Delhi’s toxic air takes heavy toll on men, new study reveals

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The air quality of the country's capital is not only bad, but it is also proving to be more fatal for men. A recent research conducted by Delhi's Netaji Subhash University of Technology and a Noida-based environmental consultancy has revealed that men in Delhi are inhaling more toxic air than women while driving in traffic or walking on the road. Scientists have reached this conclusion after a five-year long study from 2019 to 2023 and analyzing the data from 39 air quality monitoring stations in Delhi. This research is titled 'Five-year assessment of particles reaching the lungs through breathing in Delhi', which presents a scary picture of the dangers of pollution.

Scientists have attributed this difference to the physical structure and respiratory process of men. According to research, the breathing volume and airflow of men is higher than that of women, due to which more toxic particles get deposited in their lungs. If we look at the data, while sitting, PM 2.5 particles get deposited in the lungs of men about 1.4 times more and PM 10 particles 1.34 times more than that of women. While walking also, about 1.2 times more of both types of particles reach the lungs of men than that of women. Using an internationally accepted model, researchers have found out in which part of the lungs and in what quantity the pollution is actually getting deposited.

The alarm bell for Delhiites is that the concentration of fine particles (PM 2.5) in people's lungs is nearly 10 times higher than Indian air quality standards and nearly 40 times higher than World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The study also found that walking accumulates 2 to 3 times more pollution particles in the lungs than sitting at rest. This means that pedestrians, street vendors, and the working class are most at risk. Furthermore, evenings have been found to be more toxic than mornings. During evening traffic, the concentration of PM 2.5 particles in the lungs increases by 39 percent compared to mornings. The research found industrial areas to be the most polluted, while the green areas of Central Delhi are comparatively less vulnerable.