• Question: What is the effect of pollution on humans?

    Asked by Scientist123 on 5 Nov 2024.
    • Photo: Ruth Pegington

      Ruth Pegington answered on 5 Nov 2024:

      That’s a big question!
      All kinds of health issues are associated with air pollution, like asthma and heart health. It can make people more likely to have problems with their immune system too, so overall health is affected. There’s also pollution that gets into our water supply and our food, which also has a bad effect on our health.

    • Photo: Martin McCoustra

      Martin McCoustra answered on 4 Dec 2024:

      There is a whole range of effects. If you suffer from asthma for example, ozone and nitrogen dioxide in smog can trigger attacks. Some of the molecules release in diesel exhaust smoke are amongst the most carcinogenic we know. There are many others!

Comments

  • Photo: John T

    John T commented on :

    I work as a scientist designing catalytic converters for cars so I’ll talk to you about this type of pollution. Petrol and Diesel cars produce harmful gas pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and unburned fuel from the car that come out of the exhust. This pollution can hause health issues like asthma, and can create smog in cities that we see in high pollution cities such as Dehli and Shanghai. By having a catalytic converter that turns these bad gases into gases that aren’t harmful for you to breathe, we can reduce the effect of pollution reducing health issues and ultimately saving lives.

  • Photo: Sheridan

    Sheridan commented on :

    Even light pollution affects humans and animals. Please keep those outside lights focussed down on the ground. Why do councils floodlight council tips at night. Why do companies leave their lights on inside at night?