Question

Long answer questions.
What are the adverse effects of air pollution on the respiratory system? Explain.

Answer 1

Air pollution:

1. The contamination of air due to the presence of certain compounds in the atmosphere that are hazardous to human health and other living organisms is known as air pollution.
2. Several gases such as carbon monoxide, fumes from household products, chemicals (naphthalene, formaldehyde), and exposure to tobacco smoke cause indoor air pollution.

Adverse effects of air pollution on the respiratory system:

1. Due to inhalation of polluting particles in the air and unhygienic mode of living, people suffer from different types of respiratory disorders.
2. Long-term exposure can cause chronic diseases like asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis, emphysema, cardiac problems, and even lung cancer.

Some of the respiratory orders are mentioned below-

Bronchitis:

1. Bronchitis is a respiratory disorder which is characterised by the inflammation of the bronchi.
2. It is caused by cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollutants like carbon monoxide.
3. Symptoms of bronchitis include regular coughing and excessive secretion of mucus.

Asthma:

1. Asthma is a kind of allergy characterised by spasms of the muscles of the bronchioles.
2. It is generally caused by the hypersensitivity of bronchioles to the foreign substances present in the air.
3. Symptoms of asthma include coughing, wheezing, and difficulty in breathing mainly during expiration.