Terrifying investigation into air pollution

The study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, found that people are exposed to air pollution greater than 15 micrograms/m3, which the WHO says is safe, on more than 70 percent of days during the year.

The scientists stated that particulate matter pollution, or fine particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers, originates from motor vehicle exhaust, fuels burned in power plants and other facilities, and forest fires.

A NEW METHOD IS DEVELOPED

Monash University Professor Yuming Guo announced that they have developed a new method that combines traditional air quality observations, satellite meteorology and air pollution detectors with statistical and machine learning methods to more accurately measure pollution. by fine particles throughout the world.

Explaining that they divided the earth’s surface into sections of about ten square kilometers and concentrated on the areas that exceeded the pollution rate determined by the WHO, Guo said that they used an innovative method by collecting multiple years of meteorological and geological data. 2000-2019.

FEAR RATE

As a result of the investigation, it was determined that the annual rate of fine particle pollution and high pollution exposure days over the nearly 20 years in which the data was evaluated decreased in Europe and North America, but increased in Asia. , Australia, New Zealand, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Additionally, South and East Asia and North Africa are exposed to high fine particle pollution on 90 percent of the days during the year, with the lowest concentration of pollution in Australia and New Zealand, followed by the rest. of Oceania and South America, he announced.

The study found that only one hundred thousandth of the world’s population lives below the fine particle pollution values ​​(on average 5 micrograms/m3) according to the 2021 WHO limits, and only 18 per thousand of the terrestrials of the world. zone is compatible with that level.

THE RISK OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE INCREASES DIRECTLY WITH AIR POLLUTION

On the other hand, a study carried out in the USA revealed that air pollution increases the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

In the research presented at the 75th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, the health values ​​of 22.5 million people were examined.

The researchers determined that 83,674 of the subjects had Parkinson’s disease. The rate of development of Parkinson’s in the areas where these people live was compared with rates of development of this disease in areas with high air pollution.

As a result of the comparison, 434 Parkinson’s patients were found in regions with an average of 19 micrograms/m3 of pollution by fine particles, while 359 cases per 100,000 were detected in regions with 5 micrograms/m3 of annual pollution.

After subtracting out other factors that could influence disease risk, such as age, smoking status and medical care, the researchers found that people exposed to high fine particle pollution had a 25 percent increased risk of developing the disease. Parkinson’s than people exposed to low pollution.

Previous research has shown that air pollution leads to low blood pressure in adolescents.

British scientists found that exposure to high levels of nitrogen dioxide, as well as fine particle pollution, disrupts the circadian rhythms of young people, affecting blood pressure and causing low blood pressure. (AA)