Air quality in Phra Pradaeng

Is the air polluted in Phra Pradaeng?

Phra Pradaeng is located within Samut Prakan province, in the central portion of Thailand, part of the Bangkok metropolitan region. Being part of the greater Bangkok area, Phra Pradaeng like many other towns, cities and extended areas, would see elevated levels of air pollution throughout many months of the year, due to a variety of factors. Some of these are anthropogenic, being caused by the mass movement of people on a day-to-day basis and the resulting pollution that is given off as a result. Others are industrial, with factories, power plants and other industrial sites and construction areas all giving off their unique forms of air pollution, which can be sub-categorized into either being chemical compounds of fine particle pollution. Measuring these levels of air pollution, the US AQI aggregate is often used and will be referred to shortly. US AQI figures are a reading calculated from the main pollutants found in the air within Phra Pradaeng and the rest of the greater Bangkok region. These pollutants include ones such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone as well as the two main forms of particle pollution, PM2.5 and PM10. Out of both of these, PM2.5 is the far more dangerous form of particulate matter, being formed from a wide variety of materials and being 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter, often going down to sizes many microns smaller. Due to the wide range of materials that can fall under the PM2.5 classification (with many of them having known carcinogenic properties as well as being able to cause prominent damage to the lung tissue, as well as many other organ systems), as well as the great danger that it poses to individual people’s health, it is also used as a prominent measure of air pollution, alongside the US AQI figures.

Regarding these US AQI readings, some figures that were on record in late September of 2021 were readings of 37. This reading would place Phra Pradaeng into the 'good' air quality rating bracket, which requires a US AQI reading of 0 to 50 to be classified as such. It is color-coded as green, for ease of reference when observing the air quality maps, graphs and forecasts in use throughout this page and the IQAir website. Each higher level of air pollution ratings all have their own respective darker color coding, with red, purple and maroon indicating the most severe levels of air pollution being present in the air. When the above-mentioned reading was taken, Phra Pradaeng was exhibiting far better levels of air quality, as is typically seen in September, both in Phra Pradaeng and in many other cities and regions throughout Thailand. Other higher readings on record throughout September include figures of 53 and 61, both of which would fall into the 'moderate' rating bracket, which requires a reading of 51 to 100 and is color-coded as yellow. Despite the overwhelming majority of air quality readings in the latter part of August and September all showing 'good' air quality levels, it must be noted that readings from past years indicate that Phra Pradaeng can have many months of its year come in with significantly higher pollution levels. These will be discussed towards the end of the article, and are of particular importance due to the damage that they can cause to the health of those who are exposed, especially for more vulnerable or at-risk individuals. When such high pollution levels do occur, preventative measures such as the wearing of fine particle filtering masks or avoiding outdoor activities can be put into place, which can drastically reduce the negative health effects incurred.

What are some of the main causes of polluted air in Phra Pradaeng?

Whilst Phra Pradaeng may be subject to pollution caused by the most damaging practices such as slash and burn farming, due to it being in the central region of Thailand, it is not as heavily affected as cities towards the northern portion of the country. However, readings indicate that pollution levels rise alongside the usual slash and burn months, which begin at the end of the year and cause pollution levels to rise fairly far into the following year. Besides this factor, which is a major problem in the country, there would also be a large variety of other polluting elements present in Phra Pradaeng. These include emissions given out by vehicles, with huge amounts of chemical compounds and fine particles being released. These are particularly prominent over areas that see a high volume of traffic, especially during rush hour times. Large amounts of ozone, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide can often be found over such areas, along with hazardous particles such as black carbon, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Other polluting sources include emissions given off by power plants and factories, the usual causes of higher pollution levels throughout many regions of Thailand.

What health issues can occur from pollution exposure in Phra Pradaeng?

Some of the more serious health issues that can occur as a result of prolonged or acute exposure to pollution in Phra Pradaeng include instances of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma and emphysema all falling under this umbrella term. PM2.5 can enter into the bloodstream via the alveoli in the lungs, causing all manner of damage to the furthest reaches in the body. Alterations to the nervous system can take place, along with damage to blood vessels, the lungs, the heart and both the hepatic and renal systems (liver and kidneys). Other serious ailments include heightened risk of cancer, heart attacks, strokes and even premature death, with there being a large correlation between excess pollution exposure and a higher mortality rate, with the two being directly linked.

What months are most polluted in Phra Pradaeng?

Observing the PM2.5 data collected throughout 2020, it can be seen that Phra Pradaeng had its highest levels of air pollution in January and February, coming in with readings of 42.5 μg/m³ and 41.1 μg/m³, both of which fell into the 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' rating bracket, and would carry with them the highest risk of health issues appearing for those that breathe the air in Phra Pradaeng during this time.

What is the air at its cleanest in Phra Pradaeng?

Despite high levels of pollution being present at both the end of the year and the first two months, Phra Pradaeng also showed significant improvements in the mid-months of the year. June and July had the most optimal readings of air pollution, both coming in within the World Health Organization's (WHO's) target goal of 10 μg/m³ or less. Their readings were 9 μg/m³ and 9.5 μg/m³ respectively.