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<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

Emissions from residential cooking and heating, power generation, and industries together contribute up to 60 per cent of India's PM2.5 pollution, with about 80 per cent of this coming from <keyword id="23824528" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fossil-fuel-combustion" source="keywords">fossil fuel combustion</keyword>, a new study has found. The peer-reviewed study, published in MDPI's "Air" journal, suggests dividing India into 15 airsheds based on regional climate and pollution sources. An airshed is a geographic area where <keyword id="53848" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="air-quality" source="Orion">air quality</keyword> is influenced by common factors such as wind patterns and pollution sources. Since pollution can spread across regions, the <keyword id="22077484" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="airshed-approach" source="keywords">airshed approach</keyword> promotes coordinated action among states. "Residential cooking and heating, power generation, and all other industries together are responsible for 40-60 per cent of the PM2.5 pollution in all the airsheds, and approximately 80 per cent of the pollution comes from fossil fuel burning sources," said Sarath Guttikunda, lead author of the study and founder of UrbanEmissions.info. The study said biomass burning, including post-harvest crop residue burning, contributed less than 3 per cent to annual PM2.5 levels while transport accounted for 5-10 per cent in all airsheds. PM2.5 are fine particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less, about the width of a human hair. These are so small that these can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, posing significant health risks. An analysis of PM2.5 trends from 1998 to 2020, along with state-level data on fuel consumption, energy demand and emissions, revealed that 11 of the 15 airsheds were critical for India's air quality management and required coordinated interventions. The Indo-Gangetic Plains remain the most polluted region, with significant emissions from residential cooking and heating (especially in winter), power plants, brick kilns (driven by construction demand), waste burning, dust and vehicular movement for passengers and freight. The plateau region between the Eastern and Western Ghats, India's second most populated area, has seen the highest rise in annual PM2.5 pollution during this period, the study said. "This is an indication of the growing urbanisation and demand for transport, industrial, and commercial amenities," it said. Coastal areas, vital to India's industrial economy, have also experienced rising pollution despite the moderating effects of land-sea breezes. This increase is attributed to growing shipping emissions and overall industrial growth in cities such as Mundra, Surat, Mumbai, Goa, Mangalore, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Haldia.

Study traces 60% PM2.5 pollution in India to residential cooking, power generation, industries

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

The <keyword id="6354977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court">Supreme Court</keyword> Wednesday said it is a question of life and death of crores of people in Delhi-NCR region which is facing severe <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword> and the authorities have to be held responsible for its failure to curb it. "Can you permit people to die like this due to pollution? Can you permit the country to go back by 100 years," observed a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra. "We have to make government responsible for this," the bench said and asked, "Why can't govt machinery stop stubble burning? Coming down heavily on state governments, the top court said that if they don't bother about people, they have no right to be in power. "You just want to sit in your ivory towers and rule. You are not bothered and are letting the people die," the bench said. "You (states) have forgotten the concept of welfare government. They are not bothered about poor people, this is very unfortunate," said the bench, also comprising Justice Deepak Gupta. It also questioned as to why the state governments cannot collect and purchase stubble from farmers. "We expect more from democratic government of the country to deal with issue of stubble burning and curb pollution," the bench said, adding that "it is a question of life and death of crores of people. We have to make govt responsible for this".

Air pollution is a question of life and death for millions, says SC

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">Air pollution</keyword> was a cause of 9-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah's <keyword id="6355784" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="death">death</keyword>, a <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword> coroner ruled Wednesday.</li><li>She died of an asthma attack in 2013.</li><li>It's the first time air <keyword id="13001" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="pollution">pollution</keyword> will be listed on a death certificate.</li><li>Nitrogen dioxide emissions and harmful airborne particles where Kissi-Debrah lived exceeded legal limits. These pollutants can <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/types-of-pollution-health-effects-2019-3">exacerbate asthma</a>.</li></ul>Seven years after 9-year-old Londoner Ella Kissi-Debrah suffered a fatal asthma attack, her death is making history. On Wednesday, coroner Philip Barlow ruled that air pollution killed the little girl. "Her death certificate will now become the first in the world to list air pollution as a cause of death," <a href="https://twitter.com/lunguk/status/1339194996436635648">the British Lung Foundation tweeted</a>. London mayor Sadiq Khan called it a <a href="https://twitter.com/sadiqkhan/status/1339183988594925570">"landmark moment."</a> Kissi-Debrah's mother, Rosamund, waged a long fight to get justice for her daughter and highlight the UK's air pollution problem. In 2014, experts determined that Ella had died of acute respiratory failure. But Rosamund pushed for another inquiry into her child's death, and her lawyers submitted evidence that air pollution levels where the family lived exceeded limits set by the European Union. This pollution, they maintained, played a role in Ella's fatal health problems. The coroner agreed: Barlow intends to list acute respiratory failure, severe asthma, and air pollution exposure as her causes of death, <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/courts/coroner-rules-air-pollution-played-part-in-ella-kissi-debrah-death/ar-BB1bYr9U?li=BBoPWjQ">PA Media reported</a>. "Air pollution was a significant contributory factor to both the induction and exacerbation of her asthma," Barlow said at the conclusion of the inquiry, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/16/uk/air-pollution-death-ella-kissi-debrah-uk-gbr-intl/index.html">according to CNN</a>. He noted car and truck exhaust as the primary source of pollutants. <h2>Seizures, hospital visits, and crippling health problems</h2> <div type="image" title="Rosamud Kissi-Debrah pollution death" height="3452" width="4603" msid="79788238" hostid="261"></div>When Ella was six, Rosamund rushed her to the hospital during a coughing fit. Doctors had to put Ella in a medically induced coma for three days. Over the next three years, Ella visited the hospital 26 more times for acute asthma and seizures. Rosamund said her daughter was disabled by 2012 and had to be carried piggyback-style to get around, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-55330945">the BBC reported</a>. Ella died on February 5, 2013. According to Stephen Holgate, a respiratory physician at Southampton General Hospital, the girl's asthma episodes were worse in the winter, when pollution levels spiked near her home on South Circular Road - one of the busiest roads in south London. He told the Southwark Coroner's Court, which oversaw the inquiry into Ella's death, that the cumulative effect of continuously breathing in toxic air caused her fatal asthma attack, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/16/girls-death-contributed-to-by-air-pollution-coroner-rules-in-landmark-case">the Guardian reported</a>. <h2>'Unlawful levels of air pollution'</h2> In a <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/2019-05-02/high-court-to-decide-on-new-inquest-over-girls-air-pollution-death">2018 report</a>, Holgate found that air pollution levels at a monitoring station one mile from Kissi-Debrah's home consistently exceeded legal limits set by the European Union and the World Health Organization between 2010 and 2013. Holgate's report said "that without unlawful levels of air pollution, Ella would not have died." That finding informed Barlow's assessment, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/16/uk/air-pollution-death-ella-kissi-debrah-uk-gbr-intl/index.html">CNN reported</a>. "During the course of her illness between 2010 and 2013, she was exposed to levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in excess of <keyword id="6366244" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="who">WHO</keyword> guidelines," Barlow concluded, according to CNN. He added that the failure to get those levels below legal limits during the three years before Kissi-Debrah's fatal asthma attack may have contributed to her death. <div type="image" title="The Bronx pollution" height="1333" width="1777" msid="79788240" hostid="261"></div>London mayor Sadiq Khan <a href="https://twitter.com/sadiqkhan/status/1339183988594925570">tweeted</a> that Barlow's decision should be "a turning point" in the city's push to curb emissions, adding that "toxic air pollution is a public-health crisis." <h2>Air pollution kills 8.8 million people per year</h2>Factories and gas-powered vehicles produce air pollutants like nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrocarbons. These chemicals can react with sunlight to create smog, which lowers air quality to unhealthy levels. Kissi-Debrah is not the first person to die from air pollution - it causes an estimated <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/types-of-pollution-health-effects-2019-3">8.8 million deaths annually</a> worldwide. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz135/5372326">One study</a> showed that nearly 800,000 Europeans died from air pollution-related issues in 2015 alone. As of last year, <a href="https://www.who.int/airpollution/en/">91% of the world's population</a> lived in places where the air quality did not meet the WHO's safety standards. <div type="image" title="Woman smog skyline pollution mask" height="1414" width="2121" msid="79788241" hostid="261"></div>Studies conducted in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26453943">China</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20123607">Canada</a> show that children who breathe poor air are more likely to have breathing difficulties and asthma. <a href="https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-017-0210-z">A study involving New York City schoolchildren</a> also found that kids who breathe unhealthy air are more likely to need academic intervention. Research in the US <a href="http://www.nber.org/papers/w24970">shows that dementia and cognitive decline rates</a> are higher in places with more air pollution as well. Most air pollution comes in the form of methane and carbon-dioxide emissions from burning coal, <a>oil</a>, and <a>natural gas</a>. These fossil fuels can <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/stories/fossil-fuels-dirty-facts">also emit pollutants</a> like benzene, a chemical linked to childhood leukemia and blood disorders, and formaldehyde, which is a carcinogen. <div type="image" title="Tuttle holds the inhaler for her son at their rental home in Steilacoom" height="3204" width="4285" msid="79788242" hostid="261"></div>When sunlight interacts with pollutants, chemical reactions can create ground-level ozone, a type of ozone that can trigger a <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution/health-effects-ozone-pollution">variety of breathing problems</a>, particularly for children and the elderly, <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-level-ozone-pollution/ground-level-ozone-basics#wwh">according to the Environmental Protection Agency</a>. Breathing in ground-level ozone can reduce a person's lung function and harm lung tissue, exacerbating conditions like emphysema and asthma.

A 9-year-old girl's death certificate will be 'the first in the world' to list air pollution as a cause after a fatal asthma attack

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=World+Health+Organization">World Health Organization</a> has marked <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Delhi+">Delhi </a>as the most polluted globally. In case you’re visiting the city or are a resident, you must be privy to the Capital city’s dangerous <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=air+pollution">air pollution</a>. So bad is the condition that doctors are suggesting chronic patients to leave the city. 
 
At the face of imminent disaster, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune launched a web app to check the air quality back in February this year. The app, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=SAFAR">SAFAR</a>-Air is currently only available only on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Android">Android</a>. 
 
Here’s how you can use it to save yourself: 
 
1. The service is available in Pune, Mumbai and Delhi. 
 
2. Choose your nearest locality if yours is not on the list. 
 
3. Here’s what the terms mean: 
 
AQI: Air Quality Index (AQI) is an index for air quality. It tells us how clean or polluted the air really is. 
 
PM: Particulate Matter (PM) is the general term for solids or liquids that pollute the air. The list includes aerosols, smoke, fumes, dust, ash and pollen. 
 
4. The forecast will help you plan your next day better. 
 
5. Share it with your friends and neighbors. Increase overall awareness about Pollution! 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Delhiites and Visitors, here’s
how to use the Air Pollution Checker Safar app

Best anti pollution face wash

<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

It is a known fact that India’s capital <keyword id="6358777" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="New-Delhi">New Delhi</keyword> is facing a crisis when it comes to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=delhi+air+pollution">air pollution</a>, to an extent that it was one and a half times worse than the pollution levels in Beijing over the past week. 
 
Recently, an Indiaspend analysis of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/This-is-how-bad-Delhis-pollution-is-and-its-goingto-get-worse-if-we-do-nothing-about-it/articleshow/50140542.cms">PM 2.5 concentration levels</a> found that "the average weekly PM 2.5 concentration in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=delhi">Delhi's</a> air was 230.9 micrograms per cubic metre (g/m³), giving it a 'very poor' rating of air quality under the guidelines of the Central Pollution Control Bureau (CPCB). This rating means that it could lead to 'respiratory illness on prolonged exposure'. 
 
Another study by the Kolkata-based Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) shows that nearly half of Delhi’s school children suffer from permanent lung damage while around 10,000 people will die prematurely from air-pollution in Delhi. 
 Additionally, the hazardous <keyword id="68139" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Smog">smog</keyword> which engulfed the city in the past few days reducing visibility down to about 200 metres has also forced a handful number of residents to move out of Delhi or atleast contemplate living somewhere which doesn’t resemble ‘living in a gas chamber.’ 
 
Even as the dangers of breathing the polluted air looms right in front of the citizens residing in what is being considered as the most polluted cities in the world, why then are they so blithe in taking steps to protect themselves from the choking air? 
 
Granted, the sale of air purifiers are on the rise with more and more people bringing it in their homes in a bid to chase clean air to breathe, but it should be kept in mind that air purifiers work only indoors, not outdoors. 
 <keyword id="3171236" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="anti-pollution-masks">Anti-pollution masks</keyword> are widely considered the easiest way for an individual to protect themselves from not just dust but also contaminants present in the air, but in the city of Delhi, residents using such masks are still a rarity. 
 
The reason for this is undoubtedly the lack of awareness. Anish Kapoor from Shiva Industries which makes a variety of anti-pollution masks (used even by the Delhi police) available online says that there has been no change in his sales numbers as people are least bothered about masks. 
 
“Not only are they not aware of the dire consequences of the pollution, but they are also quite unaware of the existence of anti-pollution masks and where to get them. The fact that wearing a mask is not considered ‘cool’ doesn’t help either,” Kapur states. 
 
The anti-pollution masks are available both online and offline. They can be bought from chemists and from Select City Walk and shops in Khan Market, being judiciously priced from Rs 180 to Rs 750. There are designer varieties as well, which are priced Rs 2,000 onwards. 
 
According to Vikas Yadav, shopkeeper at Khan Market whose medical store sells about 20-30 masks on a good day, the majority of people who buy them are either people with existing respiratory illness or foreigners. 
 
“I expected more people to buy the masks considering how difficult breathing has become in the city, but unfortunately sales have been maegre,” Yadav summed up. 
 
He is of the belief that for the situation to improve, it is imperative that the government takes steps to educate the people on the importance of these masks and the dire effects of the air quality in the city. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Pollution in Delhi is
increasing, but the demand for anti-pollution masks is not- here’s why

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.

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