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The dust in Delhi’s air has the potential to cause a variety of health conditions because the respirable size of dust particles can get lodged directly in the lungs, experts have said. Dust particles, also referred to as particulate matter (PM), are generally a mixture of solid and liquid droplets suspended in the air.
PM2.5 and PM10 is considered dangerous because these are of respirable size, and can travel down to the lowest part of the lung where gas exchange takes place. When one breathes air laced with dust particles, it can have both short-term and long-term health impact depending on the duration of exposure.
“There’s long-term damage due to particulate matter that gets lodged deep inside the lungs and can cause progressive lung diseases. Even chemicals and gases are equally harmful as their side effects are visible almost immediately. We have started seeing symptoms in patients triggered by the drop in air quality,” said Dr Vikas Maurya, senior pulmonologist, Fortis Healthcare.
The damage starts with inflammation of the airway, and the finer the particulate matter, the deeper it penetrates.
While short-term exposure may cause eye irritation and sore throat, prolonged exposure may lead to aggravated asthma, and even increased frequency of asthma attacks. Experts warn that people with chronic heart and lung conditions, prolonged exposure may even lead to premature death.
Last year, a research by a team of atmospheric scientists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center shed light on the role of dust in overall health burden associated with PM2.5. The researchers calculated the global health effects of PM2.5 by analysing exposure over an extended period of time using a NASA atmospheric modelling system integrated with medical data from the Univeristy of Washington’s Global Burden of Disease Study.
“The NASA team’s conclusion: exposure to PM2.5 likely contributed to 2.89 million premature deaths in 2019—1.19 million from heart disease, 1.01 million from stroke, 287,000 from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), 230,000 from lower respiratory infection, and 166,000 from lung cancer. According to their estimates, roughly 43% of those deaths occurred in China and 23% in India…,” read the research article — How Dust Affects the World’s Health— published by NASA earth Observatory. The analysis linked 22% of the premature deaths associated with PM2.5 to dust.
According to doctors, one must take symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest pain seriously and if these symptoms persist even after two-three weeks, then one should consult a doctor.
Children are even more vulnerable as they breathe in twice the rate of adults, which makes them inhale larger amounts of harmful pollutants, and it does more damage to the lungs of children under eight years of age as their lungs are still developing.
Precautions are the same for children as for adults and also those suffering from underlying medical conditions, pregnant women and elderly — that they should avoid dust as far as possible.
“During a dust storm, one should avoid stepping out. People who already suffer from some respiratory ailments need to be extra careful. Masks can also be of help in filtering out dust particles but these should be snug fit. Close the windows and doors or use an air purifier at home. Don’t rub eyes vigorously as it could cause damage to the eyes, wash eyes properly with plain water if there is irritation. Also, keep yourself well hydrated at all times,” added Dr Maurya.
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