Breathing Delhi’s air on ‘severe plus’ days equals smoking 23-45 cigarettes daily

How is the cigaret equivalence of aerial contamination calculated?

Dr Shivakumar tells indianexpress.com, “The cigaret equivalence of aerial contamination is simply a method to convey the harmful effects of polluted air successful relatable terms. It is based connected studies that measurement the particulate substance (PM2.5) attraction successful polluted aerial and its interaction connected the lungs compared to cigaret smoke.”

Particulate Matter (PM2.5) refers to good particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers oregon smaller, helium adds. These particles penetrate heavy into the respiratory system, akin to the harm caused by inhaling cigaret smoke.

Dr Shivakumar mentions, “A commonly cited survey published successful Environmental Science & Technology (2015) by Lelieveld et al. suggests that each 22 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³) of PM2.5 implicit 24 hours is astir adjacent to smoking 1 cigarette.”

Factors considered

Air Quality Index (AQI): Levels of PM2.5, PM10, and different pollutants similar nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2).

Exposure Duration: Number of hours a idiosyncratic spends outdoors oregon successful polluted environments.

Inhalation Rate: Breathing complaint varies with carnal activity; for example, jogging increases aerial intake, frankincense inhaling much pollutants.

“This method simplifies the hazard appraisal for the wide public, though it does not relationship for idiosyncratic susceptibility oregon variations successful cigaret toxicity,” states Dr Shivakumar.

In peculiarly toxic hotspots, wherever PM2.5 whitethorn spike to 1,000 µg/m³, vulnerability could beryllium comparable to smoking implicit 45 cigarettes daily. (Source: Freepik)

During ‘severe plus’ aerial prime days successful Delhi, however galore cigarettes’ worthy of vulnerability mightiness a nonmigratory acquisition successful a azygous day?

On ‘severe plus’ aerial prime days successful Delhi, Dr Shivakumar reveals that PM2.5 levels “often transcend 500 µg/m³, acold supra the World Health Organization’s (WHO) harmless bounds of 5 µg/m³ for 24-hour exposure.”

He adds, “Using the look (22 µg/m³ PM2.5 = 1 cigarette), a PM2.5 level of 500 µg/m³ equates to astir 23 cigarettes a day. In peculiarly toxic hotspots, wherever PM2.5 whitethorn spike to 1,000 µg/m³, vulnerability could beryllium comparable to smoking implicit 45 cigarettes daily. Continuous exposure to specified precocious contamination levels tin origin harm equivalent to years of smoking successful conscionable a fewer weeks, peculiarly successful susceptible populations.”

Precautions to take

Dr Shivakumar suggests the following:

DISCLAIMER: This nonfiction is based connected accusation from the nationalist domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your wellness practitioner earlier starting immoderate routine.