Page 6 - LabMedya - ENG - 06

/labmedya

6 HEALTH AND LABORATORY MAGAZINE

AIR POLLUTION IN THE COUNTRY IS AS

TOXIC AS THE SMOG OF THE CITY

Researchers have found unhealthy particles floating in
the atmosphere even in the rural areas, where the air
looks clearer.

That sweet country air may rural area in the midwest, and the winter and spring are sprayed on crops, only contributed 10 percent
not be as invigorating as they found similar levels of of 2019 from Chicago, for instance, contain of the region’s PM2.5 mass.
we once thought. oxidative potential at all Indianapolis, and St Louis, heavy-metal pollutants, Yet they accounted for
four sites. That was true as well as a rural location like lead and chromium, more than half of all the
Fine particulate matter even though the rural site in Illinois. that can easily infiltrate the toxic potentials measured
less than 2.5 micrometers had a relatively lower mass air and our lungs. Copper in the air.
in diameter (PM2.5) is of PM2.5. Analyzing the composi- fungicides are also sprayed
thought to cause the most tion, mass, and oxidative in a similar way. Clearly, the way that we are
harm to human health, as While agricultural activities potential of these samples, measuring air pollution is
these pollutants are small only contributed 12 percent the team found a poor Despite being located 12 flawed and is not capturing
enough to seep deep into of the rural site’s PM2.5 correlation between the kilometers (7 miles) from a the full extent of harm.
our lungs, damaging the mass, they accounted for mass and toxicity of fine coal-fired power plant, coal
cells and tissues that reside more than 60 percent of particulate matter. combustion and biomass Measuring the oxidative
there. the region’s cellular oxida- burning accounted for potentials of individual
tive potential. Lighter chemicals in rural more than 80 percent of chemicals, however, is
As guidance, the World areas were much more rural Illinois’ PM2.5 mass. much trickier than simply
Health Organization has The oxidative potential of likely to produce unhealthy weighing the mass of all
therefore set a safety most urban sites, on the byproducts. If the authors had simply ambient pollutants. The au-
threshold for ambient other hand, was less than measured PM2.5, it would thors of the current study
PM2.5 levels, and yet this 54 percent. Floating traces of iron look like coal was the most hope their new methodol-
line in the sand overlooks and organic carbon, for dangerous factor for hu- ogy can make testing for
the nuances of intrinsically “Overall, our study indi- instance, were strongly man health. But that may toxic air easier for environ-
toxic chemicals. cates that the sources correlated with cellu- not be true. Instead, agri- mental regulators and poli-
contributing substantially lar oxidative potential cultural sources, which are cymakers going forward.
Emerging research sug- to PM2.5 mass are not throughout the year. Other lighter in mass, appeared
gests the mass of fine par- necessarily equally impor- industrial chemicals like to be twice as toxic as The study was published in
ticulate matter we breathe tant in terms of their health lead, aluminum, copper, burnt biomass. the Journal of Hazardous
could be less important effects,” the authors write and manganese, tended Materials:
for human health than its in a newspaper. to increase during winter “Despite a minor contribu-
chemical makeup. and fall. tion to PM2.5 mass, health Sources of cellular oxida-
Instead, the researchers risks of the agricultural ac- tive potential of wa-
That’s because some light- argue our health metrics The strong seasonality tivities cannot be ignored,” ter-soluble fine ambient
er particles are more likely for air pollution should be of these results suggests the authors conclude. particulate matter in the
to produce reactive oxygen based more on the toxic many of the potential- Midwestern United States
species, which can have potential of fine particles ly toxic chemicals being Nor can we afford to ignore
toxic effects on human than their actual mass. breathed in rural Illinois are other lighter forms of fine https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
health. due to agricultural activi- particulate matter. jhazmat.2021.127777
The study is based on ties, like the application of
When researchers in the weekly samples of PM2.5, fertilizers and herbicides. For instance, a study con-
United States compared which were retrieved in the ducted in Beijing in 2019
three urban areas to one summer and fall of 2018 Phosphate fertilizers that found vehicle emissions