Public Awareness and Behavioral Patterns During Smog : Public Awareness During Smog

Nageen Hussain; Bushra Nisar Khan; Amina Bashir; Rana Mohsin Ali; Muhammad Talha Mukhtar; Eman Afzal Awan

doi:10.54393/pbmj.v7i02.1043

Authors

Nageen Hussain Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Bushra Nisar Khan Conservation Biology Lab, Institute of Zoology University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Amina Bashir Conservation Biology Lab, Institute of Zoology University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Rana Mohsin Ali The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
Muhammad Talha Mukhtar Conservation Biology Lab, Institute of Zoology University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Eman Afzal Awan Institute of Applied Psychology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54393/pbmj.v7i02.1043

Keywords:

Smog, Eye Irritation, Particulate Matter, Air Quality

Abstract

Smog is also an alarming signal for health problems in Pakistan especially in the city Lahore. Objective: To find out how the general public feels about smog. Methods: The study was conducted by surveying Lahore residents who drive. This was a survey-based study which included 100 subjects using any vehicle as a mode of transportation. Results: Generally, 2% people used cycle, motorbike 62%, car 13% and public transport 23% but during smog people shifted from bike to public transport and rate of car users were also increased from 13% to 25%. In this survey, 58% of the people came to know about smog through TV channels. Most of the respondents had the symptoms of chest tightness, eye irritation, breathing difficulty. This study revealed that 85% of vehicle users took preventive measures such as kept themselves hydrated (18%), worn mask (58%) and driven less (9%); which kept them away from hospitals during smog. Conclusions: It was anticipated that motor bike, car and public transport users had more knowledge about the causes of smog but none of cycle user was aware that sulfur and nitrogen compounds were the cause of smog (p<0.001). Thus, Pakistan needs to implement future countermeasures for smog.

References

Aidaoui L, Triantafyllou AG, Azzi A, Garas SK, Matthaios VN. Elevated stacks’ pollutants’ dispersion and its contributions to photochemical smog formation in a heavily industrialized area. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health. 2015 Apr; 8: 213-27. doi: 10.1007/s11869-014-0300-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-014-0300-9

Yuan Y, Liu S, Castro R, Pan X. PM2.5 monitoring and mitigation in the cities of China. Environmental Science and Technology. 2012 Mar; 46(7): 3627-8. doi: 10.1021/es300984j. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/es300984j

Sánchez-Triana E, Enriquez S, Afzal J, Nakagawa A, Khan AS. Cleaning Pakistan’s air: policy options to address the cost of outdoor air pollution. World Bank Publications. 2014 Jun 26. doi: 10.1596/978-1-4648-0235-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0235-5

Ali M and Athar M. Impact of transport and industrial emissions on the ambient air quality of Lahore City, Pakistan. Environmental monitoring and assessment. 2010 Dec; 171: 353-63. doi: 10.1007/s10661-009-1283-0. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-009-1283-0

Chan M, Solheim E, Taalas P. Working as one UN to address the root environmental causes of ill health. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 2017 Jan; 95(1): 2. doi: 10.2471/BLT.16.189225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.16.189225

Sughis M, Nawrot TS, Ihsan-ul-Haque S, Amjad A, Nemery B. Blood pressure and particulate air pollution in schoolchildren of Lahore, Pakistan. BMC Public Health. 2012 Dec; 12(1): 1-8. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-378. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-378

Ajay Bhartendu AB. Photochemical air pollution and its effects on plant and human life. International Journal of Chemical Sciences. 2013; 11(4): 1907-10.

Khanum F, Chaudhry MN, Kumar P. Characterization of five-year observation data of fine particulate matter in the metropolitan area of Lahore. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health. 2017 Aug; 10: 725-36. doi: 10.1007/s11869-017-0464-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-017-0464-1

Sun C, Yuan X, Xu M. The public perceptions and willingness to pay: from the perspective of the smog crisis in China. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2016 Jan; 112: 1635-44. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.04.121. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.04.121

Camposeco-Negrete C. Optimization of cutting parameters for minimizing energy consumption in turning of AISI 6061 T6 using Taguchi methodology and ANOVA. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2013 Aug; 53: 195-203. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.03.049. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.03.049

Gu J, Du S, Han D, Hou L, Yi J, Xu J, et al. Major chemical compositions, possible sources, and mass closure analysis of PM 2.5 in Jinan, China. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health. 2014 Sep; 7: 251-62. doi: 10.1007/s11869-013-0232-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-013-0232-9

Yang S and Shi L. Public perception of smog: A case study in Ningbo City, China. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association. 2017 Feb; 67(2): 219-30. doi: 10.1080/10962247.2016.1229235. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2016.1229235

Anderson JO, Thundiyil JG, Stolbach A. Clearing the air: a review of the effects of particulate matter air pollution on human health. Journal of Medical Toxicology. 2012 Jun; 8: 166-75. doi: 10.1007/s13181-011-0203-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-011-0203-1

Laumbach R, Meng Q, Kipen H. What can individuals do to reduce personal health risks from air pollution? Journal of Thoracic Disease. 2015 Jan; 7(1): 96.

Martinez-Gonzalez MA, Bes-Rastrollo M, Serra-Majem L, Lairon D, Estruch R, Trichopoulou A. Mediterranean food pattern and the primary prevention of chronic disease: recent developments. Nutrition Reviews. 2009 May; 67(suppl_1): S111-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00172.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00172.x

Hussain N, Ahmad M, Butt A, Bashir A. Evaluation of Ethical Awareness among Students to Scrutinize the Intrinsic Relationship between Humans and Animals. Lahore Garrison University Journal of Life Sciences. 2023 Sep; 7(03): 376-91. doi: 10.54692/lgujls.2023.0703286. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54692/lgujls.2023.0703286

Khan BN, Ashfaq Y, Hussain N, Atique U, Aziz T, Alharbi M, et al. Elucidating the effects of heavy metals contamination on vital organ of fish and migratory birds found at fresh water ecosystem. Heliyon. 2023 Nov; 9(11). doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20968. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20968

Rasool S, Javed S, Nadeem SG, Hakim ST. Bioethics education, awareness of ethics and dissemination of knowledge among teachers and students. RADS Journal of Biological Research & Applied Sciences. 2013 Jul; 4(2): 20-32.

Hussain N and Adil M. Risk Factors Associated with Very Low Birth Weight: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Technology. 2022; 4(3): 891-8. doi: 10.33411/IJIST/2022040319. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33411/IJIST/2022040319

Hussain N. Behavioral Attitude of Transgender Smokers towards Smoking. Tobacco Regulatory Science (TRS). 2022 Apr: 394-400.