What is air pollution?

Air pollution occurs when the air contains gases, dust, fumes or odour in harmful amounts. That is, amounts which could be harmful to the health or comfort of humans and animals or which could cause damage to plants and materials. Few countries have been reported suffering from air pollution recently, mainly Singapore and China. In Singapore, the pollution was caused by forest fires in Indonesia. This scenario was life-threatening to the citizens. This incident strained the relationship between Singapore and Indonesia over who is responsible for the choking smog. Singapore accused Indonesia of recklessness and irresponsibility in letting fires get so out of control. This is one example on how air pollution can cause serious health problems.

Air pollution has become a serious issue that need to be handled quickly. Air pollution is mainly caused by emission of gases from various transportation, deforestation, open burning and use of household chemicals. This causes the air to be filled with dangerous particles. When vehicles emit gases, all the dangerous substances are exposed to the air. The main pollutant is carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is the largest air pollutant in the United States. Carbon monoxide is poisonous, odourless and colourless gas. In addition, deforestation and open burning have been a natural phenomenon since decades ago. It has cause the air to be more polluted. By carrying out these activities, poisonous pollutants are released into the air and it might cause severe problems to society and also environment. Air pollution has cause unbearable pain to the people and environment. It has cause irritation in the eyes, nose, lungs and throat. Besides, it also contributed to breathing problems such as asthma. Contaminated air reduces the bodys defence system which eventually decreases the

bodys capacity to fight other infections in the respiratory system. Frequent exposure to polluted air increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Breathing air that is filled with fine particulate matter can induce hardening of the arteries, triggering cardiac arrhythmia or even a heart attack. Moreover, air pollution can even lead to acid rain and smog. Acid rain contains hydrogen ions, which can damage trees, crops, harm marine animals and induce corrosion in metals. Smog is a dangerous scenario where it can cause harmful health effects in humans and animals. In a nutshell, it is undeniable that air pollution is a rising issue almost in every country. Thus, everyone must come hand in hand to play an important role in curbing air pollution before it gets out of hand.