Dreadful Effect of Air Pollution On Children

Abstract

Through this paper, I discussed the worldwide problem of air pollution and its negative impact on the health and behaviour of children. The paper consists of Stanford University’s report which has been recently published in ‘NATURE’ journal. The report reveals the shocking truth about air pollution worldwide in previous years. This paper also covers the reason behind the same. And various researches show that the increasing quantity of PM2.5 in the air is a major factor for air pollution. And finally, the paper reveals some general conclusion related to the topic.

1. Introduction

Air plays a very vital role in the existence of all living beings on earth. But due to human activities, this life-giving air becomes lethal now. Nowadays air pollution is one of the major problems on earth which can’t be ignored. Air pollution refers to the introduction of excessive foreign particles including gasses and microbiological particles into the earth’s atmosphere. Those are harmful to live organisms as well as for land and crops. They cause various respiratory diseases, allergies, behavioral change and even death to humans.

2. Current situation of air pollution

In June 2018, Stanford University publishes his journal on ‘Air Pollution’ in ‘Nature’. Research-based on different surveys taken generally in African countries. The reports tell that only in the year 2015, about 4lakhs children below the age of 5 years are dead in sub-Saharan Africa due to the exposure to particulate matter. The researchers found that from 2011 to 2015 high particulate matter concentration was responsible for 22% of infant deaths. The dirty air has led to the premature deaths of seven lakhs and twelve thousand African's every year.  Various health-related problems are noticed in the research, it shows that air pollution can stunt brain development, trigger asthma and cause heart strokes and even cancer.  This is not the case of Africa only, air pollution is now a global threat. In Europe, the average lifespan of peoples is reducing by 2 years due to the same reason. More or less this is the present situation of all places on earth.

3. Role of PM2.5 to contribute air Pollution

PM2.5 refers to atmospheric particulate matter such as a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets that has a diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometers. It is so small that can only be detected with an electron microscope. It travels up to very long distances as it is smaller and lighter.

Due to its very small size, it cannot be stopped in the nasal cavity it gets deep into the lungs and even enters into the bloodstream.   Due to which it thickens the arteries which are the main cause of heart failure and strokes. Children are the most affected by these particles. The area where the quantity of PM2.5 is high has a large number of children are suffering from asthma, decreased lung function, coughing or difficulty in breathing. The behavioral changes in the children are also detected in the research, in India nearly 2.5 crores children are suffering from such diseases in which Autism is very common. Remember that Autism is a very serious developmental disorder that affects the emotional, social and physical health of the affected individual. The “Harvard six cities study”, published in 1996, revealed that PM2.5 was one of the causative factors of human non-accidental death.

PM2.5 form in the atmosphere as a result of complex reactions of chemicals such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are pollutants, mainly emitted from nuclear power plants, heavy industries, and automobiles companies. Apart from PM2.5 nitrogen oxide is the most poisonous and a cause of various lethal diseases in the world. This gas is emitted into the environment as a result of diesel combustion in automobiles. This gas is very harmful to a pregnant woman and even it affects her unborn child. It also reduces the mental development of a newborn.

It is clear that the major cause of air pollution is due to a huge gap between the exploitation of natural resources and repayment of those resources' value.

--Aakansha Panwar, Student