Chinese Researcher: Pollution In China More Frightening Than SARS

An eminent Chinese academic who played a central role during the 2003 SARS outbreak in China says that air pollution may be more deadly than SARS.

AsianScientist (Feb. 6, 2013) – Zhong Nan Shan, an eminent Chinese academic who played a central role during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in China, has said in a CCTV interview that air pollution may be more deadly than SARS.

In an interview with CCTV, Zhong said, “[Air pollution] is more frightening than the SARS virus. There are ways to get away from SARS, you could have avoided it by leaving (a room) or taking different methods of preventions, but air pollution, indoor pollution – you can’t run away from it.”

Indeed, outdoor and indoor pollution has resulted in the deaths of approximately 656,000 Chinese citizens a year, compared to the six-month SARS outbreak that claimed the lives of 775 people worldwide.

Zhong then went on to illustrate the severity of the nation’s air situation based on a research collaboration with a colleague in Hong Kong. He projects that hospitalizations resulting from air pollution may multiply by about 3.1 percent when PM2.5 concentrations increase by 10 micrograms per cubic meter. Furthermore, Zhong added that when these concentrations increase from 25 micrograms per cubic meter to 200, the mean daily mortality rate may grow by 11 percent.

Since 2012, the Chinese government has used PM2.5 as a stringent measure of air quality for every provincial capital, due to public outcry over the years on the country’s worsening air conditions.

The New York State Department of Health defines PM2.5, or more specifically particulate matter of a diameter of 2.5 microns or less, as little specks and tiny liquid droplets in the air that create a fine translucent effect called haze. It warns that one’s exposure to PM2.5 increases the danger of contracting cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and with frequent exposure – lung cancer, as the particles are able to implant themselves deep within human lungs and enter our bloodstream.

Over the past few weeks in China, PM2.5 levels have stayed at around 340 and 360. Based on the country’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, these figures indicate a severely polluted level. The Chinese government has since advised all individuals to limit their outdoor activities, state-run companies to cut vehicle use, and factories to be temporarily shut down.

All the same, China has created a name for itself as the world’s highest manufacturer of airborne sulfur dioxide and particulate matter from coal combustion. In 2005, its factories churned out twice as much sulfur dioxide a year (25.5 million tons), as compared to the United States (11 million tons).

In a land where indoor and outdoor pollution are known to result in the highest number of deaths compared to any other country, it is no wonder China’s air is known to be the deadliest in the world.

Zhong tells CCTV, “We all have to breathe. It’s no longer enough just to have a good lifestyle.”

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Copyright: Asian Scientist Magazine; Photo: 2 dogs/Flickr/CC.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

Katharine Tan-Sinha received her B.A. in Psychology from Monash University, Australia. She has a child-like fascination with the human body, and her current research interests fall under the umbrella of neurological development. She has an Achilles heel for ballet, music, traveling and good food.

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