Portal de Murcia
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Ecologists in Action is addressed to the regional administration for warning about the deterioration of quality in the municipality of Murcia element and its environment from pollution by ozone at ground level (tropoférico), especially during the summer.
The ozone pollution legislation establishes several levels [1]:
1) Target value for the protection of human health: 120 micrograms per cubic meter to 8 hours a day (eight hour), not to be exceeded more than 25 days per year.
2) Information threshold: 180 micrograms per cubic meter on average in an hour.
3) Alert threshold: 240 micrograms per cubic meter on average in an hour.
On Saturday 27 August we suffered a threshold for information, more than 180 micrograms per cubic meter for two hours to hit the capital region of Murcia, Sewer, Cotillas Towers, Alguazas, Ceuta and Lorqui (detected by the metering station Murcia -Sewer).
A review of the validated data to the website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water on air quality, says there have also been 27 days of exceedances of the value objective of protecting human health is 120 micrograms in the area previously cited during the summer months: 10 days of exceedances during the month of June, 12 days of exceedances in July and five days of exceedances, so far in August, should be noted that the legislation provides that ozone must not exceed more than 25 days per calendar year.
Ozone exceedances (Murcia measuring Sewer Station)
JUNE
10-day eight-hour exceedances of the value of health protection
JULY
12 days of exceedances
AUGUST
5 days of exceedances * (until 26)
TOTAL
27 DAYS
Source: www.carm.es/cmaot/calidadaire/portal/
The World Health Organization (WHO) [2], since 2005, has lowered the value objective of protecting human health to 100 micrograms per cubic meter.
Thus using the WHO criteria would increase much more the days of exceedances of the objective values for the protection of human health
These figures evidence the significant problem of deteriorating air quality tropospheric ozone pollution in the city of Murcia and its surroundings, especially each summer.
The ground-level ozone is a secondary pollutant formed by complex reaction with sunlight (ultraviolet) that affects emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions from vehicles or industry.
The highest ozone levels are recorded during periods of greater solar radiation.
The public health effects of ozone are varied: Irritation of the airways and throat, coughing and chest discomfort.
Reduced lung function in the lungs.
Worsening of conditions such as asthma, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Ozone also exacerbates and makes people more susceptible to allergic
Some groups of people are particularly sensitive to ozone pollution: Children who spend most time outdoors are more active and their airways are not fully developed adults who do strenuous exercise outdoors (biking, walking, ), people who perform jobs that require physical effort (which makes them faster and deeper breathing, increasing the amount of ozone flowing into the lungs) and, finally, people with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Ecologists in Action has requested an interview with the President of Regional Government and the Ministry of Health to transfer the concern about this environmental problem and public health and propose the establishment of preventive measures and mechanisms to control and prevent these situations deteriorate Murcia air quality and environment, measures and actions in the context of a Plan to Improve Air Quality has to be done in coordination with the municipalities in the area.
Source: Ecologistas en Acción
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