Air Quality in Des Moines and Beijing
July 19, 2008 by James
Filed under Environment, Guest Writer: Lindberg, James G., Health, In the News, Life is Political, Sports
Air quality in Beijing currently is among the worst in the world. The photograph above of the Beijing Olympic Stadium was taken several years ago. The photographer reported, “The grey here is not rain or cloud but thick, smelly smog.”
When you see the sun looking like it does in the second photo above (also taken in Beijing), the haze announces that the air is loaded with particulate matter. Particulate matter scatters light. In terms of beauty, particulate matter has two effects. First, it reduces the amount of light and hence reduces the danger of looking at the setting sun, and second, it bends the light so we see mostly the longer wavelengths - reds and oranges; but while particulate matter enhances the beauty of sunset photos, in terms of health it’s not so good. EPA gives a basic view. (The origin of particulate matter can be forest fires, volcanic eruptions, construction, activity or winds over farm fields, industrial activity, trucks and cars or road dust.)
Particles in particulate matter can be of many sizes, but the ones of special interest for their health effects on the lungs are between 2.5 and 10 micrometers, and they are designated as PM10. Wikipedia is useful for some of the definitions and details.
Here is where Des Moines comes in.
The federal government monitors PM10 and posts results regularly for many cities including Des Moines. The target maximum for particulate matter (PM10) is 50 micrograms/cubic meter. In Des Moines we are hovering around that value this week. As of July 16 we were just under the limit at 48 (which put Des Moines barely in the good air quality category), but on the 17th we were over limit at 67 (which edged us into the moderate air quality category). With rain, levels of particulate matter drop, and so Des Moines levels dropped below 50 again on Friday. According to a July 16 report from BBC Beijing is not meeting the PM10 standard, and Beijing (unlike Des Moines) is not hovering near acceptable levels. Beijing’s PM10 level on Sunday July 13 was 60 but Monday July 14 it was over 250.
Because high particulate levels can cause irreversible lung damage, there is concern for Olympic athletes who will compete in outdoor events with long competition times (for example, steeplechase, marathon, soccer, cycling, rowing) or who will train outdoors. Athletes competing indoors like Shawn Johnson or in short duration events like Lolo Jones will be less affected.
Germany’s leading magazine Der Spiegel expresses concern. On the other hand Alex Pasternack of Huffington Post suggests that air quality will be a non-issue by time the Olympics start, and CBS News suggests the same. At a cost estimated by CBS News to be $16 billion China will shut down industry, halt construction, and ban half the cars (in a zone of 200 mile radius or larger) for two weeks prior and during the Olympics. An interesting question: If China is successful in reducing pollution levels so drastically on a temporary basis, will the people expect better air on a permanent basis?
A relatively recent set of studies are indicating that a type of particulate matter that is smaller than the PM10 particulates can enter the blood stream and damage blood vessels. (See AIRNow for definitions and USNews & World Report for a synopsis of the study.)
To read about the physical effects of particles on the lungs and how and why they are dangerous, I once again recommend a long but entirely readable article called Clearing the Air in Harvard Magazine in 2005.
Credits: Photos on flickr by rytc (Olympic Stadium) and toesoxluxer (the sunset).
Guest Writer: James G. Lindberg (Jim) is the Purple Wren’s sweetie and is a visiting chemistry professor at Grinnell College and retired from Drake University.
James is James G. Lindberg (Jim) is the Purple Wren’s sweetie and is a visiting chemistry professor at Grinnell College and retired from Drake University.
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[...] James wrote an interesting post today on Air Quality in Des Moines and Beijing. Here’s a quick excerpt: [...]
Australia Cognizant of Beijing Smog Danger, Sending Team from Hong Kong Training Camp for Event Only; Olympics President Asked to Remove Triathlon, Marathon, and Cycling Out of Deadly Smog
Stephen Fox
Because of concern about air quality, most of Australia’s track and field athletes will miss the Aug. 8 Olympic opening ceremonies in Beijing. With events beginning after Aug. 15, one week after the opening, Athletics
Australia has chosen to hold its pre-Olympic training camp in Hong Kong. Competitors will then fly to Beijing three or four days before their events.
“As many sports have said, China presents difficulties for athletes going in and being there for a period of time,” Athletics Australia national performance manager Max Binnington. “Anything more than five or six days and they inevitably end up with some sort of respiratory problem. So that was why many of the sports who don’t have to be in there early are choosing not to go in. And the outcome is that it’s almost impossible to go for the opening ceremony.” Australia’s triathletes will also miss the opening ceremonies for similar reasons. “Most of our athletes have accepted the decision straight away.”
Sun Weide, a spokesman for the Bejiing organizing committee, stated that nations could be flexible for the opening ceremonies. “Every team can arrange its schedule according to its own plan,” Sun said. “As for the environmental problems, we’ve said many times that we’re confident that we can provide clean air during the Olympic Games.” A plan for Beijing’s notoriously clogged traffic include half of the city’s 3.3 million vehicles being banned each day, using an odd-even system from registration plates.
“Generally those competing of the first day or the second day don’t march, standing up for eight hours a day or so before competition isn’t a medically smart thing to do,” AOC spokesman Tancred said. Australian and Hong Kong
physicians have backed this up: see “Medical Experts Say Olympians Face Health and Performance Difficulties in Beijing’s Air Pollution from Hong Kong and Australian Physicians: Even Spectators Should Worry!” at:
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=52625&ret=AccountDtl.aspx,
an article by Tan Ee Lyn.
Despite IOC President Jacques Rogge’s “Beijing air pollution cheer” a few days ago from Lausanne, Switzerland, in which he basically dismisses all of these concerns, I would like you to be aware of my latest articles, which we
refer to by URL in order to bring you the photo essay on Beijing smog:
[Title: Jacques Rogge and Olympic Committee: Please move Marathon, Triathlon, and Cycling out of Beijing's Deadly Air Pollution! Carbon
Monoxide, Industrial Pollution,Lead,Particulate Matter, Ozone]
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=52987&ret=AccountDtl.aspx
_______________________________
Please also see earlier article:
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=52585&ret=AccountDtl.aspx
[Title: Beijing's Infernal Air Pollution Will Kill A Few Olympic Athletes;
Most US Athletes Will Wear Masks While Preparing for Their Events]
If you know Olympic athletes, physicians, sports enthusiasts, and internationally minded people, please forward this to them, and to friends
and colleagues. If you comprehend that we could prevent a few athletes from inevitable expiration in the Beijing smog, you can also email Mr. Rogge directly:
http://www.olympic.org/uk/utilities/registration_uk.asp?prm_action=req
Stephen Fox, Contributing Editor Santa Fe Sun News stephen@santafefineart.com
Photo Essay: Close Up of Bird’s Nest Stadium Engulfed in Beijing Smog:
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/01JI8wJ5zmffG/610x.jpg
http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/07/10/a-month-before-the-
olympics-beijing-still-failing-air-quality-test/
http://thinkorthwim.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/yutian-pollution.jpg
http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/10/25/beijing_narrowweb__300×375,0.jpg
One by my sardonic wise friend, James Fallows, Washington Editor Atlantic Monthly:
http://www.chinaherald.net/uploaded_images/BJpollution-761160.jpg
The British are keeping us posted on the latest PM10 levels in Beijing. See the levels for Monday July 28 (about 170) and the previous 20 days at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7528523.stm#graph and the accompanying article from Michael Bristow. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7528523.stm Then compare Des Moines whose current PM2.5 is 22.
The PM10 in Beijing was measured as 292 micrograms/cubic meter on Monday August 8. That is close to 6 times the WHO acceptable level. Check the BBC article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7541084.stm . Des Moines’ level for PM2.5 is 53, barely above the acceptable level. Keep checking on Beijing. It will be in the news.
This comment by Jim Lindberg is right on the money, and puts it all in a workable perspective. I think Rogge is changing his tune a bit on the endurance events like marathon, triathlon, and cycling, maybe not being held in Beijing, according to some recent articles I have seen. It is still worth writing to Rogge in Lausanne Switzerland (IOC) about all of this: it might save some athletes’ lives! And thanks to the Des Moines Register for permitting this level of dialogue in the comments section; I wish it were on the Editorial page, actually; then people might pay the attention that these concerns warrant.
There is a very important article at the Luciole website, with before and after pictures, and with the Olympics starting on Friday, I predict unmitigated mitochondrial disaster for the poor athletes. Here is the URL: http://blog.luciolepress.com/2008/08/03/several-before-and-after-photos-of-beijings-air-quality-plus-an-article-poll..