Is air purifier the new necessity?

A question that is disturbing many people hailing from mid-income groups in India these days is: “After the water purifier and mosquito repellent machines, has the time come to buy an airpurifier?”

The graphs and figures that periodically appear in the media and shake us momentarily cannot be ignored too long. To do a reality check, I looked up the Wikipedia about airpollution problem in India. Indeed 13 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India with Delhi ranking number one. Lucknow, Gwalior and Raipur are close contenders.

HOW BAD IS THE AIR WE BREATHE?

Air quality is measured by various ways but commonly by the density of dust or smoke particles, and some toxic gases that float around. The bigger sized particles of 10 microns accounts for the visible dustiness or smokiness or smog that hurts our noses and throats and irritates our wind-pipes. There are smaller sized 2.5 micron particles also that flow down easily through windpipes into the deeper portions of the lung and cause harm.

Now the figures: While the safe limit for PM10 (particulate matter sized 10 micron or less) is 20 mcg/ m2, and the world average is 71, the density in air in Delhi and Lucknow was around 300! Similarly, the levels of PM2.5 were upwards of 200 in our cities while the safe limit prescribed is 10 mcg/m2.

Air quality index (AQI) is another measure of air quality that you keep hearing about; in addition to the above two sizes of particulate matter, it takes into account the amount of a toxic gas called nitric oxide. Here again we have been scoring above 400 every now and then, while the safe limits are less than 100.

HEALTH HAZARDS OF AIR POLLUTION

What does all this mean for us and our health? In the short term, we are likely to feel breathless, drained, lacking in stamina and irritable more easily. Smarting of eyes, soreness of throat, cough and wheeze are going to trouble many of us, especially our kids. Those with asthma are going to come down with attacks more often.

More frightening are the long term consequences: chronic bronchitis, obstructive lung disease and lung cancer are already on the rise and are likely to shoot up. PM 10 also accounts for increased risk of heart disease, stroke and cancers. WHO estimates that 2.5 million people die of air pollution every year across the globe, of which around 1.5 million are from India.

In children, pollution can lower intelligence and learning abilities, and can increase the risk of epilepsy, autism and diabetes. Neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis may occur in adults with chronic exposure.

WHAT CAN WE DO BY WAY OF PROTECTION

While individual efforts such as planting tress and pooling cars may help to bring down air pollution in cities, the present state of crisis may require more focused steps in the short term. Let us not forget that we breathe the air of our homes for 12 hours and that of our work place for 8 hours each day.

More next week.