Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: Everyone knows that Hussainsagar surface water is
polluted but what many do not know is that the bed of the historic
lake too is highly polluted making it environmentally poisonous for
aquatic life and birds.
City researchers Prof M Vikram Reddy and Dr A Vijay Kumar collected
samples of Hussainsagar water and its sediment and conducted analysis
for harmful elements before and after the Ganesh immersion ceremony.
The surface water of the lake is less polluted as compared to its bed
surface.
They found that the pH, which determines the quality of water, has
increased to 8.35 (alkaline) after immersion of Ganesh idols from 7.40
before immersion. The electric conductivity has almost doubled from
2.535 to 4.750 while the total dissolved solids increased from 1534 to
2695 mg/l.
The concentration of chlorides increased from 25.50 mg per litre to
73.15 mg/l, while the content of lead went up from 0.376 to 0.575
mg/l. Similarly, manganese concentration went up from 18.50 mg/l to
24.56. Nitrogen concentration increased from 5.23 mg/l to 18.56.
"About 20,000 tonnes of plaster of Paris and coloured chemicals, 300
tonnes of iron and 100 tonnes of wooden planks are immersed in the
lake every year. The immersion of thousands of multi-coloured idols of
various sizes have significant effect altering the water quality of
the lake," said Dr A Vijay Kumar.
The content of calcium, iron, magnesium, molybdenum and silicon in the
surface water of the lake exceeds the standards fixed by the BIS and
ICMR. The concentration of most of these elements in several orders of
magnitude is higher in the bottom sediment of the littoral zone of the
lake than in the overlying surface water.
The team noticed that some elements like chromium, cobalt, nickel,
copper, zinc, cadmium, lithium, boron and selenium have vanished and
the concentration of manganese and sulphur dropped considerably from
the surface water following Ganesh idol immersion. The disappearance
of these elements following idol immersion can be attributed to the
absorption processes of the dissolved metal oxides metal ions by the
materials, particularly the coloured chemical hydrous metal oxides
used in paintings, varnishes and water colours on the idols.
"We have recorded significantly higher concentrations of all these
elements in the surface sediment of the lake compared to that of
surface water. Japan Bank for International Cooperation has consented
to fund cleaning of the lake. But, it is foolish to think about the
purification of water when we continue to pollute them knowingly," he
pointed out.
Showing posts with label Pollution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pollution. Show all posts
Friday, October 28, 2011
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Kitchen smoke major killer of infants in Andhra Pradesh
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: Smoke from kitchen is contributing to high child and infant mortality rate in Andhra Pradesh.
According to a World Bank-sponsored study on the impact of solid biomass fuels like wood, dung and crop residues on the health of people, particularly in rural areas, smoke from conventional kitchen is found to be a contributory factor in high child and infant mortality rate in the State. Andhra Pradesh has a child mortality rate of 62 per 1000 and infant mortality rate of 70 per 1000 live births. As many as 44 infants die in the State within a month of being born. Though the mortality rate in Andhra Pradesh is below the national average, it certainly is the poor performer in South India.
The study was conducted among other institutions by the city-based Institute of Health Systems. It was found during the course of the study that over 80 per cent of people in villages still depend on biomass fuels as against non-polluting fossil fuels. Strangely enough, 24 per cent of households in urban areas too depend on wood, dung and waste from crops. Poor ventilation in many houses has added to the problem of indoor air pollution from kitchen.
"This situation leads to some of the highest-ever recorded levels of air pollution to which young children and women are exposed daily for many hours," the report points out. The study has strengthened evidence that children under five years suffer from high levels of exposures to indoor air pollution on a daily basis and this explains for one of the high rates of child and infant mortality.
Indoor air pollution is the third most risk factor threatening human health in the country and the problem is found to be relatively higher in the State. Indoor air pollution contributing to about 20 lakh premature deaths every year in the country and a majority of victims being below the age of five years. "There is also strong evidence of impact on women, up to 34,000 deaths resulting from chronic obstructive disorders," the report pointed out.
As part of the study as many as 412 households were surveyed and of them 270 families used wood and 97 families buffalo and cow dung as fuel. Only a few families in rural areas used fossil fuels like LPG and kerosene.
The average 24-hour exposures to RSPM were the highest amongst women in families which used biomass fuels for cooking. Even older women, above 60 years who generally do not cook food, and children, who mostly play outside the houses, are also exposed to the high levels of RSPM.
However, children are three to four times less exposed to high levels of RSPM in households where fossil fuels are used.
"Indoor air pollution punishes young children twice. First by making them ill and secondly by making their mothers ill, thus reducing the mother’s ability to take care of the children", the report pointed out.
Hyderabad: Smoke from kitchen is contributing to high child and infant mortality rate in Andhra Pradesh.
According to a World Bank-sponsored study on the impact of solid biomass fuels like wood, dung and crop residues on the health of people, particularly in rural areas, smoke from conventional kitchen is found to be a contributory factor in high child and infant mortality rate in the State. Andhra Pradesh has a child mortality rate of 62 per 1000 and infant mortality rate of 70 per 1000 live births. As many as 44 infants die in the State within a month of being born. Though the mortality rate in Andhra Pradesh is below the national average, it certainly is the poor performer in South India.
The study was conducted among other institutions by the city-based Institute of Health Systems. It was found during the course of the study that over 80 per cent of people in villages still depend on biomass fuels as against non-polluting fossil fuels. Strangely enough, 24 per cent of households in urban areas too depend on wood, dung and waste from crops. Poor ventilation in many houses has added to the problem of indoor air pollution from kitchen.
"This situation leads to some of the highest-ever recorded levels of air pollution to which young children and women are exposed daily for many hours," the report points out. The study has strengthened evidence that children under five years suffer from high levels of exposures to indoor air pollution on a daily basis and this explains for one of the high rates of child and infant mortality.
Indoor air pollution is the third most risk factor threatening human health in the country and the problem is found to be relatively higher in the State. Indoor air pollution contributing to about 20 lakh premature deaths every year in the country and a majority of victims being below the age of five years. "There is also strong evidence of impact on women, up to 34,000 deaths resulting from chronic obstructive disorders," the report pointed out.
As part of the study as many as 412 households were surveyed and of them 270 families used wood and 97 families buffalo and cow dung as fuel. Only a few families in rural areas used fossil fuels like LPG and kerosene.
The average 24-hour exposures to RSPM were the highest amongst women in families which used biomass fuels for cooking. Even older women, above 60 years who generally do not cook food, and children, who mostly play outside the houses, are also exposed to the high levels of RSPM.
However, children are three to four times less exposed to high levels of RSPM in households where fossil fuels are used.
"Indoor air pollution punishes young children twice. First by making them ill and secondly by making their mothers ill, thus reducing the mother’s ability to take care of the children", the report pointed out.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Pollution leading to hearing disability in new born babies
Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: Environmental factors including increasing pollution levels are contributing to hearing disability in new born babies.
A study by a group of city researchers reveals that while genetic factors contribute to 50 per cent of deaf cases in new born babies, 40 per cent of the cases are related to environmental factors like pollution.
The incidence of hearing disability is two to three per 1000 live births in India and one per 1000 babies is profoundly deaf at birth or in the prelingual (stage of learning language) childhood period.
As against these pre-natal (before birth) factors, post-natal (after birth) infection of the ear (otitis media) is responsible for 11.71 per cent cases of deafness in children while head injuries contribute to just 4.83 per of the cases. The study was conducted by the Institute of Genetics and Hospital for Genetic Diseases and the Department of ENT, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad.
The factors responsible for infection of the middle ear include poor hygiene, lack of breast feeding, poor nutrition and inadequate healthcare. "Proper care during birth and proper monitoring after birth of the child is required to prevent adverse postnatal conditions leading to direct hearing loss or indirect disease related sensorineural hearing loss that can cause permanent disability in survivors of adverse perinatal conditions," the study pointed out.
As many as 1076 children below 14 years of age with congenital hearing impairment formed the study group.
Hyderabad: Environmental factors including increasing pollution levels are contributing to hearing disability in new born babies.
A study by a group of city researchers reveals that while genetic factors contribute to 50 per cent of deaf cases in new born babies, 40 per cent of the cases are related to environmental factors like pollution.
The incidence of hearing disability is two to three per 1000 live births in India and one per 1000 babies is profoundly deaf at birth or in the prelingual (stage of learning language) childhood period.
As against these pre-natal (before birth) factors, post-natal (after birth) infection of the ear (otitis media) is responsible for 11.71 per cent cases of deafness in children while head injuries contribute to just 4.83 per of the cases. The study was conducted by the Institute of Genetics and Hospital for Genetic Diseases and the Department of ENT, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad.
The factors responsible for infection of the middle ear include poor hygiene, lack of breast feeding, poor nutrition and inadequate healthcare. "Proper care during birth and proper monitoring after birth of the child is required to prevent adverse postnatal conditions leading to direct hearing loss or indirect disease related sensorineural hearing loss that can cause permanent disability in survivors of adverse perinatal conditions," the study pointed out.
As many as 1076 children below 14 years of age with congenital hearing impairment formed the study group.
Monday, August 13, 2007
And now pollution extends to seas
August 13, 2007
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, Aug 12: After playing havoc on land, pollution has now extended its fangs to the sea, killing scores of oceanic species including fish. Water quality in the entire sea coast in the State from Srikakulam to Nellore districts, particularly between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada, is badly affected upsetting the delicate marine ecology.
According to a study by the National Institute of Oceanography and a report by the city-based Environment Protection Training and Research Institute, the impact of anthropogenic or human interference, agricultural effluents and industrial wastes have led to deterioration of water quality, causing mass mortality of fish due to asphyxiation. It has also caused harmful plankton to grow in large numbers reducing the oxygen content in sea water.
"The coastal environment is being altered at ever-increasing rates, often without looking ahead at future consequences. This is due to a multitude of human activities. The coastal zone receives a vast quantity of sewage waste, dredge spoils, industrial effluents and river runoff. These markedly affect the composition and quality of coastal environment, causing marine pollution," points out the EPTRI report.
Bay of Bengal has a unique feature in that its water is always balanced. But pollution along the coast has affected even this well-balanced system. The total precipitation over the bay which exceeds evaporation by about 1500 cubic metres and the discharge of over 2000 cubic km of fresh water per annum from major river systems from the adjoining countries lead to a positive water balance in the Bay of Bengal.
Visakhapatnam harbour and Kakinada Bay are emerging as hotspot areas in the Andhra coast. Besides industrial and domestic wastes, port-related operations in Visakhapatnam and Kakinada and intensive aqua culture along the coast are the potential sources of coastal pollution.
Industrial units discharge effluents to the extent of 77.76 crore metres cube per day into inner harbour in Visakhaptnam along with a part of the domestic sewage (2.43 crore metres cube per day).
The land-locked nature of inner harbour its connection to the open sea through entrance channel and the outer harbour, inhibits to a significant extent, the circulation and tidal flushing of anthropogenic inputs into the open sea.
Some of the important observations in the studies include mass mortality of fish believed to be due to asphyxiation, periodic outbursts of blooms (harmful plankton) and near eutrophication conditions due to accumulation of high levels of nutrients and organic matter compiled with inadequate tidal flushing.
In addition, high levels of chlorophyll, primary production, particulate organic carbon, dissolved and particulate trace metals were observed in inner Vizag harbour. Rapid changes in composition and taxonomic diversity of phytoplankton, species diversity and zoonplankton and benthic fauna abundance, high pollution load indices were also reported in the inner harbour.
There were periodic outbursts of phytoplakton, notably Skelatonama Costatum and other species, leading to high values of chlorophyll and dissolved oxygen. Benthic conditions have also changed and only certain pollution tolerant species (Capitalla capitata) inhabited the bottom sediments that contained a heavy load of organic matter.
According to the report, increased pollution in the harbour led to the disappearance of stenoecious species and their replacement with other forms known for their tolerance to pollution.
Pollution load index in terms of trace metals in the inner channels of Visakhapatnam harbour are considered to be highly polluted while Kakinada bay is considered to be moderately polluted zone. Visakhaptnam region is dominated by industrial and domestic discharges while the Godavari and Kalingapatnam regions are influenced by agriculture and anthropogenic inputs from the adjacent river runoff.
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, Aug 12: After playing havoc on land, pollution has now extended its fangs to the sea, killing scores of oceanic species including fish. Water quality in the entire sea coast in the State from Srikakulam to Nellore districts, particularly between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada, is badly affected upsetting the delicate marine ecology.
According to a study by the National Institute of Oceanography and a report by the city-based Environment Protection Training and Research Institute, the impact of anthropogenic or human interference, agricultural effluents and industrial wastes have led to deterioration of water quality, causing mass mortality of fish due to asphyxiation. It has also caused harmful plankton to grow in large numbers reducing the oxygen content in sea water.
"The coastal environment is being altered at ever-increasing rates, often without looking ahead at future consequences. This is due to a multitude of human activities. The coastal zone receives a vast quantity of sewage waste, dredge spoils, industrial effluents and river runoff. These markedly affect the composition and quality of coastal environment, causing marine pollution," points out the EPTRI report.
Bay of Bengal has a unique feature in that its water is always balanced. But pollution along the coast has affected even this well-balanced system. The total precipitation over the bay which exceeds evaporation by about 1500 cubic metres and the discharge of over 2000 cubic km of fresh water per annum from major river systems from the adjoining countries lead to a positive water balance in the Bay of Bengal.
Visakhapatnam harbour and Kakinada Bay are emerging as hotspot areas in the Andhra coast. Besides industrial and domestic wastes, port-related operations in Visakhapatnam and Kakinada and intensive aqua culture along the coast are the potential sources of coastal pollution.
Industrial units discharge effluents to the extent of 77.76 crore metres cube per day into inner harbour in Visakhaptnam along with a part of the domestic sewage (2.43 crore metres cube per day).
The land-locked nature of inner harbour its connection to the open sea through entrance channel and the outer harbour, inhibits to a significant extent, the circulation and tidal flushing of anthropogenic inputs into the open sea.
Some of the important observations in the studies include mass mortality of fish believed to be due to asphyxiation, periodic outbursts of blooms (harmful plankton) and near eutrophication conditions due to accumulation of high levels of nutrients and organic matter compiled with inadequate tidal flushing.
In addition, high levels of chlorophyll, primary production, particulate organic carbon, dissolved and particulate trace metals were observed in inner Vizag harbour. Rapid changes in composition and taxonomic diversity of phytoplankton, species diversity and zoonplankton and benthic fauna abundance, high pollution load indices were also reported in the inner harbour.
There were periodic outbursts of phytoplakton, notably Skelatonama Costatum and other species, leading to high values of chlorophyll and dissolved oxygen. Benthic conditions have also changed and only certain pollution tolerant species (Capitalla capitata) inhabited the bottom sediments that contained a heavy load of organic matter.
According to the report, increased pollution in the harbour led to the disappearance of stenoecious species and their replacement with other forms known for their tolerance to pollution.
Pollution load index in terms of trace metals in the inner channels of Visakhapatnam harbour are considered to be highly polluted while Kakinada bay is considered to be moderately polluted zone. Visakhaptnam region is dominated by industrial and domestic discharges while the Godavari and Kalingapatnam regions are influenced by agriculture and anthropogenic inputs from the adjacent river runoff.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, May 17: Hyderabad sits on carbon monoxide poisoning, a highly
dangerous gas that was once used by kings to execute people.
The average peak level of carbon monoxide or simply CO in the city
atmosphere for the months of January, February, March and April was 18 mg
per cubic metre per hour as against the standard level of 4 mg/cm and
permissible level of 12 mg/cm.
Worse is the case with high traffic areas like Panjagutta where the peak CO
level for the first four months of this year was 26 mg/cm, according to AP
Pollution Control Board ambient air quality studies. The recordings were as
high as 23 mg/cm in Paradise and Charminar and as low as nine mg/cm in
green areas like Nehru Zoological Park and Kasu Brahmananda Reddy
National Park.
City doctors link high incidence of breathing-related problems, nausea and
convulsions among Hyderabadis to constant exposure to vehicular CO
emissions. Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas known to man as
early as 300 years before the birth of Christ and it has emerged as the
single
largest cause of accidentally poisoning among Americans. Increasing number
of vehicles and frequent traffic snarls have turned Hyderabad as one of the
few cities in the country with high CO exposure rates.
"Carbon monoxide can lead to respiratory chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease and allergic bronchitis. It can even lead to death in case of heavy
exposures. At low levels, CO leads to reduced oxygenation which may cause
forgetfulness, fatigue and insomnia. We have been receiving many such cases
of late," says Dr A Raghu, consultant physician at Apollo DRDO Hospital.
This gas has the tendency to freely mix with the blood stream leading to the
formation of carboxyl haemoglobin.
The danger from this gas can be gauged from the fact that haemoglobin
prefers CO to oxygen. The haemoglobin molecule likes to take 200 times
more CO than oxygen, he points out adding that the high levels of CO
concentration in Hyderabad atmosphere will prove disastrous to the health of
the people in the long run.
Though 2.5 per cent carboxyl haemoglobin (at a CO limit of 30 mg/cm for
one hour) is recognised as definitely harmful to health, experts around the
world have now set a standard limit of one per cent carboxyl haemoglobin
(12 mg/cm for one hour). This means in Hyderabad the peak CO level is
more than twice the standard limit.
Senior pulmonologist Dr Pradyut Waghray attributes the high levels of CO in
Hyderabad to fumes from industries and exhaust from diesel vehicles.
"Respiratory cells get affected by carbon monoxide. It also hits RBCs and
reduces oxygen carrying capacity of the blood," he says adding that constant
exposure leads to chronic persistent respiratory asthma.
Hyderabad, May 17: Hyderabad sits on carbon monoxide poisoning, a highly
dangerous gas that was once used by kings to execute people.
The average peak level of carbon monoxide or simply CO in the city
atmosphere for the months of January, February, March and April was 18 mg
per cubic metre per hour as against the standard level of 4 mg/cm and
permissible level of 12 mg/cm.
Worse is the case with high traffic areas like Panjagutta where the peak CO
level for the first four months of this year was 26 mg/cm, according to AP
Pollution Control Board ambient air quality studies. The recordings were as
high as 23 mg/cm in Paradise and Charminar and as low as nine mg/cm in
green areas like Nehru Zoological Park and Kasu Brahmananda Reddy
National Park.
City doctors link high incidence of breathing-related problems, nausea and
convulsions among Hyderabadis to constant exposure to vehicular CO
emissions. Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas known to man as
early as 300 years before the birth of Christ and it has emerged as the
single
largest cause of accidentally poisoning among Americans. Increasing number
of vehicles and frequent traffic snarls have turned Hyderabad as one of the
few cities in the country with high CO exposure rates.
"Carbon monoxide can lead to respiratory chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease and allergic bronchitis. It can even lead to death in case of heavy
exposures. At low levels, CO leads to reduced oxygenation which may cause
forgetfulness, fatigue and insomnia. We have been receiving many such cases
of late," says Dr A Raghu, consultant physician at Apollo DRDO Hospital.
This gas has the tendency to freely mix with the blood stream leading to the
formation of carboxyl haemoglobin.
The danger from this gas can be gauged from the fact that haemoglobin
prefers CO to oxygen. The haemoglobin molecule likes to take 200 times
more CO than oxygen, he points out adding that the high levels of CO
concentration in Hyderabad atmosphere will prove disastrous to the health of
the people in the long run.
Though 2.5 per cent carboxyl haemoglobin (at a CO limit of 30 mg/cm for
one hour) is recognised as definitely harmful to health, experts around the
world have now set a standard limit of one per cent carboxyl haemoglobin
(12 mg/cm for one hour). This means in Hyderabad the peak CO level is
more than twice the standard limit.
Senior pulmonologist Dr Pradyut Waghray attributes the high levels of CO in
Hyderabad to fumes from industries and exhaust from diesel vehicles.
"Respiratory cells get affected by carbon monoxide. It also hits RBCs and
reduces oxygen carrying capacity of the blood," he says adding that constant
exposure leads to chronic persistent respiratory asthma.
Hyderabad sits on carbon monoxide poisoning
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, May 17: Hyderabad sits on carbon monoxide poisoning, a highly dangerous gas that was once used by kings to execute people.
The average peak level of carbon monoxide or simply CO in the city atmosphere for the months of January, February, March and April was 18 mg per cubic metre per hour as against the standard level of 4 mg/cm and permissible level of 12 mg/cm.
Worse is the case with high traffic areas like Panjagutta where the peak CO level for the first four months of this year was 26 mg/cm, according to AP Pollution Control Board ambient air quality studies. The recordings were as high as 23 mg/cm in Paradise and Charminar and as low as nine mg/cm in green areas like Nehru Zoological Park and Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park.
City doctors link high incidence of breathing-related problems, nausea and convulsions among Hyderabadis to constant exposure to vehicular CO emissions. Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas known to man as early as 300 years before the birth of Christ and it has emerged as the single largest cause of accidentally poisoning among Americans. Increasing number of vehicles and frequent traffic snarls have turned Hyderabad as one of the few cities in the country with high CO exposure rates.
"Carbon monoxide can lead to respiratory chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease and allergic bronchitis. It can even lead to death in case of heavy exposures. At low levels, CO leads to reduced oxygenation which may cause forgetfulness, fatigue and insomnia. We have been receiving many such cases of late," says Dr A Raghu, consultant physician at Apollo DRDO Hospital.
This gas has the tendency to freely mix with the blood stream leading to the formation of carboxyl haemoglobin.
The danger from this gas can be gauged from the fact that haemoglobin prefers CO to oxygen. The haemoglobin molecule likes to take 200 times more CO than oxygen, he points out adding that the high levels of CO concentration in Hyderabad atmosphere will prove disastrous to the health of the people in the long run.
Though 2.5 per cent carboxyl haemoglobin (at a CO limit of 30 mg/cm for one hour) is recognised as definitely harmful to health, experts around the world have now set a standard limit of one per cent carboxyl haemoglobin (12 mg/cm for one hour). This means in Hyderabad the peak CO level is more than twice the standard limit.
Senior pulmonologist Dr Pradyut Waghray attributes the high levels of CO in Hyderabad to fumes from industries and exhaust from diesel vehicles. "Respiratory cells get affected by carbon monoxide. It also hits RBCs and reduces oxygen carrying capacity of the blood," he says adding that constant exposure leads to chronic persistent respiratory asthma.
Hyderabad, May 17: Hyderabad sits on carbon monoxide poisoning, a highly dangerous gas that was once used by kings to execute people.
The average peak level of carbon monoxide or simply CO in the city atmosphere for the months of January, February, March and April was 18 mg per cubic metre per hour as against the standard level of 4 mg/cm and permissible level of 12 mg/cm.
Worse is the case with high traffic areas like Panjagutta where the peak CO level for the first four months of this year was 26 mg/cm, according to AP Pollution Control Board ambient air quality studies. The recordings were as high as 23 mg/cm in Paradise and Charminar and as low as nine mg/cm in green areas like Nehru Zoological Park and Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park.
City doctors link high incidence of breathing-related problems, nausea and convulsions among Hyderabadis to constant exposure to vehicular CO emissions. Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas known to man as early as 300 years before the birth of Christ and it has emerged as the single largest cause of accidentally poisoning among Americans. Increasing number of vehicles and frequent traffic snarls have turned Hyderabad as one of the few cities in the country with high CO exposure rates.
"Carbon monoxide can lead to respiratory chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease and allergic bronchitis. It can even lead to death in case of heavy exposures. At low levels, CO leads to reduced oxygenation which may cause forgetfulness, fatigue and insomnia. We have been receiving many such cases of late," says Dr A Raghu, consultant physician at Apollo DRDO Hospital.
This gas has the tendency to freely mix with the blood stream leading to the formation of carboxyl haemoglobin.
The danger from this gas can be gauged from the fact that haemoglobin prefers CO to oxygen. The haemoglobin molecule likes to take 200 times more CO than oxygen, he points out adding that the high levels of CO concentration in Hyderabad atmosphere will prove disastrous to the health of the people in the long run.
Though 2.5 per cent carboxyl haemoglobin (at a CO limit of 30 mg/cm for one hour) is recognised as definitely harmful to health, experts around the world have now set a standard limit of one per cent carboxyl haemoglobin (12 mg/cm for one hour). This means in Hyderabad the peak CO level is more than twice the standard limit.
Senior pulmonologist Dr Pradyut Waghray attributes the high levels of CO in Hyderabad to fumes from industries and exhaust from diesel vehicles. "Respiratory cells get affected by carbon monoxide. It also hits RBCs and reduces oxygen carrying capacity of the blood," he says adding that constant exposure leads to chronic persistent respiratory asthma.
Thursday, December 8, 2005
A quarter of traffic police force in Hyderabad suffers from lung problems with high levels of carboxy haemoglobin in blood
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, Dec 8: A quarter of traffic police force in the city suffers from
lung problems with high levels of carboxy haemoglobin in blood thanks to
constant exposure to ever-increasing vehicular pollution.
According to a research study carried out by AP Government General and
Chest Hospital, police personnel who are on traffic duty are more prone to
lung-related diseases than their counterparts in crime and law and order
sections. The study was carried out on traffic cops and control group and a
comparative analysis revealed that even non-smoking traffic policemen have
relatively higher levels of carboxy haemoglobin levels in their blood.
As many as 659 traffic constables were subjected to pollution study and of
them 175 found to be suffering from one or other lung ailment. Similar
studies were also carried out on traffic police personnel in Vijayawada and
Visakhapatnam.
Hyderabad is closely behind Delhi, the fourth largest polluted city in the
world, both in terms of suspended particulate matter, lead toxicity and
carbon monoxide levels in atmosphere. There has been a three-fold increase
in pollution levels in Hyderabad since 2000. The led toxicity levels in blood
is of the order of 20 to 24 mg per decilitre as against the permitted levels of
10 micro grams per decilitre. The carbon monoxide levels often cross the
permissible limits in Hyderabad and since traffic cops are exposed to
constant air pollution they are more prone to lung diseases than other
citizens.
When CPI-ML legislator Gummadi Narasiah raised the issue in the State
Assembly on Thursday, Home Minister K Jana Reddy announced that traffic
cops would be exposed to fresh oxygen in oxygen chambers to improve their
blood quality and detoxify the effect of carbon monoxide. Narasaiah
demanded that traffic cops be given medical reimbursement facility as they
are forced to undergo expensive tests in private hospitals.
"Traffic police personnel are being given fresh oxygen once a week free of
charge. Anti pollution nose masks have been distributed to all cops on traffic
duty," the home minister said.
Hyderabad, Dec 8: A quarter of traffic police force in the city suffers from
lung problems with high levels of carboxy haemoglobin in blood thanks to
constant exposure to ever-increasing vehicular pollution.
According to a research study carried out by AP Government General and
Chest Hospital, police personnel who are on traffic duty are more prone to
lung-related diseases than their counterparts in crime and law and order
sections. The study was carried out on traffic cops and control group and a
comparative analysis revealed that even non-smoking traffic policemen have
relatively higher levels of carboxy haemoglobin levels in their blood.
As many as 659 traffic constables were subjected to pollution study and of
them 175 found to be suffering from one or other lung ailment. Similar
studies were also carried out on traffic police personnel in Vijayawada and
Visakhapatnam.
Hyderabad is closely behind Delhi, the fourth largest polluted city in the
world, both in terms of suspended particulate matter, lead toxicity and
carbon monoxide levels in atmosphere. There has been a three-fold increase
in pollution levels in Hyderabad since 2000. The led toxicity levels in blood
is of the order of 20 to 24 mg per decilitre as against the permitted levels of
10 micro grams per decilitre. The carbon monoxide levels often cross the
permissible limits in Hyderabad and since traffic cops are exposed to
constant air pollution they are more prone to lung diseases than other
citizens.
When CPI-ML legislator Gummadi Narasiah raised the issue in the State
Assembly on Thursday, Home Minister K Jana Reddy announced that traffic
cops would be exposed to fresh oxygen in oxygen chambers to improve their
blood quality and detoxify the effect of carbon monoxide. Narasaiah
demanded that traffic cops be given medical reimbursement facility as they
are forced to undergo expensive tests in private hospitals.
"Traffic police personnel are being given fresh oxygen once a week free of
charge. Anti pollution nose masks have been distributed to all cops on traffic
duty," the home minister said.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Beware of packaged drinking water: Check out for pathogens, chemical residues
August 26, 2005
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, Aug 25: The next time you buy packaged drinking water make it sure that you are not buying harmful bacteria and other pathogens. Most of the packaged drinking water brands available in the market fail one or the other quality test and only a few of them conform to the international standards.
An analysis of six leading packaged water brands including Bisleri, Kinley and Aquafina at the State government-controlled State Food Laboratory showed that some samples were acidic, which simply means that the water is more fit for gardening than drinking or sprinkling over body to reduce pain from intense mosquito bites.
Moreover, some of the samples had relatively high total dissolved solids indicating that the claim of manufactures of employing reverse osmosis methods is bogus. A water sample even had coliform bacteria and aerobic microbial count which shows that the source of water is contaminated with human or animal faeces.
Bisleri water had failed the all-important microbilogical examination
at the State Food Laboratory. The aerobic microbial count (total plate count) should 100 colonies per ml. There were four colonies/ml of Coliform bacteria. However, no E. coli, salmonella, yeast and molds and S aureus were found either in Bisleri or other water samples.
The presence of coliform indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Pathogens in water cause diarrhoea, cramps, nausea and headaches and may pose a severe health risk for infants and children.
Packaged water bottles of Bisleri, Kinley, Fresh, Aqua God, Aquafina and Manjeera as also municipal tap water filtered through Aquaguard were analysed. Tap water filtered through Aquaguard was found to be safe. The water bottles were purchased from different shops in Secunderabad area.
However, no tests were conducted for the presence of Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite commonly present in water bodies. Cryptosporidium tests are not mandatory though bottled water sources often are just as prone to Cryptosporidium contamination as any other drinking water source.
When contacted M Rajendra Prasad, manager of the local Bisleri unit, told this correspondent that he would not make any comment. "I am out of city and will be back on Tuesday. I will comment only after seeing the laboratory report," he said.
Bisleri and Fresh samples showed a pH of 6.83 and 6.9 respectively which in other words means the water is acidic. Drinking water is normally neutral (pH of 7). According to international standards as also those framed by the United States Environment Protection Agency, any water that has a pH of 5.8 to 6.9 is acidic as it contains full of hydrogen ions. Acidic water is good for external use and industrial purposes, but not for long-term human consumption. If consumed the water attracts minerals from the body and cause mineral deficiencies.
Acidic water is also good for plant growth, crops, and livestock as it will help keep a much lower mortality rate and cleaner environment by killing bacteria. It provides excellent relief from mosquito bites.
Bisleri, Kinley, Fresh and Aqua Gold had total dissolved solids of 62 mg/lt, 68 mg/lt, 112 mg/lt and 118 mg/lt respectively while the US Environmental Protection Agency norms indicate that ideal drinking water from reverse osmosis, distillation, deionisation and microfiltration should contain TDS less than 50 mg/lt. The test showed that the claims of several companies on employing reverse osmosis and other filtration methods were hollow and bogus.
Bisleri and Kinley had 10.44 mg/lt and 0.90 mg/lt of nitrates while tap water had just 2.88 mg/lt nitrates. Though all samples except Bisleri had nitrates within the maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/lt, the lesser the nitrates content the good the quality of water. Presence of nitrates in water means contamination from runoff from fertiliser use, leaking from septic tanks, sewage or erosion of natural deposits.
Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrates in excess of MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue baby syndrome.
However, all the samples pass the turbidity, cyanide, mineral oil and fluoride tests. As for as chlorides and sulphates are concerned, even the WHO has not set any standards for these materials.
Except Bisleri, all the samples including tap water were declared "not adulterated" by the State Food Laboratory primarily because they did not contain any pathogens or cyanide.
Of the 358 water samples tested by BIS, 297 passed the quality test and remaining 61 samples failed to meet the required quality norms.
"We have been analysing samples quite regularly. Whenever we find any deviation in quality, we take action including cancellation of licences. If the State Food Lab report mentions about adulteration of water samples, complaint can be lodged with us for further action," Bureau of Indian Standards Hyderabad unit head RS Sarma observed.
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, Aug 25: The next time you buy packaged drinking water make it sure that you are not buying harmful bacteria and other pathogens. Most of the packaged drinking water brands available in the market fail one or the other quality test and only a few of them conform to the international standards.
An analysis of six leading packaged water brands including Bisleri, Kinley and Aquafina at the State government-controlled State Food Laboratory showed that some samples were acidic, which simply means that the water is more fit for gardening than drinking or sprinkling over body to reduce pain from intense mosquito bites.
Moreover, some of the samples had relatively high total dissolved solids indicating that the claim of manufactures of employing reverse osmosis methods is bogus. A water sample even had coliform bacteria and aerobic microbial count which shows that the source of water is contaminated with human or animal faeces.
Bisleri water had failed the all-important microbilogical examination
at the State Food Laboratory. The aerobic microbial count (total plate count) should 100 colonies per ml. There were four colonies/ml of Coliform bacteria. However, no E. coli, salmonella, yeast and molds and S aureus were found either in Bisleri or other water samples.
The presence of coliform indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Pathogens in water cause diarrhoea, cramps, nausea and headaches and may pose a severe health risk for infants and children.
Packaged water bottles of Bisleri, Kinley, Fresh, Aqua God, Aquafina and Manjeera as also municipal tap water filtered through Aquaguard were analysed. Tap water filtered through Aquaguard was found to be safe. The water bottles were purchased from different shops in Secunderabad area.
However, no tests were conducted for the presence of Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite commonly present in water bodies. Cryptosporidium tests are not mandatory though bottled water sources often are just as prone to Cryptosporidium contamination as any other drinking water source.
When contacted M Rajendra Prasad, manager of the local Bisleri unit, told this correspondent that he would not make any comment. "I am out of city and will be back on Tuesday. I will comment only after seeing the laboratory report," he said.
Bisleri and Fresh samples showed a pH of 6.83 and 6.9 respectively which in other words means the water is acidic. Drinking water is normally neutral (pH of 7). According to international standards as also those framed by the United States Environment Protection Agency, any water that has a pH of 5.8 to 6.9 is acidic as it contains full of hydrogen ions. Acidic water is good for external use and industrial purposes, but not for long-term human consumption. If consumed the water attracts minerals from the body and cause mineral deficiencies.
Acidic water is also good for plant growth, crops, and livestock as it will help keep a much lower mortality rate and cleaner environment by killing bacteria. It provides excellent relief from mosquito bites.
Bisleri, Kinley, Fresh and Aqua Gold had total dissolved solids of 62 mg/lt, 68 mg/lt, 112 mg/lt and 118 mg/lt respectively while the US Environmental Protection Agency norms indicate that ideal drinking water from reverse osmosis, distillation, deionisation and microfiltration should contain TDS less than 50 mg/lt. The test showed that the claims of several companies on employing reverse osmosis and other filtration methods were hollow and bogus.
Bisleri and Kinley had 10.44 mg/lt and 0.90 mg/lt of nitrates while tap water had just 2.88 mg/lt nitrates. Though all samples except Bisleri had nitrates within the maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/lt, the lesser the nitrates content the good the quality of water. Presence of nitrates in water means contamination from runoff from fertiliser use, leaking from septic tanks, sewage or erosion of natural deposits.
Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrates in excess of MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue baby syndrome.
However, all the samples pass the turbidity, cyanide, mineral oil and fluoride tests. As for as chlorides and sulphates are concerned, even the WHO has not set any standards for these materials.
Except Bisleri, all the samples including tap water were declared "not adulterated" by the State Food Laboratory primarily because they did not contain any pathogens or cyanide.
Of the 358 water samples tested by BIS, 297 passed the quality test and remaining 61 samples failed to meet the required quality norms.
"We have been analysing samples quite regularly. Whenever we find any deviation in quality, we take action including cancellation of licences. If the State Food Lab report mentions about adulteration of water samples, complaint can be lodged with us for further action," Bureau of Indian Standards Hyderabad unit head RS Sarma observed.
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