As Delhi-NCR writhes in massive air pollution after Diwali each year, leaving people with respiratory illnesses gasping for fresh air, experts said on Tuesday that since most people spend their winter days indoors, indoor air quality can be up to five times worse than outdoor air quality, despite the fact that it may appear to be better.
However, outdoor pollutants such as vehicle exhaust fumes, pollen, and mould spores can enter our indoor environments.
According to Dr. Vipul Gupta, Chief – Neurointerventional Surgery and Co-Chief Stroke Unit at Artemis Hospital in Gurugram, indoor air pollution is worse than outdoor air pollution because the potential pollutants can harm us even more in a contained environment.
Dr. Gupta told IANS that the presence of harmful dust, dirt, and gases within buildings is associated with cardiovascular diseases, chronic lung diseases, and/or the development of a number of infections.
Gases or particles released into the air are the primary cause of indoor air pollution; substances such as building materials, tobacco smoke, and wood-burning stoves also contribute to indoor pollution.
Once inside, they can interact with indoor pollutants to create a toxic cocktail.
“Similarly, ventilation allows indoor pollutants such as smoke from burning wood and cooking fumes to escape buildings. Air fresheners and deodorants, for instance, may contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and benzene, while cleaning products may contain benzene and household fumes and odours “Ginger Lee, a senior electronics engineer for consumer electronics manufacturer Dyson, told IANS.
Furniture and carpets may also emit formaldehyde and flame retardants that accumulate in the air, while cooking appliances, such as ovens and stoves, may emit a variety of substances that degrade indoor air quality.
“Because modern homes are generally better sealed, these pollutants can become trapped and unable to escape,” Lee explained.
According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Community Medicine, the health effects of indoor air pollution in developing nations far outweigh those of outdoor air pollution.
According to the World Health Organization, indoor air pollution causes the premature deaths of approximately 4.2 million individuals annually (WHO).
According to Lee, their purifiers make the invisible visible, enabling users to comprehend the types of pollution they are exposed to on a daily basis and providing peace of mind that these pollutants are being captured and they are breathing clean air indoors.
The HEPA+Carbon filter eliminates 99.95% of pollutants as small as 0.1 microns, including allergens, bacteria, pollen and mould spores, as well as hazardous gases.
Dr. Gupta advised individuals to ensure ventilation because it will help remove polluted air and refresh the air in the room.
“Along with ventilation, regularly decluttering or cleaning your rooms/households is essential for preventing dust from settling and trapping pollutants inside. Indoor plants are also an excellent method for preventing indoor air pollution because they purify the air quality inside “He observed.
