Air quality in Nong Chok

What is the air quality like in Nong Chok?

The air quality in Nong Chok has been consistently polluted throughout the early months of 2022, and will likely continue for the next few months before the pollution levels start to reach more appreciable levels, as is common across many cities in Thailand (with the mid-months of the year often having the best readings of both US AQI and PM2.5, although naturally, this can be subject to sudden changes, and as such air pollution levels should be monitored closely to safeguard one's health). US AQI readings of 130 and over were consistently taken in the first two months of 2022, which would place Nong Chok into the 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' when such readings were recorded. Although the air quality did show signs of improvement with many days being fairly cleaner, these were short-lived and the air pollution levels quickly rose back up again. Lows of 66 were recorded in early January, placing Nong Chok into the 'moderate' air quality rating bracket. Whilst this is a definite improvement, it still indicates a noticeable presence of pollution within Nong Chok, with mild respiratory irritation potentially starting to present itself amongst citizens. Air pollution levels in the early months of the year, as well as at the end of the year, tend to be at their highest, so preventative measures such as wearing fine particle filtering masks and staying indoors can help prevent many pollution-related illnesses from occurring.

What causes pollution to build up in the air in Nong Chok?

Pollution levels can be increased by a myriad of sources, including exhaust fumes from cars, lorries, trucks and other vehicles on the road, along with factory and industrial site (such as power plants) emissions. Smoke may be blown over from neighboring cities or provinces, and construction can also contribute significantly to the number of dangerous particles in the air, particularly if strict site maintenance protocols are not adhered to (such as keeping piles of sand and other fine materials covered, as well as washing down large dust accumulations that tend to buildup in construction sites). These are a few of the main contributors to higher air pollution levels in Nong Chok.

Can breathing polluted air in Nong Chok make you sick?

Extended periods of exposure to high levels of air pollution in Nong Chok can cause many dangerous health conditions to occur, with this being particularly pertinent to individuals who fall into the sensitive group demographic, which will be covered in slightly more detail in the following question. Despite certain groups being more at risk, healthy adults without any pre-existing health conditions may also find themselves at risk to the negative side-effects of polluted air in Nong Chok, particularly if exposure takes place over a longer period. This is of more importance for those that find themselves living near much more highly polluted areas such as industrial districts or near busy roads, where the air quality is often of much poorer quality, with hazardous particles, smoke, smog and haze being far more prevalent in the atmosphere for much of the year. A larger number of ailments that may show themselves amongst the inhabitants, would be the shorter-term ones such as dry throat and coughs, as well as the accompanying chest pains and infections of the upper respiratory tract. These can usually typically resolve themselves in a relatively short amount of time when the exposure to air pollution is stopped or reduced. As such, they can be classified as more acute health issues amongst potential health problems present in Nong Chok. With non-stop air pollution exposure transpiring, respiratory issues may also grow into more long-term, chronic health problems. The constant chest infections sustained as well as the accompanying coughing can lead to the scarring of lung tissue, which can result in a significantly (and often permanent) decreased lung capacity. As well as this, the scarring or damage and inflammation to the tissue of the lungs can make one more vulnerable to a whole host of respiratory distress, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presenting itself. This is an umbrella term that refers to a multitude of different lung and respiratory tract conditions, typically resulting in shortness of breath as well as making an individual at greater risk of severe damage from pollution exposure. Some further conditions that fall under the COPD bracket are one such as pneumonia, bronchitis, emphysema as well as asthma. Other forms of damage that can happen within the body include increased risk of cancer, heart attacks, strokes and arrhythmias, as well as ischemic heart disease and many other cardiac or pulmonary conditions that can bring about decreased quality of life as well as lower life expectancy in Nong Chok.

What are some of the more dangerous forms of air pollution in Nong Chok?

Some more dangerous (as well as common) forms of pollution that may be found in Nong Chok, as well as surrounding cities in the greater Bangkok region, include ones that mainly emanate from combustion sources. These can include ones such as the nationwide issue of open burn fires, although this tends to affect Bangkok and its surrounding cities much less than their northern counterparts, or other rural areas throughout the country that have larger areas of farmland present. Combustion from vehicle engines as well as boilers in factories and other industrial sites. Some of the main pollutants released when any form of combustion takes place are ones such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as well as black carbon, along with other pollutants that go into calculating the US AQI aggregate. The chemicals used to calculate this US AQI figure include nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, as well as the two main forms of particle pollution, PM2.5 and PM10. Of these two, the smaller PM2.5 is well known as the far more dangerous, due to its minute size of 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter allowing it to bypass the bodies defense systems and lodge deep within the tissue of the lungs (with more on this being discussed in the following health issues question). PM2.5 and some forms of PM10 can consist of materials such as water droplets and vapor, along with a variety of other liquids that can be aerosolized. Other materials include mold and fungal spores, bacteria, metals, nitrates and sulfates, along with finely ground silica dust, which can have a carcinogenic effect when inhaled. Some examples of the aforementioned VOCs include chemical compounds such as benzene, styrene, methylene chloride, toluene, xylene and formaldehyde. Their volatile nature allows them to maintain a gaseous state at much lower temperatures, thus making them much easier to breathe, and would be encountered prevalently around inhabited areas of Nong Chok, due to their discharge from everything from fires, cars, factories as well as even from household items. VOCs are one of the major sources of indoor air pollution and can emanate from products such as glue, paint, varnish, as well as aerosols such as deodorant, scented candles and other toiletries. These are some of the more prevalent air pollutants that may be found around Nong Chok, with certain areas such as busy roads and intersections that see a high level of rush hour traffic having higher concentrations of pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, ozone and black carbon.

Who is more at risk from air pollution exposure in Nong Chok?

Whilst there are most certainly more prominent groups that are adversely affected by pollution exposure, it is of note that any level of air pollution at all, carries with it the possibility to cause unfavorable health effects amongst those who are exposed, including both young and healthy citizens or those with no prior health conditions. Clouds of smoke and fine particles may trigger sudden immune responses, cause health conditions related to the skin, lungs and heart (in more severe cases) to arise. Directing back to the question, those who are more at risk include groups such as younger children and babies, both of whom are highly vulnerable to the damaging side effects of chemical and particle exposure. Alterations to the nervous system can take place, due to many chemical compounds having this property when they accumulate in large enough quantities within the human body. This can result in delayed growth, as well as developmental problems and impaired mental capabilities, with youths who suffer from excessive pollution exposure for many years sometimes having these ailments, as well as sustaining damage to their lungs and other organ systems. This can once again have a domino effect of stunting development as well as leading to other lifelong health issues. Other groups that fall into the sensitive bracket are pregnant women, who much like the young children and baby’s demographic, can subject their unborn child to the negative side effects of pollution exposure due to certain hazardous chemicals being able to make their way to the child in the womb, causing instances of babies being born prematurely, with low birth weight, as well as increasing the rates of infant mortality. Elderly citizens in Nong Chok are also at risk, due to them being more prone to suffering from respiratory or cardiac ailments. Common chest or upper respiratory tract infections may develop into more life-threatening or terminal illnesses amongst the elderly, with other comorbidities such as sedentary lifestyle, pre-existing health conditions, obesity, or habits such as smoking lending themselves to making these conditions worse. Lastly, many people can exhibit a hypersensitive disposition towards certain ultrafine particles and other chemicals found in the pollution in Nong Chok. As such, all of these groups would do well to stay up to date on the pollution levels, both for the current day as well as the predictions for the coming week. Preventative measures such as wearing fine particle filtering masks and avoiding outdoor activities can aid considerably in reducing more serious side effects.