POLLUTION

Breathing Air from Rush-Hour Traffic Significantly Raises Blood Pressure; HEPA Filters Provide Relief: Study

Representational Image (Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS) — Representational Image
(Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)

Breathing unfiltered air while in traffic can lead to a significant increase in blood pressure for up to 24 hours, according to a study. This is important information, especially as New Delhi and surrounding areas have been experiencing poor air quality for about a month. Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution has been linked to various health issues, including cardiovascular disease, asthma, lung cancer and premature death.

The study, which was detailed in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that breathing in traffic-related air pollution while in unfiltered cars led to a 4.5 mm Hg increase in blood pressure. This increase is comparable to the effect of a high-sodium diet. The change in blood pressure was quick, peaked within an hour of exposure, and lasted for 24 hours.

Joel Kaufman, a physician and professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington, said that slight increases in blood pressure on a population level are linked to a significant increase in cardiovascular disease. He also said that air pollution contributes to heart problems, and this study shows that roadway air pollution can have a significant impact on blood pressure.

Using high-quality HEPA filters in cars blocked out 86% of particulate pollution, according to the study. However, the study raises questions about ultrafine particles, an unregulated and little-understood pollutant that has become a source of growing concern among public health experts.

Traffic-related air pollution has high concentrations of ultrafine particles that are too small to be seen. Unfiltered air contained high levels of ultrafine particles, whereas the overall level of pollution, as measured by fine particle concentration (PM 2.5), was relatively low, equivalent to an AQI of 36.

Kaufman said that ultrafine particles are the pollutant that was most effectively filtered in their experiment and that they may be especially important for blood pressure. Further research is necessary to prove this, but the study provides a strong clue as to what’s going on.

**

The above article has been published from a wire agency with minimal modifications to the headline and text.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives.