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Nanoplastics and microplastics (NMPs) are sneaky invaders, hiding in the tap water we drink every day. These tiny fragments of plastic have already been linked to unsettling changes in gut health and antibiotic resistance, raising alarm bells about their impact on our bodies. But here’s some refreshing news: scientists have discovered a surprisingly simple solution — boiling your water. <h2>A kitchen hack for cleaner water</h2>Researchers, led by biomedical engineer Zimin Yu, have found that boiling water and then filtering it can remove up to 90% of nanoplastics and microplastics from tap water. “This simple boiling water strategy can 'decontaminate' NMPs from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of NMPs through water consumption,” the team explains. Even better? You probably already have the tools you need in your kitchen: a pot to boil water and a simple stainless steel mesh to filter out any leftover bits. <h2>How does it work?</h2>The trick lies in the build-up of limescale — or calcium carbonate — when water is heated. If you’ve ever peeked inside a kettle, you’ve seen this chalky layer. When water is boiled, calcium carbonate naturally precipitates out of the solution, forming a crust. This crust traps NMPs on its surface, making it easier to filter them out. “Our results showed that nanoplastic precipitation efficiency increased with increasing water hardness upon boiling,” the researchers write. For example, in soft water (low in calcium carbonate), the process managed to remove about 25% of NMPs. Meanwhile, in hard water (higher calcium carbonate levels), the process removed up to 90% of NMPs. <h2>The harder the water, the better the results</h2>Hard water, often considered a nuisance because of limescale, might actually be a secret weapon against microplastics. The researchers found that the harder the water, the more effective the boiling process was at capturing and removing plastic fragments. In water containing 300 mg/L of calcium carbonate, NMP removal reached an impressive 90%. Even at lower levels, such as 80 mg/L, over a third of the plastics were filtered out. Using a simple tea strainer or other household filters, these lime-encrusted plastic fragments can be easily removed before the water is consumed. <h2>Why it matters</h2>Microplastics aren’t just a problem for the planet — they’re becoming an intimate part of our daily lives. Previous studies have identified plastics like polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene in drinking water. While the long-term effects on human health remain uncertain, the evidence suggests we’re better off without them. “Drinking boiled water apparently is a viable long-term strategy for reducing global exposure to NMPs,” the researchers say. For many, boiling water before drinking it is already a cultural norm. But the researchers hope their findings will encourage more people worldwide to adopt this practice as plastics continue infiltrating our water sources. The findings of this research have been published in Environmental Science &amp; Technology Letters and can be accessed <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00081">here</a>.

Worried about the harmful microplastics in your water? You just need to boil and strain it before consumption

The national capital, Delhi, is once again grappling with a severe <keyword id="19900550" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution" source="keywords">air pollution</keyword> crisis. With an AQI of 339, the city’s air quality has plummeted into the “very poor” category, casting a thick layer of smog over its residents. This deteriorating air quality poses a significant threat to <keyword id="19913584" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Public-Health" source="keywords">public health</keyword> and has prompted widespread concern. The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology's (IITM) forecast paints a grim picture, predicting that the situation will likely persist for the next few days, with a further dip into the “very poor” category expected by Sunday. This annual decline in air quality is a result of a confluence of factors, including vehicle emissions, <keyword id="23593130" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Construction-Dust" source="keywords">construction dust</keyword>, and most notably, <keyword id="19990732" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Stubble-Burning" source="keywords">stubble burning</keyword> in neighbouring states. Despite strict regulations, the practice of stubble burning continues to be a major contributor to the air <keyword id="23291827" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pollution-Crisis" source="keywords">pollution crisis</keyword> in Delhi. Particulate matter emitted from this practice exacerbates the pollution levels, leading to a significant deterioration in air quality. The Supreme Court has recently criticised Punjab and Haryana for their failure to comply with anti-pollution laws related to stubble burning, increasing pressure on these states to take action. In response to the deteriorating air quality, the <keyword id="19925995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-Government" source="keywords">Delhi government</keyword> has implemented several measures. The <keyword id="22644303" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Winter-Action-Plan" source="keywords">Winter Action Plan</keyword>, launched in late September, outlines 21 strategies aimed at curbing pollution. These include initiatives such as bio-decomposer spraying to reduce the effects of crop stubble burning and an anti-dust campaign targeting construction sites. Additionally, the Delhi Environment Minister, <keyword id="19931852" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gopal-rai" source="keywords">Gopal Rai</keyword>, has introduced further measures to monitor the city’s pollution hotspots. While these efforts are commendable, the challenges posed by the deteriorating air quality remain significant. The combination of low temperatures and calm winds hinders the dispersal of pollutants, making it difficult to improve the air quality. Rainfall, when it occurs, can provide some relief, but the recurring nature of Delhi’s pollution problem highlights the urgent need for long-term solutions. As Delhi continues to grapple with this environmental crisis, it is imperative that both the government and citizens work together to address the root causes of air pollution. Sustainable practices, stricter regulations, and collective action are key to ensuring a healthier and more livable city for all. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114186705" title="Delhi breathing clean air despite Dussehra celebrations, AQI better than before: Gopal Rai" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Delhi's AQI turns "very poor" today; Supreme Court criticises Punjab-Haryana for stubble-burning practices

In a shocking development, <keyword id="20321520" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lahore" source="keywords">Lahore</keyword> in <keyword id="19899252" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pakistan" source="keywords">Pakistan</keyword> is enduring an air pollution crisis that has driven its <keyword id="19918941" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-quality" source="keywords">Air Quality</keyword> Index (<keyword id="19916482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aqi" source="keywords">AQI</keyword>) well above the hazardous mark, crossing 1,000 in recent days. This level is over three times worse than the pollution typically recorded in New <keyword id="19900881" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi" source="keywords">Delhi</keyword>, India, during <keyword id="188" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="diwali" source="Orion">Diwali</keyword> — a festival known for its own intense pollution spikes. The situation has led local officials to temporarily shut down primary schools and encourage remote work for half of the city’s workforce in a bid to limit exposure to the toxic air. Lahore’s pollution crisis has multiple contributors. Seasonal crop burning in nearby agricultural areas releases smoke and particulate matter into the air, while exhaust from vehicles and low-grade diesel generators further exacerbate the smog. During winter, cold air traps pollutants close to the ground, a phenomenon known as temperature inversion, which prevents pollutants from dispersing and intensifies smog. Lahore, a city of 14 million people, is experiencing the worst of these combined effects, which have led to severe visibility issues and alarming health risks for residents. Punjab’s Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb characterised the spike in Lahore’s pollution as "unexpected," pointing to cross-border pollution carried by winds from India as a key factor. She emphasised that the issue could only be managed through cooperation, adding that Pakistan’s foreign ministry would lead efforts to initiate discussions with Indian authorities. <h2>Understanding AQI and its health impacts</h2>The AQI is a standardised measurement of air pollution levels, ranging from 0 (good) to 500+ (hazardous). Different categories within this scale represent varying health risks. For example, AQI values between 0-50 signify “good” air quality, while levels above 300 are deemed “hazardous” for all populations. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114649550" title="Lahore and Delhi amongst world&amp;#39;s most polluted cities; health warnings issued" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Lahore's recent AQI of over 1,000 — going as high as 1,900 by some accounts — has been described as a severe public health crisis. It’s composed primarily of particulate matter known as PM2.5 — tiny particles that are especially dangerous because they can be inhaled deeply into the lungs, leading to long-term respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.<h2>Delhi during Diwali</h2>Delhi is no stranger to pollution spikes, especially during the Diwali season, when fireworks, stubble burning in surrounding states, and vehicle emissions combine to create hazardous air conditions. During Diwali this year, Delhi’s AQI surpassed 400 once again, categorising it as “very poor” to “severe” — even two days after the festival. To combat the issue, authorities implemented a series of emergency measures through the <keyword id="19920169" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="graded-response-action-plan" source="keywords">Graded Response Action Plan</keyword> (GRAP), including bans on diesel generators and regular sprinkling of roadways. While these measures offered some relief, Delhi’s air quality remained severely compromised for days. <h2>Long-term health implications</h2>The pollution crisis in cities like Lahore and Delhi poses a substantial long-term health risk. In Lahore, residents could lose an average of 7.5 years of life expectancy if these pollution levels persist, according to the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute. Air pollution is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and premature death, highlighting the need for stricter emissions regulations, clean energy initiatives, and cross-border cooperation to tackle the issue. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114836869" title="Delhi’s ‘lit’ skyline on Diwali goes viral; netizens bring attention to the smog-covered skies" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Air pollution is especially dangerous for children, whose lungs are still developing. Children breathe more rapidly than adults, which means they inhale more pollutants relative to their body weight. The <keyword id="19896311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-health-organization" source="keywords">World Health Organization</keyword> (WHO) reports that prolonged exposure to polluted air can result in severe health complications for children, including asthma, lung infections, and, in extreme cases, irreversible lung damage. South Asia as a whole is deeply affected by this issue, with nearly 600 million children regularly exposed to high levels of air pollution. UNICEF highlights that air pollution is a leading cause of child mortality in the region, with half of all childhood pneumonia cases linked to poor air quality. As cities like Lahore and Delhi grapple with worsening air quality, local governments, international bodies, and communities must prioritise pollution control to protect future generations from the devastating effects of polluted air.

Pakistan shuts down schools as AQI becomes 3x worse than Delhi on Diwali

Imagine taking a deep breath, expecting fresh, clean air, but instead, inhaling particles so tiny they’re invisible but powerful enough to change your life. For millions worldwide, that’s the reality — and it’s taking a toll on their lungs. A new global study shows that nearly 30% of <keyword id="22476122" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="asthma-cases" source="keywords">asthma cases</keyword> can be traced back to long-term exposure to <keyword id="20147117" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fine-particulate-matter" source="keywords">fine particulate matter</keyword>, or <keyword id="20573061" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM2-5" source="keywords">PM2.5</keyword>, the kind of pollution that often comes from cars, factories, and even cooking fires. <h2>How PM2.5 impacts asthma</h2>Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterised by recurring symptoms like wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing. While the exact causes of asthma remain complex and varied, this new study underlines that PM2.5 pollution is a significant risk factor. The study brings together insights from 68 epidemiological studies conducted across 22 countries, spanning regions from North America to South Asia. This comprehensive meta-analysis demonstrates the consistent impact of PM2.5 on asthma development. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114504550" title="Most people miss THIS warning on their mosquito repellent vaporizer’s label" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Lead author Dr Ruijing Ni explained, “We estimate that globally in 2019, almost a third of asthma cases are attributable to long-term PM2.5 exposure, corresponding to 63.5 million existing cases and 11.4 million new cases.” <h2>The Indian asthma problem</h2>India, one of the world’s most polluted countries, faces a particularly severe burden from <keyword id="19900550" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="keywords">air pollution</keyword>. Studies have shown that PM2.5 levels in many Indian cities far exceed the <keyword id="19896311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Health-Organization" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="World Health Organization" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="World Health Organization">World Health Organization</keyword>'s safe limit of 5 µg/m³. This exposure is especially dangerous for children, whose lungs and immune systems are still developing. The numbers are worrying: around 15-20 million Indians suffer from asthma, making up a significant portion of the estimated 339 million cases worldwide. Children are disproportionately affected; a 2019 report indicated that approximately 6% of children aged 1 to 5 in India show asthma symptoms. This exposure often results in airway inflammation and oxidative stress, which increases vulnerability to <keyword id="19923193" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="respiratory-diseases" source="keywords">respiratory diseases</keyword>. <h2>What the data says</h2>The research team employed exposure-response curves to better understand the link between PM2.5 levels and asthma cases. By considering data from both high-income and low- and middle-income countries, the researchers could provide a more accurate global assessment of PM2.5’s <keyword id="21037424" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-impact" source="keywords">health impact</keyword>. The study found that in Germany, for instance, PM2.5 may be responsible for about 11% of new asthma cases — roughly 28,000 people. However, the burden is even higher in low- and middle-income countries like India, where higher levels of pollution are coupled with limited healthcare access. This disparity highlights the need for global action to reduce PM2.5 emissions, especially in regions where pollution levels and health impacts are most severe. <h2>Policy implications and recommendations</h2>The findings have clear implications for policymakers. Strengthening <keyword id="19918941" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-quality" source="keywords">air quality</keyword> regulations, especially in high-exposure regions, could prevent millions of new asthma cases and reduce healthcare costs. “Our findings highlight the urgent need for policymakers to enforce stringent legislation to continuously combat air pollution,” emphasised another study author Prof. Yafang Cheng. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114695519" title="Are your green firecrackers really ‘green? Here’s all you need to know before doing your Diwali shopping" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>In addition to governmental measures, personal protective actions like wearing masks and installing air purifiers in homes can also help individuals reduce their exposure to PM2.5, particularly during high-pollution periods. This study adds to the growing evidence that reducing air pollution is critical for public health. While global challenges like PM2.5 pollution may seem daunting, each step toward cleaner air can bring significant health benefits. For countries like India, where asthma rates and pollution levels are both alarmingly high, these findings underscore an urgent need for both policy and community action to protect the most vulnerable — particularly children.

Air Quality Alert: Nearly 30% of asthma cases tied to fine particulate matter exposure from bad air

<keyword id="22976106" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indoor" source="keywords">Indoor</keyword> <keyword id="19900550" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="keywords">air pollution</keyword> is a bigger <keyword id="21117961" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-risk" source="keywords">health risk</keyword> than <keyword id="20543591" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="outdoor" source="keywords">outdoor</keyword> air pollution in India, and sometimes cities are cleaner than nearby villages where <keyword id="22976772" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="household-pollution" source="keywords">household pollution</keyword> is higher, according to the country's two top policy experts. Addressing the India <keyword id="20445293" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="clean-air" source="keywords">Clean Air</keyword> Summit (ICAS) 2024, Principal Advisor, <keyword id="19904190" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Health-and-Family-Welfare" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ministry of Health and Family Welfare" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Ministry of Health and Family Welfare">Ministry of Health and Family Welfare</keyword>, Soumya Swaminathan said, "Studies done in Delhi have shown that women's average exposure to high levels of <keyword id="20827287" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="black-carbon" source="keywords">black carbon</keyword> (women <keyword id="19895006" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="WHO" source="keywords">who</keyword> are mostly at home) is as much as auto-rickshaw passengers going around outdoor exposed to the ambient air pollution in Delhi, resulting in high systolic blood pressure." "Cities contribute less than 20 per cent to the overall state emissions, wherever they have been assessed, but household emissions predominate, ranging between 20 per cent and 40 per cent. Across the country, we are seeing is that sometimes cities are cleaner than the surrounding villages where household air pollution predominates," she said at the summit organised by think-tank Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy. This builds a strong case for expanding the scope of India's National Clean Air Programme (<keyword id="20133150" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NCAP" source="keywords">NCAP</keyword>), which currently focuses on non-attainment cities. Air pollution is a major threat to public health and contributes to a significant amount of morbidity as well as mortality. Apart from PM2.5 and PM10, short-lived climate pollutants such as black carbon, methane, ozone, and hydrocarbons have the potential to harm the environment and warm the atmosphere even more than CO2. Black carbon can cause chronic respiratory illnesses, lung cancer, emphysema, pneumonia, asthma, heart disease, and low birthweight. "In terms of reducing our life expectancy, globally, PM2.5 is contributing to about 2.3 years of life lost. Just below that is tobacco. In fact, there's so much attention on tobacco and global frameworks for control, but not the same level of attention has been paid to PM2.5 and certainly not the same level of commitments," Swaminathan said. The impact of air pollution is not limited to public health but has a significant economic cost as well. Recently, the World Bank published a study highlighting that air pollution has resulted in a loss of around USD 8.1 trillion in 2019, which is 6.1 per cent of the global gross domestic product (GDP). "We are always talking about air pollution as a problem but studies also show a strong economic case for action on clean air. There are significant positive consequences to investing in cleaning up the air in terms of the return on investments. We know air pollution is not just bad for our health, but it's also bad for agriculture, because it reduces the sunlight that's reaching the crops and it's bad for our economy or any country's economy as it deters people from coming and living or visiting those places," Swaminathan added. Kalpana Balakrishnan, Director, WHO Collaborating Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, said that the main barrier to shifting to clean cooking fuels that can help reduce household air pollution levels is finance. "If we give free LPG to women for two years, they are unlikely to shift back to biomass cooking even if you remove the subsidies," she said. Through Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) launched in May 2016, more than 100 million households in India received LPG cylinders by the end of March 2023. Studies shows over 50 per cent of the households that received new LPG cylinders under PMUY did not choose to refill it even once. Around a third of the world's population - 2.4 billion people globally (including 500 million people in India) - still lack access to clean cooking solutions. Although the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MOPNG) claims that the country's household LPG "coverage" stands at 99.8 per cent, the National Family Health Survey conducted in 2019-21 (NFHS-5) shows that 41 per cent of the population still cooks on biomass.

Indoor air pollution poses greater health risk than outdoor: Experts

In an age of rapid <keyword id="22943705" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="satellite-deployment" source="keywords">satellite deployment</keyword>, the sky above is not just getting more crowded but also becoming noisier with unintended radio wave emissions. Satellite swarms orbiting Earth, particularly the second-generation <keyword id="19998609" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Starlink-satellites" source="keywords">Starlink satellites</keyword>, are leaking more <keyword id="22477491" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electromagnetic-radiation" source="keywords">electromagnetic radiation</keyword> than ever before. This radiation, which bleeds into protected wavelength bands reserved for <keyword id="21166517" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="radio-astronomy" source="keywords">radio astronomy</keyword>, is raising serious concerns among astronomers and researchers. <h2>Starlink v2 satellites: A significant increase in radiation </h2>The second-generation Starlink satellites, known as the v2mini and v2mini Direct-to-Cell versions, are at the centre of this issue. These satellites are leaking up to 32 times more radiation than their predecessors. When first addressed in 2023, <keyword id="19905255" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SpaceX" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="SpaceX" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="SpaceX">SpaceX</keyword> acknowledged the problem and stated it was working on a solution. However, with 6,398 satellites now in orbit, the situation has only worsened. Cees Bassa, an astronomer with the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), highlighted the alarming data. "Compared to the faintest astrophysical sources that we observe with LOFAR, unintended electromagnetic radiation from Starlink satellites is 10 million times brighter," says Bassa. The gap between these signals is as vast as comparing the faintest stars visible to the naked eye to the brightness of the full Moon. With SpaceX launching approximately 40 second-generation Starlink satellites weekly, the problem is intensifying rapidly. While SpaceX is currently the largest player in low-Earth orbit, they are not alone in this burgeoning satellite race. A recent study has shown that constellation satellites are leaking radio waves outside the 10.7-to-12.7 gigahertz range used for communication downlink. Even more concerning is that some of this leakage occurs in the 150.05-to-153 MHz range, a band crucial for radio astronomy. These unintentional emissions interfere with sensitive astronomical observations, posing a serious threat to the future of space exploration. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113349504" title="Do we really need so many satellites?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>Understanding the impact </h2>Using the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) in Europe, a network of around 20,000 radio antennas, scientists conducted detailed observations to measure these unintended emissions. They detected radiation from 97 Starlink satellites in the 110-to-188 MHz frequency range, with emissions from the v2mini versions significantly stronger than their predecessors. Currently, no regulations are in place to address this unintended electromagnetic radiation from <keyword id="23169958" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="satellite-constellations" source="keywords">satellite constellations</keyword>. As more satellites enter orbit, these emissions are expected to grow brighter and more disruptive. Researchers are urging the implementation of new regulations and calling on companies like SpaceX to prioritise reducing these emissions as part of their sustainable space policies. "Humanity is clearly approaching an inflexion point where we need to take action to preserve our sky as a window to explore the Universe from Earth," says engineer Federico Di Vruno of the SKA Observatory. He notes that satellite companies, including Starlink, should take steps to minimise this unintended radiation, as it aligns with their broader goals of <keyword id="23248592" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainable-space-exploration" source="keywords">sustainable space exploration</keyword>. Radio astronomy has been instrumental in many of the technologies we take for granted today, including WiFi, GPS, and medical imaging. If radio astronomy is compromised, it could have unforeseen consequences that extend beyond the study of the cosmos. Jessica Dempsey, ASTRON’s general and scientific director, emphasises the need for collaboration between regulators and industry players. "We just need the regulators to support us, and the industry to meet us halfway. Without mitigations, very soon the only constellations we will see will be human-made." Meanwhile, SpaceX has not commented on the growing radiation issue yet. However, with increasing pressure from the scientific community, the hope is that action will be taken before it’s too late. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113162328" title="Elon Musk: SpaceX to launch first Starships to Mars in two years" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites are ‘leaking’ radiation into protected wavelength bands and this can indirectly impact WiFi and GPS!

Incidence of stroke and related deaths are rising substantially around the world, with <keyword id="19900550" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="keywords">air pollution</keyword>, <keyword id="21334318" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="high-temperatures" source="keywords">high temperatures</keyword> and metabolic risk factors such as high blood pressure and physical inactivity, driving these increases, according to estimates published in The Lancet Neurology journal. Researchers found that the contribution of high temperatures to poor health and early death due to stroke has increased 72% since 1990 and is likely to continue increasing in the future, thereby highlighting how environmental factors can impact growing stroke burden. Further, for the first time, particulate matter or PM air pollution was found to have the same contribution as smoking towards causing a fatal form of brain bleed, according to the researchers forming the <keyword id="20691740" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Global-Burden-of-Disease" source="keywords">Global Burden of Disease</keyword>, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) group. The GBD study, the "largest and most comprehensive effort to quantify health loss across places and over time", is coordinated by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, US. Globally, the number of people experiencing a stroke for the first time rose to 119 lakh in 2021 -- up by 70% since 1990 -- while deaths related to stroke rose to 73 lakh, which was up by 44% since 1990, making the neurological condition the third leading cause of death after ischaemic heart disease (short supply of blood to heart) and COVID-19. They added that over three-fourth of those affected by strokes live in low- and middle-income countries. According to lead author Valery L. Feigin from Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, the rapid growth in the number of people affected by stroke strongly suggested that <keyword id="23228151" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="stroke-prevention" source="keywords">stroke prevention</keyword> strategies currently used are not sufficiently effective. "New, proven effective population-wide and motivational individual prevention strategies that could be applied to all people at risk of having a stroke, regardless of the level of risk, as recommended in the recent Lancet Neurology Commission on Stroke should be implemented across the globe urgently," said Feigin. The researchers also estimated that stroke-related liabilities attributable to 23 modifiable risk factors, including air pollution, excess body weight, high blood pressure, smoking and physical inactivity, increased from 100 million years of healthy life lost in 1990 to 135 million in 2021. These risk factors are present in huge numbers in Eastern Europe, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, they said. The authors also acknowledged substantial progress made in reducing the global stroke burden from risk factors linked to poor diet, air pollution and smoking. Poor health resulting from diets high in processed meat and low in vegetables declined by 40 % and 30%, respectively, while that due to PM air pollution and smoking fell by 20 % and 13%, respectively, they found. The results suggested that strategies for reducing exposure to these risk factors over the past three decades such as clean air zones and public smoking bans have been successful, the authors said. They called for implementing and monitoring the evidence-based recommendations set out in the 2023 World Stroke Organization-Lancet Neurology Commission on stroke for drastically reducing the global burden of stroke in the years to come and improving brain health and overall well-being of millions of people around the world. The recommendations include stroke surveillance programmes that monitor indicators of stroke such as incidence, recurrence, death rates and risk factors in a country, and care and rehabilitation services for people affected by stroke.

Stroke cases increasing globally, air pollution, high temperatures driving numbers, notes Lancet Study

<keyword id="19900550" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="keywords">Air pollution</keyword> contributed to 8.1 million <keyword id="19904298" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="deaths" source="keywords">deaths</keyword> worldwide in 2021, with <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> and <keyword id="19894886" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="China" source="keywords">China</keyword> recording 2.1 million and 2.3 million fatalities, respectively, according to a report released on Wednesday. Published by the <keyword id="22107135" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Health-Effects-Institute" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Health Effects Institute" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Health Effects Institute">Health Effects Institute</keyword> (HEI), an independent US-based research organisation, in partnership with <keyword id="20018080" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="UNICEF" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="UNICEF" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="UNICEF">UNICEF</keyword>, the report stated that air pollution contributed to the deaths of 1,69,400 children in India under the age of five in 2021. Nigeria followed with 1,14,100 child deaths, Pakistan with 68,100, Ethiopia with 31,100, and Bangladesh with 19,100. The report also said that air pollution was the leading risk factor for deaths in <keyword id="19897710" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="South-Asia" source="keywords">South Asia</keyword>, followed by high blood pressure, diet, and tobacco. The report noted, "2021 saw more deaths linked to air pollution than were estimated for any previous year. With populations over 1 billion each, India (2.1 million deaths) and China (2.3 million deaths) together account for 54% of the total global disease burden." Other countries with high impacts included Pakistan (2,56,000 deaths), Bangladesh (2,36,300) and Myanmar (1,01,600 deaths) in South Asia; Indonesia (2,21,600 deaths), Vietnam (99,700 deaths), and the Philippines (98,209) in Southeast Asia; and Nigeria (2,06,700 deaths) and Egypt (1,16,500 deaths) in Africa. Taken together, air pollution from PM2.5 and ozone was estimated to contribute to 8.1 million deaths -- about 12% of the total global deaths -- in 2021. More than 90% of these global <keyword id="485942" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution-deaths" source="Orion">air pollution deaths</keyword> -- 7.8 million people -- are attributed to PM2.5 air pollution, including from ambient PM2.5 and household air pollution. These tiny particles, measuring less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, are so small they remain in the lungs and can enter the bloodstream, affecting many organ systems and increasing the risks for noncommunicable diseases in adults such as heart disease, stroke, <keyword id="6359018" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="diabetes" source="Orion">diabetes</keyword>, lung cancer, and <keyword id="73441" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease" source="Orion">chronic obstructive pulmonary disease</keyword> (COPD). According to the report, PM2.5 has been found to be the most consistent and accurate predictor of poor health outcomes around the world. "We hope our State of Global Air report provides both the information and the inspiration for change," said HEI President Elena Craft. "Air pollution has enormous implications for health. We know that improving air quality and global public health is practical and achievable. This new report offers a stark reminder of the significant impacts air pollution has on human health, with far too much of the burden borne by young children, older populations, and low- and middle-income countries. This points sharply to an opportunity for cities and countries to consider air quality and air pollution as high-risk factors when developing health policies and other noncommunicable disease prevention and control programs", said Pallavi Pant, HEI's Head of Global Health, who oversaw the SoGA report release.

Air pollution caused 8.1 million deaths in 2021 globally, 2.1 million in India, notes HEI Report

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 class="summary-list"><li>Lithium-ion batteries are the most common type of battery found in electric vehicles.</li><li>Scientists found they contain PFAS or 'forever chemicals' found in air, water, snow, soil, and sediment.</li></ul>Scientists have uncovered a new source of hazardous "forever chemical" pollution: the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries found in most electric vehicles.Some lithium-ion battery technologies use a class of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-are-pfas-chemicals-2018-8">PFAS chemicals</a>, or per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, that helps make batteries less flammable and conduct electricity. Scientists found high levels of these PFAS in air, water, snow, soil, and sediment samples near plants that make those chemicals in the US, Belgium, and France, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49753-5">peer-reviewed study</a> in the journal Nature Communications.PFAS are known as "forever chemicals" because they <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chart-how-long-hazardous-forever-chemicals-pfas-stay-in-blood-2023-3">build up quickly</a> in the environment, people, and animals and don't break down for thousands of years. They've been linked to a host of health conditions, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp200.pdf">liver damage</a>, high <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2831917/">cholesterol</a>, low <a target="_blank" href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/1408837/">birth weights</a>, and chronic <a target="_blank" href="https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/174/8/893/155305">kidney disease</a>.The findings underscore how switching to cleaner cars and renewable energy is key to solving the climate crisis, but comes with its own set of trade-offs that are still emerging and understudied. While the environmental and health impacts of mining lithium and other minerals used in batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, and other technology are well documented, it's only now that researchers are uncovering lithium-ion batteries as a source of PFAS pollution."Slashing [carbon dioxide] emissions with innovations like electric cars is critical, but it shouldn't come with the side effect of increasing PFAS pollution," Jennifer Guelfo, an associate professor of environmental engineering at Texas Tech University and coauthor of the study, said in a statement.It's an issue of global concern because lithium-ion batteries are used worldwide, the study said. The same class of PFAS has recently been detected at low levels in European and Chinese water, but the source of the pollution was unclear.The specific class of PFAS that Guelfo's team found is called bis-perfluoroalkyl sulfonimides, or bis-FASIs. Scientists tested more than a dozen lithium-ion batteries used in EVs and consumer electronics like laptops, and found bis-FASIs at various concentrations.It's hard to know just how widespread the chemicals are in specific lithium-ion batteries because there isn't enough research yet, Lee Ferguson, associate professor of environmental engineering at Duke University and coauthor of the study, said.Guelfo said bis-FASIs is comparable to "older notorious" chemicals like PFOA, in part because they are extremely difficult to degrade and studies show the chemicals change the behavior of aquatic organisms at low concentrations. PFOA has been phased out of production in the US but <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/epa-hazardous-forever-chemicals-drinking-water-limits-2024-4">continues to pollute drinking water</a>.The study was the first "cradle-to-grave" evaluation of the environmental impacts of bis-FASI use in lithium-ion batteries. The effects of bis-FASIs in humans hasn't been studied yet.The scientists detected bis-FASIs chemicals at parts per billion levels — much higher than the limits the Environmental Protection Agency <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/epa-hazardous-forever-chemicals-drinking-water-limits-2024-4">set for PFAS in drinking water in April</a>. Strategies to get rid of PFAS in drinking water can also remove bis-FASIs, the study said, which should become more widely adopted due to EPA's regulations. However, chemical makers and some water utilities <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/06/21/nx-s1-5013957/pfas-forever-chemicals-drinking-water-rule-lawsuits">have challenged the agency in court.</a>Other routes of exposure to bis-FASIs exist. Air emissions data suggest the chemicals can travel to areas far from manufacturing sites. They can also leach into the environment from landfills, where the majority of lithium-ion batteries end up.The study said only about 5% of lithium-ion batteries are recycled, and by 2040, there could be some 8 million tons of lithium-ion battery waste.Guelfo said scientists, engineers, manufacturers, and policymakers need to develop battery technology and recycling solutions that don't exacerbate PFAS pollution."We need to be carefully evaluating these chemicals that are being used in sustainable energy infrastructure," Guelfo said. "We should be evaluating them now before it becomes a more widespread problem. We an opportunity to really maximize the idea of sustainability."Companies including 3M, Solvay, and Arkema either hold patents for bis-FASIs or advertise its production or use, the study said. (In December — after the research was conducted — Solvay spun off its specialty and applied chemical businesses into a new entity named Syensqo. The lithium battery business is housed there.)Scientists focused their research on areas near the companies' manufacturing plants in Minnesota, Kentucky, Antwerp, Belgium, and Salindres, France.3M has manufactured PFAS for decades and last year <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/22/business/3m-settlement-forever-chemicals-lawsuit.html">agreed to a $10 billion settlement</a> with US cities and towns over their claims that the company contaminated drinking water with forever chemicals. 3M said it will exit all PFAS manufacturing by the end of 2025.The company's settlement followed another agreement by Chemours, DuPont and Corteva to pay $1.19 billion to help resolve thousands of lawsuits.Correction: July 8, 2024 — This story was updated to clarify the name of one of the companies that make EV battery materials. After the research, Solvay spun off its lithium battery business into a new entity named Syensqo.

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