A big chemical reaction is the main reason for deadly pollution...
Drass of Ladakh and Fairbanks of Alaska, both cities face severe cold in winter. The temperature in Dras falls to -20 degrees Celsius, which makes it the coldest area of India. At the same time, the mercury in Fairbanks also reaches -22.4 degrees Celsius. But, the surprising thing is that there is a huge difference in the air of both the cities. While the air in Dras is absolutely clean, Fairbanks is one of the most polluted cities in America. The report of the American lung Association shows that the air quality in Alaska is very poor.
The city of Fairbanks in Alaska faces a lot of pollution in winter. There is less sunlight and low temperature in the winter season. Due to this, the pollutants remain in the air for a longer time and the level of pollution increases. This pollution is caused by small dangerous particles (PM2.5) present in the air, which are very harmful for the lungs. In winter, the temperature in Fairbanks reaches -20 to -30 degrees Celsius and sometimes even goes below -40 degrees Celsius. Due to this cold, the gases and particles present in the air combine to form new and dangerous pollutants.
What is particle pollution?
The air we breathe contains many types of small particles which are called particle pollution. These particles are so small that we cannot even see them with naked eyes. But they can be very dangerous for our health.
There are two types of particles in particle pollution:
PM10-2.5: These particles are slightly larger, like dust particles. The particles are 2.5 to 10 micrometers in size.
PM2.5: These particles are very small. They are also called 'ultrafine particles'.
Because PM2.5 particles are very small, they go directly into the lungs through the nose and throat. They can weaken the lungs, worsen asthma and even kill people who already have lung or heart disease.
The US cities with the highest PM2.5 levels tend to have a lot of vehicles (e.g., cities in California) or coal-fired power plants (e.g., Pittsburgh). Some cities have a lot of wood-burning stoves (e.g., Fairbanks, Alaska) or have frequent wildfires (e.g., Medford, Oregon).
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