Air quality in Arak

What is the current level of air pollution in Arak?

Arak is the capital of Markazi Province, Iran. It is located 260 kilometres from the city of Tehran and is in the same area as the cities of Qom and Isfahan. It is surrounded on three sides by mountains. According to a census conducted in 2016, Arak had an estimated population of approximately 609,786 people.

During the month of September 2021, Arak was experiencing a period of air quality classed as being “Unhealthy for sensitive groups” with a US AQI reading of 131. This United States Air Quality Index number is calculated using the levels of six of the most prolific air pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and both sizes of particulate matter, being PM2.5 and PM10. It can then be used as the metric when comparing air quality in other cities around the world. If data is unavailable for all 6 pollutants, a figure can still be calculated by using what figures there are. In the case of Arak, all six pollutants were recorded. These were; PM2.5 - 47.7 µg/m³, PM10 - 91.7 µg/m³, ozone (O₃) - 48.8 µg/m³, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) - 229.1 µg/m³, sulphur dioxide (SO₂) - 23.8 µg/m³ and carbon monoxide (CO) - 3503.7 µg/m³. It can readily be seen that the level of PM2.5 is almost five times higher than the suggested target figure of 10 µg/m³. This figure has been suggested by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as being acceptable because no amount of polluted air is considered to be safe.

With the level of pollution being as high as this the given advice would be to stay indoors and close doors and windows to prevent the ingress of more polluted air. It would be beneficial to operate an air purifier if one is available but make sure it recirculates the air and does not import more from outside. Those people of a sensitive nature should try to avoid venturing outside but if this cannot be avoided then a good quality mask should be worn at all times. A free app from AirVisual is available for download to most portable devices which gives up-to-date information as to the air quality in real-time.

Does the level of pollution stay the same throughout the year in Arak?

Air quality can be very volatile and is liable to change very quickly as it is affected by many variables such as meteorological and atmospheric influences.

Looking back at the 2020 figures published by IQAir.com, it can easily be seen that the best quality air was enjoyed during the month of June. A figure of 9.4 µg/m³ was recorded which was below the target figure from the WHO. The remaining eleven months returned “Moderate” quality air with figures between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³. The worst month being October with a figure of 27.2 µg/m³. The cleanest month was April with a figure of 12.1 µg/m³.

Records regarding air pollution were first held in 2019 when a figure of 21.7 µg/m³ was recorded. The following year of 2020 returned level of 18.2 µg/m³ but this reading may have been affected by the COVID-19 situation as many vehicles were no longer in daily use in an attempt to halt the spread of the virus. Many factories and non-essential production units were also required to close which removed their emissions from the atmosphere.

Where does this pollution come from in Arak?

Until recently, the main cause of air pollution in Arak was generally the presence of suspended particles less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5), but these days, another nuisance has clouded the air in Arak and made it difficult to breathe, and it is nothing but "fuel oil”. But the question is, what is this fuel oil that has disturbed the air of Arak city? Fuel oil is actually one of the petroleum hydrocarbons that is obtained in the refining stages of crude oil after gasoline and kerosene and is used as fuel for some furnaces, diesel engines and power plants.

Suspended particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 microns have been the main air pollutants of the city, which is a sign of 47 unhealthy days from the beginning of the year for sensitive groups.

It is said that an adult breathes 15 to 16 times per minute, which means that the Arakis, in the most optimistic state, fill their lungs with pollution 21,600 times in one day, including 1440 minutes, and this means that the citizens of this industrial city are unhappy.

Arak is surrounded by industrial factories, and the Arakis are close to a factory from wherever they go with high chimneys.

What can be done to improve the air quality in Arak?

Air pollution in Markazi province and Arak city has not reached the state of emergency these days and is cross-sectional and related to limited hours of the day and night, and its source is abroad and is related to dust from the deserts of Saudi Arabia and Iraq and is not toxic. Therefore, the air condition of the city has not become an emergency, which requires a meeting of the working group to reduce air pollution.

Long-term plans, such as 2,000 hectares of afforestation in the Chapqli area, could have a major impact on reducing air pollution in the local area.

What impact does polluted air in Arak have on human health?

Air pollution has major effects on people's health and every hour 300 people die due to air pollution in the country, which requires the development and implementation of a comprehensive and strong program.

Almost all fossil fuels contain sulphur, which enters the air as sulphur dioxide during combustion, and fuel oil or fuel oil has between 2.5 to 3.5 percent and diesel between half to one percent sulphur, but gasoline sulphur is low. Narrowing of the airways, bronchospasm, severe cough, eye and respiratory tract irritation, decreased respiratory function and shortness of breath and the exacerbation of the cardiovascular complications from the health effects of sulphur dioxide.

Exposure to high levels of air pollution can cause a variety of adverse health outcomes. Air pollution can increase the risk of respiratory infections, heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. Both short-term and long-term exposure to air pollutants has been associated with adverse health impacts. The most severe impacts affect people who are already sick. Children, the elderly and the poor are most susceptible. The most harmful pollutants for health, closely associated with excessive premature mortality, are fine PM2.5 particles that penetrate deep into the lungs.