Hi all, apologise for the absence. Since the government hasn't issued a stop-work order we decided to enforce one for ourselves yesterday to take a break.
In this post, we bring you some knowledge about the fucking particles that are lingering in our air.
There are 6 main pollutants that are hovering in our airspace. In this post we will cover the first 2.
1) Sulphur dioxide
A toxic gas with a pungent, irritating smell that is released due to the combustion (burning) that is happening down south in Sumatra's forests. It is a colourless gas and is responsible for the burning smell in the air.
Health effects caused by exposure to high levels of sulphur dioxide include breathing problems, respiratory illness, changes in the lung's defences, and worsening respiratory and cardiovascular disease. This pollutant is particularly dangerous for asthmatics and people with bronchitis.
2) PM10 & PM 2.5
PM stands for particulate matter and are essentially tiny pieces of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. Increased levels of such fine particles in the air is consistently and independently related to the most serious effects, including lung cancer and other cardiopulmonary (lung-related) mortality.
The numbers 10 and 2.5 refers to the size of the particles and the unit of measurement is in micrometers. 1 micrometer is one-millionth of a metre and a PM 10 particle would be 10 micrometers large.
When you inhale, you breathe in air along with any particles that are in the air. The air and the particles travel into your respiratory system (your lungs and airway). Along the way the particles can stick to the sides of the airway or travel deeper into the lungs.
The farther particles go, the worse the effect.
Smaller particles can pass through the smaller airways. Bigger particles are more likely to stick to the sides or get wedged into one of the narrow passages deep in the lung. Hence, PM 2.5 is more harmful than PM 10.
Health effects include the following:
a) Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath
b) Aggravated asthma
c) Lung damage (including decreased lung function and lifelong respiratory disease)
d) Premature death in individuals with existing heart or lung diseases
Stay tuned for the next update as we elaborate on 2 more pollutants.
In the meantime, don't scrimp on cab and wear your masks!
Negative illustration below on the wrong type of masks to use. Only use N95 please.
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