Every year more and more Poles ride a bicycle. As cyclists, we are exposed to tons of poisonous substances in the air. It turns out that even while in a traffic jam, we inhale “the entire Mendeleev table”, harmful bacteria and viruses, clouds of dust. – It is especially harmful for young children, adults with asthma and cardiovascular diseases – says Dr. Piotr Dąbrowiecki, an allergist, in an interview with MedTvoiLokony.
We breathe the worst air in the entire European Union. On average, we inhale from 8 to 10 liters of air per minute and constantly take in monstrous doses of something that harms the heart and lungs. The Polish Smog Alert states that our air kills up to 45 people annually. The air we breathe contains many toxic substances. The most common oxides of sulfur, nitrogen and carbon. It is also suspended dust (marked with PM abbreviation), which includes heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, lead, chromium, nickel, arsenic), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g. benzo [a] pyrene) and dioxins, formed during the combustion of bad coal or plastics. A cocktail of all these substances is deadly.
It turns out that riding a bicycle or rollerblading in traffic jams can be very dangerous to our health. Cyclists gain time by avoiding them, and they probably think they are in good health because they move outdoors.
– During traffic jams, vehicles emit exhaust fumes, which cause the so-called microsmog, i.e. the concentration of pollution increased locally. These are particulate matter, aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and ozone. These factors are irritating to the respiratory system. It all depends on the type of vehicle, whether it is an ordinary car or a bus, which emits n times more pollutants from its engine. Electric and gas vehicles generate much less, while gasoline vehicles generate much more. A cyclist who travels in city traffic, trying to avoid vehicles in a traffic jam, uses several times more air than a person standing, e.g. at a bus stop. Working with his muscles, he needs more oxygen. His body breathes faster and uses 2 to 10 times more air to increase the amount of oxygen for the muscles. Which is due to the fact that it absorbs much more pollutants. It all depends on how long the exposure lasts, because if it is a short-term incident, it does not affect our health that much – says Dr. Piotr Dąbrowiecki, MD, an allergist, in an interview with MedTvoiLokony.
In the city, we poison ourselves with photochemical smog
In summer, photochemical smog rises in cities (Los Angeles type, white smog). It is caused by traffic and sunlight, leads to an increase in ozone levels in the air and is dangerous, among others. for asthmatics.
– In a healthy person, such temporary pollution can cause inflammation, but one that passes easily thanks to self-healing mechanisms within the respiratory system. Unfortunately, cycling in a traffic jam is very harmful for young children, adults with asthma and cardiovascular diseases – adds the allergist. Those with sinus problems breathe through the mouth, irritating the mucous membranes in the throat.
Cyclists driving in traffic jams, despite the fact that overtaking cars gain time, they inhale “the entire Mendeleev table plus harmful bacteria and viruses, clouds of dust” – warns pulmonologist Anna Prokop-Staszecka.
When going on a bike, it is worth taking a professional protective mask with you. It makes a significant part of these pollutants absorbed by its filter. Unfortunately, some cyclists choose their masks incorrectly, which causes inhalation of what is deposited on it.
– If we have increased physical activity, which means we use more air, and the filtration is 2-5 times higher, then we should use special masks designed for this, i.e. 2-3 inlet mask adequately equipped with a particulate filter and a carbon filter – he adds in an interview with MedTvoiLokony, Dr. Dąbrowiecki.
Also read: How does smog harm us?