Air quality in Nong Khai

Is the air polluted in Nong Khai?

Air pollution levels in Nong Khai have fluctuated by some fairly significant levels in the first few months of 2022. Although there is not a concise amount of data available for Nong Khai in the years before 2021 (due to many cities across Thailand being constantly added to the air quality monitoring records and thus not having sufficiently calibrated data from many years ago), as is the case with many cities and provinces, the air pollution levels are likely to show similar patterns to adjacent cities due to being subject to many of the same polluting sources, natural or sudden manmade disasters notwithstanding. In mid-February of 2022, a US AQI reading of 63 was taken, placing Nong Khai into the 'moderate' air pollution rating bracket, which is color-coded as yellow and requires a US AQI reading of anywhere between 51 to 100 to be classified as such. the US AQI reading itself is a number calculated from the volume of several main pollutants that are found in the air, both in Nong Khai and worldwide (with these pollutants consistently cropping up in all corners of the world due to their prevalent release from all the main polluting sources such as vehicle exhaust fumes, factory and power plant emissions along with other forms of combustion such as open burn sites or forest fires).

Whilst a US AQI reading of 63 is not overly damaging to the health of those exposed (although it may cause mild irritation to the respiratory tract amongst sensitive individuals), there were many days preceding this figure that came in significantly higher on the US AQI rankings scale. Readings that went as high as 172 were recorded at the end of January 2022, which would have placed Nong Khai into the 'unhealthy' rating bracket for that particular day and time in which it was taken. As the name of this rating suggest (along with its color-coding of red indicating a higher level of danger, with all air quality ratings having darker colors allotted to them as the level of air pollution gets higher, with maroon being the highest or most dangerous one possible), the air would be quite detrimental to many of the citizens within Nong Khai. Observing the pollution readings taken over mid to late January and early February, it can be seen that these higher pollution levels were indeed sustained, showing that whilst Nong Khai might not have the exceptionally high levels of air pollution as seen in other more polluted cities across Thailand, it can certainly be subject to sudden spikes in its US AQI readings, which can stay high for long periods. As such, the air quality can become quite poor in Nong Khai during certain months, and by staying up to date on air pollution forecasts, individuals can make many adjustments to their daily routine that can aid significantly in reducing pollution-related ailments and further health problems.

What are some of the more common forms of air pollutants found in Nong Khai?

Some more prominent pollutants that can be found in areas around Nong Khai, as well as surrounding districts and cities, include ones that mainly emanate from combustion sources. These on their own are of an extremely large number, with open burn fires, natural disasters (such as forest fires, houses or buildings catching fire), combustion within vehicle engines as well as boilers in factories and other similar industrial sites, as was mentioned earlier in the question regarding what the main causes of polluted air in Nong Khai are. Whilst the aforementioned open burn fires, or slash and burn farming methods as they are generally referred to, are of more significant concern in the northern regions of the country, they can still be found to a lesser degree dotted around various provinces of Thailand and even in the southern regions such as Phangnga where Nong Khai is located. These can cause large amounts of pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and black carbon to be released into the atmosphere, along with the other pollutants that go into calculating the US AQI aggregate. The chemicals used to calculate this US AQI figure include nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, as well as the two main forms of particle pollution, PM2.5 and PM10. Of these two, the smaller PM2.5 is well known as the far more dangerous, due to its minute size of 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter allowing it to bypass the bodies defense systems and lodge deep within the tissue of the lungs (with more on this being discussed in the following health issues question). PM2.5 and some forms of PM10 can consist of materials such as water droplets and vapor, along with a variety of other liquids that can be aerosolized. Other materials include mold and fungal spores, bacteria, metals, nitrates and sulfates, along with finely ground silica dust, which can have a carcinogenic effect when inhaled. Some examples of the aforementioned VOCs include chemical compounds such as benzene, styrene, methylene chloride, toluene, xylene and formaldehyde. Their volatile nature allows them to maintain a gaseous state at much lower temperatures, thus making them much easier to breathe, and would be encountered prevalently around inhabited areas of Nong Khai, due to their discharge from everything from fires, cars, factories as well as even from household items. VOCs are one of the major sources of indoor air pollution and can emanate from products such as glue, paint, varnish, as well as aerosols such as deodorant, scented candles and other toiletries. These are some of the more prevalent air pollutants that may be found around Nong Khai, with certain areas such as busy roads and intersections that see a high level of rush hour traffic having higher concentrations of pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, ozone and black carbon. Extra care should be taken around such areas, and wearing fine particle filtering masks can aid greatly in the reduction of hazardous material inhalation.

When is the air pollution level usually at its highest in Nong Khai?

The air quality in Nong Khai will most likely have its highest readings appear towards the end of the year. Furthermore, the early months of the following year also usually show significantly higher readings of air pollution in the form of the aforementioned US AQI and PM2.5 concentrations. This is based on readings taken from cities all over Thailand, a larger amount of them seeing consistent patterns each year. It is important to note that despite these repeatedly occurring patterns in air pollution levels, deviations can and do occur, and as such these should be taken as guidelines for when pollution levels may have spikes in its air pollution readings. With that important note stated, we can reiterate the issue that Nong Khai is most or at least more than likely to see its highest air pollution levels in the last few months of the year, typically starting around September, but sometimes starting earlier. This continues through to the end of the year. Furthermore, the early months of the following year continue to see heightened pollution readings, with some of the highest figures of US AQI and PM2.5 cropping up from through to March or even April. As was mentioned, changes can always occur and air quality readings should be kept up to date, with these being available both on this page as well as the AirVisual app.

Which people can be affected the most by air pollution exposure in Nong Khai?

Those who are most likely to suffer from negative health effects in Nong Khai include young children and babies, along with pregnant mothers, with many pollutants having properties that can disrupt proper growth (both physical and cognitive) and cause a large number of lifelong health issues. Others within Nong Khai also include the elderly, those with poor immune systems as well as those with pre-existing health conditions or a sensitive disposition towards certain chemical pollutants or particles.

What are some health problems related to breathing polluted air in Nong Khai?

Breathing the air when there are significant spikes in air pollution levels present in Nong Khai can indeed be highly detrimental to the health of inhabitants as well as those who are passing through. Symptoms that may occur when pollution levels are high in Nong Khai include irritation to the respiratory tract, as well as infections of the lungs and throat. Skin conditions can occur from smoke and haze exposure, including atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Further conditions include those that fall under the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) grouping, with some examples including pneumonia, bronchitis, aggravated forms of asthma as well as emphysema. More serious health conditions include arrhythmias, as well as increased rates of heart attacks, strokes and even premature death. These incidences of premature death have been linked time and time again directly, or indirectly, to higher pollution exposure, with many studies highlighting this fact in recent times.