Air quality in Naucalpan de Juarez

Is Naucalpan de Juarez a very polluted city now?

Naucalpan, also known officially as Naucalpan de Juárez, is one of 125 municipalities located just northwest of Mexico City in the adjoining State of Mexico. According to a 2010 census, Naucalpan had an estimated population of approximately 833,000 residents.

According to figures released by IQAir.com, Naucalpan was experiencing a period of “Moderate” quality air at the start of the fourth quarter of 2021. The recorded US AQI number was 88. This reading can be used as a reference point when comparing air quality in other cities around the world. Data is collected with regards to the six most prolific air pollutants commonly found and this figure is calculated from there. If information is not available for all six, then a figure can be deduced using the information that is available. In this case, both sizes of Particulate Matter were recorded, PM2.5 was 30 µg/m³ and PM10 was 54 µg/m³. These figures are quoted in microns per cubic metre. It should be noted that the level of PM2.5 is three times over the recommended target figure of 10 µg/m³, as suggested as being acceptable by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

With a level such as this, the advice would be to stay indoors and close the doors and windows so as to prevent more polluted air from entering the rooms. Those of a sensitive nature should also remain indoors until the air quality improves. If venturing outside is unavoidable, then a good quality mask should be worn at all times and a limit to exposure should be determined.

There is a downloadable app available from AirVisual which can be found in any app store and is suitable for most mobile devices. This will tell you of the latest levels of pollution which might help decide whether or not it is safe to go outside.

Does the level of air pollution vary in Naucalpan de Juarez?

Air quality can be very volatile and can therefore change quickly. According to the 2020 figures released by IQAir.com the months that returned the best air quality were August and September with “Good” readings of 10.8 and 10.9 µg/m³, respectively. For the remaining ten months of the year, the air quality was classified as “Moderate” with figures between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³. The best month was June with a 13.2 µg/m³ reading and the worst was March with a 23.6 µg/m³ figure.

Records regarding air quality were not recorded before 2020 when the figure was 15.9 µg/m³. However, this may not be a true reflection of reality because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many vehicles were taken out of circulation due to lockdown where their drivers were encouraged to work from home and not commute to the office on a daily basis in order to halt the spread of the virus. There were also many small factories and other production units which were temporarily closed which meant their emissions were no longer released into the atmosphere.

Is there a main source of air pollution in Naucalpan de Juarez?

Naucalpan produces pollution due to the concentration of automobiles and public transport, industries, use of solvents, leaks of LP gas and sanitary landfills, according to the most recent study by the Secretariat of the Environment of Mexico City. The agglutination of the main industries and the prevailing winds that come from the north of the Valley of Mexico cause emissions to directly impact densely populated areas.

In addition, in Mexico City there are almost 31,000 industrial establishments and almost 34,000 in the State of Mexico. Of the total, it has been verified that 47 per cent (30,881) are generators of polluting emissions and greenhouse effect, which explains the emissions inventory.

One of the most significant pollutants is volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It is generated by private cars, the chemical industry, the incomplete combustion of LP gas and the use of solvents, which means 30 per cent of the almost 633,000 tons of VOCs generated in the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico.

Can the air quality in Naucalpan de Juarez be improved?

Air pollution in Naucalpan de Juárez is a problem that is derived by the mixture of liquid and solid particles of organic and inorganic substances present in the air (particulate matter), which is caused by combustion processes from mobile sources mainly from gasoline and diesel internal combustion vehicles, coupled with the deficient application of regulations and pollution control programs. There were official bodies established to monitor older vehicles but it is now known that this is not always done and many vehicles are still permitted to use the roads in the city. In order to improve the air quality in the city, this situation needs to be addressed.

An approach to reduce pollution is to establish modifications in the engineering of vehicular mobility at peak hours.

Another task will be to increase the number of arboreal areas in urban and suburban areas, as well as in the protected natural areas.

This strategy can contribute to the absorption of pollutants with the presence of trees. International studies show that the increase of trees, in addition to purifying the air, helps to lower the ambient temperature since they help to cool it in two ways: the first is through the shade that they provide to the pavement, preventing the sun's energy (which is stored on these surfaces) from later being released and causing more heat; the second way is evapotranspiration, in this process, the tree releases water through its leaves and helps cool the environment.

What are the detrimental effects breathing polluted air has on the human body?

Exposure to high levels of air pollution can cause a variety of adverse health outcomes. Air pollution can increase the risk of respiratory infections, heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. Both short-term and long-term exposure to air pollutants have been associated with adverse health impacts. The most severe impacts affect people who are already sick. Children, the elderly and the poor are most susceptible. The most harmful pollutants for health, closely associated with excessive premature mortality, are fine PM2.5 particles that penetrate deep into the lung ducts.

Particulate matter (PM) is the term for airborne particles such as dust, soot, smoke, and aerosol. Large amounts of particulate matter are typically emitted from sources such as diesel vehicles, burning waste and crops, and coal-fired power plants.

Particles less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10) present a health problem because they can be inhaled and accumulate in the respiratory system.

Particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) are called "fine" particles and pose greater health risks. Due to their small size, fine particles can lodge deep in the lungs.