Very recently, a thick blanket of smog engulfed Delhi and shot up air pollution in the national capital to hazardous levels. Air quality readings in the city reached alarming figures, surpassing the 1,000 mark on the US embassy air quality index. The World Health Organisation considers anything above 25 to be unsafe.
The above measure is based on the concentration of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, per cubic metre. These particles are smaller than 2.5 micrometres in diameter and particularly harmful, as they can infiltrate deep into the lungs and spread into other organs to cause severe health dangers.
The demands of daily life compels us to get out of our homes and expose our lungs to harmful pollutants. When their concentration reaches a critical level, it’s no longer safe to breathe outdoors. However, following few easy and affordable practices can help reduce the risk and beat toxic air in any city.
Predictive Outdoor Pollution Apps
Today, there are multiple sites and apps that give us predictive outdoor air quality reports. In early 2015, the Indian government had launched SAFAR-Air, country’s first mobile app to provide current and one to three-day forecast of air quality and related health advisories. The colour-coded system helps to easily comprehend the air quality, and decide on our outdoor plans.
Other apps that help monitor air pollution levels include Plume Air Report and Air Quality: Real time AQI. SatAQ’s website is a useful portal that provides information on air quality, and sources and causes of pollution.
The Right Respirator
Comfort masks made from cloth do not fulfil the purpose of adequate respiratory protection. Proper respirator masks make a seal with the face and have a filter that prevents contaminated air from entering the mouth or the nose.
When the levels of particulate matter touched disturbing levels in Delhi, it became crucial to get a respirator rated N95/N99/FFP3 or one which is ‘NIOSH Approved’, filtering out more than 95% of particles larger than 0.3 microns.