Why smog is formed in megacities, and how to protect yourself from it

The largest megacities of the world inevitably face the problem of the formation of smog. London, Mexico City, Beijing, Los Angeles, New Delhi, Moscow - the inhabitants of these and many other cities on the planet suffer from such a dangerous phenomenon. The occurrence and intensity of smog depends on two factors: air pollution and adverse weather conditions.

Smog can ruin the lives of citizens at any time of the year, since its main condition is the presence of pollutants in the air. Emissions from vehicles and industrial enterprises enter the atmosphere of the city regularly. Unfortunately, the functioning of a big city is impossible without them. In large settlements of the temperate and subarctic climatic zones, the situation is complicated in the winter, when capacities increase at the working enterprises of the fuel and energy complex and, accordingly, the amount of air pollution increases. Harmful substances can also enter the atmosphere as a result of forest or peat fires.

A separate exception is the city located in the intermountain basins, when due to the natural features of the relief there is practically no air exchange with the space outside the city. No matter how the leadership of such a city monitors the reduction of air emissions, the situation can be improved very rarely. Such cities include Mexico City, Athens, Salt Lake City, Alma-Ata, Oslo, Baku, and in our country they are Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo, Chita and the infamous Chelyabinsk.

Under ordinary conditions, the dispersal of harmful substances in the atmosphere and their gradual removal outside the city limits. But under adverse weather conditions (NMU), this process is disrupted, there is an accumulation of pollutants to concentrations that threaten the health and life of citizens. This is observed when a complete calm or above-city surface air inversion is formed. The most powerful and long-term inversions are recorded in the winter season and are often associated with the spread of the anticyclone. In winter, and especially during periods of severe frost, when the surface is intensely cold, the air temperature in the lower parts of the atmosphere is lower than at altitude. Because of this, there is no vertical mixing of air; the warm upper layer closes the lower cold layer, in which a significant amount of pollutants accumulates. This picture is very often observed in Russian cities in the winter.

Is such a significant excess of pollutants in the air dangerous? Yes, this can negatively affect the health of citizens and even lead to deaths. So, the infamous London smog of 1952, which stayed over the city for 5 days, claimed the lives of at least 8,000 residents of the British capital. And the number of deaths in Moscow during the summer smog of 2010 increased by 36%. In the increased risk zone are primarily children and the elderly, as well as citizens suffering from bronchopulmonary and cardiovascular diseases.

How can the negative effects of smog be reduced? Experts advise to adhere to some rules. The first thing to do is to minimize the time spent on the street and not to leave the premises without emergency. With strong smog, it is better to use respirators or special masks. And the windows in the building where you are, be it a house or work, must be tightly closed. For ventilation, it is recommended to use an air conditioner, preferably with an air purification function. If there is no such air conditioner, then it is better to ventilate the room through a window tightened with a dense wet cloth. Another way to reduce the content of harmful impurities in the indoor air is regular wet cleaning. Try to do this 1-2 times a day, this will protect you from pollutants settled on the floor and surfaces. Well, of course, you need to rid your body of additional loads as much as possible. Doctors advise to postpone sports for a while, and also do not take alcohol and do not abuse fatty and high-calorie foods.

Watch the video: The Taiwanese Solution To Air Pollution. Boomtown Asia. Spark (April 2024).