Effects of polluted air on human health and environment Course 2022

Running head: Healthcare 1
Effects of polluted air on human health and environment through contamination from
transportation and industry in Delhi
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Healthcare 2
1.0 Introduction
Air pollution has increasingly become a public health problem globally owing to
industrialization, urbanization and increase in population, especially in developed countries. The
air can be polluted by several substances when released into the air. Once the pollutants are
released into the air they mix and interact with the atmosphere forming new compounds that are
dangerous. Some of these pollutants include fine particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and Sulphur
dioxide. The adverse impacts of air pollution on both adults and children is sufficient evidence of
the quality of air that human beings breathe in. air pollution does not only affect human health
but it also affects the ecosystem (Ghorani-Azam, Riahi-Zanjani & Balali-Mood, 2016).
Continued exposure to polluted air leads to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and chronic
illness such as cancer. Additionally, the deposition of the resulting compounds of air pollution on
land and water affects the vegetation which in turn has severe health effects on human health and
quality of life (Mathew, Goyal, Taneja, & Arora, 2015). This review of current studies will
examine the major air pollutants, their effects on human health and the environment, and
strategies to reduce their emissions.

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1.1 Study Area
The National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT) also referred to as Delhi is the capital city of
India which is jointly administered by the central and state governments. It is found between the
Himalayas and Aravali range in the central Indian subcontinent. Delhi is found between 760 50’
24” to 770 20’ 37” E longitude and 280 24’ 17” to 280 53’ 00” N latitude. The city has an
altitude of 213 to 305 meters above sea level. Its climate is semi-arid with significant variation
during the summer and winter temperatures (Sharma, Taneja, Sagar, & Bhatt, 2018). The NCT
has an area of 1483 sq. km and has nine districts. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in Asia
with a population of over 14 million inhabitants (WHO, 2016). According to the World Health
Organization (WHO) (2016), Delhi is one of the most polluted metropolises in the world. It has
the highest particulate matter (PM2.5), with the highest PM10 levels globally. Additionally, PM
is rated as the most detrimental pollutant to human health (WHO, 2016).
1.2 Major Air Pollutants
Air pollution consists of all the harmful impacts of any sources which result in the pollution of
the environment or of the destruction of the ecosystem (Rohde & Muller, 2015). There exist
several materials in the air that could adversely affect human health and the environment.
However, this literature will only consider Sulphur dioxide, Nitrogen oxide and particulate
matter.
1.1.1 Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Sulphur dioxide is a colourless, very reactive gas and amongst the leading air pollutants. Its
sources include fossil fuel combustion, industrial emissions, and natural volcanic reactions. The
gas is very dangerous for vegetation, human and animal health. Exposure to SO2 leads to
respiratory irritation and dysfunction and worsening of any incidence of cardiovascular diseases.
The gas is mainly inhaled in the upper airways. Because it irritates the respiratory pathway, it can

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lead to bronchospasm and the secretion of mucus in humans. Even minimal traces of the gas (<1
ppm) is sufficient to cause a high level of bronchitis (Dai, Ma, Zhu, Sun, & He, 2019).
The penetration of the gas into the lungs is enhanced during rapid breathing such as exercising in
polluted air. Its deposition along the airway causes it to breakdown into the surface lining fluid
making it easily transported to the entire body. The solubility of the gas in water causes acidic
rain and the acidification of soils. Moreover, its dissolution in water reduces oxygen levels
leading to the death of marine plants and animals. Sulphur dioxide exposure also damages the
respiratory tracts, eyes, redness of the skin and blisters and the mucous membrane (Geravandi,
Goudarzi, Mohammadi, Taghavirad, & Salmanzadeh, 2015).
1.1.2 Nitrogen Oxide (NO)
Oxides of nitrogen are significant air pollutants that aggravate the risk of respiratory diseases
(Cannistraro, Cannistraro, Cannistraro, Galvagno, & Engineer, 2016). Motor vehicle engines are
the most common sources of NO. These oxides are severe lung irritants that can trigger
pulmonary oedema if exposed to high concentrations. For example, studies have shown that
exposure at the concentrations of 2.0-5.0 ppm affects T-lymphocytes, especially CD8+ cells.
Some of the common effects of this gas include coughing and wheezing (Khaniabadi et al.,
2017). Exposure to such pollutants may often result into chest pain, headache, irritations of the
nose, eyes, and throat and sometimes might lead to pulmonary oedema (Ghozikali, Mosaferi,
Safari, & Jaafari, 2015). The study by Mills, Atkinson, Kang, Walton, and Anderson (2015)
shows that nitrogen oxide concentrations of 0.2 and 0.6 ppm are not dangerous to human health.
1.1.3 Particulate Matter (PM)
Particulate matter is everything in the air not classified as a gas and air particles in a solid or
liquid state. PM can be produced from natural resources such as dust, pollen, soot from engines,