The world is noted to be getting more and more polluted every passing day. Research indicates that pollution is highlighted as the single primary reason outside tobacco that is causing pulmonary disease (Leon Hsu, et al, 2015). As people inhale polluted air, toxic pollutants go deep into the lungs and cause considerable harm to the entire respiratory tract. Lung cancer, pulmonary diseases and Asthma are some of the notable chronic illnesses that have a direct link to the toxins in the air (Leon Hsu, et al, 2015). The air toxins that are of greatest concern are those with capability when released in significant amounts are a risk to human health or have a higher likelihood of any people being exposed. The paper will explore how particular matter/particles as a primary type of air toxins affects the human system and what are some of the identified risks.
Particles are inclusive of heavy metals example mercury, lead, chromium, and cadmium also hydrocarbons that are formed fossil fuel and waste materials being burned. There is also natural particles released from natural sources like through a volcanic eruption and forest fires. However, it is vital to note most of the particles are released from human activity (Lelieveld, Evans, Fnais,, Giannadaki, & Pozzer, 2015). Therefore, it is important that humans despite the need for continuous industrialization there is development of measures to reduce the effects of the toxic particles. Every individual is at risk of being exposed to hazardous air pollutants ways that a person can get exposed include: breathing contaminated air where in case there is prolonged inhaling of the pollutant can have adverse effect on the individuals. Consuming contaminated food products example vegetables grown in contaminated soil where there have been deposits of toxic air particles, drinking water that is contaminated by air pollutants and touching contaminated soil or water.
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A carcinogen is any matter that has the potential to cause cancer in humans or animals. Carcinogens can either be chemical or physical or radiation. Particulates of matter can be classified under carcinogenic matter in two distinctive ways. First, chemical carcinogens include all kinds of molecular substances that are in compounds that are in cigarette smokers and also chemical pesticides which are toxic particles. Second, physical carcinogens are either hard or soft material that are not soluble in water. Examples of such are lead and cadmium (Wiedinmyer, Yokelson, & Gullett, 2014).
The risks associated by inhaling carcinogenic particles is that there is a higher probability of human getting cancer as the cancer risk is as a result of continuous exposure to an agent that has potential effects. Additionally, the carcinogenic agents also cause other damages to major organs in the body which significantly damages the human health of the individual (Leon Hsu et al., 2015). Moreover, there are other advanced risks associated with carcinogenic matters; they are very economically draining to the families affected. Patients spend lots of dollars in hospitals trying to treat the disease. Furthermore, studies have proved, many of the patients affected by air toxins are middle class, individuals with no insurance coverage and with the long exposure and failure to go to the hospital for check-up put them to greater dangers (Leon Hsu et al., 2015).
In conclusion, air pollution is on the rise especially with the increment in industrialization. As noted in the paper, human activities are blamed for the highest proportion of toxic pollutants in the air. Moreover, with some of the air toxins considered to be a carcinogen, it is thus important that measures are taken to reduce the risks that are associated with exposure to a carcinogen.
References
Leon Hsu, H. H., Mathilda Chiu, Y. H., Coull, B. A., Kloog, I., Schwartz, J., Lee, A., ... & Wright, R. J. (2015). Prenatal particulate air pollution and asthma onset in urban children. Identifying sensitive windows and sex differences. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine , 192 (9), 1052-1059.
Lelieveld, J., Evans, J. S., Fnais, M., Giannadaki, D., & Pozzer, A. (2015). The contribution of outdoor air pollution sources to premature mortality on a global scale. Nature , 525 (7569), 367-371.
Wiedinmyer, C., Yokelson, R. J., & Gullett, B. K. (2014). Global emissions of trace gases, particulate matter, and hazardous air pollutants from open burning of domestic waste. Environmental science & technology , 48 (16), 9523-9530.
