Paint, coal is causing death of nine lakh people every year

Ground Report | New Delhi: Paint, coal is causing death; Air pollution caused by the products used to meet our daily needs like paints, pesticides, coal, etc. is killing millions of people every year around the world. This information has come to the fore in recent research by the University of Colorado Boulder.

According to a new study published Tuesday in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, particulate pollution from chemical use is responsible for between 340,000 and 900,000 premature deaths each year – 10 times more than previous estimates.

Researchers estimate that the air pollution caused by these anthropogenic secondary organic aerosols is killing up to 9 lakh people every year. Significantly, these anthropogenic secondary organic aerosols are small particles present in the atmosphere that are formed from chemicals emitted by human activities.

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It has been known for a long time that the microscopic particles of pollutants present in the atmosphere are so small that they can cause damage to people's lungs by inhalation, which can increase the mortality rate. It is estimated that fine particles of pollution, often referred to as PM 2.5, are killing about 30 to 40 lakh people or more every year. 

This is the reason that laws have been made in many countries of the world to stop these fine particles. We control soot from power plants and fossil fuels like diesel etc. These are the direct sources of particulate pollution.

 At the same time, we have also made rules to prevent pollutants like nitrogen and sulphur, which react in the atmosphere to form fine particles. which indirectly cause pollution. But this new research has studied the third class of chemicals, anthropogenic secondary organic aerosols, which are an important indirect source of these fine particles of pollution.

To understand the impact of multiple sources of particulate matter on mortality, researchers analyzed data from 11 studies conducted in cities around the world over the past two decades. This included cities such as Beijing, London, and New York. They have created a comprehensive database of chemical emissions in these cities, which has been studied with the help of air quality models, which have also been studied from satellite data. (Paint, coal are causing death)

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They found that the secondary organic aerosols present in these 11 cities were related to specific organic compounds emitted by the chemicals people use every day. These sources of emissions were also revealed in-vehicle tailpipes, cooking fuels such as wood and coal, as well as industrial solvents, house paints, cleaning products, and other chemicals. 

Earlier in research conducted in Los Angeles, researchers found that these chemical products contribute as much as vehicular air pollution. NOAA scientist and researcher Brian McDonald said that this new research has shown that it is a problem in cities in North America, Europe, and East Asia. 

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