Health Impacts of Gaseous Air Pollution

STUDENT NAME:
TITLE: Health Impacts of Gaseous Air Pollution in New Delhi
WORD COUNT: 1509
Introduction
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants to the earth’s surrounding leading to the interference with
the life quality and the ecosystem’s natural functioning. There is difficulty in determining the one
particular form of pollution causing maximum health risk, however, water and air pollution are majorly
responsible for the health problems relating to pollution (Edginton, O’Sullivan, King, &
Lougheed, 2019).
Looking at India, as identified in figure 1, it is one of the countries with the list of cities having the worst
quality of air in the globe, contrary to the Chinese cities which are continuing to improve from their
previous years of high pollution level (Zhao, et al., 2019). Of late, air pollution within New Delhi
has been creating quite the menace and the situation is getting worse. What cushions the pollution that is
soaring in New Delhi? This paper gives the evidence-based notations in regards to the New Delhi air
pollution as well as its health effects.
Figure 1 - India's bad air quality
(Shyamsundar, et al., 2019)

Ranges of Air Pollutants
Looking at these kinds of studies, the ranges of air pollution usually include (Rajak &
Chattopadhyay, 2019);
 Particulate Matter (PM).
 Ozone (O3).
 Black carbon.
 Nitrogen oxides (NOx).
 Carbon monoxide.
 Nitrogen dioxides (NO2).
 Sulfur dioxide (SO2).
In all these pollutants, one common feature is that they come from similar sources, whereby, burning any
substance can produce one or all of these pollutants (additionally, implementing controls for one of these
pollutants is likely to curb other pollutants in the end – this technique defines the co-benefits analysis
concept). Also, sources differently add to the pollution level, meaning an attribution source due to
emissions of NOx is not similar to attributions due o CO2 or PM (Edginton, O’Sullivan, King, &
Lougheed, 2019).
Sources of Air Pollution

One major reason leading to increased air pollution in New Delhi is the release of particulate matter
which is categorized with a 2.5-micrometre size (PM2.5), like aerosols, dust and soot. These particulate
matters are released through methods such as crop burning by New Delhi farmers. Burning rice stubbles
in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab are estimated to be approximately 35 million tonnes of stubble set
ablaze every season (Shyamsundar, et al., 2019). As a result, the wind picks up all the dust
particles and pollutants which get locked in the atmosphere.
Additionally, the traffic menace in New Delhi leads to pollution, one more source of smog formation. In
the end, 'severe' air quality is reached. Industrial and vehicular emissions for these machines increase air
pollution (smog) hazardous effects. The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute as well
as the Central Pollution Control Board have declared emissions from the industry the main contributor to
New Delhi's increased air pollution.
Setting in of the winter season makes the air pollutants stagnant within the atmosphere since the winds
stop blowing. Thereby, locking the air pollutants within New Delhi, affecting its weather condition such
as the development of smog. Moreover, New Delhi’s rise in population has led to the pollution of air due
to congestion that brings the noise.
General Health Impacts
In regards to health, air pollution is one determinant. Several epidemiological studies are finding a
relation between a variety of adverse health impacts and air pollution within the population. These
general health impacts range from subtle subclinical needs to the adverse premature death impact as
shown in figure 3.
Figure 2 - Sources of air pollution (Edginton, O’Sullivan, King, &
Lougheed, 2019)