In the coming days, Ukraine will witness a significant deterioration in the quality of air. The Ventusky meteorological resource reports that a cloud of dust will be covered by a cloud, which will significantly increase pollution in many regions, including in the western and central regions.
Health hazard
The dust cloud, which will spread throughout the country, will increase the level of pollution to critical indicators. One of the most affected regions will be Zhytomyr, where the pollution level will reach 317 units that are classified as "very unhealthy" for the human body. Kyiv region will also not stay away - the level of air pollution will reach 83 units, which is already in the category "unhealthy".
In Kharkiv region, in particular in Lozova, the level of contamination will increase to 91 units, which is also dangerous to health.
The main factor that leads to contamination is the dust of the small dispersed fraction PM2.5. These particles, which are mainly contained in a contaminated cloud, can easily penetrate the lungs, which poses a threat to health, especially for people with chronic lung disease, such as asthma.
The Air Quality Index (IAQ) is calculated by the NowCast formula that estimates the concentration of hazardous particles in the air.
In regions with very polluted air, people are advised to minimize outdoor stay. Respirators or masks can be used to reduce the risk to protect the respiratory tract. Particularly careful should be people with chronic lung disease, children and elderly.
This case with contaminated air is another alarm that indicates climate changes. Scientists and physicians are concerned about such abnormal phenomena that can lead to even greater health problems, especially in an unusual winter.
