What does the emissions of motor vehicles actually do to the respiratory system?… by Jasmi
I know that it is not good for the respiratory system, but what do the pollutions actually do to the lungs. Please include a source of the information is there is one. Thanks so much
Best Answer:
Cars are not a particularly large contributer of air pollution that harms the respiratory tract (but make lots of green house gases). Cars have extensive emission control systems that clean the exhaust of most hazardous pollutants before the exhaust goes into the environment. This isn't to say that cars are completely free of fault. It takes a lot of cars to make much air pollution with modern cars.
Transport trucks only January 1st, 2007 were required to have an emission system. Cars have had emission systems since 1975. The truck systems tend to be fine particulate filters (for soot) and catalysts that combust sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into less harmful materials before letting the exhaust out into the environment. With the shift from rail to road transport of goods, there is an ever increasing number of trucks on the road spewing untreated emissions. Presently, truckers are doing everything they can to avoid have to comply with the new emission system requirements. Yes, it will cost them more in the short term. In the long term, there will be fewer people with asthma.
When particles are of a certain size, in the 1 – 5 micron range, they can enter and deposit in the human lung. Anything that size can. It doesn't matter if it's dust from cat litter, dust from vacuuming, or fine particulate matter (soot) from diesel engines. When this matter gets into your lungs, it irritates them, causing coughing, increased production of sputum, and can give some people (like me) an asthma attack.
To help make the lungs less irritated, particles of medicine that are within the medically effective range are used (1 – 5 microns in size). This is what nebulizers and inhalers for lung disease produce and that's why the medication makes it into the lungs and deposits.
Truck exhaust also creates sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxides. These are gases that irritate the lungs when in sufficient concentration. They can also cause the same increased sputum production, airway constriction, wheezing, coughing, etc… that particulate matter can. It is treated the same. If you have asthma and you are sensitive to air pollution, then you probably have to use your medication a lot on smog days or when you find yourself in a place where diesel engines are running.
Ozone at ground level is a lung irritant. It is present in smog and after thunderstorms. It can cause asthma attacks.
For me, I know what my asthma triggers are. Diesel engine exhaust is by far the worst. I can have an asthma attack in the car if we are stopped at a light behind a diesel truck. Smog days can require a lot of medication to keep my lungs under control.
Anyone can develop a sensitivity to air pollution. In my situation, I grew-up in a place where air pollution was minimal, then lived the a very, horribly polluted area for five years. That place had so much air pollution that the air was brown some days. When driving into town, it looked like there was an upside down brown bowl on the town. It was nasty! When people are exposed to air pollution in that concentration, I think that anyone can develop asthma.
To treat lung problems related to air pollution, here are the usual medications:
* Albuterol/Salbutamol, Xopenex, Atrovent – short acting bronchodilators for asthma attacks (for rescue), opens the airways
* Intal/Tilade – can prevent air pollution related asthma attacks specifically (not for rescue)
* various inhaled steroids and combination drugs with inhaled steroids – when taken daily can ease lung inflammation, sputum production, wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness (not for rescue)
* the best treatment is to MOVE! I still have asthma even after moving away several months ago. I don't think it will go away. My lungs are probably damaged for life.
I hope this helps.
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