Physical Address
23,24,25 & 26, 2nd Floor, Software Technology Park India, Opp: Garware Stadium,MIDC, Chikalthana, Aurangabad, Maharashtra – 431001 India
By Vivek Saini
Claim: Air quality doesn’t trigger asthma attacks. Asthma is an allergic condition triggered by allergens; smoke and other particulate emissions (PM2.5) are not allergens.
Fact: The air quality index primarily includes six pollutants ozone, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and lead. Of these six pollutants, ozone and particulate matter are most commonly linked with triggering asthma symptoms. At high levels, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide may also be asthma triggers.
Claim post:
What does the post say
In his viral Twitter post dated 3 July ’23, climate change contrarian Steve Milloy claimed that Air quality does not induce asthma attacks because it could be triggered by a specific group of allergens only, and smoke and other particulate matter are irrelevant to cause any problems to asthma patients. He also tagged a Bloomberg article about the Canadian wildfire, which could affect millions of Americans due to dangerously high levels of air pollutants.
What we found
The post is Misleading. Since air pollution irritates and inflames the receptors and lining of a person’s airways, research suggests that high concentrations may cause asthma attacks. Due to this, asthmatics frequently experience tightening and swelling of the airways. The respiratory system is also harmed by some of the chemicals in air pollution. The oxidative stress that characterizes severe asthma can be brought on by exposure to specific contaminants.
The Bloomberg article tagged in the post contradicts the claim made by Steve Milloy, as it stated, Wildfire smoke that broke out in Canada contains harmful substances such as particulate matter, hazardous air pollutants, and nitrogen dioxide. At the same time, it is terrible for everyone. People with pre-existing respiratory disorders like asthma may face a life-threatening situation.
What are air pollutants, and how do they affect asthmatic patients
Air pollution refers to the presence of harmful substances for humans in the air, and it is linked to a high risk of early death from lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, lower respiratory infections, and cardiovascular diseases like ischaemic heart disease and stroke. The burden of outdoor (ambient) air pollution is disproportionately felt by residents of developing and overpopulated nations, with 91% of the 4.2 million preventable deaths in 2016 occurring in low- and middle-income countries in South-East Asia, Central Africa and the Western Pacific, where exposure is highest. While air quality has improved in developed nations, air pollution has steadily increasing in developing countries. The World Health Organisation (WHO) created air quality guidelines for various pollutants to measure air pollution. According to WHO data, nine out of ten people breathe highly polluted air. More than 80% of persons who live in metropolitan areas where air quality is measured are exposed to levels of air pollution that are higher than the WHO’s recommended limits.
Additionally, because so many people use biomass, kerosene, and coal for cooking and home heating, there is a significant frequency of respiratory illnesses among the 3 billion people exposed to high indoor (household) air pollution. Although there are numerous natural sources of air pollution, such as volcanoes and wildfires, the industrial revolution first made air pollution a concern on a global scale. Both indoor and outdoor air quality are impacted by pollution. Pollutants can be divided into two groups: gaseous pollutants and particulate matter (PM). Inorganic pollutants like nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and heavy metals like lead or chromium (Pb or Cr) are among the principal gaseous pollutants, along with volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Some of them, such as NO2 and SO2, are directly produced by various pollution sources, whilst others, such as O3, are formed through the interaction of nitric oxides and VOCs with sunlight. PM, often employed as a measure of air quality, is the pollutant with the most considerable influence on human health. Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP), a complex mixture rich in PM, negatively impacts respiratory system performance.
How climate change raised concerns regarding the air quality index
Both air pollution and climate change can impact each other’s environmental effects. A warmer climate, for instance, can cause some locations to experience an increase in ground-level ozone during hot, sunny days. In addition to ozone at ground level, which traps heat in the atmosphere, ozone is a greenhouse gas that causes climate change.
Air pollution is the leading environmental factor contributing to sickness and early death globally. Every year, 6.4 million people die from illnesses like ischemic heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, type 2 diabetes, and neonatal disorders. These illnesses are brought on by fine air pollution particles or aerosols, also known as delicate particulate matter or PM2.5. About 95% of these fatalities occur in underdeveloped nations, where billions of people are exposed to PM2.5 concentrations inside and outdoors that are several times greater than the WHO’s recommended levels. According to a World Bank report, the cost of the health harm brought on by air pollution amounts to $8.1 trillion a year, or 6.1% of the world’s GDP.
In addition to its adverse effects on human capital, air pollution is linked to biodiversity loss and ecosystems. On the other hand, reducing air pollution enhances economies while also enhancing health. According to a recent World Bank study, a 20% drop in PM2.5 levels is linked to a 16% rise in employment growth and a 33% rise in labour productivity development.
How global warming could lead to an increase in asthma attack
In recent years, it has become increasingly evident how climate change affects the ecosystem, biosphere, and biodiversity. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and other atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations have increased due to human activity. The quantity, intensity, and frequency of precipitation type and the frequency of severe events, including heat waves, droughts, thunderstorms, floods, and hurricanes, are all impacted by climate change and the associated global warming. Climate change can negatively impact respiratory health, which helps asthma and allergic rhinitis develop.
Each year, the air pollution brought on by the burning of fossil fuels causes thousands of children under the age of five to pass away too soon from lower respiratory diseases. Climate change’s increased temperatures also encourage an increase in ground-level ozone pollution. Ozone is a potent lung irritant that can set up asthma attacks. Climate-driven warming is anticipated to increase the incidence of childhood asthma, according to an EPA report from 2023. For instance, annual incidences of asthma are predicted to rise by 4% and 11%, respectively, at warming levels of 2°C and 4°C.
The respiratory symptoms of wheezing, dyspnea, coughing, and chest tightness linked to fluctuating expiratory airflow limitation define asthma, a chronic inflammatory airway disease. Depending on the country, between 1 and 18% of the population is thought to have asthma. Data revealed that air pollution has a detrimental effect on asthma outcomes in both adult and pediatric populations, and evidence indicated that TRAP may be responsible for 13% of the global prevalence of childhood asthma.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4465283/
- https://www.aaaai.org/Tools-for-the-Public/Conditions-Library/Asthma/Your-Questions-Answered-on-Air-Pollution-and-Asthm
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health
- https://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.151?lang=en
- https://www.epa.gov/air-trends/air-quality-national-summary
- http://www.who.int/airpollution/data/cities/en/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32105091/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7044178/
- https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/downloads/NCA4_Ch13_Air-Quality_Full.pdf
- https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2022/09/01/what-you-need-to-know-about-climate-change-and-air-pollution
- https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36501
- https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36400
- https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/31599
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32589303/
- https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/c-change/news/fossil-fuel-air-pollution-responsible-for-1-in-5-deaths-worldwide/
- https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-04/CLiME_Final%20Report.pdf
- https://ginasthma.org/gina-reports/
