community public health: clean air, is it safe to breathe?

18
CHAPTER 21 Clean Air: Is It Safe To Breathe?

Upload: bianx-kee

Post on 16-Jan-2017

296 views

Category:

Health & Medicine


1 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

CHAPTER 21Clean Air: Is It Safe To Breathe?

Page 2: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

Air pollution caused by coal burning was a problem during the advent of Industrial revolution.

The air of many cities was blackened with smoke from the industrial and household furnaces and railroad locomotives.

More than 4000 deaths from both respiratory and heart disease were attributed to the foul air.

Page 3: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

CRITERIA AIR POLLUTANTS• Clean air act was passed on soon

afterward. Its amendments require monitoring and regulation of six common air pollutants, called criteria air pollutants.

Page 4: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

1. PARTICULATE MATTER• Most visible form of air pollution• Particulates in the air have harmful health effects• smallest particles can evade the body's natural defenses,

penetrate deeply into the lungs• populated city were most likely to suffer from respiratory

symptoms

Page 5: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

2. SULFUR DIOXIDE• Produced by combustion of sulfur-containing fuel,

especially coal• Most significant impact is as precursor to acid rain• It also tends to stick to fine particulates

Page 6: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

3. CARBON MONOXIDE• Highly toxic gas• Most of which is produced in motor vehicle

exhaust• It interferes with the oxygen-carrying capacity of

the blood• Also causes headaches and impairing mental

processes

Page 7: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

4. NITROGEN OXIDES• Chemicals responsible for the yellowish-brown

appearance of smog• Main sources are motor vehicle exhaust, off-

road equipment and power plant emissions• It contribute also to acid rain

Page 8: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

5. OZONE• Highly reactive variant of oxygen• produced by photochemical reactions• Chronic exposure permanently damages the lungs• Ozone is an important protective component of the upper

atmosphere• But in low altitudes its effects are harmful

Page 9: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

6. LEAD• Highly toxic chemical that can damage the

nervous system, blood, kidneys• Main source of lead as an air pollutant is the

use of leaded gasoline

Page 10: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

TOXIC & CARCINOGENIC• Toxic chemicals and carcinogenic chemicals are

released into the air by local factories, waste disposal sites, and other sources.

• Emmision standards for such hazards on asbestos, mercury, beryllium, benzene, vinyl chloride, arsenic, radionuclides, coke-oven emissions.

Page 11: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

When an area does not meet the air quality standard for one of the criteria pollutants are designated as a nonattainment area and are forced to attain the standard.

Page 12: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

STRATEGIES FOR MEETING STANDARDS

• Newest cars have reduced emissions of carbon monoxide and ozone-producing chemicals.

• Ban on leaded gasoline has almost eliminated lead as an air pollutant.

• Requirement of less polluting alternative fuels such as ethanol

Page 13: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

STRATEGIES FOR MEETING STANDARDS

• Automakers should develop and market “zero-mandated” vehicles-”electric cars”.

• “Clean Air Act Amendments”, “New Source Review”, “Clear Skies Initiative”, EPCRA.

• Technological improvements in motor vehicles and factories.

Page 14: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

INDOOR AIR QUALITY• Most public concern and political action have focused on

outdoor air pollution.• Lack of ventilation may lead to “sick building syndrome”.• “Tobacco smoke”-indoor air pollutant• biological pollutants-bacteria, mold, dust mites, animal dander• “Secondhand smoke”-smoking ban in public places

Page 15: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

INDOOR AIR QUALITY• Wood-burning stoves and fireplaces emit particulate matter and

gases.• Pesticides, dry-cleaning solvents, paints and thinners, air fresheners.• airborne microbes can pose health hazards• Legionnaire's disease due to aircon• Hantavirus from rodent urine or feces

Page 16: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

GLOBAL EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION

• Acid rain-It damages forests, corrosion• Aidic rivers and lakes• Depletion of the ozone layer-“CFCs”• Greenhouse effect• “Global warming”

Page 17: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

CONCLUSION• Air pollution is a threat to health• Leads to deaths from respiratory disease

and heart disease• “Global scale”implementations on

interventions to be effective• There are 6 criteria air pollutants• Strategies for meeting standards include

technological improvements

Page 18: COMMUNITY PUBLIC HEALTH: CLEAN AIR, IS IT SAFE TO BREATHE?

CONCLUSION• Common indoor pollutants such as

smoking and also biological air pollutants.• Air pollution create acid rain, depletion of

ozone layer, greenhouse effect that lead to global warming.