We have known for a long time that the air in Poland becomes poisonous in autumn and winter. Smog harms not only the lungs, but also destroys our health comprehensively. How can we protect ourselves from it?
- In Poland, 45 thousand people die prematurely due to smog. people per year. Up to 7 million in the world
- «Smog» is a combination of two English words – smoke (smoke) and fog (fog). Smog is most often produced in foggy weather, when exhaust particles from chimneys and exhaust pipes mix with heavy water vapor and remain close to the ground, instead of escaping to the upper atmosphere
- PM 10 particles are relatively large and settle mainly in the upper respiratory tract. Some of them, however, reach the lungs. The much smaller PM 2,5 particles are much more invasive
- To reduce the harmful effects of smog at least partially, it is worth following smog alerts and getting an air purifier
- You can find more such texts on the TvoiLokony home page
It usually starts in early fall. One cool day, we leave the house and begin to smell the familiar smell in the air. This is, of course, the smoke from the thousands of furnaces that have just started to be burned with coal – and sometimes with garbage. In addition, exhaust fumes from thousands of cars and we have a simple recipe for a poisonous cloud of smog. This is the air, full of poisonous fumes from cars, stoves and factories, that we breathe more and more often in cities.
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Until recently, we treated smog at best as a nuisance to life in the city – the fact that the air has always stank, asthmatics have breathing problems. However, we did not realize how much devastation to our health is caused by breathing air filled with smog particles. Today we know that only in Poland, 45 thousand people die prematurely due to smog. people a year (even 7 million in the world). Fortunately, we already have more and more opportunities today to avoid constantly breathing in pollutants.
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A mixture of smoke and fog
Why is smog called smog? It’s a simple collection of two English words – smoke (smoke) and fog (fog). Smog is most often produced in foggy weather, when exhaust particles from chimneys and exhaust pipes mix with heavy water vapor and remain close to the ground instead of escaping into the upper atmosphere. Smog can also arise in beautiful, sunny weather, when in the absence of wind, the air “stands still” and pollution accumulates over streets and houses. This is sometimes clearly seen in aerial photos, where smog surrounds cities like a dirty dome.
Smog is made up of dozens of chemicals produced in the combustion process. – The most dangerous are dusts suspended in the air (PM), classified according to the particle size as PM 10 (grain diameter of such dusts up to 10 micrometers) or PM 2,5 particles (up to 2,5 micrometers) – he says prof. Krzysztof J. Filipiak, cardiologist from the Medical University of Warsaw.
PM 10 particles are relatively large and settle mainly in the upper respiratory tract. Some of them, however, reach the lungs. The much smaller PM 2,5 particles are much more invasive. They enter the pulmonary alveoli in great numbers, and from there into the blood, and spread throughout the body, destroying many organs and systems.
Smoky hearts
Doctors estimate that as much as 70 percent. premature deaths caused by smog are associated with diseases of the heart and circulatory system. – Being in an environment with too high a concentration of P2,5 and P10 dust causes acceleration of atherosclerosis, damage to the vascular endothelium, and increases the risk of platelet aggregation, i.e. their sticking together. This may lead to an increased risk of heart attacks, thrombotic complications, and arrhythmias – emphasizes Prof. Filipiak, who, together with his colleagues, described the mechanisms of the impact of smog on cardiovascular diseases in the first Polish monograph “Non-classical cardiovascular risk factors”.
These dependencies are perfectly visible in hospital statistics. This was demonstrated by scientists from the Silesian Center for Heart Diseases in Zabrze, who analyzed the health data of Silesians.
It turned out that in the analyzed period on the day of the smog alert, the death rate in Silesia increased by 6%. The number of heart attacks during the smog alarm increased by 12 percent. strokes by 16 percent, and pulmonary embolism by as much as 18 percent. The lungs also suffer – in people who breathe polluted air, the incidence of bronchial asthma, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increases.
Towards clean air
The smog problem does not seem to leave us soon. Therefore, we must do everything possible to limit its negative impact on our body. Fortunately, there are several ways to do this. First of all, it is worth following smog alerts on the Internet, as long as they are available for the place where we are staying. In the event of his announcement of an alarm, if it is possible, do not go outside. Research conducted in Krakow by the AGH University of Science and Technology has shown that the air in our homes is from 25 to 50 percent. less polluted than outside. This is because a large part of the contamination settles on partitions such as curtains or curtains, and the relatively low air movement in the rooms favors the fall of heavy particles.
If we do not have access to public air quality information for our area, we can obtain it on our own. There are many sensors on the market that detect contaminants in the atmosphere. Weather stations equipped with this function seem particularly practical, which today replace thermometers in many homes.
Once we have knowledge about the opponent, we can start the defense. It is worth installing an air purifier at home. As the research of the Krakow Smog Alert has shown, half an hour of operation of such a device can reduce the amount of pollutants in the room more than eight times. Of course, for the purifier to be effective, it must be equipped with appropriate filters, preferably HEPA or electrostatic filters, which catch even the smallest impurities.
Outside the house, our protection against smog can be a mask protecting the respiratory tract. When choosing it, you should look for those that have a CE certificate and appropriate markings indicating the degree of protection. In the case of sports masks, it is usually information about how large particles a given mask retains. Dust masks available on the market, if marked from FFP-1 to FFP-3, also provide relatively effective protection.
However, it must be remembered that most of them are disposable. Wearing such a mask for too long, we begin to inhale what was previously left on the filter. And that should definitely be avoided. The same will happen if we forget to replace the filter cartridges of the reusable mask, or to clean it properly. In order to protect against smog, surgical masks, which are popular today on the streets, are not suitable. They are supposed to stop saliva droplets, i.e. objects as large as 100 micrometers, many times larger than PM 10 or PM 2,5 particles.
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Where to get away from the smog?
Looking at the smog hovering over the city, it is easy to forget that there is another world somewhere. With blue skies, green trees and clear water. And not too crowded. Here are some places where it all awaits us.
Carpathian forest
This huge forest, located south of Przemyśl, is a refuge for bears, lynxes, wildcats, wolves and many other animals. The environmental organization WWF considers it one of the 100 most valuable forest areas in the world. The post-war Vistula Action meant that these are sparsely populated areas, so it is easy to find isolation here. It is a great place to hide in one of the agritourism farms and isolate yourself from civilization.
Augustów Lakeland
It is a real paradise for lovers of water sports. Both kayakers and sailors who appreciate silence, as well as lovers of motorboats and water skis will find something for themselves. If we add to this the famous Augustów forests with their hiking trails and a wide range of accommodation, we get a place simply created as a destination for an escape from the smoky city.
The Podlasie Gorge of the Bug
Where the Bug leaves its eastern border and turns west, there is a magical land of hospitable manors and holidays under the pear tree. Visitors to these sites are enchanted by a dark river winding lazily between the hills, small villages and forests scattered on its shores, where it is easy to meet a deer or a deer. Great views and little traffic make it a great destination for a bike trip. GreenVelo, the main bicycle route in Eastern Poland, also runs here.
Marshland
One of the cleanest places in Poland. Although they are depressed, they can definitely improve your mood. We can find wonderful nature here, such as numerous refuges for waterfowl, but also industrial monuments such as the swing bridge in Rybina or the local narrow-gauge railway. A unique attraction is the Żuławy Loop – a waterway leading through many rivers and canals, which you can travel, among others. comfortable houseboats.
Wolin Island
Międzyzdroje and the beaches around them, on the other hand, a bison farm and a Viking village. Wolin surprises at every step. Being here, you must see the enchantingly beautiful Turquoise Lake and visit the observation decks at Grodzisk Lubin, from which there is a view of the archipelago of islets. This is one of the few places in Poland where we can see a white-tailed eagle.
Drawieński National Park
A great place for people who value activity amidst unspoiled nature. In the local forests, numerous hiking trails, bicycle paths and even horse riding routes have been marked out. Canoeists love the Drawa, the river flowing through the park and the surrounding lakes. The Black Lake, famous for its water clarity, is its unique attraction.
SARS-Cov-2 virus infection is a very difficult test for our body, especially for the respiratory tract. It turns out that the risk of getting COVID-19 and the course of the disease may be related to whether we breathe fresh or polluted air every day. This was proven by the research of an international team of scientists who published their results in the October issue of the scientific journal “Cardiovascular Research”. Researchers calculated that smog in the world contributed to 15 percent. deaths due to coronavirus. For example, in the UK, a coronavirus infection could result in the death of 6. people less, if there was no smog there.
There is no reason to suppose that it is otherwise with us. – In Poland, too, a lot of COVID-19 cases are recorded in Silesia and Lesser Poland, and definitely less in Lubuskie, Bieszczady or Warmia and Mazury. Of course, it can be said that it is mainly a function of population density, but this also correlates with the degree of air pollution – emphasizes Prof. Krzysztof J. Filipiak, who is currently preparing, together with a virologist, prof. Tomasz Dzieiątkowski, the first Polish scientific monograph on COVID-19.
Substantive consultation
Prof. dr hab. med. Krzysztof J. Filipiak, cardiologist, internal medicine specialist, hypertensiologist, clinical pharmacologist; full professor at the XNUMXst Department and Clinic of Cardiology of the Medical University of Warsaw.
Read also:
- «Since March, we have lived in one plague. Now we’re facing three ». A pulmonologist explains how smog affects the risk of COVID-19
- Prof. Krzysztof Pyrć: smog can change the rules of the game when the coronavirus epidemic accelerates
- Dr. Anna Prokop-Staszecka: Mendeleev’s table would be missing to describe the mixture of Krakow air
- How does air pollution affect health and life expectancy?