Health and Me

Ishita Roy

Delhi Pollution Is A Major Health Hazard, Toxic Air Could Even Cause Organ Damage, According To Doctors

As of 8am, in Delhi, the city's average AQI stands at 513 according to aqi.in. Major pollutant in the Delhi's air include PM2.5, PM10, Carbon Monoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, and Ozone. The AQI is equivalent to smoking 11.8 cigarettes per day, 82.6 cigarettes per week, and 354 cigarettes in a month. Amid this, doctors have called this major public health hazard, and warned people about the damage it can cause to our organs. 

"The smaller the particle the more dangerous it is because it really goes into the depth of our lungs and causes damage there," says Dr. Vivek Nangia, Vice Chairman and Head of Pulmonology at Max Healthcare Saket, as told to news agency PTI. 

Speaking to news agency ANI, Dr. Naresh Trehan, MD, Medanta, called the current situation “a major, major health-wise hazard,” stressing that the impact is unfolding across all age groups.

<h2>“A disaster for humanity,” says Dr Trehan</h2>

According to Dr. Trehan, pollution is now causing illness “many fold,” with outpatient departments packed with people suffering from cough, cold, chest congestion, asthma attacks, and severe breathing difficulties. But his biggest concern goes beyond the lungs.

He explained that the <span>particulate matter</span> present in polluted air moves far deeper into the body than most people realise. “These particulates go everywhere,” he told ANI. “They get absorbed into the blood, they go to your brain, they go to your kidneys, they go to your liver.”

Dr. Trehan added that the chronic effects of such constant exposure are making the public “sicker than they would be if they were living in a cleaner area.” Children, he warned, face an even greater threat as trapped toxic gases and particulate matter during winter behave “like a gas chamber,” potentially harming neurological development.

<h2>Dr Nangia breaks down the danger of PM2.5</h2>

Giving the scientific context behind this damage, Dr Nangia told PTI that the toxicity varies by particle size.

Particles larger than 5–10 microns usually stay in the upper respiratory tract, causing symptoms like throat irritation, watery eyes, and a runny nose. However, “a particle size less than 2.5 microns goes into the lungs,” he explained. Even more dangerous are particles smaller than 0.5 microns, which “go directly into the bloodstream from the lungs and trigger an inflammatory cascade.”

This cascade, Dr. Nangia said, spreads through the body and can inflame various organs—contributing to asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, and even conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

As per the aqi.in there are six categories under which air pollution levels are measured, which are as followed:

<ul><li><strong>Good </strong>0 to 50</li><li><strong>Moderate </strong>50 to 100</li><li><strong>Poor </strong>100 to 150</li><li><strong>Unhealthy </strong>150 to 200</li><li><strong>Severe </strong>200 to 300</li><li><strong>Hazardous </strong>301+</li></ul>

<strong>Fact: AQI in Delhi is 1.9 times above than in India</strong>

There are many short-term and long-term impact on public health from the constant exposure of air pollution. As per IQAir, in the short-term, people experience irritation in eyes, throat, and nose, along with irregular heartbeats, asthma attacks, coughing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing.

Prolonged exposure also intensifies these risks and leads to long-term effects such as chronic respiratory illnesses like bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema. Pollutants can also damage lung tissue, increasing the likelihood of lung cancer. Air pollution also leads to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes and could also be linked to premature death.

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As of 8am, in Delhi, the city's average AQI stands at 513 according to aqi.in. Major pollutant in the Delhi's air include PM2.5, PM10, Carbon Monoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, and Ozone. The AQI is equivalent to smoking 11.8 cigarettes per day, 82.6 cigarettes per week, and 354 cigarettes in a month. Amid this, doctors have called this major public health hazard, and warned people about the damage it can cause to our organs. "The smaller the particle the more dangerous it is because it really goes into the depth of our lungs and causes damage there," says Dr. Vivek Nangia, Vice Chairman and Head of Pulmonology at Max Healthcare Saket, as told to news agency PTI. Speaking to news agency ANI, Dr. Naresh Trehan, MD, Medanta, called the current situation “a major, major health-wise hazard,” stressing that the impact is unfolding across all age groups.“A disaster for humanity,” says Dr TrehanAccording to Dr. Trehan, pollution is now causing illness “many fold,” with outpatient departments packed with people suffering from cough, cold, chest congestion, asthma attacks, and severe breathing difficulties. But his biggest concern goes beyond the lungs.He explained that the particulate matter present in polluted air moves far deeper into the body than most people realise. “These particulates go everywhere,” he told ANI. “They get absorbed into the blood, they go to your brain, they go to your kidneys, they go to your liver.”Dr. Trehan added that the chronic effects of such constant exposure are making the public “sicker than they would be if they were living in a cleaner area.” Children, he warned, face an even greater threat as trapped toxic gases and particulate matter during winter behave “like a gas chamber,” potentially harming neurological development.Dr Nangia breaks down the danger of PM2.5Giving the scientific context behind this damage, Dr Nangia told PTI that the toxicity varies by particle size.Particles larger than 5–10 microns usually stay in the upper respiratory tract, causing symptoms like throat irritation, watery eyes, and a runny nose. However, “a particle size less than 2.5 microns goes into the lungs,” he explained. Even more dangerous are particles smaller than 0.5 microns, which “go directly into the bloodstream from the lungs and trigger an inflammatory cascade.”This cascade, Dr. Nangia said, spreads through the body and can inflame various organs—contributing to asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, and even conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.Reading Delhi's AQIAs per the aqi.in there are six categories under which air pollution levels are measured, which are as followed:Good 0 to 50Moderate 50 to 100Poor 100 to 150Unhealthy 150 to 200Severe 200 to 300Hazardous 301+Fact: AQI in Delhi is 1.9 times above than in IndiaPublic Health EmergencyThere are many short-term and long-term impact on public health from the constant exposure of air pollution. As per IQAir, in the short-term, people experience irritation in eyes, throat, and nose, along with irregular heartbeats, asthma attacks, coughing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing.Prolonged exposure also intensifies these risks and leads to long-term effects such as chronic respiratory illnesses like bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema. Pollutants can also damage lung tissue, increasing the likelihood of lung cancer. Air pollution also leads to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes and could also be linked to premature death.