What are we doing to the earth and ourselves!!
Air pollution in Hong Kong
28.07.2008
35 °C
For the last two days the Southwesterly wind has died and the pollution up in the air has descended to eye-level into the Hong Kong. Since yesterday views across the city have been clouded out by a reddish haze. I am from Mexico City so I know about pollution, but geez, this is ridiculous! Walking outside at 36 degrees and 95% humidity with an API of 93 air pollution (yesterday the API was 117), it really makes you think about carbon emissions, global warming, water pollution and the loss of 6 million hectares of land per year. Where will this earth will be in 50 years if we keep going as we are? After not feeling physically well after being outside (walking from train to office). I did some research as to what we've been breathing the last 48 hours. I found that the majority of the pollutant in the air has been composed of Nitrogen Oxide. Scary.
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
The many chemical species of the oxides of nitrogen are collectively termed as nitrogen oxides (NOx). This group of gases usually enters the air as a result of combustion processes which involve high temperatures, such as those produced by power plants and vehicular engines.
Nitric oxide (NO)
Nitric oxide is the main NOx emitted during combustion and it can be converted into nitrogen dioxide.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
Nitrogen dioxide is a corrosive and highly oxidising light brown gas which has a characteristic pungent smell at high concentrations. It is the reaction of nitrogen dioxide with reactive organic substances, such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), in the presence of sunlight that produces ozone (see information on 'Ozone and Photochemical Oxidants)'. Nitrogen dioxide is, therefore, an important part of urban haze or photochemical smog.
Station ------ ----API----- Air Pollution Level --------Contributing Pollutant
Causeway Bay --------93 -------------------- High ------Nitrogen Dioxide
Central---------------87------------------------ High -----Nitrogen Dioxide
Mong Kok-------------83------------------------High-------Nitrogen Dioxide
Posted by Pamelieux 7:43 PM Archived in Health and Medicine | China Comments (0)
