Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Exposure to polluted air is like smoking a
pack a day, study says
Emphysema is a lung condition that causes
shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the air sacs in the lungs are
damaged, which reduces the surface area of the lungs and the amount of oxygen
that reaches your bloodstream. Smoking is thought to be the leading cause of lung
problem. The problem of this lung failure is that such signs or symptoms are
not easily noticed by the sufferer for years. For example, someone who smokes a
pack of cigarettes a day for many years might not recognize the lung problem as
the symptom of emphysema like shortness of breath occurs gradually over years. He
or she may think it’s just part of aging.
A new study found that such symptoms could
occur if people are exposed to ground-level ozone, which is produced when ultra-violent
(UV) light reacts with pollutants from fossil fuels. The problem is that this
type of ozone is colorless so that it can’t be seen. Also, it is created when
pollutants interact with sunlight, under which people tend to go outside and
breathe fresh air that contains photochemically transformed ozone. And this
exposure to ground-level ozone is found to be as harmful as smoking a pack a
day.
The solution? Stay indoors on a sunny day in
major cities where the air is polluted by fossil fuels emissions.
Enjoy reading the article and think if sunny
weather is good for an outdoor barbecue party.
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