What Lives In The Air We Breathe?
What Lives In The Air We Breathe
Ever wondered what lives in the air we breathe?
Well so have we, which ultimately led to this article about home air quality and the impact it has on our health and wellbeing.
3.8 million people a year die prematurely from illness attributable to household air pollution. Source: World Health Organization
Home Air Quality Broken Down
The foundation of the air we breathe is a mixture of molecules including nitrogen, oxygen, water, carbon dioxide & ozone. In addition there are also other natural and man made gasses and compounds including smoke, dust, pollen and acid droplets.
But what is physically living in the air?
Well it is like a giant soup bowl filled with millions of living and deceased bacteria, fungi and viruses, swirling around the room until eventually filling your lungs. It’s no surprise to learn that Americans often catch infectious diseases indoors and spend, on average, 90 percent of their lives inside.
A person’s mere presence in a room can add 37 million bacteria to the air every hour, material largely left behind by previous occupants and stirred up from the floor – according to new research by Yale University engineers.
Source: Yale University
How Does The Air Affect Our Health?
The average person inhales around 3,700 gallons of air every day and when that air quality is poor, it can have serious effects on health and general wellbeing. When we breathe in, tiny hairs in our nose and passageways filter out particles 10 micrometers and larger, but it’s the 2.5 micrometer particles that are of real concern.
Poor air quality can lead to respiratory illnesses including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis and pneumonia Not to mention bacterial and viral infections…
Air Quality Research
A large study of more than 57,000 women found living near major roadways may increase a woman’s risk for breast cancer.
Study found other airborne toxic substances, especially methylene chloride, which is used in aerosol products and paint removers, are also associated with increased risk of breast cancer.
A long-term study, 2000-2016, found an association between lung cancer incidence and increased reliance on coal for energy generation.
Air pollution was linked to a greater chance of developing several neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias. Hospital admissions data from 63 million older adults in the U.S., obtained over 17 years (2000-2016), was analyzed along with estimated PM 2.5 concentrations by zip code to conduct the study.
