Study conducted on 50 people by Safdarjung Hospital shows difference in the lung functioning of those exposed to biomass fuel, liquefied petroleum gas
The awareness alarm for worsening air quality in the city has gone off as the Department of Pulmonology at the Safdarjung Hospital is all set to publish its study on the increased lung disease risk owing to indoor pollution. The study comes at a time when the national Capital's air quality index (AQI) was reported 'poor' at 211 on Saturday, a significant increase in the past three years.
The study — conducted on a sample size of 50 people — shows a significant difference in the lung functioning of the two sets where biomass fuel is used and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) used.
"While studying the samples, we found that 87 per cent of the people had lungs functioning normally if they used LPG as compared to 22 per cent for those who burnt biomass fuel. In a city like ours, where pollution is affecting everything, it is very important to switch to fuels that do not emit harmful PM2.5/PM10 particulates," said Dr JC Suri, a leading pulmonologist and head of the respiratory medicine department at the Safdarjung Hospital.
When solid fuels burn, they emit black carbon, a sooty smoke filled with many toxic materials including particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, dioxins, and furans. These matter cause serious respiratory issues.
"The indoor air pollution is a confined air. The dilution factor is much more in the outdoor pollution due to the exposure in the air. One must keep the surroundings clean while staying in the house so as to avoid the dust particles," said D Saha, former head of CPCB.
INSIDE OUT
The Lancet Global Health recently stated that high exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution in northern states of India is the leading cause behind the high burden of chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) in these states, where the death rate from COPD is twice as high as states with cleaner air.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Air Quality")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}