Introduction Of Pollution

Washington, May 30 (IANS) Long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM) 2.5 -- a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air -- doubles the risk of losing smell, a hallmark of Covid-19, according to a study.The loss of smell, a condition known as anosmia, can severely impact a person's quality of life, making it extremely difficult to taste foods, detect airborne hazards in the environment, and carry out other functions dependent on the senses.Covid-19 has further thrust olfaction into the spotlight as olfactory disturbances appear to be both a cardinal symptom and, in some cases, a debilitating consequence of the ongoing global pandemic, said researchers from the Johns Hopkins University in the US.While previous research has associated PM2.5 as a likely culprit for anosmia, the team from Johns Hopkins conducted a new study to better understand how long-term exposure to air pollution can rob someone of the ability to smell and taste.They found long-term airborne exposure to PM2.5 increases the risk of losing one's smell by nearly twice (a 1.6- to 1.7-fold increase).This may occur because the location of the olfactory nerve, which contains the sensory nerve fibres relating to the sense of smell, places it directly in the path of inhaled PM2.5 materials. The findings appeared in the JAMA Network Open."Based on this result, we feel that long-term exposure to high levels of PM2.5 represents a common risk factor for the loss of sense of smell, especially in vulnerable populations such as older people -- but also one that is potentially modifiable if sources of PM2.5 components can be better controlled," said lead author Murugappan Ramanathan, rhinologist and associate professor of otolaryngology -- head and neck surgery at the University's School of Medicine.In their study, the researchers looked at 2,690 people, aged 18 and older, who were evaluated by otolaryngologists between January 2013 and December 2016. Of these, 538 were diagnosed with anosmia, with an average age of 54 and with men making up the majority (339 or 63 per cent).Exposure to PM2.5 has been already linked to cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, decline in cognitive thinking ability, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and premature death.--IANSrvt/vd

New Delhi, May 12 (IANS) Air pollution from planned new coal plants built by companies in which HSBC holds ownership stakes will cause an estimated 18,700 global deaths, close to half in India, from air pollution per year, a new research from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said on Wednesday.The air pollution from these coal plants, when they are completed, will also lead to 29,000 emergency room visits due to asthma, 25,000 preterm births and 14 million days of work absence per year.The health impacts amount to $6.2 billion per year, with projected deaths highest in India (8,300 deaths per year), followed by China (4,200), Bangladesh (1,200), Indonesia (1,100), Vietnam (580) and Pakistan (450).The study builds on an April 2021 investigation by environmental organisation Market Forces, which showed that HSBC holds ownership stakes in coal companies via its asset management arm.These companies together plan at least 73 new coal plants (137 individual coal plant units), generating 99 gigawatts (GW) of energy from coal. CREA then used this data to analyse air pollution deaths caused per year when all 73 plants are completed.HSBC has acknowledged that its plan to end coal financing by 2040 does not include its asset management arm.The study by CREA used a well-established methodology for calculating air pollution impacts, and assumes that all the plants follow their respective national pollution standards.Lauri Myllyvirta, Lead Analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, said: "HSBC's investments are perpetuating dependence on the dirtiest form of power generation, in countries that are already among the most polluted in the world."The tens of thousands of cases of death and disease that would result from HSBC-linked coal power plants underline the urgency of shifting investments to clean energy to protect public health and the global climate."Adam McGibbon, UK Campaign Lead at Market Forces, said: "As an investor in companies developing new coal power plants, HSBC has a financial interest in the failure of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Now we learn HSBC's investment portfolio would also lead to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths, mainly in developing countries that should be getting priority access to clean, renewable energy."If HSBC plans to show its face at the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow this year, it had better clean up its act and disown any company trying to perpetuate the climate and human health crises brought about by fossil fuels."--IANSvg/skp/

New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) Most urban Indians and global citizens endorse the introduction of Covid-19 vaccine passports for citizens for travel and other purposes, including visiting events and commercial places, showed a WEF-Ipsos survey.A 'Vaccine Passport' is a record or health data certificate that would carry information about whether a person has been inoculated or has tested negative for Covid-19. The information would be accessible electromagnetically, on mobile apps, or as printed documents or cards.An Ipsos statement said that an overwhelming majority of urban Indians and global citizens favour Covid-19 Vaccine Passports for citizens to aid in different ways. Around 78 per cent global citizens and 84 per cent Indians support the use of the vaccine passports for entering any country. Around 73 per cent global citizens and 82 per cent urban Indians agree that the passports would be important for making travel & large events safe.As many as 67 per cent global citizens and 82 per cent urban Indians agree that the passports should be used for entry at large public places, like concert halls and stadiums. Further 1 in 2 global citizens agree and 78 per cent urban Indians want that such documents should be needed for visiting shops, restaurants & offices.In fact, at least 81 per cent of urban Indians polled foresee vaccine passports becoming a reality by the end of the year. Two third of global citizens (66 per cent) too expect positive outcomes with the vaccine passport decree."Covid-19 Vaccine Passports or Health Certificates will provide the best safety measure to citizens, to usher in normalcy. Majority of urban Indians advocate its implementation and global citizens too," said Amit Adarkar, CEO of Ipsos India."After mass vaccination and testing, certification should be the next logical step. Such resounding popular support suggests an overwhelming desire of people to return to a sense of normalcy. Vaccine passports could be a good enabler to overcome vaccine hesitancy," he added.--IANSrrb/sn/vd

New York, April 15 (IANS) Exposure to higher levels of air pollution is likely to increase the severity of Covid-19 among people suffering from respiratory conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), warns a study. Researchers from the University of Cincinnati in the US found that a one-unit increase in particulate matter 2.5 was associated with a 60 per cent higher chance of hospitalisation for Covid-19 patients with pre-existing respiratory disease. Particulate matter less or equal to 2.5 micrometers refers to a mixture of tiny particles and droplets in the air that are two-and-one half microns or less in width. For patients without respiratory disease, no association was observed, revealed the findings published online in the scholarly journal Respiratory Medicine. "Particulate matter is very small, small enough to be inhaled deep into the lungs, they cross into the blood and also affect other organ systems. Air pollution as a result of emissions from automobiles, factories or other sources is a generator of particulate matter," Angelico Mendy, MD, Assistant Professor of environmental and public health sciences, at the varsity's College of Medicine. "Our study didn't find any correlation between severity of Covid-19 and particulate matter in general, but we found something for people who had asthma and COPD," Mendy added. The team looked at the health outcomes and backgrounds of 1,128 Covid-19 patients at UC Health. Mendy led a team of researchers in an individual-level study which used a statistical model to evaluate the association between long-term exposure to particulate matter less or equal to 2.5 micrometers and hospitalisations for Covid-19. "This study may have policy implications such as reducing particulate exposure. Many people want to have more clean energy and reduced emissions into the atmosphere," Mendy noted.