جودة الهواء في العالم

هل يمكن أن يتسبب تلوث الهواء في مشاكل صحية؟

يشير تلوث الهواء إلى المواد الموجودة في الهواء التي تضر بصحة الإنسان و/أو الكوكب ككل. عند مستويات كبيرة، يمثل جميع أنواع تلوث الهواء خطرًا على الصحة. يعتمد مقدار الخطر على الصحة على الصحة العامة للفرد، نوع الملوث، التركيز، ومدة التعرض للهواء الملوث.

تأثير استنشاق الهواء غير الصحي - نظرة عامة:

The World Health Organization (WHO) has deemed air pollution as the greatest environmental health risk in 2019, estimated to contribute to 7 million premature deaths annually. Among children under the age of 15, it is the leading cause of death, killing 600,000 every year.

Air pollution is described as a ‘silent killer’ because it is rarely the direct cause of death. Rather, air pollution is the world’s 4th leading contributing cause of early death, accounting for:

• 29% of all deaths and disease from lung cancer
• 17% of all deaths and disease from acute lower respiratory infection
• 24% of all deaths from stroke
• 25% of all deaths and disease from coronary heart disease
• 43% of all deaths and disease from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

من المقدر أن 99% من سكان العالم يتنفسون هواء غير صحي. بينما يختلف هذا الرقم من منطقة إلى أخرى، لا يوجد مكان يخلو من المخاطر. وجد تقرير جودة الهواء العالمي لعام 2024 أن 91% من بين 138 دولة ومنطقة حول العالم تجاوزوا القيمة الإرشادية السنوية ل‍ـ PM2.5 لمنظمة الصحة العالمية البالغة 5 ميكروغرام/متر مكعب، مع كون منطقة آسيا الوسطى والجنوبية من بين المدن العشر الأكثر تلوثًا في العالم.

يمكن أن تسبب مستويات تلوث الهواء المرتفعة مشاكل صحية بما في ذلك:

• Short-term effects: difficulty breathing, chest pain, wheezing, coughing, general respiratory discomfort, and irritation of the eye, nose, and throat.
• Long-term effects: lung tissue damage, cancer, early death, and the development of respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema.

المجموعات الأكثر عرضة للتأثيرات الصحية الضارة الشديدة الناتجة عن تلوث الهواء تشمل أولئك الذين لديهم:

• Heart disease, such as coronary artery disease (CAD) or congestive heart failure
• Lung disease, such as asthma, emphysema, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Older adults and the elderly
• Children under the age of 14
• Pregnant women
• Outdoor workers
• Athletes who exercise outdoors vigorously

التأثيرات الصحية من ملوثات الهواء المحددة

كيف يمكنني حماية نفسي من تلوث الهواء؟

كيف يمكنني تحسين جودة الهواء في منزلي؟

جودة الهواء الداخلي ليست محمية من تلوث الهواء الخارجي. علاوة على ذلك، هناك العديد من مصادر الانبعاثات المحددة للبيئات الداخلية التي يمكن أن تؤدي إلى ارتفاع مستويات تلوث الهواء الداخلي. من أجل تحسين جودة الهواء في المنزل، ينبغي إدارة كل من التهوية الداخلية والمصادر الداخلية.

تشمل طرق تخفيف تلوث الهواء الداخلي:

• Check current and forecast air quality levels in your area. Follow the health recommendations for current conditions.
• Keep windows and doors closed. Seal door and window gaps to minimize leakage.
• When outdoor air is heavily polluted, set air conditioning (HVAC) systems with fresh air intake to their recirculate mode.
• Use air purifiers or high-efficiency HVAC filters (such as HEPA or HyperHEPA filters) to remove fine particles from the air.

في حال كانت مستويات تلوث الهواء الداخلي مرتفعة بشكل مفرط بالفعل:

• Avoid strenuous activity, such as working out, to reduce the amount of polluted air you inhale.
• Wear an N95 pollution mask, if available.
• Run air purifiers frequently on their highest output setting.
• Evacuate if indoor air quality levels become “hazardous” which can happen in the event of nearby wildfires.

كيف يمكن للأقنعة أن تحمي من تلوث الهواء؟

Masks are very effective in reducing exposure to air pollution. While the broad category of air pollution masks includes gas masks for dealing with highly toxic chemicals, the majority of ambient air pollution masks on the market only filter particle pollution. For daily use, these masks are generally sufficient because outdoor environments rarely experience gases at the same dangerous levels as particles. Ambient air pollution masks can help protect an individual from PM2.5, viruses, bacteria, and allergens.

In evaluating the effectiveness of pollution masks, three components should be evaluated: pollution filter, mask seal, and ventilation.

• Pollution filter: Pollution filters are typically given a rating of either N90, N95, N99, or N100. The rating states the percentage of particulate matter (> 0.3 µg) the mask is capable of blocking. An N95 mask, for example, blocks against 95% of particulate matter larger than 0.3 micrograms. This includes the vast majority of PM2.5 and PM10. The higher the rating, the more effective the mask filter, assuming the mask seal and ventilation components work properly.
• Mask seal: Regardless of a mask’s pollution filter rating, masks that do not seal around one’s face are not effective because air will primarily flow in unfiltered through the sides of the mask. A good mask seal should cause the mask to suction to one's face during inhalation. For flexible, disposable masks, this suction should be visible, causing the filter to bend inwards creating a concave surface. For masks with a more solid construction, it should be possible to feel a slight increase in pressure when breathing in. If a mask is not sealed well to one’s face, air will primarily flow in through the open sides of the mask.
• Ventilation (CO₂ valve): Ventilation makes masks more breathable while also reducing moisture and CO2 accumulation. While not a feature of all masks, many use a coin-sized CO2 valve to provide directed outflow. Breathing in poorly ventilated air high in CO2 can contribute to short-term effects such as headaches, lethargy, dizziness, and nausea. Masks with a ventilation valve are not effective for reducing the spread of viruses, as breathing output is not filtered.

Disposable surgical masks are affordable and accessible. They are also surprisingly effective against particle pollution. An Edinburgh study conducted by the Particle and Fiber Toxicology tested surgical masks down to .007 µg and found that the material of surgical masks were capable of blocking 80% of particles.

In another study, a fit test was applied to surgical masks in order to more accurately test their effectiveness, noting the generally loose fit. In this test, the rate of filtration fell to 63% as a result of the leakage around the mask.

While both tests reveal that surgical masks are significantly less efficient than respirator masks (rated N90-N100), they do help reduce exposure to fine particulate pollution at a very low cost.