a metric created by the World Health Organization.
By that criteria, China is not even in the top 20 — 
<table class="image-container" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"></div>Jefferies</td></tr></table>
And only a few notches behind Brazil:
<table class="image-container" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"></div>Jefferies</td></tr></table>
Yu and Lu point out that China's air pollution is the fruit of industrialization, and that industrialization is a life saver.
The public health effects of air pollution cannot be viewed in isolation. Nobody believes air pollution is a great thing but nations continue to pollute because civilizations make hard choices. And air pollution is not even that hard a choice. Higher cancer rates in old age are the price that China, and many other nations, have chosen to pay for lower death rates from childhood diarrhea. 
SEE MORE: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-energy-of-the-future-coal-2012-10">Stunning Photos Of The Energy Of The Future &gt;</a>

JEFFERIES: China's Air Pollution Is Saving Lives

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/cairo">Cairo</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/egypt">Egypt</a> is one of the most polluted cities in the world, if not the No.1 most polluted.</li><li>I recently visited and found that, even after just a day in the city, I could feel the effects on my breathing, sleep, and skin. </li><li>The experience reminded me of how lucky I, as an American, am to have the air quality in the country I live. I think most Americans have no conception of what it is like to live in a heavily polluted city like much of the world in Egypt, China, India, or elsewhere.</li><li>The Egyptian government is taking steps to improve air quality, with a plan to reduce air pollution by 50% by 2023. </li></ul> I don't think I understood what it was like to live in a truly polluted city until I'd been to one.As an American, I'd never really experienced a place choked with smog. New York, my home, is only the 21st most polluted city in the world, according to a <a href="http://blog.theecoexperts.co.uk/most-polluted-cities">recent study by Eco Experts</a>, which combines data on air quality, noise pollution, and light pollution. Los Angeles, which I've been to a few times, comes in tenth.That's a far cry from the cities that top the list, where checking particulate matter levels, or PM, is as routine as checking the weather.I got my first taste of the smog life in April, when I visited Shanghai and Beijing, seventh and third on the Eco Experts' list, respectively.While the pollution was noticeable - I saw a blue sky only a few times on that trip - I was in town during comparatively the best time of the year, pollution-wise. The winter in Beijing, when millions are burning coal for heat, is when the real pollution rolls in.<h2>Cairo is one of the most polluted cities in the world, and you can feel it</h2>But, as I rode in a taxi from the Cairo Airport this past week, it hit me that I'd entered the big leagues.A city of more than 20 million people, Cairo is the <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/15-biggest-cities-in-africa.html">most-populated city in the Middle East</a> and the second-most populated in Africa. It feels like it.Every highway, road, and alleyway is clogged with cars and motorbikes spewing fumes into the air. The honking never stops: long honks, short beeps, and everything in between. The cars, and their drivers, are in every kind of conversation imaginable. Other noises proliferate, from street-side shouts to the rumble of construction. Every street seems to have a construction site and a building under renovation or being built.Cairo is the most polluted city in the world, according to the <a href="https://blog.theecoexperts.co.uk/most-polluted-cities">Eco Experts' report</a>. WHO's <a href="https://www.who.int/airpollution/data/cities/en/">Global Ambient Air Quality Database</a>, which solely focuses on multiple measures of air quality, ranks Cairo second worst for PM10, or particulate matter that is 10 micrometers in diameter or less. When judging by PM2.5, or particulate matter that is 2.5 micrometers or less - the <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/05/02/world-health-organization-air-pollution-affects-90-population/572825002/">worst kind of pollution</a>, according to the Environmental Protection Agency - Cairo is not quite as bad, but still near the bottom.Particulate pollution is made up a mix of solid and liquid droplets in the air, including sulfates, nitrates, and carbon. It's largely caused by energy used by homes, automobile traffic, manufacturing, and power plants. Sand or desert dust <a href="http://www.who.int/news-room/detail/02-05-2018-9-out-of-10-people-worldwide-breathe-polluted-air-but-more-countries-are-taking-action">can add to the</a> air pollution. In Cairo's case, the city is located in a valley and has a large industrial sector, tons of traffic, poor waste management, and a dusty climate, <a href="http://www.arabnews.com/node/1368046/middle-east">according to Arab News</a>."Air pollution threatens us all, but the poorest and most marginalized people bear the brunt of the burden," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's director general, <a href="http://www.vox.com/2018/5/8/17316978/india-pollution-levels-air-delhi-health">said in a statement</a> regarding its most recent report.On average, residents of Cairo breathe in air suffused with 11.7 times the WHO recommended safe level of PM2.5 and 14.2 times the safe level of PM10. Translation: The air is really bad, and you can feel it.<h2>Dry mouth, itchy eyes, and rashes - bad pollution can have immediate effects</h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>Within a day of being in Cairo, the effects started to settle in. When I woke in the morning to look out the window the first few days, a thick haze lay over the city.After a few hours walking around in even one of the more green neighborhoods - the embassy-populated, moderately wealthy island of Zamalek - I found myself severely dehydrated despite having a water bottle by my side the whole time. The taste in my mouth was bitter, my nostrils felt caked in dust, and my eyes had grown itchy. The best way to describe it is that it feels like you are constantly at a construction site, with sawdust or concrete dust in the air. After a few days, I'd found that my skin, unused to the pollution, was breaking out in hives on my face.And that's just the air pollution.Cairo's noise pollution is arguably even worse, though it is rarely talked about. Eco Experts' research found that Cairo is the third loudest city in the world, after Guangzhou and Delhi. A report by the Egyptian National Research Center found noise pollution in Cairo reaches a daily average of 85 decibels or, in the words of Eco Experts, "like spending all day inside a factory." Even at 3 a.m., the honks don't stop.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>The aforementioned honking, shouting, and construction noises are ever-present, no matter where you are in the city. It literally leaves your ears ringing. Even as a New Yorker who lived for years above bars in the rambunctious East Village, I found the noise to be a shock.Combine that with the light pollution - Eco Experts reported Cairo the third-brightest city in the world, with artificial light 85 times brighter than the natural sky - and it all makes for a bad night of sleep.Every night, I slept with blackout curtains drawn and earplugs in. And still, I found myself to be getting terrible sleep. Every day, I overslept and woke up groggy. Before you assume <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jet-lag-symptoms-what-is-how-to-avoid-recover-get-over-2018-12">jet lag</a>, I was in the region for three weeks and slept fine while in the United Arab Emirates.<h2>Pollution can have devastating effects over time</h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>All of this after a week. Imagine living in it for a few months, a year, or your whole life.My partner, who has more sensitive lungs than I do, contracted pneumonia and a respiratory infection halfway through a semester studying in Shanghai. When we visited Shanghai in April, she'd contracted a wheezing cough after a day in the city.Researchers and scientists are still studying the effects of pollution on humans, but it has been connected to health conditions like asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, according to WHO <a href="http://www.epa.gov/air-quality-management-process/managing-air-quality-human-health-environmental-and-economic%0A">and the EPA</a>. Researchers suspect that pollution is connected to obesity, insomnia, depression, as well as effects on the <a href="http://www.theworldcounts.com/stories/How-Does-Pollution-Affect-Humans">immune, endocrine, and reproductive systems</a>.One recent study out of Beijing Normal University's school of statistics found that <a href="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/09/news-air-quality-brain-cognitive-function/%0Ahttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/09/news-air-quality-brain-cognitive-function/%0A">long-term exposure to particulate matter</a> was correlated with cognitive declines in study participants as they aged.The Egyptian government <a href="http://www.arabnews.com/node/1368046/middle-east">pushed back on the Eco Experts report</a> shortly after it was published, criticizing the methodology of the study. But there's no denying the pollution in Cairo. It would appear the Egyptian government agrees with that much.Earlier this year, the government announced a plan to reduce air pollution by 50% by 2023 and began an initiative to plant one million fruit trees in public spaces throughout the country.A major pollution issue for Egypt since 1997 has been farmers' yearly burning of leftover rice straw from September to November, which can create a "dark cloud" over Cairo. To tackle the issue, the government has offered to buy the straw from farmers for $3 a ton, Mohamed Salah, head of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency said in October."Today, the dark cloud season is over and all citizens in Egypt are saying that they have not sensed any problem relating to this, unlike what had happened in previous years," Salah said.But, for this American in Cairo, I found the city to be stark reminder of how lucky the US is when it comes to air quality and pollution and how little we bear the burden of global manufacturing and other polluting industries around the world.When I told one Beijing resident in April that I head to the countryside outside New York City when I want fresh air, he looked at me incredulously. "You have to understand, we think of New York City air as pristine," he said.

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