A new cause for concern in the big cities: air pollution from nitrogen dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide is not as directly linked to death as particulate pollution but it can cause breathing problems, including asthma in children, and exacerbate existing breathing difficulties.
The main cause of nitrogen dioxide pollution are vehicles
news agencies
08/17/2022
Wednesday, August 17, 2022, 5:17 p.m. Updated: 5:35 p.m.
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On video: Air pollution in New Delhi (Photo: Reuters)
Cities around the world suffer from high levels of air pollution caused by nitrogen dioxide - and are unaware of the extent of the problem, according to the State of Global Air 2020 study published today (Wednesday).
Leading the list of cities with the worst air pollution from nitrogen dioxide is Shanghai.
It is followed by Moscow.
Tehran is ranked third, St. Petersburg is fourth and Beijing is ranked fifth.
The top ten is completed by Cairo, the capital of Turkmenistan Ashgabat, Minsk in Belarus, Istanbul in Turkey and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam.
Smog in Beijing (Photo: Reuters)
Pollution in Shanghai (Photo: Reuters)
According to Flavi Fant, a senior scientist at the Health Effects Institute in the United States, who oversaw the annual study, "The high ranking of nitrogen dioxide pollution in several cities in Russia surprised us. It must be caused by traffic pollution and outdated vehicles."
While particulate pollution, which is caused by particles suspended in the air with a diameter of up to 30 micrometers that are created mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels, coal burning, agricultural burning, transportation and various industrial processes, has been a cause for concern around the world for years, nitrogen dioxide pollution has not been studied in depth Still.
Scientists from the Health Effects Institute in the United States used satellite data and ground samples to compile a global picture of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution in more than 7,000 cities for the Global Air Report.
Smog in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: Reuters)
Sydney in Australia is also suffering from smog (Photo: Reuters)
Nitrogen dioxide is not as directly linked to death as particulate pollution but it can cause breathing problems, including asthma in children, and exacerbate existing breathing difficulties.
The main cause of nitrogen dioxide pollution are vehicles, especially old vehicles that pollute much more.
This year's report focused on pollution due to nitrogen dioxide for the first time, amid concerns among the scientific community that there is not enough knowledge on the issue.
In 117 countries, according to the report, there are monitoring systems on the ground to monitor particles, but only 74 countries have monitoring stations for nitrogen dioxide.
The report collected data on nitrogen dioxide levels in 2010-2019, but did not include 2020-21 due to the Corona epidemic.
The study authors estimated that in 2019, at least 1.7 million deaths related to particulate matter exposure occurred in the 7,239 cities included in the report.
The most severe impact was in Asia, Africa, Eastern and Central Europe.
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