Breathe Clean → Main topic information

Breathe Clean

Main topic information

Vocabulary/new concepts:

Airpollution: any visible or invisible particle or gas in the air that is not part of its normal composition.

Acid rain: rain or other form of precipitation (snow, hail, fog) that is abnormally acidic, i.e. contains elevated levels of hydrogen ions and has a low hydrogen pH value.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs): diseases that are not transmitted from person to person, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease.

Fossil fuels: Fossil fuels are natural fuels that have formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals under the action of heat and pressure in the earth’s crust over millions of years. They include coal, oil and natural gas. These fuels are major sources of energy in the modern world and are used to generate electricity, heat, and to power vehicles. Major types of fossil fuels:

• Coal: Formed primarily from plant remains. It is mainly used to produce electricity and heat.
• Petroleum: Formed from the remains of marine micro-organisms. It is processed in refineries and converted into various products such as gasoline, diesel and other fuels.
• Natural gas: Formed together with oil or coal. Used for heating, electricity generation and as a transport fuel.

Natural composition and importance of air

Air determines the quality of life – for plants, animals, humans. Clean air is essential for human health and well-being and for the whole ecosystem.

Air is a mixture of gases that makes up the Earth’s gas envelope – the atmosphere.

The natural composition of air consists primarily of nitrogen and oxygen, along with water droplets, fine particles, and small amounts of other gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, ammonia, and argon. These gases may be either free in the air or associated with water vapour.

Dry air contains 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% other substances such as argon or carbon dioxide, water vapor.
Air influences all chemical transformations in both nonliving nature and living organisms. Clean air improves respiratory function in our body, reduces the risk of respiratory diseases – asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, positively affects memory and concentration, reduces stress.

Life on Earth could not exist without air. It is an important natural resource. Through its various functions, air plays a key role in maintaining the Earth’s ecosystems and climate. For example, clean air is essential for the survival of many plant and animal species, improves the quality of water and the lives of its inhabitants, and protects forests from pollutants and the negative impacts they cause.

How dirty is the air?

One cubic meter of air contains about 70 000 particles. It is estimated that the average amount of dust that collects in an average-sized house in a week is about one kilogram!

How big are the polluting particles?

Most particles in the air are very small – less than a millimetre. To measure them, scientists use very small units called microns or micrometres. There are about 1,000 microns in a millimetre. If the light is right, the human eye can see particles measuring more than 10 microns. Particles of smaller sizes can be seen using a microscope and are denoted by the abbreviation FHR10. About 90% of the particles in the air that are invisible to the human eye fall into this category.

Air pollution is any visible or invisible particle or gas found in the air that is not part of the normal composition of the air. Natural air pollution has existed for millions of years, but in the last century, man-made pollution has become a major concern. We are most familiar with visible air pollution (such as smog), but many other air pollutants, including some of the most dangerous, are invisible.

Check out the video available at the following link https://youtu.be/GVBeY1jSG9Y?si=pXzxknrl_k36q-SZ which explains how air pollution affects our bodies and why it is important to address this problem.

Answer the following questions in the video:

How can air pollution affect our health?
How does air pollution affect our health?
What are air pollutants?
Is air quality the same across the planet? Why yes or why no?

Smog. Source: https://pixabay.com/bg/photos/%D0%BF%D1%8F%D1%81%D1%8A%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%B1%D1%83%D1%80%D1%8F-%D0%BF%D1%8F%D1%81%D1%8A%D0%BA-%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F-%D0%B1%D1%83%D1%80%D1%8F-165332/

Smog in Beijing. Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Smog_in_Beijing_CBD.JPG

You can see more at: https://faktor.bg/bg/articles/novini/svyat/zatvoreni-patishta-i-otmeneni-poleti-zaradi-gast-smog-nad-kitay-90864

The human body has mechanisms to filter particles from the air we breathe. However, large amounts of particles in the air can cause serious illness. People who suffer from asthma may notice that their condition worsens when they are in an area with a high concentration of particles in the air. Others experience eye and nose discomfort. Dust enters the body primarily through the respiratory system, with coarser particles trapped in the upper respiratory tract and finer particles (PM10) reaching the lower respiratory tract, causing tissue damage in the lungs. According to the World Health Organisation, Bulgaria ranks third in the world in terms of deaths caused by air pollution.

Are all particles in the air harmful?

Not all particles in the air are harmful. The presence of dust in the atmosphere helps form raindrops, and water molecules in the air make it more pleasant to breathe. Some particles even help the body create better immunity.