CHRIS MARTIN
EFFECTS OF HUMAN POPULATION
ON FINE PARTICAL AIR POLLUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
1ST PERIOD
APRIL 2, 2001
Every year some 64,000 people die due prematurely from cardiopulmanry causes linked to particulate
air pollution, according to annalysis conducted by the NDRC. Many of these deaths could have been
prevented had the EPA set stricter standards for fine particle pollution. In the most polluted cities in the
U.S., lives are shortened on the average of one to two years. Los Angeles is at the top of this list, with
an estimated 5,873 early deaths, followed by New York (4,024), Chicago (3,479), Philadelphia (2,599)
and Detroit (2,123). To gauge how bad the problem was the NDRC studied the data of a report from
1995 that was published by the American Cancer Society and Harvard Medical School. The study done
by the ACS was the largest from a growing body of epidermalogiacal effects of pollution on humans, It
used advanced techniques to factor out such things as body weight, age, and weather or not they smoked.
Smoke and soot were not the only polutants studied, particulate air pollution consists of tiny aerosol
particles formed from gaseous emissions of sulfur dioxide and volatile organic compounds as well. The
biggest source of these problems are coal powered factories, gas boilerse, and gasoline and diesel powered
vechicles. Particulate pollution is classified by size, with finer particles (PM2.5) considered by health
scientists to be more dangerous than coarser material (PM10) because they are small enough to evade the
body's respiratory defense mechanisms and lodge deep in lung tissue. Currentnly. fine particle polution is
not regualted. 4,662 and 37,562 could be saved if the EPA would put in place current standards uder
study, according to the NDRC. NDRC also recomends for public safety, that the EPA set a new standard
for PM2.5 at a level of 10 g/m3 on the annual average basis, and also establich some tougher limits on
twenty four concentrations. People can also help by doing their part. They can use energy efficent light
bulbs and other appliances. They should also maintain their vechicles properly. And most importantly they
should insulate their homes and should also opt for cleaner fuels instead of burning wood. This was all
based on "Premature Mortality Due to Particulate Air Pollution in 239 American Cities", a May 1996
report by the Natural Resources Defense Council. See the online report to view mortality data for
individual cities and states. (Natural Resources Defense Council Online.)
WORKS CITED
Natrual Resource Defense Council Online
http://www.nrdc.org/air/pollution/nbreath.asp
