Air quality in Bang Khun Thian

Is the air badly polluted in Bang Khun Thian?

Looking at the air quality that was recorded towards the end of 2021, and the early days of the new year in 2022, it can be seen that Bang Khun Thian had had some fairly severe spikes in air pollution levels, particularly during the latter part of December 2021. Whilst January of 2022 has shown improvements, pollution levels can still rise rapidly, and thus caution should be practiced amongst the citizens to reduce any negative health effects (discussed in further detail later in the article). US AQI peaks of 164 and 154 were taken in late December, placing Bang Khun Thian into the 'unhealthy' air pollution rating bracket, which as the name indicates is harmful to be exposed to. Early January had readings of 82 and 83 present, placing Bang Khun Thian into the 'moderate' rating bracket for these days. Many citizens would not be subject to excessive irritation with this level of air pollution present, although those who are more vulnerable may start to experience adverse side effects.

What are some of the main causes of air pollution in Bang Khun Thian?

Polluted air in Bang Khun Thian can arise from a variety of causes, similar to many of those that pollute other provinces and cities throughout Thailand as well as neighboring countries. Vehicle fumes are one of these factors that are of significant concern, especially for the surrounding cities and districts of Bangkok, due to the large number of people situated outside of the direct city center, a common phenomenon due to lower property expenses and better quality of life. However, it is inevitable for a large amount of the population in areas such as Bang Khun Thian to usually work within the city center of Bangkok, thus causing significant amounts of daily commutes to be made, causing rush hour traffic to give off larger amounts of hazardous particles, clouds of smoke, haze and smog as these vehicles travel out of Bang Khun Thian. Older and lower quality vehicles remain prevalent, even though there are many incentives in place to gradually phase them out altogether. This will aid significantly in reducing the pollution levels across major cities of Thailand but may prove much harder to enforce throughout many of the provincial areas, where badly aged motorbikes, cars and trucks are still used. These outdated and low-quality engines leak significantly more noxious oil vapors due to their poor combustion process taking place within the engine, as well as other factors such as use of lower-quality fuel. This causes their exhaust fumes to give out larger clouds of dark smoke, filled with black carbon. Furthermore, vehicles contribute to other forms of particle pollution, with the consistent wear and tear placed on tire treads giving rise to large amounts of microscopic rubber particles entering into the atmosphere. From here they can cause a large number of health issues when inhaled, triggering off pre-existing health conditions as well as potentially invading the bloodstream if their size is small enough, as well as gathering in the environment and damaging various ecosystems. Other causes of pollution present in Bang Khun Thian include smoke and haze from industrial activity, as was mentioned, with various industrial sites, factories, power plants and even private businesses that rely on the combustion of fuels, or even fossil fuels such as diesel, natural gas and coal to provide their energy requirements.

What are the health risks associated with breathing polluted air in Bang Khun Thian?

Health problems that can occur during higher pollution episodes in Bang Khun Thian include irritation to the throat, lungs and generally the whole respiratory tract, when smoke, smog and fine particles are breathed. These can easily turn into infections if breathing such pollutants is not lessened or fully ceased. Skin conditions can also occur from smoke and haze exposure, including conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis. Further conditions include those that fall under the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) bracket, which includes illnesses such as pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, as well as emphysema. Other more serious health issues include arrhythmias, as well as heightened rates of heart attacks, strokes and premature death, all of which can be directly linked to excess pollution exposure, with many studies highlighting this fact throughout recent history. This places a greater amount of emphasis on the importance of keeping oneself safe from pollution exposure throughout Bang Khun Thian, particularly during the months that have the highest readings of PM2.5 and US AQI.

What dangerous chemicals can be found in the air in Bang Khun Thian?

Some examples of air pollutants that can be found permeating the atmosphere in Bang Khun Thian (particularly during the more polluted times of the year) are black carbon, along with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Due to both of these pollutants being released from incomplete or poor combustion processes of both organic material and fossil fuels, they can be found in significantly larger quantities in many areas that see any degree of industrial activities taking place, or anywhere that has some form of burning taking place. Black carbon has many dangerous side effects when it enters the human body (as well as affecting the flora and fauna of areas surrounding Bang Khun Thian. Furthermore, black carbon also has a warming effect on the atmosphere, due to its ability to absorb solar radiation and release it directly as heat. Examining so of the aforementioned VOCs, some examples of these chemical compounds include benzene, styrene, methylene chloride, xylene, toluene as well as formaldehyde. These all come with many adverse health effects when breathed, or even with exposure to skin taking place. Other pollutants include those that go into making up the US AQI index, which are main chemical compounds such as nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone (smog), carbon monoxide and both PM10 and PM2.5.

Who is most vulnerable to air pollution exposure in Bang Khun Thian?

Whilst many people may be more adept at living under more polluted conditions in Bang Khun Thian (although not without there being a constant risk factor to their health, particularly during certain months of the year when the pollution levels rise by a significant amount) there are many varied groups of people that can be considered as being at higher risk to negative health issues, part of the at-risk or sensitive groups bracket. These include groups such as the elderly, particularly if they have any conditions that lead to poorer overall levels of health, with cardiac and pulmonary conditions being of primary importance when it comes to understanding how safe an individual will be when exposed to air pollution. Other groups include children, babies, as well as pregnant women, all of whom can develop many adverse health effects when certain fumes, smoke and other noxious pollutants are breathed, either over shorter periods or in more serious cases, consistently over many years. Due to the aforementioned pollutants having a whole range of properties that can harm the nervous system as well as the lungs and respiratory tract, along with the heart and other organs, stunted growth, both mental and physical can occur amongst younger people, as well as babies that are still being in the womb being exposed to pollution that enters their mother’s body. Others that may also be more at risk are people that have pre-existing health conditions, with ones that compromise the immune system being more prominent. With poor immune systems, simple coughs and upper or lower respiratory infections may develop into life-threatening ailments. As such, these groups may wish to take extra care during bouts of high air pollution in Bang Khun Thian, taking preventative measures when pollution levels rise to any significant degree as shown on the forecasts and current air quality readings shown both on this page as well as the AirVisual app.