Effects of Pollution

1. Effects of Pollution The things that make us sick.

2. Pollution Makes Us Sick • A number of studies have shown a link between long-term pollution exposure and diseases of the respiratory system. • More deaths in air-polluted areas • Heart failure among the elderly increases on days when carbon monoxide levels are elevated • And estimated 120,000 deaths each year are associated with exposure to air pollution • Air pollution seems to increase a smoker’s chances of having severe emphysema • Pollutants can have a synergistic effect when they are present together • Less than 1% of China’s cities have clean air. • Respiratory disease is the leading cause of death

3. Diseases Associated with Air Pollution • Chronic Bronchitis: • thicker mucus due to particles breathed in from the air. • Bronchial Asthma: • usually an allergic reaction to air pollution causing the air passages to narrow • Emphysema: • Lungs are worn out no longer can lush the air back out to breathe • Pneumonia: • Pollutants kill bacteria-destroying cells and infections cannot be fought • More mucus is produced in response to pollutants and cannot be expelled • Lung Cancer: • Inhaled smoke and pollutants cause normal cells to develop cancerous cells • Cancerous cells grow and develop at abnormally fast rates

4. How Do Different Types of Pollutants Affect Us? • Carcinogens: • Many pollutants are known to cause cancer including • Asbestos; Arsenic; Benzene; Vinyl Chloride; Cigarette Smoke • Respiratory Irritants: • Irritate the lining of our lungs and cause a reduction in breathing capacity • Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrogen Dioxide; Chlorine; Ammonia; Ozone; • Particulates: • Tiny particles suspended in the air are carried deep into the lungs and cause infection and asthma attacks • Carbon Monoxide: • Absorbed by the blood and reduces the ability to transport oxygen • Causes fatigue, dizziness, and impaired judgment, impaired fetal development • Lead: • Heavy metal that interferes with the normal activity of the nervous system • Causes brain and kidney damage, gastrointestinal symptoms, anemia, and decreased IQ scores; • Asbestos: • Widely used in cement and sealants and building insulation • Very small particles that are carcinogens • Takes a very long time for symptoms to occur • 50-90 times more likely to develop lung cancer if exposed

5. What about Radiation? • Three types of radiation: • Alpha radiation • has particles which can be stopped by a sheet of paper or human skin • Beta Radiation • Consists of faster moving particles which can penetrate the skin • Gamma Radiation • Which consists of energy waves which travel the speed of light • May pass through the human body if not absorbed by the tissues • Several feet of concrete for several inches of lead are required to absorb it • For example:

6. Radiation from Natural Events • Cosmic Radiation • Radiation from outer space, higher energy • Solar Radiation • Low energy light waves, including ultra violet radiation • Radium, a naturally occurring element • Spontaneously disintegrating or decaying • Natural background radiation

7. Human Made Radiation • Nuclear Power Plants • Nuclear Weapons Testing Sites • X-rays • Radioactive substances used in medical diagnosis

8. Biological Effects Of Radiation • A large dose of radiation may cause extensive and fatal nervous system damage • The higher the dose, the greater the chance of damage, the quicker the effects will appear • Radiation is a carcinogen known to cause Thyroid cancer • Genetic effects can occur in offspring • Human made radiation accounts for only 1 in 100 deaths