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Smog Problems: Why They Increase Your Risk for Sickness

Smog is a big problem that just doesn't seem to be going away. Smog, or air pollution, is also one of the main factors in how our environment can make us sick. If you are curious about smog problems and how they can be responsible for increasing people's risk for sickness, read on to learn about the major types of air pollutants as well as the various health problems they can have for people. Smog is a major problem that has serious health consequences for many people each year.

What are the major kind of air pollutants that cause smog and smog irritation? Here is a brief run-down of the most common kinds of air pollutant that make up smog. These include suspended particulate mater, including solid particles and aerosols, or liquid particles that hang suspended in the air. You can usually see these particles hanging in the air as dust and smoke or haze. Many people can get sick when they breathe in these particulates. Suspended particulate matter can be especially dangerous when it is inhaled by someone with chronic respiratory problems.

Other very common types of smog or air pollutants include a category known as volatile organic compound. These are things such as gasoline, organic cleaning solutions, paint removers, solvents, and other compounds that tend to evaporate and enter the air in a vapor state. Another common type of air pollutant is carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is especially dangerous because it is odorless and colorless, making it virtually impossible to detect. Carbon monoxide is very poisonous to all air-breathing animals, and that includes humans, because it blocks the delivery of oxygen to the rest of the tissues and organs in the body.

Other common air pollutants include nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides. Nitrogen oxides are compounds that are found in all kinds of gases. They become converted into nitric acid when they get into the atmosphere, and they are a major part of acid rain. Nitrogen oxides are also known as lung irritants, and can be especially dangerous to young children. Sulfur oxides and especially sulfur dioxide is a poisonous gas that can harm plants and animals. The very young and the elderly may be susceptible to the effects of sulfur oxides.

Lead and heavy metals may also be present in smog. Lead is known to be very dangerous even at very low concentrations. Lead and other heavy metals can lead to permanent brain damage and even death. Other common air pollutants include ozone and photochemical oxidants. Ozone, although it protects us when it is high up in the stratosphere, can also be very toxic because it can damage lung tissue. Ozone at the ground level is known as a serious air pollutant. Finally, air toxics and radon are other types of common air pollutants. These are known as toxic chemicals that may be found in the air and can be damaging to any living thing on earth.

Any of these air pollutants can be harmful to human beings. There are three general categories of impact by which human beings can be affected by air pollutants. The first category is described as chronic, in which pollutants, gradually over time, cause the deterioration of various physiological functions over a period of time. The second category is known as acute, as when pollutants cause a strong harmful reaction in a short period of time. Finally, the third category of impact is known as carcinogenic. The carcinogenic category describes pollutants that cause changes within a person's cells that cause to the uncontrolled growth and division of the cells that eventually becomes diagnosed as cancer.