Effects of Air and Water Pollution on Health

Effects of Air and Water Pollution on Health BY ROBERT SEAMAN

Questions to think about What are the most important things in life worth protecting? How should different issues with a common goal learn to communicate and achieve that goal? Are you in control of your life and your future?

Air Pollutants and Risks

Step 1: Breath How much do you breath? On average, a human will approximately breathe (While Relatively Relaxed): Once every 2 -3 seconds 20 -30 times a minute 1200 - 1800 times an hour 28800 - 43200 times a day 10. 5 - 15. 7 million times a year 210. 2 - 315. 4 million times every 20 years ***Based on Personal Trial and Calculations***

In One Minute https: //ww 3. arb. ca. gov/research/resno tes/notes/94 -11. htm Study Performed by California Environmental Protection Agency (1994) 160 Active Participants (High Uncertainty)

Composition of Air https: //climate. nasa. gov/news/2915/theatmosphere-getting-a-handle-on-carbondioxide/

What else are we breathing? Pollutants!

Types of Pollution

Air Quality Index (AQI) https: //www. epa. gov/wildfire-smoke-course/wildfire-smoke-and-your-patients-health-air-quality -index#: ~: text=The%20 AQI%20 is%20 a%20 nationally, PM 10%20 and%20 PM 2. 5).

Particulate Matter (PM) Range of Sizes (2. 5 -10 μm) Commonly found in construction/demolition sites Gets caught in lungs due to small size of particles Includes Saw Dust, Asbestos, Fiber Glass, dust etc. Appears as Soot Size Comparison

Asbestos PM Size: ≤ 5 μm 48 -72 hours of settling time Asbestosis, mesothelioma, chronic pneumonia, lung cancer Not truly banned for construction materials (See Toxic Substances Control Act Sec. 6) https: //www. asbestosspecialist. co. u k/how-long-does-asbestos-stayairborne-after-disturbance/

Ozone, VOCs, and NOx Volatile Organic Compounds and Nitrous Oxides contribute to Ground Level Ozone (in high concentrations) burns skin A harmful air pollutant Fueled by higher temperatures Appears as Smog https: //www. epa. gov/ground-level-ozone-pollution/groundlevel-ozone-basics#regulations

2019 NY Air Quality Assessment 50% of New Yorkers experienced failing air quality (American Lung Association) NYC was the 10 th unhealthiest air quality city in the USA for Ozone Other cities with dangerously high pollutant levels Suffolk was the worst county in the Assessment

One More Minute …. Suffolk County residents in 2019, according to the AQI and American Lung Association, experienced 29 days of Unhealthy Air Conservative Estimate: 2. 55 mg per minute/0. 11 grams in 29 days Realistic Estimate: 3. 63 mg per minute/0. 15 grams in 29 days Increase from 23 unhealthy days to 29 unhealthy days from 2018 to 2019 https: //airnow. gov/in dex. cfm? action=airn ow. calculator

Carbon Dioxide and Direct Effects 1, 000 - 2, 000 ppm: Drowsiness and feeling of poor air quality. 2, 000 - 5, 000 ppm: level associated with headaches, sleepiness, and stagnant, stale, stuffy air. Poor concentration, loss of attention, increased heart rate and slight nausea may also be present. 5, 000 ppm: Toxicity or oxygen deprivation could occur. This is the permissible exposure limit for daily workplace exposures. 40, 000 ppm: this level is immediately harmful due to oxygen deprivation. https: //www. dhs. wisco nsin. gov/chemical/carb ondioxide. htm#: ~: text= Exposure%20 to%20 C O 2%20 can%20 produc e, coma%2 C%20 asphy xia%2 C%20 and%20 co nvulsions.

Carbon Dioxide’s Effect on Children CO spiking has been linked to the sharp increase in asthma for children 50% increase in incidence between 1980 and 1993 (40 60 per 1000) Pollen rates are also increasing, leading to longer allergy seasons 2

Where do these pollutants come from? Transportation Power plants Heating systems Waste incineration Industry Volcanos Second-hand Smoke Agriculture (Pesticides and odors) https: //www. pbs. org/newshour/science/is-burningtrash-a-good-way-to-dispose-of-it-wasteincineration-in-charts

https: //gispub. epa. gov/air/trendsreport/2019/#air_pollution

Impact on City Dwellers More likely to be exposed to Ozone pollution New York City was only the 10 th worst city in America for Air Pollution Lower life expectancies due to increased exposure 2019 State of the Air Report: - NYC placed 10 th for worst air quality city in the USA - High Ozone levels - Very high pollutant concentrations

Indoor Pollution Pollutants are more potent Less plants and natural filtration systems from pollutants Commonly dangerous indoor pollutants include wax and paint emissions Lead in paint and candles are also common, in addition to outdoor pollutants https: //www. greenamerica. org/toxiccandl es#: ~: text=The%20 biggest%20 issue%20 with%20 candles, releases%20 carcinogeni c%20 soot%20 when%20 burned. &text=On ce%20 upon%20 a%20 time%2 C%20 many, market%20 contained%20 lead%2 Dcore% 20 wicks.

Water Pollutants and Risks

Drinking and Waste-Water Systems Degrading water quality infrastructure ASCE D+ Infrastructure Report Card Increased pressure for more advanced treatment and water delivery systems create more waste-waters Increased levels of litter causing strain on treatment systems Algae Bloom causing Runoff creating toxic water sources Groundwater systems now used less sparingly

Micro-Plastic Amplification Caused by litter and plastic ingestion by sea life Increasing levels of plastic (8 million metric tons per year) contribute to the problem Plankton ingests plastic, fish ingest shrimp, leading to amplified levels of plastic in fish Upon human consumption of these fish, the plastic is then absorbed and amplified in the human body upon eating multiple fish Health risks currently unknown

The Effects

Death and Health Effects According to the WHO, over 7 million deaths per year on average can be attributed to air pollution. Linked to stroke, lung cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, heart disease etc 1. 5 year reduction in worldwide life expectancy (2017) https: //www. who. int/health-topics/airpollution#tab=tab_2 https: //www. healtheffects. org/annou ncements/state-global-air-2019 -airpollution-significant-risk-factorworldwide

Medical Costs The more affected by pollutants, the more who need medical help Multi-billion dollar losses world-wide in medical costs from the pollution we are intaking Continued contribution to this problem will increase this cost exponentially $$$

Improving Air Quality? Report by National EPA https: //gispub. epa. gov/air/trends report/2017/#highlights

Are these healthy levels?

There is no Healthy Amount of Air Pollution!

The Reality

These Pollutants are Unavoidable Nobody on earth can stop breathing or drinking Air masks do not keep the smallest Particulate Matter and ozone out 91% of world’s population experiences below standard air quality levels Exercise leads to more breathing which leads to more air and water pollution intake making exercise increasingly less healthy

Is this what we want for ourselves?

Is this what we want for our children?

What you can do Decrease pollution Decrease the garbage output (Incineration) Find alternative products that reduce air pollution, such as beeswax candles, asbestos free building materials, and energy efficient light bulbs Help clean litter that may end up in a public drinking water supply (Operation SPLASH) https: //www. operationsplash. com/ Convince others to do the same

Society and Perception Health care and personal health is a top issue in the world Family and health are always top priorities “If you don’t have your health, you don’t have nothing” COVID-19’s impact on the globe Is this enough to cause change?

Uniting Differences Climate Change Activist + Health Aficionado = Teamwork? Changing the issue New angle on reducing pollution Climate Change Activist Climate Denier

Thinking Back What are the most important things in life worth protecting? How should different issues with a common goal learn to communicate and achieve that goal? Are you in control of your life and your future?

So how much pollution have you taken in since the start of this presentation?

Sources https: //www. who. int/news-room/detail/02 -05 -2018 -9 -out-of-10 -people-worldwide-breathe-polluted-air-but-morecountries-are-taking-action https: //www. epa. gov/air-trends/air-quality-national-summary https: //www. epa. gov/pm-pollution/particulate-matter-pm-basics https: //www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC 2975987/ https: //ww 3. arb. ca. gov/research/resnotes/94 -11. htm https: //gispub. epa. gov/air/trendsreport/2017/#highlights https: //www. who. int/health-topics/air-pollution#tab=tab_2 https: //www. climate. gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-atmospheric-carbon-dioxide https: //www. asbestosspecialist. co. uk/how-long-does-asbestos-stay-airborne-after-disturbance/ https: //www. epa. gov/sites/production/files/documents/asbestosfaqs_0. pdf https: //www. lung. org/local-content/_content-items/about-us/media/press-releases/more-than-50 -of-newyorker. html#: ~: text=The%20 American%20 Lung%20 Association's%202019, received%20 reduced%20 grades%20 for% 20 ozone.

Sources https: //www. 123 rf. com/photo_128383684_happy-best-friends-meeting-in-park-smiling-group-ofpeople-hugging-and-shaking-hands-union-concept. html https: //ww 3. arb. ca. gov/research/resnotes/94 -11. htm https: //www. junagarhmedia. co. uk/product/lac-leman-air-and-water/ https: //www. smartcity. press/wastewater-contribution-in-air-pollution/ https: //www. webmd. com/lung-cancer/ss/slideshow-lung-cancer-surprising-signs https: //www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC 6132564/ https: //www. telegraph. co. uk/science/2016/03/15/half-a-million-children-with-asthma-may-notactually-have-condit/