Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases - An Overview

Introduction

Air pollutants are the volatile chemicals present in the air that can harm the human body by getting inhaled. These pollutants are different in size. The finer these chemical compounds, the faster they can reach the lungs. This topic describes the air pollutants, the symptoms associated with air pollution exposure, the population at high risk of developing respiratory diseases, and the steps involved to overcome respiratory diseases.

What Is Air Pollution?

When the air we breathe gets polluted with smog or other particulate matter, it is called air pollution. When people inhale polluted air, it can cause serious respiratory problems. The effects can be acute or chronic on the respiratory system. Some of the common pollutants that can affect the respiratory tract are ozone, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide. Further, they are divided into two types of air pollutants.

• Ground-level Smog: It forms when the volatile compounds react with the nitrous oxide in the sunlight. These volatile compounds get produced from the engine exhausts. And nitrous oxide forms when the combustion occurs in oxygen and nitrogen occurs.

• Particulate Matter: These are very fine or tiny particles formed on combustion of wood, power plant, or engine fuels. It is called soot.

How Does Air Pollution Affect the Respiratory System?

The changes in the respiratory system vary from acute to chronic when exposed to pollutants. There can be minor changes to major changes in the respiratory tract and cases of heart diseases, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections also develop from air pollution. However, air pollution can also worsen pre-existing heart and lung diseases. Even long-term exposure to air pollutants can decrease the life expectancy of people.

There are different sizes of particulate matter (pollutants). These different types of particulate matter affect different parts of the respiratory tract. The finer the particle, the more easily it can reach the deep respiratory system. At the same time, the ultrafine particles reach the bloodstream.

The pollutant particles present in the air can get deposited in the respiratory tract. The high water solubility particles get attached to the upper respiratory tract in the nasal cavity, but the particles like ozone (a type of gas) can get deposited to the bronchi and the tracheal tube, where the low solubility particles like nitrogen dioxide get deposited to the alveoli and the bronchioles.

So basically, there are three regions in which the particles get deposited. The nasal cavity, the tracheobronchial, and the alveolar region.

What Are the Symptoms Associated With Air Pollution Exposure?

The common respiratory symptoms associated with air pollutants are:

• Non-allergic rhinitis.

• Nasal mucosal erythema.

• Sinusitis.

• Nasal itchiness.

• Runny nose.

• Nasal congestion.

• Sneezing.

• Dry mouth.

• Throat.

• Productive cough.

• Dry cough.

• Wheezing.

• Dyspnea (shortness of breath).

• Bronchoconstriction (narrowing of the bronchi).

The patient may suffer from nose and throat irritation in cases of asthma.

What Is the Respiratory Problem Associated With the Air Pollutant?

• Lung inflammation.

• Asthma (a respiratory condition, where the airways become narrow, inflamed, and produce mucus leading to breathing difficulty).

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (a group of lung disease that blocks lungs’ airflow leading to breathing difficulty).

Who Are at High Risk of Respiratory Problems From Air Pollutants?

The people who are at higher risk of developing respiratory problems from the air pollutant are,

• Children: Children who are living in highly polluted cities or towns are more likely to get respiratory problems from air pollutants. They suffer from cough, wheezing, and impaired lung function. Children have a faster breathing rate, so they intake more air per unit area than adults. Hence, leading them to get exposed to more air pollutants. And they play outside for a long time, leading to more air pollutant exposure.

• Babies: Babies who are low birth weight or are associated with preterm birth are more susceptible to respiratory problems. They can develop asthma, rhinitis, and eczema very easily. Even during pregnancy, when the mother is exposed to harmful pollutants, it can cause a negative impact on the baby's respiratory health.

• Old Age People: Sometimes, old aged people can easily develop respiratory or pulmonary, or cardiovascular diseases. This in turn can develop reduced lung functioning.

• Pre-Existing Conditions: The people who are already affected by the previous medical conditions are more affected by air pollution, which leads to other respiratory diseases like asthma or COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

How Does the Respiratory Tract Protect From Air Pollutants?

The respiratory tract has a nasal cavity with hairs and the tracheobronchial region with the ciliated mucosa. The nasal cavity can easily grab the coarser form of the particles. But the fine particle is grabbed by the ciliated mucosa present in the tracheobronchial region. This ciliated mucosa produces mucus, which causes the bacteria and virus to get entrapped into the mucus. It is a mucociliary clearance mechanism of the respiratory tract that can moisten the particle by mucus and further leads to expelling the particles out of the nose.

Phagocytosis is a mechanism initiated by the macrophages present in the respiratory tract. Mostly, the alveolar macrophages use this phagocytosis to remove foreign particles from the body. But everyday exposure to such heavy compounds can lead to a burden on the defense mechanisms.

How to Manage Respiratory Diseases in Air Pollutant Areas?

• People should try to avoid traffic areas.

• People should also go for more green areas filled with trees and bushes for work or relaxation.

• Try to spend less time in polluted areas.

• Wearing nasal filters.

• Wearing a mask and respirators.

• Installing air filters and purifiers in the house.

• If symptoms like rhinitis, running nose, and cough develop, then go for saline sprays, decongestant medication, and cough suppressants and expectorants.

• People should also take vitamins A, C, and E in their diet.

Conclusion

Air pollutants are volatile compounds of various sizes and they can be coarse to fine. As they are fine, they can reach the alveoli swiftly and deep into the respiratory tracts. But even if they are coarse, they accumulate over the nasal cavity. The air pollutant can further cause respiratory diseases like asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The respiratory system also shows a defense mechanism against air pollutants getting trapped. However, these air pollutants are basically affecting people every day and can burden the defense mechanism, and dread to lower their effect against these harmful toxins. People should manage the effects of air pollution to protect themselves from respiratory diseases by wearing masks, practicing breathing exercises in a clean, open space for better respiratory health.