-Presence of high levels of the carcinogenic element cobalt
- High risk of cancer in both children and adults
-Cancer patients are expected to double by 2050
‘Dangerous levels of lead also found in the air. We usually get 400 to 500 nanograms per cubic meter. But now more than a thousand nano grams are available.’
-Prof. Abdus Salam, Department of Chemistry, DU
A new study has revealed that the amount of cancer-causing arsenic, lead and cadmium in the air of Dhaka is almost twice the level prescribed by the World Health Organization. Lead-acid battery and e-waste recycling industries, coal-based brick kilns and vehicles are responsible for high concentrations of these chemicals, the study said. The study found high levels of cobalt, another cancer-causing element, in the city's air.
This study conducted in 27 places in the world also said that Dhaka is the only place where the risk of cancer in both adults and children exceeds the standard. The study, titled 'Elemental Characterization of Ambient Particulate Matter for a Global Distributed Monitoring Network: Methodology and Implications', was recently published in the ACS ES&T Air Journal.
The Surface Particulate Matter Network is the only organization in the world that measures the concentration of fine particles in the air of different countries to identify areas with high concentrations of chemical elements in the air. The researchers examined samples collected between 2019 and 2023 to assess the spread of airborne dust, chemicals, and their impact on human health.
One of the researchers, Professor Abdus Salam of Dhaka University's Chemistry Department, said that due to the pollution of Bangladesh's environment, dangerous levels of lead have also been found in the air. At one time the concentration of lead in the air was very high. Then it decreases a lot. We usually get 400 to 500 nano grams per cubic meter of air. But now more than 1000 nano grams are available again. The study found Dhaka's air to be the most dangerous, followed by Kanpur in India, Hanoi in Vietnam, Singapore, Beijing in China, and Kaohsiung in Taiwan.
He said, the results of this research will be useful in proper health risk assessment and thorough understanding of the sources of pollution. According to a report by UNICEF and Pure Earth, one in three children, or about 800 million children worldwide, have lead levels of five micrograms per deciliter or more in their blood, requiring treatment. Chemicals such as lead and arsenic enter the air mainly due to the use of fossil fuels and industries.
According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report released earlier this year, the number of cancer patients in Bangladesh is continuously increasing and in 2050, the country may see more than twice as many new cases as in 2022. The number of people affected by lung cancer is high in Bangladesh.
ZH
