Üsküdar University Vocational School of Health Services Environmental Health Program Head Dr. Instructor Member İnci Karakaş touched upon the factors that cause air pollution, which has increased considerably in recent days, and shared the measures that can be taken both to prevent air pollution and when there is air pollution.
Stating that when stratus clouds are close to the ground or in contact with the ground, haze and fog occur as a result of the condensation of air masses. İnci Karakaş said, “The fog suspended in the air reduces the visibility depending on the size and amount of the small water particles in the condensed water bodies. With the formation of haze, the visibility range drops below 2 kilometers, while with the formation of fog, the visibility decreases below 1 kilometer. According to the number of water particles in the fog, the fog is diversified as light and dense. The amount of water particles in 1 cubic centimeter of air in light fog varies between 50-100, while in dense fog it is in the range of 500-600. Depending on the air temperature, the water particles in the fog can also turn into ice crystals. The water particles in the fog absorb the light, making it appear more intense.” said.
Stating that the concentrations of harmful components increase and exceed the limit values, it is defined as air pollution, which causes damage to living life and ecological balance. İnci Karakaş said, “The concentrations of particulate matter measured in the air increase due to fossil fuel consumption and increased vehicle traffic in winter. Air quality is further deteriorated by the impact of high pressure areas that contribute to air pollution. The absence of wind also prevents the dispersion and dilution of particulate matter in the air, increasing their concentration in certain areas.” he said.
Emphasizing that air pollution can occur as a result of burning materials such as paper, furniture or wood, Dr. İnci Karakaş said, “When the furniture is burned due to solvents such as methylene chloride, acetone, alcohol, volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde and polybromodiphenyl esters, these chemicals are released into the atmosphere and cause various health problems if inhaled. At the beginning of these problems, various damages on the endocrine system can take place. used his statements.
Dr. İnci Karakaş listed her recommendations for the prevention of air pollution as follows:
- Adoption and widespread use of unleaded gasoline production to reduce emissions from vehicular traffic,
- Providing transportation by public transport,
- The dissemination of electric vehicles,
- Developing alternative fuels that will not pollute the environment,
- Implementation of measures to reduce emissions at source,
- Industrial organizations take measures to reduce emissions,
- The use of fuels that are least likely to cause pollution in combustion units and the development of various applications that will increase the performance of these units,
- It should be ensured that the emissions of wastes (hospitals, etc.) originating from areas that can form toxic components when burned are kept under control.
Dr. İnci Karakaş shared the measures that can be taken individually when there is air pollution as follows:
If possible, leave the house towards noon instead of morning hours,
It is necessary to pay attention to the use of masks when leaving the house. Going out with a mask in areas with high air pollution can reduce the possibility of exposure to pollution. The type of mask used is also important in this regard. Surgical masks can't trap some of the airborne pollutants such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
In order to ventilate the houses, instead of opening the windows early in the morning, the windows can be opened towards noon, when the air movement is more and the traffic density is less.
People who do sports should not do sports when the pollution is intense. During sports, the person is exposed to more polluted air as he breathes faster. This can exacerbate diseases such as asthma and COPD.
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