Air Pollutants in Los Angeles: A Public Health Crisis
Particulate Matter (AIR POLLUTANTS): Why it matters?
- According to EPA, gas exchange that forms into liquid droplets such as nitrogen, oxygen, carbon monoxide does have an impact on an individuals health. According to EPA, in Los Angeles, "50% of motor vehicles expose carbon monoxide above the atmosphere" (EPA, 2021). For instance, exposing ourselves under these harmful conditions can cause physiological effects in our hearts and lungs. A sequences of symptoms that follow includes respiratory, coughing, as well as chronic diseases like, bronchitis, emphysema, and other physiological factors.
- In Table 1 (below), according to AQI (Air Quality Index), the city of Los Angeles currently stands at near or about 101 to 150 AQI values, resulting in unhealthy air conditions for sensitive individuals. Nevertheless, Los Angeles is stated to be the worse major polluted cities due to the increasing amount of ozone being formed on a ground state level. In addition, gas pollutants, as stated by AQI in Los Angeles, are formed from the ozone layer, which attracts sunlight, forming nitrogen oxides. Thus, these gas exchanges are due to increasing amounts of the vehicle's exhaustion and heavy traffic in the city.
Table 1.
- In Figure 1 (below), are the differences of gases that are formed in power plants or industrial companies, including greenhouse effects and power plant industries, spreading different and harmful gases in the atmosphere. According to EPA (2021), the major combinations of gases that are exposed in the atmosphere include, some but not all: lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur oxide.
- Lead= a metal that is formed naturally in the form of solids and rocks. Due to human action, lead emissions derive from recreational vehicles, including tractors, construction machineries, and lawn and garden materials.
- Carbon monoxide= is a gas that is formed when fossil fuels are consumed to the atmosphere. Moreover, these gases are found in a variety of vehicles such as cars and trucks.
- Nitrogen oxides= are a combination of gases, which are also found in cars and trucks. When an individual breathes into these gases, it can bring detrimental effects in the lining of lungs, causing coughing and wheezing.
- Sulfur oxides= are another group of gases that are mainly found in power plants, industrial buildings, who all burn sulfur-containing fossil fuels.
Figure 1.
- In Figure 2 (below), according to Air Quality in Los Angeles, the PM 2.5 is an airborne particulate matter, that are in micron sizes (very tiny particles) that enter into our nostrils, spreading throughout our respiratory system which can cause harmful effects, such as heart disease, respiratory illness, and even premature death. Unfortunately, when the weather gets warmer, more gas pollutants combined with the winds are all formed on a ground state level, causing an increase of smog. (EPA, 2021). Altogether, these air pollutants that are formed need to be moderated; however, a city like Los Angeles, does not meet the air quality standards, and many cases are being involved under constant air pollution being formed in the atmosphere. Consequently, these air pollutants have a substantial affect to the public environment, these individuals include children, young adults and older individuals who have chronic respiratory diseases such as, asthma, coughing. According to Mazza S. (2018), 1 in every 10 children have been diagnosed with asthma and a overall risk of cancer, has increased to 900 million.
Figure 2.
CONCLUSION: (Why do you feel personally affected?)
- Air pollution is a global climate crisis and continues to have an affect in every human way possible, and these harmful health conditions continue to rise without moderation, impacting many people, involving children and older individuals. The varieties of gas pollutants that are formed in the atmosphere forces us in the community, to be exposed and breathe into the many gases, resulting in many symptoms that can never be replaced. In a similar manner, it personally affects me because I do feel the same symptoms, where coughing and headaches are amongst the abundance of symptoms that I experienced, whenever I go outside for a walk or play leisure sports with my friends. Also, I have two younger brothers that I look out for, and because many children are exposed to these air polluted conditions, they too, can be increasingly harmed by it. Therefore, a reasonable way to reduce these pollutants is if we all limit the use of our vehicles and transition to battery-used vehicles, which limits carbon-emissions from exposing to the atmosphere. Unfortunately, this is isn't always the case, but if we can count on each other and work together as a community, we can save a person who struggles with respiratory chronic diseases.
REFERENCES
http://www.aqmd.gov/home/air-quality/clean-air-plans/air-quality-mgt-pl
https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/los-angeles-air-quality-pollution/
https://www.iqair.com/us/usa/california/los-angeles
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