Air quality in Nong Khaem

Is there a high level of air pollution present in Nong Khaem?

Air pollution readings have been coming in particularly high towards the end of the year, with readings taken in December of 2021 showing dangerous levels of air pollution present. US AQI readings came in with figures of 146, placing Nong Khaem into the upper end of the 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' rating bracket, which indicates that many people would start to display signs of respiratory or skin irritation, with even healthy individuals also being subject to unhealthy side effects. PM2.5, or ultrafine particle readings, came in at a concentration of 54 μg/m³, placing it some 10.8 times higher than the annual safety guidelines set out by the World Health Organization's (WHO's) standards. Whilst Nong Khaem will certainly not be subject to such prominent spikes in air pollution throughout the whole of the year, with some months, particularly those in the middle period of the year being much more respectable in terms of its air quality, it is important to be aware of these more severe air pollution spikes. As such it can be said that Nong Khaem is subject to some high levels of air pollution towards the end of the year in 2021, and will likely continue to see elevated readings through to the earlier months of 2022.

What are some causes of polluted air that occur in Nong Khaem?

Air pollution in Nong Khaem can arise from many different sources, some of which are no different to those that pollute other provinces and cities in Thailand. Vehicle fumes are one of these factors that are of significant concern, especially for the surrounding cities and districts of Bangkok, due to the large number of people situated outside of the direct city center, a common phenomenon due to lower property expenses and better quality of life. However, it is inevitable for a large amount of the population in areas such as Nong Khaem to usually work within the city center of Bangkok, thus causing significant amounts of daily commutes to be made, causing rush hour traffic to give off larger amounts of hazardous particles, clouds of smoke, haze and smog as these vehicles travel out of Nong Khaem. Older and lower quality vehicles remain prevalent, even though there are many incentives in place to gradually phase them out altogether. This will aid significantly in reducing the pollution levels across major cities of Thailand but may prove much greater of a task in provincial areas throughout the countryside where ancient motorbikes, cars and trucks remain in use, leaking much larger amounts of noxious oil vapors due to their poor engine quality, as well as their exhaust fumes spitting out great clouds of dark smoke. Furthermore, vehicles contribute to other forms of particle pollution, with the consistent wear and tear placed on tire treads giving rise to large amounts of microscopic rubber particles entering into the atmosphere. From here they can cause a large number of health issues when inhaled, triggering off pre-existing health conditions as well as potentially invading the bloodstream if their size is small enough, as well as gathering in the environment and damaging various ecosystems. Other causes of pollution present in Nong Khaem include smoke and haze from industrial activity, as was mentioned, with various industrial sites, factories, power plants and even private businesses that rely on the combustion of fuels, or even fossil fuels such as diesel, natural gas and coal to provide their energy needs.

Is it dangerous for certain people to breathe pollution in Nong Khaem?

It is necessary to discuss which people are more at risk of developing adverse or more serious complications related to air pollution exposure all in the effort of increased harm reduction, but it must be noted that any level of air pollution at all, carries with it the possibility of causing negative health effects to occur amongst the exposed, which includes healthy or otherwise fit individuals. 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. Referring 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 negative 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 slowed growth, as well as developmental issues and impaired mental faculties, with children 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 growth 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 Khaem are also at risk, due to them being more prone to suffering from respiratory or cardiac ailments. Simple chest or upper respiratory tract infections may develop into more life-threatening or terminal conditions 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 illnesses considerably worse. Lastly, many people can exhibit a hypersensitive disposition towards certain ultrafine particles and other chemicals found in the pollution in Nong Khaem. 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 forecasts for the coming week. Preventative measures such as wearing fine particle filtering masks and avoiding outdoor activities can aid greatly in reducing more serious side effects.

What are the main health issues that arise from pollution exposure and poor air quality in Nong Khaem?

Health problems and side effects that may occur when pollution exposure is excessive in Nong Khaem include cases of irritation to the respiratory tract, as well as infections of the lungs and throat. Skin conditions can occur from smoke and haze exposure, including atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Further conditions include those that fall under the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) grouping, with some examples including pneumonia, bronchitis, aggravated forms of asthma as well as emphysema. More grave health consequences can include arrhythmias, as well as increased rates of heart attacks, strokes and even premature death, all of which have can be directly linked to excess pollution exposure, with many studies highlighting this fact throughout recent history. This places a large amount of emphasis on the importance of keeping yourself and those around you safe from pollution exposure throughout Nong Khaem.

What examples of chemicals and dangerous particles can be found in the air in Nong Khaem?

Some examples of air pollutants that can be found permeating the atmosphere in Nong Khaem include black carbon, along with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Due to both of these pollutants being released from the incomplete or poor combustion of both organic material as well as fossil fuels, they can be found in significantly larger quantities in many areas that see any degree of industrial activities taking place, or anywhere that has some form of burning taking place. Black carbon has many dangerous side effects when it enters the human body (as well as affecting the flora and fauna of areas surrounding Nong Khaem. Furthermore, black carbon also has a warming effect on the atmosphere, due to its ability to absorb solar radiation and release it directly as heat. Examining so of the aforementioned VOCs, some examples of these chemical compounds include benzene, styrene, methylene chloride, xylene, toluene as well as formaldehyde. These all come with many adverse health effects when breathed, or even with exposure to skin taking place. Other pollutants include those that go into making up the US AQI index, which are main chemical compounds such as nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone (smog), carbon monoxide and both PM10 and PM2.5.