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Introduction
With the great concern surrounding the destruction of the
earth's atmosphere due to air pollution, the immediate and direct harm caused to
the human body is often over shadowed. While many are aware that our careless
use of hazardous chemicals and fossil fuels may leave the planet uninhabitable
in the future, most over look the fact that they also cause real damage to our
bodies at this moment. Such pollutants cause damage to our respiratory system,
leading to the fluctuation of the life span of an individual depending on a
number of conditions. Amongst these conditions are the individuals specific
geographic location, age, and life style. In this essay I will try to explain
what pollutants are and how they affect our bodies.
What are the
pollutants? And how do they affect our bodies?
In order to understand how
air pollution affects our body, you must understand exactly what this pollution
is. The pollutants that harm our respiratory system are known as particulates.
Particulates are the small solid particles that you can see through a ray of
sunlight. They are products of incomplete combustion in engines (example:
automobile engines), road dust, and wood smoke. Billions of tons of coal and oil
are consumed around the world every year.
When these fuels burn they
produce smoke and other by-products into the atmosphere. Although wind and rain
occasionally wash away the smoke given off by power plants and automobiles, much
still remains. Particulate matter (soot, ash, and other solids), usually consist
of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, various nitrogen
oxides, ozone, and lead.
The process by which these pollutants harm our
bodies begins by simply taking a breath. Particulates are present everywhere, in
some areas they are as dense as 100,000 per millilitre of air.
There are
also other pollutants that you cannot see such as Carbon Monoxide (CO). Carbon
Monoxide comes from cars, trucks, gas furnaces and stoves, and some industrial
processes. CO is also a toxin in cigarettes. Carbon Monoxide combines with
haemoglobin in the red blood cells, so body cells and tissues cannot get the
oxygen they need. Carbon Monoxide attacks the immune system, especially
affecting anyone with heart disease, amenia, and emphysema and other lung
diseases. They also combine with other compounds to help form ozone. Nitrogen
Oxides cause eye and lung irritation, and lowers the resistance to respiratory
illness, such as chest colds, bronchitis, and influenza.
Conclusion
It is apparent that our careless use of fossil fuels and chemicals is
destroying this planet. And it is now more than ever apparent that at the same
time we are destroying our bodies, proving that our pollution is not just a
problem that we can pass on to our children.